Matthew Plow received his PhD in 2006 in the area of physical medicine and rehabilitation with a sub-concentration in behavioral science. His research interests are in promoting initiation and maintenance of physical activity for persons with chronic disabling conditions. He is also interested in developing and testing outcome measures, promoting the self-management of symptoms, and translating interventions, which prevent secondary conditions, into public health and rehabilitation practice. He has worked with Dr. Resnik in developing and evaluating a measure of community reintegration for injured veterans. He has also worked with Dr. Susan Allen to identify correlates of physical activity in community-dwelling elderly adults on Medicaid. In 2004, he received an AHRQ dissertation grant to compare the effectiveness of a group wellness intervention to an individualized rehabilitation program for persons with multiple sclerosis. He aims to pursue this line of research by adapting a targeted stage-based pamphlet physical activity intervention, designed by Dr. Bess Marcus and colleagues, for persons with multiple sclerosis. Matt was awarded the NIH Clinical Loan Repayment grant in 2007.

Publications:

Hoover, J., Plow, M., Polyakova, I., Ploplis, V.  Behavioral Development in Plasminogen Deficient Mice. Neurotoxicol. Teratol.  19:254, 1997.

Plow, M., Mathiowetz, V., Resnik, L. Multiple Sclerosis: Impact of Physical Activity on Psychosocial Constructs. American Journal of Health Behavior [In-press]

Plow, M. Identifying Characteristics to Tailor Physical Activity Interventions [Concept Paper]: Behavioral Health Service Interest Group at AcademyHealth, 2007. 

Plow, M., Mathiowetz, V. Lowe, D. Comparing the effectiveness of Prehabilitation to a
Wellness Intervention for Persons with MS [abstract]: National Research Service Award conference, 2007.

Plow, M. Promoting Wellness and Health for Persons with MS [abstract]: National Health Promotion Summit, 2007.

In Preparation:

Plow, M., Mathiowetz, V. Lowe, D. Comparing the Effectiveness of a Group Wellness Intervention to Individualized Physical Rehabilitation in Persons with Multiple Sclerosis: Submitted to American Journal of Health Promotion.

Plow, M., Resnik L., Allen S. Mixed Methods: Understanding the Characteristics of Physically Active for Persons with Multiple Sclerosis: Submitted to Disability and Rehabilitation.

Resnik, L., Plow, M., Jette, A. A Measure of Community Reintegration of Injured Services Members.