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Mary Ellen Wewers RN, PhD, MPH

Mary Ellen Wewers RN, PhD, MPH
ProfessorCollege of Public Healthwewers.1@osu.edu
3156 Smith Laboratory 174 W 18th Avenue Columbus OH 43210
Phone:614-292-3137Fax: 614-292-3572
  • Cancer Control

General Research Interest

Tobacco dependence treatment and control in underserved groups of smokers

Research Description

Dr. Wewers investigates tobacco cessation among rural Appalachians who smoke and use smokeless tobacco. This work involved partnerships with community health departments and rural county extension agents. Most recently, she was funded through a R21 mechanism to investigate smokeless tobacco marketing approaches among Ohio Appalachians. This project involves testing a novel methodology that characterizes geographical patterning of pro- and anti-tobacco exposures in an economically disadvantaged region.

Transinstitutional Work

Our group is part of a larger transdisciplinary team that investigates cancer-related health disparities using a community-based research approach with underserved smokers who reside in rural Appalachian Ohio. This work also includes the investigation of tobacco use and cessation among Appalachian women at risk for cervical disease. We are also part of a larger research effort to investigate the effect of cigarette smoking and cessation among smokers infected with HIV.  This is a longitudinal study to characterize clinical outcomes in continuing smokers compared to those who successfully quit.  We are testing various behavioral approaches to increase a smoker’s readiness to quit smoking, while also describing the effect of combined behavioral counseling and pharmacotherapy on abstinence from smoking.

Current Publications

  • Hood NE, Ferketich AK, Paskett ED, Wewers MTreatment adherence in a lay health adviser intervention to treat tobacco dependence.Health Educ Res 28(1) 72-82 2/1/2013
  • Ferketich AK, Diaz P, Browning KK, Lu B, Koletar SL, Reynolds NR, Wewers MSafety of varenicline among smokers enrolled in the lung HIV study.Nicotine Tob Res 15(1) 247-54 1/1/2013
  • Nemeth JM, Liu ST, Klein EG, Ferketich AK, Kwan MP, Wewers MFactors influencing smokeless tobacco use in rural Ohio Appalachia.J Community Health 37(6) 1208-17 12/1/2012
  • Reiter PL, Broder-Oldach B, Wewers M, Klein EG, Paskett ED, Katz MLAppalachian residents' perspectives on new U.S. cigarette warning labels.J Community Health 37(6) 1269-78 12/1/2012
  • Jradi H, Wewers M, Pirie PL, Binkley PF, Ferketich AKTobacco dependence curricula in Middle Eastern and North African medical education.Tob Control in press 8/25/2012
  • Klein EG, Ferketich AK, Abdel-Rasoul M, Kwan MP, Kenda L, Wewers MSmokeless tobacco marketing and sales practices in Appalachian Ohio following federal regulations.Nicotine Tob Res 14(7) 880-4 7/1/2012
  • Ferketich AK, Otterson GA, King M, Hall N, Browning KK, Wewers MEA pilot test of a combined tobacco dependence treatment and lung cancer screening program.Lung Cancer 76(2) 211-5 5/1/2012
  • Wewers M, Salsberry PJ, Ferketich AK, Ahijevych KL, Hood NE, Paskett EDRisk factors for smoking in rural women.J Womens Health (Larchmt) 21(5) 548-56 5/1/2012
  • Wewers M, Salsberry PJ, Ferketich AK, Ahijevych KL, Hood NE , Paskett EDDisparity in smoking prevalence: An analysis of risk factors in a vulnerable population of womenJournal of Women's Health 21(5) 548-56 3/1/2012
  • Reiter PL, Wewers M, Paskett ED, Klein EG, Katz MLOhio Appalachian residents' views on smoke-free laws and cigarette warning labels.Rural Remote Health 12 1945 1/1/2012
  • Troyer MB, Ferketich AK, Murray DM, Paskett ED, Wewers MCharacteristics of rural Appalachian women who enroll in a tobacco dependence treatment clinical trial.Nicotine Tob Res 13(9) 880-5 9/1/2011