Education:
Degree-Granting Institutions
- Bachelor of Science, Statistics (Major) and Mathematics (Minor), Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda (Jan 2014)
- Master of Science, Epidemiology, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Amherst, MA (May 2017)
- Doctor of Philosophy, Clinical and Population Health Sciences (Epidemiology and Health Behavior Change), UMASS Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA (June 2022)
Postgraduate Training
- NIH-NCI T32 Postdoctoral Fellow, Cancer Prevention Fellowship
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA/ Division of General Internal Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA (2022-2024)
Funding:
Ongoing
1U48DP006873-01 (PI: Emmons)
Role: Early-Stage Investigator
2024– 2029
Project Title: Massachusetts Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network
The project aims to improve the delivery of evidence-based tobacco control treatments in community health centers (CHCs) by identifying patient, CHC, and contextual factors that influence treatment, with a special focus on patients with mental health diagnoses. Using mixed methods, the project will identify and address barriers to tobacco cessation. Additionally, it will engage with national academic and public health partners to accelerate the implementation of cancer prevention and control interventions across CHCs.
Completed
F31CA263974 (PI: Nagawa) 2020 – 2022
Project Title: Smoking Cessation in Persons with Mental Health Conditions: Exploring the Role of Family/Friends
Smoking rates remains high in people with mental health conditions (MHC) who now consume about 40% of all cigarettes sold in the United States. Due to pro-smoking social norms and inconsistencies in current tobacco treatment practices, pharmacotherapies and evidence-based behavioral strategies have had a limited impact on cessation rates in smokers with MHC. This research examined the effects of family/ peers influences in persons with MHC, and qualitatively explore social and clinical barriers (and facilitators) to using family/peer support for smokers with MHC to promote smoking cessation
Select Publications:
Select Publications
Nagawa CS, Ito Fukunaga M, Faro JM, Liu F, Anderson E, Kamberi A, Orvek EA, Davis M, Pbert L, Cutrona SL, Houston TK, Sadasivam RS. Characterizing Pandemic-Related Changes in Smoking Over Time in a Cohort of Current and Former Smokers. Nicotine Tob Res. 2023 Jan 5; PubMed PMID: 35137213
Nagawa CS, Lane IA, Davis M, Wang B, Pbert L, Lemon SC, Sadasivam RS. Experiences Using Family or Peer Support for Smoking Cessation and Considerations for Support Interventions: A Qualitative Study in Persons With Mental Health Conditions. J Dual Diagn. 2023 Jan-Mar;19; PubMed PMID: 36576889
Nagawa CS, Lane IA, McKay CE, Kamberi A, Shenette LL, Kelly MM, Davis M, Sadasivam RS. Use of a Rapid Qualitative Method to Inform the Development of a Text Messaging Intervention for People With Serious Mental Illness Who Smoke: Formative Research Study. JMIR Form Res. 2022 Nov 7; PubMed PMID: 36342765
Nagawa CS, Wang B, Davis M, Pbert L, Cutrona SL, Lemon SC, Sadasivam RS. Examining pathways between family or peer factors and smoking cessation in a nationally representative US sample of adults with mental health conditions who smoke: a structural equation analysis. BMC Public Health. 2022 Aug 17; PubMed PMID: 35978318
Nagawa CS, Pbert L, Wang B, Cutrona SL, Davis M, Lemon SC, Sadasivam RS. Association between family or peer views towards tobacco use and past 30-day smoking cessation among adults with mental health problems. Prev Med Rep. 2022 Aug 28: PubMed PMID: 35855923
Nagawa CS, Rigotti NA, Chang Y, Levy DE, Streck JM, Ylioja T, Lee SS, Tindle HA. Association between Smoking Abstinence and Depression and Anxiety Symptoms After Hospital Discharge: The Helping HAND 4 Trial. J Addict Med. 2024 Aug 8; PubMed PMID: 39115217
Sadasivam RS, Nagawa CS, Wijesundara JG, Flahive J, Nguyen HL, Larkin C, Faro JM, Balakrishnan K, Ha DA, Nguyen CK, Vuong A, Phan PT, Pham QPL, Allison JJ, Houston TK. Peer Texting to Promote Quitline Use and Smoking Cessation Among Rural Participants in Vietnam: Randomized Clinical Trial. Int J Public Health. 2024; PubMed PMID: 38651035
Pbert L, Dubé CE, Nagawa CS, Simone DP, Wijesundara J, Sadasivam R. Vaping Cessation Support Recommendations from Adolescents Who Vape: A Qualitative Study. Res Sq. 2024 Mar 20; PubMed PMID: 38562810
Dubé CE, Pbert L, Nagawa CS, Simone DP, Wijesundara JG, Sadasivam RS. Adolescents Who Vape Nicotine and Their Experiences Vaping: A Qualitative Study. Subst Abuse. 2023; PubMed PMID: 37441459
Complete list of Catherine's published works can be viewed here.