Dina Jones

Dina Jones serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Behavior & Health Education at the College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Her academic work centers on tobacco control, health disparities, and social justice frameworks within public health practice and research.

Dr. Jones specializes in tobacco use behaviors among marginalized populations, particularly Black/African American women in rural and low-resource settings. Her research examines smoking cessation barriers, smoke-free home rule adoption, and electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) use through mixed-methods approaches combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews. She investigates intersections between mental health conditions, discrimination, and substance use, with emphasis on psychological functioning and racial identity as moderators of health outcomes. Her work consistently addresses social determinants of health and develops culturally tailored interventions to reduce health disparities.

Current research trends reveal Dr. Jones's pivot toward community-engaged scholarship during the pandemic era, focusing on capacity building within statewide coalitions addressing racial/ethnic COVID-19 disparities. She actively translates research into practice through partnerships with community organizations, examining how social justice principles inform health equity interventions. Her recent publications demonstrate increasing emphasis on implementation science and systems-level change to sustain evidence-based practices in real-world settings.

Dr. Jones has secured substantial research funding as Principal Investigator on multiple projects:

• K01DA055088 (NIH): Predictors of Momentary Smoking Lapse Among Menthol Cigarette Smokers (2022-2027)
• Center for the Study of Tobacco Pilot Study (2021-2023)
• Arkansas Department of Health Minority Research Center Pilots (2019-2021)

She also contributes as Co-Investigator to major NIH initiatives including P50MD017319 Center for Research, Health, and Social Justice and U54MD002329 Arkansas Center for Health Disparities, focusing on coalition sustainability and health equity infrastructure.

Through the Center for Research, Health, and Social Justice, Dr. Jones collaborates with community partners to implement concept mapping exercises identifying social justice perceptions. She participates in statewide coalitions addressing pandemic-related disparities and develops library-based physical activity resources for rural communities, demonstrating commitment to translating research into community action.