Podcasts
Cigna Visibility Podcast with Dr. Jen Ashton: Episode 4 -Infertility and growing families
Having health benefits is crucial when taking steps to build a family.
In episode 4 of The Visibility Gap, Dr. Jen Ashton talks to Kelly Donahue about her personal experience that included many setbacks but ultimately led to a beautiful family. This discussion highlights the importance of emotional well-being and support for those navigating this challenging journey.
Later in the episode, Dr. Alana Biggers and Dr. Margaret Rutherford discuss the role businesses play in ensuring their employees are seen and supported. And together, they explore changes needed to make family-building opportunities more accessible and inclusive.
Media Collaborations
Healthline Collaborations
Dr. Biggers was Invited to co-host and moderate a health and wellness video series created by Best Colleges in partnership with Healthline, aimed at supporting college students navigating stress, food insecurity, mental health, and overall well-being. The roundtable-format series featured real student voices and focused on empowering young adults to prioritize their physical and emotional health during college and beyond.
The topics included:
Dr. Alana Biggers
Media Mentions
Articles
Dr. Alana has been mentioned in a number of articles as a health expert. She has discussed a range of medical topics including breast cancer, heart disease, diabetes, medication usage, and other chronic health conditions. She has been in online articles through media outlets such as Healthline, Reuters, Popsugar, Prevention, and Gazette Chicago.
Radio
Radio Shows
Dr. Alana has appeared on the radio shows WVON with Ernest B. Fenton, Windy City Jazz on WSRB 106.3, and the Dr. Paula Show to discuss health information on topics such as local health concerns, diabetes, breast cancer, and heart disease. Dr. Alana's passion is to share accurate health information to listeners and provide them with tips on healthy living.
Publications
scientific publications
Dr. Alana has published in peer-viewed journals on sleep, mindfulness meditation, type 2 diabetes, breast and colorectal cancer, and heart disease and stroke. Her publications include the following:
Lima Oliveira, M, Biggers, A, Oddo, VM, Yanez, B, Booms, E, Sharp, LK, Naylor, K, Wolf, PG, Tussing-Humphreys, L. A Perspective Review on Diet Quality, Excess Adiposity, and Chronic Psychosocial Stress and Implications for Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer. The Journal of Nutrition. April 2024. 2154(4), 1069–1079. doi: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2024.03.002
Lima Oliveira, M, Biggers, A, Oddo VM, Naylor KB, Chen Z, Hamm A, Pezley L, Peñalver Bernabé B, Gabel K, Sharp LK, Tussing-Humphreys, L. Design of a Remote Time-Restricted Eating and Mindfulness Intervention to Reduce Risk Factors Associated with Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer Development among Young Adults. Nutrients. February 2024. 16(4):504. doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16040504
Suarez-Balcazar, Y., Allen-Meares, P., Dickens, C., Brazil, E., Garcia-Bedoya, O., & Biggers, A. (2024). Enhancing the Education of Community Health Workers on Health Literacy and Cultural Humility in Times of COVID-19. American Journal of Health Education. January 2024. 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1080/19325037.2024.2366453
Biggers, A, Binder, A, Gerber, BS. Microaggressions and Resiliency During Residency: Creating More Inclusive Environments. The American Journal of Medicine. January 2024. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2024.01.019
Gerber, BS, Biggers, A, Tilton, JJ, Smith Marsh, DE, Lane, R, Mihailescu, D, Lee, JA, Sharp, LK. A Clinical Pharmacist and Health Coach Delivered Mobile Health Intervention for Type 2 Diabetes in African American and Latinx Populations: A Randomized Controlled Trial. JAMA Network Open. 2023;6(9):e2333629. Published 2023 Sep 5. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.33629
Biggers, A, Barton, I, Henkins, J, Kim, H, Perez, R, Ong, J, Sharp, LK, Gerber, BS. Association between sleep hygiene practices scale and sleep quality in Black and Latinx patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes. Sleep Medicine X. March 2023. 5:100066.
Sharp, LK, Biggers, A, Perez, R, Henkins, J, Tilton, J, Gerber, BS. A Pharmacist and Health Coach mHealth Intervention for Type 2 Diabetes: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Cross-over Study. Journal of Medical Internet Research Protocols. March 2021. 10(3), e17170.
Biggers, A, Henkins, J, Barton, I, Hubbard, C, Perez, R, Sharp, LK, Gerber, BS. Feasibility of Text Message Sleep Assessment in African Americans and Latinos with Type 2 Diabetes. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. September 2020.17(1):69-78.
Biggers, A, Adams-Spears, C, Sanders, K, Ong, J, Sharp, LK, Gerber, BS. Promoting Mindfulness in African American Communities. Mindfulness. August 2020. 2274-2282.
Biggers A, Sharp LK, Nimitphong H, Saetund S, Siwasaranond N, Mandopitipong A, Crowely SJ, Hood MM, Gerber BS, Reutrakaul S. Relationship Between Depression, Sleep Quality, and Hypoglycemia Among Persons with Type 2 Diabetes. Journal of Clinical and Translational Endocrinology. Februrary 2019.
Hoskins KF, Tejeda S, Vijayasiri G, Chukwudozie B, Remo MH, Shah HA, Abraham IE, Balay LE, Maga TK, Searles ER, Korah VJ, Biggers A, Stolley MR, Warnecke RB. A Feasibility Study of Breast Cancer Genetic Risk Assessment in a Federally Qualified Health Center. Cancer. October 2018
Biggers A, Shi Y, Charlson J, Smith EC, Smallwood AJ, Nattinger AB, Laud PW, Neuner JM. Medicare D Subsidies and Racial Disparities in Persistence and Adherence With Hormonal Therapy. J Clin Oncol. 2016 Dec 20;34(36):4398-4404.
Neuner JM, Kamaraju S, Charlson JA, Wozniak EM, Smith EC, Biggers A, Smallwood AJ, Laud PW, Pezzin LE. The introduction of generic aromatase inhibitors and treatment adherence among Medicare D enrollees. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2015 May 12;107(8).
Labarthe DR, Biggers A, LaPier T, George MG; Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Registry.. The Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Registry (PCNASR): a public health initiative. Am J Prev Med. 2006 Dec;31(6 Suppl 2):S192-5.
Labarthe DR, Biggers A, Goff DC Jr, Houston M. Translating a plan into action: a Public Health Action Plan to Prevent Heart Disease and Stroke. Am J Prev Med. 2005 Dec;29(5 Suppl 1):146-51.
