Summary
Taylor 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. 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, 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.
Courses taught
- CHS 280: Introduction to Biostatistics in Public Health
- CHS 473: Epidemiology
Selected Publications
- Etiler, N., Lensch, T., Scavacini, V., Chavez, L. & Dermid, G. (2025). Factors associated with self-reported abuse among transgender and gender diverse young adults. Transgender Health.
- Etiler, N., Altinay, Z., Lensch, T., Dermid, G. & Akpinar-Elci, M. (2024)Correlations between environmental justice indicators and community-level COVID-19 vaccination rates among older adults. Discov Public Health 21, 187.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Education
- Ph.D. in Public Health with an emphasis in Epidemiology, University of Nevada, Reno, 2020
- MPH with an emphasis in Epidemiology, University of Nevada, Reno, 2016
- B.S. in Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, 2014