Dr. Justin Xavier Moore

Racial and Socioeconomic Disparities in Cancer Outcomes

Dr. Moore has focused on examining health disparities (including racial, socio-economic, rural, and geographic) in cancer outcomes within the United States. Racial minorities and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations often face substantial barriers to adequate healthcare, greatly affecting quality of life and mortality. We have examined the influence of personal and neighborhood level, socioeconomic factors, and availability to healthcare resources in relation to racial differences in survival and treatment of various cancers (including breast and colorectal).

• Dr. Moore currently serves as principal investigator of the Geographic and Racial Disparities in Mammography Screening and Barriers to Receiving Care study funded by the National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (K01MD015304-01). Link to NIH report here: Justin Moore K01
• Dr. Moore serves a Co-Investigator for the Impacting Cancer Health Disparities and Facilitating Cancer Health Equity in Breast, Multiple Myeloma, and Prostate Cancers in Underserved and Minority Populations: The cancer-Community Awareness Access Research & Education II (c-Care II) Initiative funded by Bristol Meyers Squibb Foundation.
• Dr. Moore serves as a Co-Investigator for the Cancer Health Awareness through screeNinG and Education (CHANGE) project funded through the American Cancer Society & Pfizer.

Racial and Geographic Disparities in COVID-19

The disease burden COVID-19 require novel approaches to identify most troubled areas geographically (i.e., hot spots), vulnerable populations, and associated risk factors in effort of mitigating the long-term risks and effects resulting from COVID-19 and eliminating future risks for unaffected communities. Dr. Moore’s research has observed possible rural-urban differences in COVID-19 incidence mortality, which may be partially explained by community level factors such as access to healthcare, number of physicians, number of intensive care unit beds, and personal level factors such as African American race. In addition, Dr. Moore has worked with numerous community leaders and organizations to help mitigate COVID-19 disparities within the Central Savannah River Area through community engaged programming to disseminate from COVID-19 tests, personal protective equipment, COVID-19 health information, COVID-19 vaccine information, health resources, and vaccine clinics.

• Dr. Moore serves as a Scientist Partner for the Cultivating Community Co-Researchers to Build Capacity for PCOR for COVID-19 project funded through the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI).

Health Disparities and Long-Term Risk Factors for Sepsis

Dr. Moore utilized data from nationally representative cohorts and national mortality data to determine the risk factors for community-acquired sepsis. Sepsis, or infection with systemic inflammation, is a large and growing problem, leading to over 750,000 hospitalizations annually in the US. Dr. Moore has explored relationships between various characteristics measured at baseline and associated with the development of sepsis across a ten-year observation period. Dr. Moore’s research represented a new conceptualization of sepsis by approaching it as a preventable occurrence with potentially modifiable risk factors.