School of Public Health

Open Research and Contributor Identifier

ORCID - 0000-0001-5527-8059

Department

Health & Wellness Design

Education

• University of Utah, Ph.D., 2007

• California State University, Chico, M.S., 2000

• California State University, Chico, B.S., 1995

Background

The focus of Dr. Jennifer Piatt's research is to empower individuals to lead healthy lives through evidence-based and community-based wellness initiatives. After completing a successful research fellowship in spinal cord injury medicine at the University of Utah, Dr. Piatt shifted her line of research to examining sexual health for adults living with disabling conditions. To achieve excellence in research, Dr. Piatt combines research interests with training and mentoring future scholars. This has led to the engagement in interdisciplinary meaningful research disseminated to scholars, practitioners, and consumers. She has authored over 50 scientific journal publications, 30 peer-reviewed research abstracts, 8 book chapters, delivered over 100 scientific research presentations, while securing over $1,000,000 in internal and external research funds. Dr. Piatt is consistently invited as a keynote speaker on the topic of sexual health and disability.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines community-based rehabilitation as comprehensive rehabilitation (outside of the traditional clinical hospital setting) that promotes maximum independence and full inclusion in all aspects of life. Dr. Piatt's research is grounded in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) bio-psycho-social model. The ICF provides a conceptual framework that examines the individual's health within a variety of contexts, including personal and environmental factors, body functions and structure, as well as activity and participation. Dr. Piatt's research focuses on the participation component of the ICF within community-based rehabilitation environments. For more information about Dr. Piatt's research team, visit the Community-Based Rehabilitation Team.

Positions

• Affiliate Faculty (2022-present) Kinsey Institute, Indiana University-Bloomington
• President-elect (2022-2025) Academy of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals, Governance Board
• Academic Council, Chair (2022-2023) Indiana University-Bloomington, School of Public Health
• Faculty Member (2020-current) Center for Sexual Health Promotion, Indiana University-Bloomington
• Editorial Board (2019-current) Sexuality and Disability Journal
• Faculty Advisor (2018-present) Runway of Dreams Foundation Student Club
• President (2019-2021) Academy of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals, Therapy Leadership Council
• Secretary (2019-2022) Academy of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals, Governance Board

Awards

• Outstanding Alumni Award (2021) College of Health, Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism, University of Utah
• Elected Fellow (2020) National Academy of Recreational Therapists
• Recreational Sport Club of the Year (2020) Wheelchair Basketball Club, Indiana University-Bloomington
• Elected Member (2019) Delta Omega, Honorary Society in Public Health
• Access on Campus Award (2019) Indiana University Bloomington, Services for Students with Disabilities
• Commitment to Inclusion Award (2018) Zappos Adaptive Advisory Council - Runway of Dreams Foundation
• Clinical Researcher Laon Repayment Award (2016) National Institute of Health
• Trustee Teaching Award (2015) School of Public Health

Selected Publications

Articles

Piatt, J. A., Simic-Stanojevic, I., Stanojevic, C., Zahl, M., Richmond, M.A., & Herbenick, D. (2022). Sexual health and women living with spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: the unheard voice. Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences – Disability, Rehabilitation, and Inclusion. Doi: 10.3389/fresc.2022.853647.

Piatt, J., Stanojevic, C., Simic-Stanojevic, I., Fisher, A., & Kim, J. (2022). Attitudes Toward Sexual Wellness for Individuals with Disabilities: Recreational Therapists Practitioners and Students Perspectives, 56(2), Therapeutic Recreation Journal. Doi: 10.18666/TRJ-2022-V56-I2-11182.

Simic-Stanojevic, I.S., Gerth, J., & Piatt, J. (2022). Stuck Inside: Impact of loneliness and social isolation due to COVID-19 countermeasures for Individuals with intellectual and developmental disability. Therapeutic Recreation Journal. Doi: 10.18666/TRJ-2022-V56-I3-11000.

Stanojevic, C., Bennet, C., Piatt, J., Sabanovic, S. (2022). Utilizing Ecological Momentary Assessment Longitudinal Approach and Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change for In-Home Socially-Assistive Robots. Human Robot Interactions, IEEE, ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human Robot Interaction.

Bennett, C. C., Stanojevic, C., Kim, S., Sabanovic, S., Lee, J., Piatt, J., Yu, J., & Oh, J. (2022). Comparison of In-home Robotic Companion Pet Use in South Korea and the United States: A Case Study. 9th IEEE RAS/EMBS International Conference on Biomedical Robotics and Biomechatronics (BioRob 2022).

Stanojevic, C., Neimeyer T., & Piatt, J. (2021). Sexual health and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Sexuality and Disability, 39, 345-356. Doi: 10.1007/s11195-020-09651-2

Piatt, J. A., Knee, E., Eldridge, L, Valentine, C., & Herbenick, D. (2020). The impact of spinal cord injury on sexual health among males. American Journal of Recreational Therapy, 19(3), 21-34. Doi: 10.5055/ajrt.2020.0217.

Kim, J., Kim, Y., & Piatt, J. & Kim, J. (2020). Investigating relationships among coping, personal growth, and life satisfaction among individuals with physical disabilities. Health Promotions Perspective, 10(4), 401-408. Doi: 10.34172/hpp.2020.59.

Piatt, J. (2019). The missing recreational therapy facilitation technique; sexual health. American Journal of Recreational Therapy, 18(3), 7-8. Doi: 10.5055/ajrt.2019.0190.

Randall, N., Bennett, C., Sabanovic, S., Nagata, S., Eldridge, L., Collins, S., & Piatt, J. (2019). More than just friends: In-home use and design recommendations for sensing socially assistive robots (SARs) by older adults with depression.Journal of Behavioral Robotics, 10(1), 237-255. Doi: 10.1515/pjbr-2019-2020.

Eldridge, L.,Piatt, J., Agley, J., Gerke, S. (2019).Relationship Between Substance use and the Onset of Spinal Cord Injuries:A Medical Chart Review.Topics in Spinal Cord, 25(4), 316-321. Doi: 10.1310/sci2504-316

Piatt, J. A., Eldridge, L., Herbenick, D., & Knee, E. (2018). Sexuality and intimacy: What females with spinal cord injury Are Saying.American Journal of Recreational Therapy, 17(3), 25-35. Doi: 10.5055/ajrt.2018.0165.

Piatt, J. A., Van Puymbroeck, M., Zahl, M., Rosenbluth, J., & Wells, M. (2016). Examining how the perception of health can impact participation and autonomy among adults with spinal cord injury. Topics in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation, 22(3), 165-172. Doi:10.1310/sci2203-165.

Piatt, J. A., Nagata, S., Zahl, M., Li, J., & Rosenbluth, J., (2015). Problematic secondary health conditions and its impact on social activities and daily life within a SCI population. Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine. Doi: 10.1080/10790268.2015.1123845.

Books

Rosenbluth, J. P., Campbell, C., McClary, V., Piatt, J. & Kari, T. (2018). Chapter 46: Recreation and Leisure Skills. In S. Burns & Kirsbaum,Spinal cord medicine, New York, NY:Springer Publishing Co.

Piatt, J.A. (2018). Physical Disabilities. InThe SAGE encyclopedia of lifespan human development. SAGE Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781506307633

Piatt, J.A. & Dawson, S. (July 2014). Chapter 10: Pediatric practice. In Austin, Crawford, McCormick, & Van Puymbroeck:Recreational Therapy: An Introduction.