OMB No. 0925-0046 (Approved Through 5/31/2016)
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
NAME
POSITION TITLE
Primack, Brian A.
Associate Professor of Medicine, Pediatrics, and
Clinical and Translational Science; Assistant Vice
Chancellor for Research on Health and Society
eRA COMMONS USER NAME
brianprimack
EDUCATION/TRAINING
INSTITUTION AND LOCATION
DEGREE
MM/YY
FIELD OF STUDY
Yale University (New Haven, CT)
Harvard University (Cambridge, MA)
Emory University (Atlanta, GA)
University of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, PA)
University of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, PA)
University of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, PA)
B.A.
Ed.M.
M.D.
Residency
M.S.
Ph.D.
05/91
06/93
05/99
08/02
05/08
09/11
English and Mathematics
Human Development and Psychology
Medicine
Family Medicine
Clinical and Translational Science
Clinical and Translational Science
A. Personal Statement
I am a practicing physician with a PhD focusing on behavioral science and clinical and translational science. I
also have two master’s degrees which respectively focused on qualitative and quantitative aspects of research
methodology. I am well-suited to lead this project not only because of this multidisciplinary background but also
based upon my accelerating track-record of scientific discovery around tobacco use and behavior. Over the
past 8 years, I have been PI on 5 NCI grants (K07-CA114315, K07-CA114315S1, R01-CA140150, R01CA140150S1, and R21-CA185767). I have also had over 130 publications, which include 70 peer-reviewed
manuscripts, for which I am first author on over 50% and mentoring/supervising author on over 25%. This work
has been published in top-tier journals related to cancer and tobacco control—including Journal of the National
Cancer Institute, American Journal of Public Health, American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Addiction, and
Tobacco Control—and cited in leading international news sources including the New York Times, US News
and World Report, and the BBC. For my varied expertise I have been recruited to serve on 7 NIH study
sections, including a current standing appointment in Community Influences on Health Behavior (CIHB) for
which I am currently acting chair when the regular chair is absent. I have received major research awards for
two international societies: the Society of Adolescent Health and Medicine (2006, New Investigator of the
Year), and the Society of Behavioral Medicine (2010, Top Early Career Researcher); each of these awards is
given to only a single individual annually. My major contributions to science, described in greater detail in
section C. below, are directly relevant to the goals and activities of the current proposal, which will compare
different behavioral treatments for smoking cessation.
A1. Primack BA, Longacre MR, Beach M, Adachi-Mejia AM, Dalton MA. Association of established
smoking among adolescents with timing of exposure to smoking depicted in movies. Journal of the
National Cancer Institute. 2012;104(7):1571-6. PMID: 22423010. PMCID: PMC3317882.
A2. Primack BA, Douglas E, Land SR, Miller E, Fine MJ. Comparison of media literacy and usual
education to prevent tobacco use: A cluster randomized trial. Journal of School Health. In press, 2013.
PMC Journal - In Process.
A3. Primack BA, Shensa A, Kim KH, Carroll MV, Hoban MT, Leino EV, Eissenberg T, Dachille KH, Fine
MJ. Waterpipe smoking among U.S. university students. Nicotine & Tobacco Research. 2013;15(1);2935. PMID: 22641433. PMCID: PMC3524056.
A4. Primack BA, Hopkins M, Hallett C, Carroll MV, Zeller M, Dachille K, Donohue JM. U.S. health policy
related to hookah tobacco smoking. American Journal of Public Health. 2012;102(9):e47-51. PMID:
22827447. PMCID: PMC3482044.
B. Positions and Honors
Positions and Employment
2002-2005 Assistant Professor of Family Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
2002Family Practice Physician, Pittsburgh, PA
2005Assistant to Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine,
Pittsburgh, PA
2007200720082011-2014
201420142014-
Assistant to Associate Professor of Pediatrics (Secondary Appointment), University of
Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
Affiliated Faculty, Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion (CHERP), Pittsburgh, PA
Core Faculty, Clinical and Translational Research Institute
Director, Program for Research on Media and Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Associate Professor of Clinical and Translational Science, University of Pittsburgh School of
Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA (tertiary appointment)
Director, Center for Research on Media and Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research on Health and Society, University of Pittsburgh,
Pittsburgh, PA
Other Experience and Professional Memberships
2004-2008
Member, American Public Health Association
2003Member, National Association for Media Literacy Education
2005American Cancer Society Board of Directors (Vice President 2008-2010; President 2010-12;
Immediate Past President 2012-present)
2005Ad hoc reviewer for multiple journals, including New England Journal of Medicine, Annals of
Internal Medicine, American Journal of Public Health, Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent
Medicine, Journal of Adolescent Health, American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Tobacco
Control, Drug and Alcohol Dependence, and Health Education Research
2006Member, Society of Adolescent Medicine
2007Member, Society of Behavioral Medicine
2007
NIH Study Section, National Cancer Institute: “International Tobacco and Health Research and
Capacity Building Program” (R01)
2007-2010
Founding editorial board member for Journal of Health and Mass Communication
2007-2012
Founding editorial board member for Journal of Media Literacy Education
2008
NIH Study Section, National Cancer Institute: “Centers of Excellence in Cancer
Communication Research II” (P50)
2009-2011
NIH Study Section, National Cancer Institute: “Small Grants for Behavioral Research in Cancer
Control” (R03)
2010
Member, Study Section, “State and Community Tobacco Control Policy and Media Research
(U01),” National Cancer Institute, NIH.
