Expertise
Physical Therapy, Rehabilitation Science, Health Behavior and Behavior Change, Adherence, Disability Prevention and Treatment, Work Disability Prevention, Technology (digital health monitoring, virtual reality, and augmented reality).
Research Interests
Understanding and intervening on the intersection of activity, behavior, and the environment to promote activity and participation in life roles for people with disabling conditions across the lifespan. Using behaviorally informed technology to promote activity adherence in the home and community setting.
Education
- PhD, Health Behavior Health Education, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, N.C.
- MS, Physical Therapy/Human Movement Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, N.C.
- BS, Physical Therapy, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vt.
Biosketch
Professor and Chair Julie Keysor’s area of scholarship involves understanding and intervening on the intersection of activity, behavior, and the environment to promote activity and participation in life roles. Much of her activities target minimizing and preventing disablement among older adults, people with chronc conditions including arthritis and stroke, and children with chronic pain or muscuar dystrophies. She is currently working on new technologies to augment physical therapy and rehabilitation in the home setting, thereby bridging the home to the community for adults and children with disabling conditions. Her main tenants of scholarly agenda are to help people with chronic disabling conditions adhere to evidence-based strategies to promote optimal health. Adherence requires changing behaviors, which can be challenging for people with chronic conditions. She strives to understand modifiable factors, use applicable strategies and technologies to support behavior change, evaluate outcomes, and implement new innovations in practice.
Prof. Keysor’s teaching expertise lies in health promotion and behavior change, evidence-based practice, research methods, interprofessional education, and management. Her service interests include program leadership and faculty governance.