About Courtnee Melton-Fant

Courtnee Melton-Fant, PhD, MS, is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Health Systems Management and Policy. Before joining the University of Memphis, Dr. Melton-Fant worked for a state-level public policy research center providing information and analysis to policymakers, the media, and the general public.

Dr. Melton-Fant has experience conducting both academic and non-academic research ranging from clinical trials and health outcomes to analysis of state-level health care reforms for policymakers and advocacy groups. Her research interests include state- and local-level public policy, health outcomes, and racial health inequities. She is particularly interested in how broad-based public policies can be used as tools to improve the health of populations.

Education

• Ph.D. Health Outcomes and Policy Research, University of Tennessee Health Science Center
• M.S. Human Movement Science, University of Memphis
• B.S. Human Movement Science, University of Memphis

Research Interests

• State and local public policy
• Racial health inequities
• Health outcomes

Selected Publications

1. Melton-Fant, C. (2023) Corporate influenced state preemption and health: A legal mapping analysis of workers’ rights preemptions bills in the US South. Social Science & Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116255   
2. Melton-Fant, C. (2023) Heterogenous effects of local government spending on mortality across racial groups among working age adults in the US. AJPM Focus, 2(2): 100085. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.focus.2023.100085 
3. Wang, R. & Melton-Fant, C (2023) Does Inclusionary Housing Alleviate the Negative Health Impacts of Gentrification?, Housing Policy Debate, 33(1), 72-84. https://doi.org/10.1080/10511482.2022.2099933 
4. Melton-Fant, C. (2022). Health equity and the dynamism of structural racism and public policy. Milbank Quarterly. 100(3); 628-649. DOI: 10.1111/1468-0009.12581 
5. Turchi, J., & Melton-Fant, C. (2022). Media Framing of COVID-19 Racial Disparities: Lessons from Memphis, Tennessee. Sociology of Race and Ethnicity, 8(3), 355-369. 
6. Melton-Fant, C. (2022). New Preemption as a Tool of Structural Racism: Implications for Racial Health Inequities. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 50(1), 15-22. 
7. Melton-Fant, C., Harrison, A., & Mason, K. R. (2022). Race, mental health, and evictions filings in Memphis, TN, USA. Preventive Medicine Reports, 26, 101736. 
8. Melton-Fant, C.E. (2020) Relationship between state preemption of inclusionary zoning policies and health outcomes: Is there disparate impact among people of color? Housing Policy Debate, 1-10.