Summary
Dr. Lensch has a broad background in public health, with training and expertise in epidemiology, population-based survey research, evaluation, community engagement and advanced data analysis. Dr. Lensch is the Associate Director of the Larson Institute for Health Impact and Equity where he serves in a leadership role and leads a team of dedicated public health professionals who collaborate with state, local and community partners to conduct community engaged research, needs assessments and evaluation related to HIV, viral hepatitis, COVID-19, cancer, sexual and gender minority health, and health equity. As part of this work, he and his team partner with stakeholders from various governmental and community agencies to produce important health-related plans and reports including a Nevada Viral Hepatitis Elimination Plan, Outbreak Response Plans, and various needs assessment reports. Additionally, Dr. Lensch has a passion for research focused on studying modifiable risk and protective factors that are associated with a variety of behavioral outcomes, including substance use, emotional health, violence, and risky sexual behaviors.
Selected Publications
- Etiler, N., Altinay, Z., Lensch, T., Dermid, G., Akpinar-Elci, M., Correlations between environmental justice indicators and community-level COVID-19 vaccination rates among older adults. Discov Public Health 21, 187 (2024).
- Lensch, T., Drake, C., Clements-Nolle, K., & Pearson, J. (2023). Multilevel Risk and Protective Factors for Frequent and Nonfrequent Past-30-Day Marijuana Use: Findings From a Representative Sample of High School Youth. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 84(4), 508–519. https://doi.org/10.15288/jsad.22-00240
- Lensch, T., Sloan, K., Ausmus, J., Pearson, J. L., Clements-Nolle, K., Goodman, S., & Hammond, D. (2020). Cannabis use and driving under the influence: Behaviors and attitudes by state-level legal sale of recreational cannabis. Preventive Medicine, 141, 106320–106320. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2020.106320
- Lensch, T., Clements-Nolle, K., Oman, R. F., Evans, W. P., Lu, M., & Yang, W. (2021). Adverse Childhood Experiences and Suicidal Behaviors Among Youth: The Buffering Influence of Family Communication and School Connectedness. Journal of Adolescent Health, 68(5), 945–952. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.08.024
- Lensch, T., Clements-Nolle, K., Oman, R. F., Lu, M., & Evans, W. P. (2020). Prospective relationships between youth assets, negative life events, and binge drinking in a longitudinal cohort of the youth. Annals of Epidemiology, 46, 24–30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annepidem.2020.04.005
- Lensch, T., Clements-Nolle, K., Oman, R. F., Lu, M., & Dominguez, A. (2019). Prospective impact of individual, family and community youth assets on adolescent suicide ideation. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health (1979), 73(3), 219–224. https://doi.org/10.1136/jech-2017-210107
- Gay, C., Clements‐Nolle, K., Packham, J., Ackerman, G., Lensch, T., & Yang, W. (2018). Community‐Level Exposure to the Rural Mining Industry: The Potential Influence on Early Adolescent Alcohol and Tobacco Use. The Journal of Rural Health, 34(3), 304–313. https://doi.org/10.1111/jrh.12288
- Clements-Nolle, K., Lensch, T., Baxa, A., Gay, C., Larson, S., & Yang, W. (2018). Sexual Identity, Adverse Childhood Experiences, and Suicidal Behaviors. Journal of Adolescent Health, 62(2), 198–204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2017.09.022
Courses Taught
- CHS 280: Introduction to Biostatistics in Public Health
- CHS 473: Epidemiology
Education
- Ph.D. in Public Health (Epidemiology emphasis) from the University of Nevada, Reno
- MPH (Epidemiology emphasis) from the University of Nevada, Reno