School of Nursing

Education

• PhD, Indiana University
• MSN, Indiana University
• BSN, Indiana University

External Funding

 R01 CA3072 (2003–2007). Co-PI. Automated Telephone Monitoring for Symptom Management.

American Cancer Society (2004–2009). PI. Quality of Life in Younger Breast Cancer Survivors.

R01 NR008434 (2004–2009). PI. Promoting Breast Cancer Screening via Computer v. Phone.

1R01 CA115983-01. (2006-2011). Co-Investigator. Promoting Colon Cancer Screening Among African Americans.

R25 CA117865 (2006-2011). PI. Training in Research for Behavioral Oncology and Cancer Control Program.

R01 CA 136940-01A2 (2012-2015) PI, Increasing Colorectal and Breast Cancer Screening in Women

Walther Cancer Foundation, Inc. (2011 - 2014) PI, The BCOG Center for Symptom Management
 

Biosketch

Dr. Champion's program of research has provided a significant knowledge base from which to develop interventions that encourage primary and secondary cancer prevention activities, thus leading to the discovery of cancer at earlier and more curable stages. Her NIH funded research spans almost 30 years, in which a majority of studies have focused on testing 3 primary areas: 1) tailored interactive intervention programs to increase screening for both breast and colorectal cancer, 2) use of technology to develop and deliver interventions with the intent of increasing accessibility to our underserved populations, and 3) cost effectiveness of intervention effectiveness.

Dr. Champion has lead interdisciplinary teams throughout her career to systematically develop and test cancer screening interventions. She is a current member of the National Cancer Advisory Board, serving a six-year term. She was instrumental in developing the Indiana Cancer Consortium, which now includes over 150 participating organizations throughout Indiana, and is dedicated to decreasing morbidity and mortality from cancer. Dr. Champion serves as a permanent member and chair of the American Cancer Society behavioral review group, a member of the Community-Level Health Promotion study section, a site reviewer for P01’s and Cancer Centers as well as an ad hoc reviewer for numerous study sections.

The results of her program of research have had widespread benefits in terms of educating future researchers and developing multi-site networks that support behavioral research in oncology. As director of the Mary Margaret Walther Behavioral Oncology Program at the Indiana University School of Nursing, and the associate director of Population Sciences at the Indiana University Simon Cancer Center, Dr. Champion has been instrumental in preparing doctoral students for a career in research and supporting the development of junior faculty who have potential for external funding. She has successfully sponsored six doctoral students who were awarded pre-doctoral research awards (F31), as well as several post doctoral students and new faculty on K awards. She is the Director for the Training in Research for Behavioral Oncology and Cancer Control Program, a R25 training program that develops pre and post doctoral researchers in behavioral oncology. Many of her past mentees have gone forward and become scientists funded by NIH--a strong testament to her outstanding mentoring.

Dr. Champion developed the Behavioral Cooperative Oncology Group (BCOG) Center for Symptom Management to further advance behavioral oncology through collaboration with other universities. The BCOG Center includes senior scientists from Michigan State University, the University of Michigan, and the Ohio State University.

Select Publications

Champion, V.L., Williams, S.D., Miller, A., Reuille, K.M., Monahan, P. Zhao, Q., Gershenson, D., & Cella, D. (2007). Quality of life in long-term survivors of ovarian germ cell tumors: A Gynecologic Oncology Group Study, Gynecology Oncology, 105:687-694. PMCID: PMC1995655.

Champion, V.L., Monahan, P.O., Springston, J.K., Russell, K., Zollinger, T.W., Saywell, Jr., R.M., & Maraj, M. (2008). Measuring mammography and breast cancer beliefs in African American Women. Journal of Health Psychology, 13(6):827-837. PMCID: PMC29022

Fair, A.M., Wujcik, D., Lin, J-M.S., Zheng, W., Egan, K.M., Grau, A.M., Champion, V.L., Walston, K.A. (2010). Psychosocial determinants of mammography follow-up after receipt of abnormal mammography results in medically underserved women. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 21:71-94.

