Cindy Tworek

Assistant Professor

BIOSKETCH

Dr. Tworek is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Systems and Policy, West Virginia University School of Pharmacy, and a core investigator in the Translational Tobacco Reduction Research Program (T2R2) at the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center. She has conducted research in tobacco control policy, smoking cessation, health behavior, and models for substance abuse prevention. Recent funded work includes projects related to: young adult smoking cessation, cessation among pregnant smokers, and cessation among smokeless tobacco users, with additional research in new and emerging tobacco products. Previous professional experience includes the following: Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Calverton, MD (Associate Research Scientist); Maine Medical Center, Center for Tobacco Independence, Portland, ME (Behavioral Scientist); Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Department of Health Behavior, Buffalo, NY; and the Research Institute on Addictions, Buffalo, NY. She received a Ph.D. in Epidemiology and Community Health from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Other graduate degrees include a Master in Public Health and M.S. in Public Policy Analysis from the University of Rochester, Rochester, NY. Dr. Tworek’s work has focused on health behavior and tobacco control, working extensively with the ImpacTeen Project, focusing on youth tobacco use, youth smoking cessation, and the relationship between policy and behavior. She currently teaches courses in ‘Disease Prevention Health Promotion’ and ‘Social and Behavioral Theory in Health Outcomes Research’. She has presented seminars and workshops related to health behavior and tobacco control, in addition to numerous presentations at national and international scientific meetings. Dr. Tworek serves as a reviewer for several journals including: International Journal for Environmental Research and Public Health, American Journal of Public Health, Tobacco Control, American Journal of Preventive Medicine, and Journal of Addiction Medicine. She is also involved with efforts to promote health literacy and effectively translate research into practice, improving public health and enhancing prevention practices among communities.

Research Areas: Tobacco Control, Health Behavior, Health Outcomes Research, Community Intervention, Evaluation, Substance Abuse Prevention, Health Policy, Applied Health Services Research, Public Health, Epidemiology

Recent Publications

• Tworek C, Yamaguchi R, Kloska DD, Emery S, Barker D, Giovino GA, O’Malley PM, Chaloupka FJ. State-level tobacco control policies and youth smoking cessation measures. Health Policy. 2010:97(2-3):136-144. [E-pub: 2010 May 18].
   
• Tworek C, Sandoval A, Chaloupka F. Tracking Tobacco Legislation: SmokeLess States Legislative Coding and Evaluation, Overview, Methods, and Process. ImpacTeen Research Paper Series, No. 39; June 2010. www.impacteen.org.
   
• Horn K, Branstetter S, Dino G, Jarrett T, Tworek C, Zhang J. Potential Effects of Active Parental Consent: Enrolling Teen Smokers into Research and Non-research Applications of a School-Based Cessation Program. Nicotine & Tobacco Research. 2009;11(11):1359-1367.
   
• Tworek C, Nadpara P, Adkins B, Horn K, Dino G, Christy D, Madhavan SS. Smoking and breast cancer screening in West Virginia: Opportunities for intervention. West Virginia Medical Journal. 2009;October:48-53.
   
• Tworek C, Haskins A, Woods S. Maine’s tobacco medication program: compliance, patterns of use, and satisfaction among smokers. Nicotine & Tobacco Research. 2009;11(7):904-907.
   
• Giovino GA, Chaloupka F, Hartman AM, Gerlach Joyce K, Chriqui J, Orleans CT, Wende K, Tworek C et al. Cigarette Smoking Prevalence and Policies in the 50 States: An Era of Change - The Robert Wood Johnson ImpacTeen Tobacco Chart Book. Buffalo, NY: University at Buffalo, State University of New York, 2009.
   
• Horn K, Dino G, Branstetter SA, Zhang J, Kelley G, Noerachmanto N, Tworek C. A Profile of Teen Smokers who Volunteered to Participate in School-Based Smoking Intervention. Tobacco Induced Diseases, 2008, 4:6 (05 Aug 2008).
   
• Klein SM, Giovino GA, Barker DC, Tworek C, Cummings KM, O’Connor RJ. Use of Flavored Cigarettes Among Older Adolescent and Adult Smokers, 2004/2005. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, July 2008; 10(7):1209-1214.
   
• Levy DT, Tworek C, Hahn EJ, Davis RA. The Kentucky SimSmoke Tobacco Policy Simulation Model: Reaching Healthy People 2010 Goals Through Policy Change. Southern Medical Journal, May 2008; 101(5):503-507.
   
• Tworek C, Horn KA. Smoking and Medicaid Benefits. American Medical Association Virtual Mentor. December 2007, Volume 9, Number 12: 794-798. http://virtualmentor.ama-assn.org/2007/12/ccas2-0712.html, Accessed December 4, 2007.
   
• Barker DC, Giovino GA, Gable J, Tworek C, Orleans CT, Malarcher A. Use of Cessation Methods Among Smokers Aged 16-24 Years – United States, 2003. MMWR, December 2006; 55(50):1351-1354.