Dr. Nagawa is a behavioral health researcher who uses quantitative and qualitative research methods to identify interpersonal and intrapersonal behavior change strategies that promote sustained health behavior changes in the field of cancer prevention and control, focusing on tobacco use and patient care engagement. Her current project seeks to bridge gaps in tobacco treatment care for individuals with mental health disorders. Previously, she explored the role of social support in helping individuals with mental health conditions overcome cessation challenges as they attempted to quit tobacco use.
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).
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
ACS-IRG _ Grant #: 2025-66 (PI: Nagawa)
Co-Investigators: vanDellen, Wen
02/01/25 - 12/01/25
Project Title: Enhancing Social Support in a Cessation Intervention for Adults with Mental Health Conditions Who Smoke
1U48DP006873-01 (PI: Emmons)
Role: Early-Stage Investigator
2024– 2029
Project Title: Massachusetts Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network
Completed
NCI F31CA263974 (PI: Nagawa)
2020 – 2022
Project Title: Smoking Cessation in Persons with Mental Health Conditions: Exploring the Role of Family/Friends
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.