Reducing the Impact of Tobacco-related Disease
Key Researcher
Dr. Sandra Japuntich received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from The University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2009. She completed her fellowship at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Behavioral Medicine in 2011. She has been an investigator at VA Boston Healthcare System and The Miriam Hospital and held academic appointments at the Boston University School of Medicine and the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.
Reducing the Impact of Tobacco-related Disease
Dr. Japuntich's research focuses on treating tobacco dependence and reducing the impact of tobacco-related disease. She is particularly interested in developing tobacco cessation treatment tailored to medical and psychiatric treatment settings. She has three ongoing studies:
- She is conducting a survey of 5,000 current and former smokers and 100 primary care providers to understand why lung cancer screening rates are so low generally and particularly among Black patients. HCMC patients will make up half of the patient sample.
- She is investigating the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for tobacco cessation implemented in a psychiatric partial hospital program.
- In collaboration with HHRI researcher Dr. Andrew Busch (PI), she is investigating whether Behavioral Activation therapy for smoking cessation and mood management will help patients to stop smoking and improve their mood following a cardiac event.
Dr. Japuntich's research focuses on tobacco cessation treatments delivered in medical and psychiatric settings and the early detection of tobacco-related disease.
Dr. Japuntich has received funding from the VA Clinical Sciences Research and Development Program, The Rhode Island Foundation, The American Cancer Society, and the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Key Researcher
Dr. Sandra Japuntich received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from The University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2009. She completed her fellowship at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Behavioral Medicine in 2011. She has been an investigator at VA Boston Healthcare System and The Miriam Hospital and held academic appointments at the Boston University School of Medicine and Public Health and the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.