Karen Farris, Phd

Biography

Karen Farris received her BS in pharmacy from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and her doctorate from U-M, with training in pharmacy, social psychology, and health behavior. Her research and teaching focus on social theories to examine how individuals manage medications and how pharmacists in primary care settings influence medication use. She studies individuals’ medication adherence, reasons for non-adherence, including concern and necessity beliefs, and self-reporting adverse effects. She has quantified the impact of pharmacists’ care on medication adherence and health outcomes.

Research Interest

Beliefs about medications and their impact on adherence (e.g., among older adults experiencing an adverse effect or among women using adjuvant chemotherapy) Using reinforcement learning to improve medication use Pharmacists’ roles in improving medication use and health outcomes Pharmacists’ roles in public health (e.g., reducing unintended pregnancy)