Research Interests

Interpersonal and Health Communication; specifically, I am studying health uncertainty management and associated decision making within the contexts of substance (ab)use and women’s reproductive health. 

Awards

Top Paper Award (2025), Instructional Development Division, National Communication Association.

2025 Phyllis Japp Scholarship (2025-2026). Communication Studies, University of Nebraska-Lincoln 

Larson Fund fellowship (2022-2024). Communication Studies, University of Nebraska-Lincoln 

Selected Publication and Conference Presentations

Publications:

Stahl, H., Taladay-Carter, C., & Palmer-Wackerly, A. L. (2025). “Probably Benign?!”: Communicated Narrative Sense-Making in Patients with Benign Breast Disease. Health Communication, 1-12.

Occa A., Francis D. B., Grumbein A., & Stahl H. M. (in press). Improving African Americans' Intentions to Enroll in a Health Registry: Message Development and Evaluation. Health Communication.

Occa, A., Stahl, H. M., & Julien-Bell, S. (2022). Helping Children to Participate in Human Papillomavirus–Related Discussions: Mixed Methods Study of Multimedia Messages. JMIR Formative Research, 6(4), e28676.

Hogg-Graham, R., Gordon, AS., Stahl, H., Riley, E., Clear, E., and Waters, TM. (in press). COVID-19 Associated with Changing Community Partnerships to Address Medicaid Enrollee Unmet Social Needs, American Journal of Managed Care.

Manuscripts Under Review:

Stahl, H., Anderson, J., (Under 1^st Review). #Fibroadenoma Decisions: A Novel Mixed Methods Exploration of Illness Uncertainty Management and Clinical Treatment Choice Among Fibroadenoma Patient-Users on Reddit. Empirical article submitted to International Journal of Multiple Research Approaches. 

Occa, A., Chen, H., Stahl, H. M., Sesay, N. (Under 1^st Review). Television news coverage of clinical trials on US news media before and during the COVID-19 pandemic." Empirical article submitted to the Journal of Communication in Healthcare.

Occa A., McAninch K., Francis D., Silwal A., Stahl H., Amegbeha Amissah A. (under 1^st Review). Communication Strategies and Barriers in Friends’ Mental Health Conversations on College Campuses. Submitted to Communication Monographs. 

Taladay-Carter, C., Nabi, A., Richards, S., Hornberger, B., Shadoan, S., Smith, H., Szelag, R., Stahl, H., Wahed, K. H., & Kaur-Gill, S. (Under 1^st review). The graduate classroom as a site for critical reflexivity in (un)learning culture in health communication: A collaborative autoethnography. Submitted to Communication Education.

Conference Presentations:

Stahl, H. (2025, November 20-23). Elevating Patient-Provider Communication in Collegiate Healthcare: Applying the Theory of Motivated Information Management to Address Stigma, Uncertainty, and Harm Reduction in Substance Use Discussions [Extended Abstract]. National Communication Association 111^th Annual Convention, Denver, CO, United States. Health Communication Division.

Stahl, H., & Gordon, A. (2025, November 20-23). Navigating the Paradox of Benign Certainty: Communicating Illness Uncertainty in Fibroadenoma Patients’ Digital Health Narratives [Paper Presentation]. National Communication Association 111^th Annual Convention, Denver, CO, United States. Health Communication Division.

Stahl, H., & Andersson, J. (2025, November 20-23). From the Clinic to Reddit and Back to the Clinic: Managing Illness Uncertainty, Informing Decision-Making, and Enhancing Patient-Provider Communication [Paper Presentation]. National Communication Association 111^th Annual Convention, Denver, CO, United States. Applied Communication Division.

Taladay-Carter, C., Nabi, A., Richards, S., Hornberger, B., Shadoan, S., Smith, H., Szelag, R., Stahl, H., Wahed, K. H., & Kaur-Gill, S. (2025, November 20–23). The graduate classroom as a site for critical reflexivity in (un)learning culture in health communication: A collaborative autoethnography [Paper presentation]. National Communication Association 111^th Annual Convention, Denver, CO, United States. Top Paper Award, Instructional Development Division.

Occa A., McAninch K., Francis D., Silwal A., Stahl H., Amegbeha Amissah A. (2025, November 20–23). Communication in Friendships: Strategies, Facilitators, and Barriers in Friends’ Mental Health Conversations on College Campuses [Paper Presentation]. National Communication Association 111^th Annual Convention, Denver, CO, United States.

Stahl, H., (2024). “He Wouldn’t Sell Me Anything Laced”: A Layered Accounts Autoethnographic Approach to Understanding Drug-Use-Associated Decision-Making and Larger Discussions of Harm Reduction in Rave Culture. Presented at the 2024 Symposium on Substance Use Research, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE.

Occa A., McAninch K., Francis D., Silwal A., Stahl H., Amegbeha Amissah A. (2024). Entertainment education to improve mental health discussions: Formative evaluation of a narrative video message. Presented at the NCA 110th Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA.

Koenig Kellas, J., Kauer, T., Taladay, C., & Stahl, H. (2023). Communicated Narrative Sense-Making Theory: Exploring Freedom and Well-Being Through Storytelling. National Communication Association, National Harbor, MD.

Occa, A., Chen, H., Stahl, H., Sesay, N. (2023). Television news coverage of clinical trials on USA news media before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Presented at the 73rd International Communication Association, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Stahl, H. & Taladay-Carter, C. (2023) “Probably Benign?!”: A Narrative Thematic Analysis of Illness Narratives in Patients with Benign Breast Disease. Presented at the 2023 D.C. Health Communication Conference: “Health Communication for a Changing World,” Washington, D.C. 

Stahl H. (2022). A Content Analysis of Reddit Posts About Fibroadenoma Appraisal, Decision Making, and Other Factor Influence. Presented at the 2022 Kentucky Conference on Health Communication: Communication Strategies to Promote Comprehensive Well-being, Lexington, KY.

Occa A., Stahl H., Francis D., & Grumbein A. (2021). Improving African Americans’ intentions to enroll in a health registry: Message development and evaluation. Presented at the 71st International Communication Association, Virtual.

Occa A., Stahl H., & Bell S. (2020). Having fun while getting louder: A feasibility study of theory-based multimedia messages to help children participate in HPV-related discussions. Presented at the 106th annual conference of the National Communication Association, Indianapolis, IN.

Zelaya C. M., Santiago J. E., & Stahl H. (2020). The Intersectionality Between Social Media Influencer’s Fitness YouTube Videos and Young Women’s Efficacy: A Content Analysis. Presented at the Kentucky Conference on Health Communication 2020.