Join us for an OUHSC Qualitative Methods Community of Practice (QMCOP) & UCSF Qualitative Working Group (QWG) Joint Seminar

EVENT DATE: November 5, 2025

EVENT TIME: 11-12 AM PACIFIC / 1-2 PM CENTRAL

Join via Zoom. Click Here to Register! https://qualtrics.ou.edu/jfe/form/SV_8IYFjNW8WNjI9tI

Seminar Title: “Enhancing social support in cessation interventions for adults with mental health conditions who smoke.”

Seminar Summary:

My work focuses on improving tobacco cessation among individuals with mental health disorders (MHD). This population experiences some of the highest rates of tobacco use and has had limited access to cessation services. I use qualitative methods to adapt existing interventions to the specific needs and contexts of individuals with MHD and to inform the design of new interventions that may enhance quit outcomes. These efforts are complemented by quantitative approaches to guide implementation.

The presentation will focus on strategies to strengthen social support during the quitting process for individuals with MHD who smoke. Family members and peers are often willing to provide support and integrating that support into cessation interventions may significantly improve quit rates in this patient group.

Speaker: Catherine Nagawa, PhD

The seminar will be recorded and made available via the QMCOP and QWG listservs.

Speaker bio:

Dr. Nagawa is a behavioral health researcher who uses mixed methods approaches to identify interpersonal and intrapersonal strategies that promote sustained health behavior change, with a focus on tobacco control and prevention. Her current project examines how social support can be leveraged to help individuals with mental health conditions overcome cessation challenges and successfully quit tobacco use. Her work integrates behavioral science and implementation approaches to inform the development of tailored behavioral interventions.

Dr. Nagawa is trained as an epidemiologist, with specialized knowledge in applying advanced statistical techniques, including generalized linear models and structural equation modeling. She has significant expertise in the use of large population-based surveys, including the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH), the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), and the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS).

Questions? Email Dr. Julia McQuoid at Julia-McQuoid@ouhsc.edu; Dr. Kim Koester at Kimberly.Koester@ucsf.edu; Dr. Neil Jordan at Neil-Jordan@ouhsc.edu; or Dr. Kerstin Reinschmidt at Kerstin-Reinschmidt@ouhsc.edu