Assistant Professor, Department of MedicineMalcolm S. Bevel

Cancer Prevention, Control, & Population Health Program

Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University

Research Summary

Malcolm S. Bevel, PhD, MSPH is a chronic disease/cancer epidemiologist with extensive experience in the community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach, epidemiologic and database design, SAS programming, mediation analysis, mixed methods analysis, and health disparities in the African American community. Dr. Bevel serves as an Assistant Professor in the Cancer Prevention, Control, & Population Health Program, Department of Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University. Dr. Bevel’s research examines the role of social determinants of health (e.g. food deserts, food swamps, racial residential segregation, walkability) on obesity-related cancers. His current research interests include quantitatively and qualitatively understanding the effects of food deserts and food swamps on risk factors related to cancer including obesity, inflammation, and allostatic load. His long-term goal of research is to promote healthy lifestyle interventions through community gardening geared towards underserved minority populations, especially those impacted by breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer.

Contact Us

Malcolm S. Bevel, PhD, MSPH

Health Sciences Campus

Georgia Cancer Center - M. Bert Storey Research Building

CN-2134

(706) 721-0680

mbevel@augusta.edu

Research Projects & Interests

Racial and Socioeconomic Disparities in Cancer Outcomes

Dr. Bevel has focused on exploring health disparities (including racial, socio-economic, rural, and geographic) in cancer outcomes within Georgia, North Carolina, and the United States. Barriers to healthcare and food access continue to persist among racial minority and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations. Currently we are examining the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs surrounding food deserts, food swamps, and community gardens among a cohort of African American pastors and parishioners in Augusta, Georgia.

Dr. Bevel currently serves as principal investigator of the Pilot Evaluation of a Healthy Lifestyle Intervention Combating Obesity and Inflammation in Rural and Urban Georgia study funded by the Georgia Cancer Center at Augusta University (CRC Pilot Award 64530019).

Dr. Bevel will conduct an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design to examine the association between food deserts/food swamp residence and cancer morbidity among African American and white breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer patients in the Central Savannah River Area of Georgia. There will also be a community needs assessment to determine the feasibility of multiple, greenhouse-style community gardens in the African American community. Dr. Bevel is currently developing this project.

Selected Publications

Akinyemiju, T., Deveaux, A., Wilson, L., Gupta, A., Joshi, A., Bevel, M., Omeogu, C., Ohamadike, O., Huang, B., Pisu, M., Liang, M., McFatrich, M., Daniell, E., Fish, L. J., Ward, K., Schymura, M., Berchuck, A., & Potosky, A. L. (2021). Ovarian Cancer Epidemiology, Healthcare Access and Disparities (ORCHiD): methodology for a population-based study of black, Hispanic and white patients with ovarian cancer. BMJ open, 11(10), e052808.

Gupta, A., Jones, K., Deveaux, A., Bevel, M., Salako, O., Daramola, A., … Akinyemiju, T. (2021). Association of Life-Course Educational Attainment and Breast Cancer Grade in the MEND Study. Annals of Global Health, 87(1), 59.

Moore, J. X., Bevel, M. S., Aslibekyan, S., & Akinyemiju, T. (2021). Temporal changes in allostatic load patterns by age, race/ethnicity, and gender among the US adult population; 1988-2018. Preventive medicine, 106483. Advance online publication.

Bevel, M., Babatunde, O.A., Heiney, S.P., et al. (2018). Sistas Inspiring Sistas Through Activity and Support (SISTAS): Study Design and Demographics of Participants. Ethnicity & Disease, 28(2), 75-84. doi: 10.18865/ed.28.2.75. eCollection 2018 Spring.

Media Mentions

PaceDay 2022 comes to an end - WRDW/WAGT

Paceline presents cancer research grants at Augusta University - News 12/NBC 26

Georgia Cancer Center researchers awarded grants - The Augusta Press

2022 - Giving Local: Men Matter Too with Medical Associates Plus - WJBF, News Channel 6

2022 – “Living with COVID: Where Do We Go From Here?” - Virtual Community Town Hall Meeting

2018 – #NotOnOurCampus Rally w/University of South Carolina President Harris Pastides - WOLO-TV, The State Newspaper

2016 – USC Students Discuss Recent Shootings - CBS News19 Channel 9 WLTX