College Directory

Areas of Expertise

Dr. Keith J. Watts’ research addresses health disparities affecting racial, sexual, and gender minorities. Utilizing minority stress and intersectionality theories, his work explores how belongingness to identity-based communities impacts these outcomes, aiming to inform interventions and policies that promote health equity through community-engaged approaches.

Highlighted Publications

• Gwynn, D. X., Watts, K. J., & Thrasher, S. S. (in press). The access to infertility treatment and care act: A critical step toward addressing male infertility. Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services.
• Thrasher, S. S., Cupid, S., Watts, K. J., Henderson, T., Brune, S., Tate, M., Griffin, D., & Gwynn, D. X. (2024). “You have to humanize your feelings:” Black fathers’ reflections on how youth violence prevention and perpetrations influence their overall health and fathering practices. Social Work in Public Health, 39(7), 601–616. https://doi.org/10.1080/19371918.2024.237196
• Li, C., Howard, S. P., Rogers, C. R., Andrzejak, S., Gilbert, K. L., Watts, K. J., Bevel, M. S., Moody, M. D., Langston, M. E., Doty, J. V., Toriola, A. T., Conwell, D., & Moore, J. X. (2024). Allostatic load, educational attainment, and risk of cancer mortality among US men. JAMA Network Open, 7(12), e2449855. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.4985
• Watts, K. J., Wagaman, M. A., Eaton, A. D., Leung, V. W. Y., & Craig, S. L. (2023). Examining the role of peer and family belongingness in the mental health of Black LGBTQ+ youth. Child & Youth Services, 46(1), 153–172. https://doi.org/10.1080/0145935X.2023.226136
• Watts, K. J., & Thrasher, S. S. (2023). The impact of community belongingness on mental health and well-being among Black LGBTQ adults. Race and Social Problems, 16(1), 47–64. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12552-023-09396-5

Current Projects

• Impact of Identity-Based Community Belongingness on Mental Health and Well-Being Among Black LGBTQ+ Individuals

Alma Mater

• Virginia Commonwealth University – Doctor of Philosophy
• Clark Atlanta University – Master of Social Work
• Georgia State University – Bachelor of Arts