Dr. Jeffrey A. Katula, Ph.D., MA
Assistant Professor

Reynolds Gymnasium, 316
Email: katulaj@wfu.edu
Phone: 336-758-3612

Download Curriculum Vitae >>
Download Biosketch >>

Education

• AB. Augustana College, Rock Island, IL, 1992, Psychology
• MA. Loyola University Chicago, IL, 1995, Counseling Psychology
• Ph.D. University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 1999, Kinesiology

WFU Courses:

HES 262:  Statistics for the Health Sciences
HES 312:  Health Psychology
HES 715:  Experimental Design

Research Interests

Dr. Katula is interested in the relationship between human behavior and chronic disease and disability.  He is particularly interested in the prevention and management of Type II diabetes, mobility disability, cognitive functioning, and quality of life in older adults.  His work emanates from a social cognitive perspective and he often utilizes group mediated cognitive behavioral approaches to implementing interventions.  He is involved in several randomized controlled trials examining various behavioral interventions including physical activity, weight loss, and mental training in older adults. 

Research Projects

Healthy Living Partnerships to Prevent Diabetes (HELP PD).

The goal of this project is to translate knowledge regarding the prevention of type 2 DM into practice in the community.  This project is testing the effectiveness of a group-based intensive lifestyle behavioral intervention incorporating professional counselors and community health workers delivered in the community setting via an existing Diabetes Care Center (DCC) in preventing the onset of type 2 DM.  This study is funded by NIDDK.

Seniors Health and Activity Research Program-Pilot (SHARP-P).

The goal of the project is to develop and conduct a randomized clinical trial to assess whether a multi-factorial intervention involving physical activity and cognitive training reduces the risk of significant cognitive decline in older individuals.  This study is funded by NIA

Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders (LIFE)

Based upon promising results from a pilot study among 424 sedentary older adults who were randomized to a physical activity intervention or a successful aging health education intervention, a Phase 3 multi-center randomized controlled trial is being conducted to compare a moderate-intensity physical activity program to a successful aging health education program in 1,600 sedentary older adults who are followed for an average of 2.7 years.  The primary aim is to assess the long-term effects of the proposed interventions on the primary outcome of major mobility disability, defined as inability to walk 400 m.  Secondary aims focus on assessing the relative effects of the interventions on the following outcomes: cognitive function; serious fall injuries; persistent mobility disability; the combined outcome of major mobility disability or death; disability in activities of daily living; cardiovascular and pulmonary events; and cost-effectiveness.  Tertiary aims relate to assessing the relative effects of the interventions on (a) the combined outcome of mild cognitive impairment or dementia and (b) physical performance within pre-specified subgroups defined on the basis of race, gender and baseline physical performance.  This trial will provide definitive evidence regarding whether lifestyle modification interventions are effective and practical for preventing major mobility disability. Eight sites around the country participate in the LIFE study.

Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD)

The overall goal of the ACCORD trial is to examine the effects of intensive control of glycemia and other CVD risk factors on CVD event rates in diabetic patients by testing three complementary medical treatment strategies for Type II diabetes.  This study is funded by NHLBI, NIDDK, NEI, and CDC.

Recent Pblications

• Espeland, M.A., Rapp, S.R., Katula, J.A., Andrews, L.A., Felton, D., Gaussoin, S.A., & Sink, K.M. (In press).  Use of the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS) to Screen Volunteers for Clinical Trials of Physical Activity and Cognitive Training Interventions: The Seniors Health and Activity Research Program Pilot (SHARP-P) Study. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.
• Chalé-Rush, A., Guralnik, J.M., Walkup, M.P., Miller, M.E., Rejeski, W.J., Katula, J.A., King, A.C., Glynn, N.W., Manini, T.M., Blair, S.N., & Fielding, R.A. (In press).  Relationship between physical functioning and physical activity in the Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders Pilot (LIFE-P).  Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
• Melton, D.I., Mustian, K.M., & Katula, J.A. (In press).  The Current State of Personal Training:  Managers Perspective.  Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research
• Burdette, J.H., Laurienti, P.J., Espeland, M.A., Morgan, A., Telesford, Q., Vechlekar, C.D., Hayasaka, S., Jennings, J.M., Katula, J.A., Kraft, R.A., Rejeski, W.J. (2010) Using network science to evaluate exercise-associated brain changes in older adults.  Frontiers in aging neuroscience, 2, 23. 
• Berry, M.J., Rejeski, W.J., Miller, M.E., Adair, N.E., Lang, W., Foy, C.J., Katula, JA. (2010).  The influence of a lifestyle physical activity program on lung function in COPD:  REACT II. Respiratory Medicine, 104 (6), 829-839.
• Phillips, E.M., Katula, J.A., Miller, M.E., Walkup, M.P., King, A.C., Rejeski, W.J., & Church, T. (2010).  Interruption of physical activity due to illness in the Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders Pilot (LIFE-P) trial. Journal of Physical Activity & Aging, 18, 61-74.
• Katula, J.A., Vitolins, M.Z., Rosenberger, E.L., Blackwell, C., Espeland, M.A., Lawlor, M.S., Rejeski, W.J., & Goff, D.C. (2009).  Healthy Living Parternships to Prevent Diabetes (HELP PD):  Design & Methods.  Contemporary Clinical Trials, Sep 13, [Epub ahead of print].
• Groessl, E.J., Kaplan, R.M., Blair, S.N., Rejeski, W.J., Katula, J.A., King, A.C., Fielding, R.A., Glynn, N.W., & Pahor, M. (2009).  A Cost Analysis of a Physical Activity Intervention for Older Adults. Journal of Physical Activity & Health, 6(6), 767-774.
• Manini, T.M., Newman, A.B., Fielding, R., Blair, S., Perri, M.G., Anton, S.D., Goodpaster, B.C., Katula, J.A., Rejeski, W.J., Kritchevsky, S.B., Hsu, F-C., Pahor, M. and the LIFE Research Group.  (2009). Effects of exercise on mobility in obese and non-obese older adults. Obesity, 18 (6), 1168-75.
• Kwon, S.R., Perera, S., Pahor, M., Katula, J.A., King, A.C., Groessl, E.J., Rejeski, W.J., & Studenski, S.A. (2009). What is a meaningful change in physical performance? Findings from a clinical trial in older adults (The LIFE-P Study). Journal of Nutrition, Health, & Aging, 13 (6), 538-544.
• Marsh, A.P., Chmelo, E.C., Katula, J.A., Mihalko, S.L., & Rejeski, W.J. (2009). Should Physical Activity Programs be Tailored when Older Adults Have Compromised Function? Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 17(3), 294-306.