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Biography
Dr. Martha Tingen is the Charles W. Linder Endowed Chair in Pediatrics and a Professor in the Departments of Pediatrics, Physiological and Technological Nursing, and Graduate Studies. Tingen is also Director of Augusta University's Tobacco Control Initiative and Co-Director of the Child Health Discovery Institute.
Dr. Martha Tingen is a behavioral nurse scientist targeting primary and secondary prevention of tobacco use in children and parents through culturally tailored interventions. She also addresses multiple risk factor reduction to include passive smoke exposure, asthma, obesity, and alcohol largely focusing on health disparities through a community-based participatory (CBPR) approach. Her overall goals include preventing premature death and disabilities of cancer and cardiovascular disease through promoting healthy-behavior choices in families.
Areas of Expertise (7)
Coronavirus
Pediatric Research in Prevention
Community-Based Prevention
Cancer Prevention and Control
Tobacco Control
Second-Hand Smoke Effects
COVID-19
Accomplishments (5)
Distinguished Researcher Award, Georgia Health Sciences Research Institute (professional)
The appointment of Distinguished Research Professors at The University of Georgia is intended to recognize outstanding research or other creative, scholarly accomplishments and to provide the impetus for continuing high achievement.
Outstanding Clinical Science Research Award, School of Medicine, MCG (professional)
The MCG Faculty Senate presents the annual MCG Faculty Awards Ceremony which recognizes exceptional achievement by faculty and residents in the areas of teaching, research, clinical care, and service.
Outstanding Research Award, Beta Omicron Chapter, Sigma Theta Tau International (professional)
Recognizing achievements and contributions in nursing
Nominated Outstanding Nurse of the Year (10th District Georgia Nursing Association) (professional)
The Georgia Nurses Association recognizes nurses in various disciplines for their accomplishments during the year. These awards are presented during GNA’s Biennial Professional Development Conference and Membership Assembly.
Phoebe Kandel Rohrer Founder's Award: Exemplary research and education, MCG SON (professional)
Each year, two distinguished alumni are recognized within the College of Nursing. Recipients must have made outstanding contributions to nursing, promoted change in the health care system for the improvement of quality care, supported and participated in professional and community activities locally, nationally, or internationally, demonstrated high professional standards and commitment, contributed to professional publication and utilized current research in practice.
Links (2)
Media Appearances (4)
World No Tobacco Day offers opportunity to educate communities about the dangers of tobacco use
Jagwire
2019-05-31
The World Health Organization designated May 31 as World No Tobacco Day. Despite all the awareness campaigns, education and advice – people are still lighting up.

Program takes on alcohol, e-cigarette use by children
Jagwire online
2019-05-17
Investigators at the Medical College of Georgia and Georgia Cancer Center are working with Augusta area schools to prevent or reduce use of two major substances abused by children: alcohol as well as e-cigarettes, whose use by teens is reaching epidemic proportions, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

Report: e-cigarette usage increasing among youths
The Augusta Chronicle print
2019-02-11
Public health advocates are sounding the alarm after 1.3 million high school and middle school students became current tobacco users through the use of e-cigarettes. Last year saw the greatest one-year increase in adolescent tobacco use, fueled entirely by electronic cigarettes, and public health advocates are vowing to fight it. An Augusta researcher has a grant from the state of Georgia to try and directly prevent it among local youth.
Georgia Cancer Center training African American church leaders: How to reduce cancer
News Channel 6 tv
2018-07-21
ome community members learned about a topic Saturday that many want to avoid: Cancer. It all started with church leaders touring the Georgia Cancer Center and learning what all is there.
Articles (6)
Passive Smoke Exposure and Its Effects on Cognition, Sleep, and Health Outcomes in Overweight and Obese Children
Childhood Obesity2016 Passive smoke exposure (PSE) may be a risk factor for childhood overweight and obesity and is associated with worse neurocognitive development, cognition, and sleep in children. The purpose of the study is to examine the effects of PSE ...
Passive Smoke Exposure and Its Effects on Cognition, Sleep, and Health Outcomes in Overweight and Obese Children
Mary Ann Liebert Inc. Publications2016 Passive smoke exposure (PSE) may be a risk factor for childhood overweight and obesity and is associated with worse neurocognitive development, cognition, and sleep in children. The purpose of the study is to examine the effects of PSE on adiposity, cognition, and sleep in overweight and obese children using an objective measure of PSE.
Comparison of asthma prevalence among African American teenage youth attending public high schools in rural Georgia and urban Detroit
The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology2015 The high prevalence of asthma among urban African American (AA) populations has attracted research attention, whereas the prevalence among rural AA populations is poorly documented. We sought to compare the prevalence of asthma among AA youth in rural Georgia and urban Detroit, Michigan.
Risk Factors for Depression in Rural Adolescents with Asthma
The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology2015 Clinical observation suggests use of daily low-dose (81mg) aspirin can obscure the diagnosis of Aspirin Exacerbated Respiratory Disease (AERD). The prevalence and characteristics of patients who tolerate low-dose aspirin without history of a clinical reaction at the time of AERD diagnosis are not known...
Comparison of enrollment rates of African-American families into a school-based tobacco prevention trial using two recruitment strategies in urban and rural settings
American Journal of Health Promotion2013 This study evaluated similarities and differences of enrollment rates using two different recruitment strategies for a tobacco control trial in rural and urban African-American (AA) elementary school families. Design. A comparative study, nested within a ...
Understanding geographic and racial/ethnic disparities in mortality from four major cancers in the state of Georgia: a spatial epidemiologic analysis, 1999–2019
Scientific ReportsJustin Xavier Moore, Martha S. Tingen, Steven S. Coughlin, Christine O’Meara, Lorriane Odhiambo, Marlo Vernon, Samantha Jones, Robert Petcu, Ryan Johnson, K. M. Islam, Darryl Nettles, Ghadeer Albashir & Jorge Cortes
2022-08-19
We examined geographic and racial variation in cancer mortality within the state of Georgia, and investigated the correlation between the observed spatial differences and county-level characteristics. We analyzed county-level cancer mortality data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancer mortality among adults (aged ≥ 18 years) in 159 Georgia counties from years 1999 through 2019.
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