Chaelin “Karen” Ra, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor
Research Overview:
Dr. Ra leverages digital technology to explore and address the links between sleep, circadian rhythms, mental health, substance use, and cessation. Her research focuses on the dynamic, day-to-day associations between sleep health and smoking cessation behaviors using sensors and smartphone apps. Dr. Ra is passionate about the potential of sleep health and tobacco cessation interventions to drive behavior change and improve outcomes in underserved populations.
Research Interests:
- mHealth
- Just-In-Time Adaptive Intervention (JITAI)
- Sleep/circadian rhythms
- Tobacco cessation
- Mental health
Current Studies:
Sleep N Quit.
This study investigates the use of mobile health (mHealth) technologies including sensors and smartphone apps to facilitate tobacco cessation and monitor physical activity, while investigating the bidirectional relationship to sleep and smoking. The aims for this study are to develop effective interventions utilizing mHealth to increase accessibility to tobacco cessation intervention and support in partnership with local Tobacco Quit Centers. This study is funded by the NIH. For more information please visit: reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10880898