2012
Member, Study Section. “NIH Intramural Center for Tobacco Regulatory Science (ICTRS).”
2012-2016
NIH Standing Study Section: “Community Influences on Health Behavior”
2015Acting Chair, NIH Standing Study Section: “Community Influences on Health Behavior”
Honors
1991
1991
1991
1992
1995
1997
1997
1998
1999
2000
2002
2003
2005
2006
2006-9
Yale Commencement Day Speaker, Class of 1991
Magna cum laude and Distinction in the English major, Yale University
Yale University Fellows' Prize for “Academic Achievement Above and Beyond the Call of Duty”
Niger National Champion, international French mathematics competition
Robert W. Woodruff Fellowship in Medicine (full four-year scholarship and stipend)
Stanley Foundation Fellowship (medical student research grant)
Gaston Award for service to the community while in medical school
Elected to Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society
Summa cum laude, Emory University School of Medicine
Society of Teachers of Family Medicine’s Patient Education Scholarship
Outstanding Teaching Resident Award, University of Pittsburgh Family Medicine Residency
American Cancer Society Program Award in Cancer Control
Innovation in Education Award, University of Pittsburgh
Society of Adolescent Medicine New Investigator Award
Robert Wood Johnson Physician Faculty Scholar Award
2010
2011
2013
2014
Society of Behavioral Medicine Early Career Researcher Award
Junior Faculty Scholar Award, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute
Outstanding Medical Student Mentor, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Outstanding Medical Student Mentor, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (received for
both 2013 and 2014)
C. Contributions to Science
1. Improving measurement. My early work focused on innovations in measurement of media exposures,
covariates, and behaviors related to tobacco. For example, while there had been great interest in exposures to
tobacco-related messages in media such as movies, music, and Internet, these exposures remained difficult to
quantify with adequate reliability and validity. Therefore, my team and I pioneered intensive methods of
performing content analysis of complex media messages (1a and 1b). These improved methods have been
subsequently used by researchers in various fields attempting to capture related constructs. In a similar way,
we have developed and validated scales which have improved assessment of other tobacco-related
constructs, including smoking-related beliefs (1c) and dependence to newer forms of tobacco (1d). This
demonstrated attention to psychometric detail will contribute to the success of the project.
1a. Primack BA, Dalton MA, Carroll MV, Agarwal AA, Fine MJ. Content analysis of tobacco, alcohol, and
other drugs in popular music. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine. 2008;162(2):169-75. PMID:
18250243. PMCID: PMC3004676.
1b. Primack BA, Gold MA, Schwarz EB, Dalton MA. Degrading and non-degrading sex in popular music: a
content analysis. Public Health Reports. 2008;123(5):593-600. PMID: 18828414. PMCID: PMC2496932.
1c. Primack BA, Switzer GE, Dalton MA. Improving measurement of normative beliefs involving smoking
among adolescents. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine. 2007;161(5):434-9. PMID:
17485617. PMCID: PMC3008629.
1d. Primack BA, Kim KH, Shensa A, Sidani JE, Barnett TE, Switzer GE. Tobacco, marijuana, and alcohol
use in University students: A cluster analysis. Journal of American College Health. 2012;60(5):374-86.
PMID: 22686360 PMCID: PMC3401532.
2. Associations between media exposures and tobacco-related behaviors. I subsequently leveraged the new
methods described above to determine previously undiscovered associations between various media
exposures and tobacco-related behaviors. These studies have found that media exposures may be as potent
as—or even more potent than—many previously established personal and environmental risk factors for
substance use behaviors (2a-2d). I have also studied associations between media exposures and risky sexual
behavior (4b). These empiric results have had important implications for rethinking theoretical mechanisms by
which individuals initiate and maintain tobacco use. My work in this area was highlighted in a feature article in
the journal Nature on this topic on June 11, 2009.