Hade, E.M., Murray, D.M., Pennell, M.L., Rhoda, D., Paskett, E.D., Champion, V.L., Crabtree, B., Dietrich, A.,Dignan, M.B., Farmer, M., Fenton, J.J., Flocke, S., Hiatt, R.A., Hudson, S., Mitchell, M., Monahan, P., Shariff-Marco, S., Slone, S.L., Stange, K., Stewart, S.L, & Ohman Strickland, P.A. (2010). Interclass correlation estimates for cancer screening outcomes: Estimates and applications in the design of group-randomized cancer screening studies. Journal of the National Cancer Institute Monograph: 97-103.

Skinner, C.S., Buchanan, A., Champion, V.L., Monahan, P., Rawl, S., Springston, J., Quinqian, Z., & Bourff, S. (2010). Process outcomes from a randomized controlled trial comparing tailored mammography interventions delivered via telephone vs. DVD. Patient Education and Counseling. Nov 25 Epub. PMID 21112173.

Russell, K.M., Champion, V. L., Paskett, E.D., Monahan, P.O., Million-Underwood, S., Zhao, Q., Spacey, N., & Rush, N. (2010). Randomized trial of a lay health advisor and computer intervention to increase mammography screening in African American women. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, 19(1):201-10.

Shields, C.G., Ziner, K.W., Bourff, S.A., Schilling, K., Zhao, Q., Monahan, P., Sledge, G., Champion, V. (2010). An Intervention to Improve Communication Between Breast Cancer Survivors and Their Physicians. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology, 6:610-629.

Otte, J.L., Carpenter, J.S., Russell, K.M., Bigatti, S., & Champion, V.L. (2010). Prevalence, severity, and correlates of sleep-wake disturbances in long-term breast cancer survivors. The Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 39(3):535-547. PMCID: PMC2843803 DOI:10.1016/j.painsymman.2009.07.004.

Smith-Howell, E.R., Rawl, S.M., Champion, V.L., Skinner, C.S., Springston, J.Krier, C., Russell, K.M., Perkins, S., Rhyant, B., Lloyd, F., Willis, D., Imperiale, T., & Myers, L.J. (2011). Exploring the role of cancer fatalism as a barrier to colorectal cancer screening. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 33(1): 140-141.

Skinner CS, Buchanan A, Champion V, Monahan P, Rawl S, Springston J., Zhao Q., Bourff S. (2011). Process outcomes from a randomized controlled trial comparing tailored mammography interventions delivered via telephone vs. DVD. Patient Education and Counseling,85(2):308-12. PMID: 21112173. PMCID: PMC3136570.

Burns, D.S., Bergeson, T.R., Perkins, S.M., McDonald, B.C., Saykin, A.J., Unverzagt, F.W., & Champion, V.L. (October 2011). Music cognition in breast cancer survivors. Music and Medicine, 3(4), 258-263. DOI: 10.1177/1943862111414434.

VonAh, D., Russell, K., Carpenter, J.S., Monahan, P.O., Zhao, Q. Tailman, E., Ziner, K.W., Storniolo, A.M., Miller, K.D., Giesler, R.B., Haase, J., Otte, J., & Champion, V.L. (e-pub 1/6/2012). Health-related quality of life of African American breast cancer survivors compared to healthy African American women. Cancer Nursing. Doi:10.1097/NC.0b013182393de3.

Ziner KW, Sledge GW, Bell CJ, Johns S, Miller KD, Champion VL. (2012). Predicting fear of breast cancer recurrence and self-efficacy in survivors by age at diagnosis. Oncol Nurs Forum, 1;39(3):287-95. PMID: 22543387 14. Mitchell, K., Rawl, S.M., Champion, V.L. Jeffries, P., & Welch, J.L. (2012). Development and psychometric testing of the colonoscopy embarrassment scale. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 34(4):548-564.

Fair, A.M., Monahan, P.O., Russell, K., Zhao, Q., & Champion, V.L. (2012). The Interaction of Perceived Risk and Benefits and the Relationship to Predicting Mammography Adherence in African American Women . Oncology Nursing Forum, 39(1): 53-60.