Kelsey N. Christensen, PhD, is a clinical health psychologist in the Department of Family & Community Medicine. Dr. Christensen’s clinical focus is on behavioral medicine, the intersection of physical and psychological health, and brief interventions within medical settings. Her clinical approach is collaborative, culturally sensitive, and evidence-based, and she works closely with medical providers to address health-related concerns. Dr. Christensen is a core faculty within the family medicine residency program and focuses on teaching residents about behavioral medicine.

Clinic Location: Family Medicine Center at University Village

Clinical Interests:

• Behavioral Medicine, Health Behavior Change
• Tobacco Cessation, Insomnia
• Psychosocial Oncology
• Chronic Illness Management
• Reproductive Health
• Perinatal Mood Concerns
• Pain Management
• Psychological Assessment
• Consultation/Liaison Services

Research Interests:

• Community-based Research
• Health Equity/Health Promotion Research
• Underserved populations

Bauer, A., Williams, J., Hambrick, E., Rempfer, M., Bennett, K. Christensen, K., & Berkley-Patton, J. (2023). Mental health attitudes, norms, beliefs, and experiences with care among young African American men: A theory of planned behavior assessment. Psychological Trauma. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0001462

Sander, A., Christensen, K., Loyo, K., Williams, M., Leon-Novelo, L., Ngan, E., Agtarap, S., Martin, A., Neumann, D., Hammond, F. M., Hanks, R., & Hoffman, J. (2023). Coping with chronic pain after traumatic brain injury: Role of race/ethnicity and effect of participation outcomes in a TBI model systems sample. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Advance Online Publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2023.03.003

Sander, A., Williams, M., Loyo, K., Leon-Novelo, L., Ngan, E., Neumann, D., Agtrap, S., Martin, A., Hoffman, J., Christensen, K., Hanks, R., & Hammond, F. M. (2023). Disparities in chronic pain experience and treatment history among persons with traumatic brain injury: A traumatic brain injury model systems study. Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 38(2), 125-136. https://doi.org/10.1097/HTR.0000000000000870

Christensen, K., Bauer, A., Burgin, T., Williams, J., McDowd, J., Sutkin, G., Bennett, K., Bowe Thompson, C.,  & Berkley-Patton, J. (2022). “Black women don’t put our healthcare first”: Facilitators and barriers to cervical cancer screening and perceptions of HPV self-testing among church-affiliated African American women. Community Health Equity Research & Policy. Advanced Online Publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/0272684X221115494

Woods-Jaeger, B., Hampton-Anderson, J., Christensen, K., Miller, T., O’Connor, P., & Berkley-Patton, J (2022). Adverse childhood experiences and school-based microaggressions: Impact of resilience on African American youth. Psychological Trauma, 14(S1), S23-S31, https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0001091

Berkley-Patton, J., Huffman, M. M., Bowe Thompson, C., Johnson, N., Ervie, K., Lindsey, C., Reuchter, V., Christensen, K., Davis, A., & Burgin, T. (2021). Increasing reach of the diabetes prevention program in African American churches: Project FIT lessons learned using an interprofessional student service-learning approach. Missouri Medicine, 118(3), 264-271.

Ash, M. J., Berkley-Patton, J., Christensen, K., Haardörfer, R., Livingston, M. D., Miller, T., & Woods-Jaeger, B (2021). Predictors of medical mistrust among urban youth of color during the COVID-19 pandemic. Translational Behavioral Medicine, https://doi.org/10.1093/tbm/ibab061.

Bauer, A., Christensen, K., Bowe-Thompson, C., Lister, S.,  Aduloju-Ajijola, N., & Berkley-Patton, J. (2020). “We are our own counselor”: Resilience, risk behaviors, and mental health service utilization among young African American men. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 46(3-4), 278-289.

Christensen, K., Berkley-Patton, J., Bauer, A., Bowe Thompson, C., & Burgin, T. (2020). Risk factors associated with opioid use among African American church-affiliated populations. Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice, 13(4), 1-17. 

Christensen, K., Berkley-Patton, J., Shah, B., Aduloju-Ajijola, N., Bauer, A., Bowe Thompson, C., & Lister, S. (2020). HIV risk and sociodemographic factors associated with physician-advised HIV testing: What factors are overlooked in African American populations?. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 7(1), 121-128.

Fellowship, Health Psychology, South Texas Veterans Healthcare System
Internship, Behavioral Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine
PhD, Clinical Health Psychology, University of Missouri-Kansas City

Licensed Clinical Psychologist; Health Service Psychologist

American Psychological Association, Society for Health Psychology, Society for Teachers of Family Medicine, American Psychosocial Oncology Society