2a. Primack BA, Longacre MR, Beach M, Adachi-Mejia AM, Dalton MA. Association of established
smoking among adolescents with timing of exposure to smoking depicted in movies. Journal of the
National Cancer Institute. 2012;104(7):1571-6. PMID: 22423010. PMCID: PMC3317882.
2b. Primack BA, Land SR, Fine MJ. Adolescent smoking and volume of exposure to various forms of
media. Public Health. 2008;122(4):379-89. PMID: 18206196. PMCID: PMC3001229.
2c. Primack BA, Douglas EL, Kraemer KL. Exposure to cannabis in popular music and cannabis use
among adolescents. Addiction. 2010;105(3):515-23. PMID: 20039860. PMCID: PMC2881613.
2d. Primack BA, Kraemer KL, Fine MJ, Dalton MA. Media exposure and marijuana and alcohol use among
adolescents. Substance Use and Misuse. 2009;44(5):722-39. PMID: 19306219. PMCID: PMC3008330.
3. Experience with tobacco-related intervention and randomized trials. I have in the past studied the potential
use of innovative programming to improve tobacco-related outcomes. In order to inform my interventions in this
area, I developed a currently leading theoretical model (3a) and presented empiric evidence validating this
model among young adult populations (3b). I have also developed and piloted interventions (3c-3d). The
project published in reference 3d in particular attests to my ability to conduct a randomized controlled trial of
different behavioral interventions. This track record of conducting research across the translational
continuum—progressing from conceptual to observational to interventional work—will be valuable to the
current proposal.
3a. Primack BA, Gold MA, Switzer GE, Hobbs R, Land SR, Fine MJ. Development and validation of a
smoking media literacy scale for adolescents. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine.
2006;160(4):369-74. PMID: 16585481. PMCID: PMC3001232.
3b. Primack BA, Sidani J, Carroll MV, Fine MJ. Associations between smoking and media literacy in college
students. Journal of Health Communication. 2009;14(6):541-55. PMID:19731126. PMCID: PMC3008588.
3c. Primack BA, Fine D, Yang CK, Wickett D, Zickmund S. Adolescents’ impressions of antismoking media
literacy education: qualitative results from a randomized controlled trial. Health Education Research.
2009;24(4):608-21. PMID: 19052155. PMCID: PMC2706492.
3d. Primack BA, Douglas E, Land SR, Miller E, Fine MJ. Comparison of media literacy and usual education
to prevent tobacco use: A cluster randomized trial. Journal of School Health. In press, 2013. PMC Journal
- In Process.
4. Qualitative research experience. The current proposal has a qualitative research component. I have
extensive experience conducting and publishing qualitative research around a variety of topics. Additionally, I
have worked with Dr. Zickmund in the past on qualitative research projects (e.g., 3c). Manuscripts 4a-4d below
also demonstrate my ability to conduct qualitative research around substance use and to publish findings in
leading journals.
4a. Primack BA, Rice KR, Shensa A, Carroll MV, DePenna EJ, Nakkash R, Barnett T. US hookah tobacco
smoking establishments advertised on the internet. American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
2012;42(2):150-6. PMID: 22261211. PMCID: PMC3391575.
4b. Primack BA, Nuzzo E, Rice K, Sargent J. Alcohol brand references in U.S. popular music. Addiction.
2012;107(3):557-66. PMID: 22011113. PMCID: PMC3273659.
4c. Carroll MV, Shensa A, Primack BA. A comparison of cigarette and hookah-related videos on YouTube.
Tobacco Control. 2013;22(5):319-323. PMID: 22363069. PMCID: PMC3655091.
4d. Primack BA, Colditz JB, Pang K, Jackson KM. Portrayal of alcohol intoxication on YouTube.
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. In press, 2014. PMC Journal – in Process.
5. Alternative tobacco products. While the currently proposed study will focus on cigarette smoking cessation,
my extensive background studying alternative tobacco products—especially waterpipe tobacco smoking—will
be valuable in the After noting at an early stage the potential threat of this emerging form of tobacco use, I
published the first random-sample survey of waterpipe tobacco smoking in a U.S. University (5a). The results
of this study were important enough to prompt the American College Health Association (ACHA) to include
waterpipe tobacco smoking items in its annual survey of more than 100,000 college students from about 150
institutions. In addition to assisting the ACHA with collecting and analyzing these data (5b), I have also
demonstrated the high prevalence of waterpipe tobacco smoking among middle and high school students (5c).
I have also pioneered systematic policy analyses which have been valuable in bringing these issues to the
forefront with policy makers (5d). For example, FDA cited my work in its recent proposed rule related to
regulation of waterpipe tobacco smoking (21 CFR § 1100, 1140, and 1143).
5a. Primack BA, Sidani J, Agarwal AA, Shadel WG, Donny EC, Eissenberg TE. Prevalence of and
associations with waterpipe tobacco smoking among U.S. university students. Annals of Behavioral
Medicine. 2008;36(1):81-6. PMID: 18719977. PMCID: PMC3004534.
5b. Primack BA, Shensa A, Kim KH, Carroll MV, Hoban MT, Leino EV, Eissenberg T, Dachille KH, Fine MJ.
Waterpipe smoking among U.S. university students. Nicotine & Tobacco Research. 2013;15(1);29-35.
PMID: 22641433. PMCID: PMC3524056.
5c. Primack BA, Walsh M, Bryce C, Eissenberg T. Water-pipe tobacco smoking among middle and high
school students in Arizona. Pediatrics. 2009;123(2):e282-8. PMID: 19171581. PMCID: PMC3013632.
5d. Primack BA, Hopkins M, Hallett C, Carroll MV, Zeller M, Dachille K, Donohue JM. U.S. health policy
related to hookah tobacco smoking. American Journal of Public Health. 2012;102(9):e47-51. PMID:
22827447. PMCID: PMC3482044.
Complete List of Published Work: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=primack+ba
D. Research Support
Ongoing Research Support (Selected)
R01-CA140150
Primack (PI)
5/1/2010-2/28/2017
Waterpipe tobacco smoking among adolescents and young adults in the US
The purpose of the research is to determine prevalence and correlates of waterpipe (hookah) tobacco smoking
among adolescents and young adults in the U.S. This project uses qualitative research, analyses of existing
large data sets, and original data collection to inform future interventions.
Role: Principal Investigator
R01-CA140150S1
Primack (PI)
9/1/2014-8/31/2015
Waterpipe tobacco smoking among females naïve to other forms of tobacco use
The purpose of the research is to investigate in greater depth reasons for a relatively high prevalence of
waterpipe-only smoking among female adolescents and young adults. For this project, we are using qualitative
methods to directly compare beliefs and behaviors of male and female waterpipe-only smokers.
Role: Principal Investigator
R01-DA034629 (NIDA)
Primack (MPI with Tindle)
12/1/2014-6/30/2018
Cessation in Non-Daily Smokers: An RCT of NRT with Ecological Momentary Assessment
The purpose of this project is to conduct a placebo-controlled randomized controlled trial to determine the
potential efficacy of nicotine gum in helping non-daily cigarette smokers to quit smoking. A secondary goal of
the project is leverage ecological momentary assessment, an innovative method of obtaining fine-grained data
in real-life and real-time, to better understand the mechanisms of smoking cessation in this growing population
of non-daily smokers.
R21-CA185767
Primack (PI)
09/01/14 – 08/31/16
Improving U.S. health policy regarding waterpipe tobacco smoking
In this project, we will intensively examine federal, state, and local tobacco-control policies in Pennsylvania
focusing on the content and interplay of regulations that currently affect waterpipe tobacco smoking (WTS) and
the attitudes and beliefs of public policymakers, public health officials and advocates surrounding WTS.
ABMRF Alcohol Research Foundation Award
Primack (PI)
7/1/2013-6/30/2015
Systematic analysis of alcohol-related content in social media
While the popularity and influence of social media platforms such as YouTube are increasing substantially in
the U.S., little is known regarding how alcohol is portrayed on them. This project will leverage systematic
analysis of these messages to inform interventions to reduce morbidity and mortality related to alcohol abuse.
Role: Principal Investigator
R21-HS22927 (AHRQ)
Primack (PI)
09/30/14 – 09/29/16
Sponsored Health IT and Evidence-Based Prescribing among Medical Residents
The purpose of this project is to determine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a media
literacy curriculum designed to help resident physicians (trainees) in optimizing patient communication and
evidence-based prescribing. We will accomplish this by conducting a series of surveys, focus groups and
individual interviews with 60 first, second, and third-year residents from four residency programs.
Completed Research Support (Selected)
K07-CA114315
Primack (PI)
9/1/2006-11/30/2011
Development and Validation of a Smoking Media Literacy Scale
The purpose of the research is to determine associations between smoking media literacy and smoking
behaviors in adolescents. The purpose of the career development component is for the principal investigator
to become an independent researcher studying the relationship between mass media and adolescent health.
Role: Principal Investigator
Physician Faculty Scholar Award
Primack (PI)
7/1/2006-6/30/2009
School-Based Media Literacy to Reduce Adolescent Smoking
This award from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation had research training aspects honing methodologic
and leadership skills. It also included substantial funding for a cluster randomized controlled trial is to
determine the effect of a 3-session media literacy intervention on key variables related to adolescent smoking.
Role: Principal Investigator