Janice A Blalock, Ph.D.
Department of Behavioral Science, Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences
About Dr. Blalock
Janice A. Blalock, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist with 19 years research experience in treatments for depression and anxiety disorders, and nicotine dependence. Her research area of interest is development of smoking cessation treatments for smokers with comorbid psychiatric and medical disorders. She was the Co-P.I. on a recently completed study evaluating a depression and smoking cessation intervention for pregnant smokers. She is currently conducting a NIMH-funded study evaluating the efficacy of a combined depression and smoking cessation intervention for smokers with chronic forms of depressive disorders who enter treatment with unremitted depressive episodes. Dr. Blalock also serves as the Assistant Director for the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center’s Tobacco Treatment Program, which provides tobacco cessation services to all M.D. Anderson cancer patients. She has interest in evaluating smoking cessation treatments that are specifically tailored to meet the needs of cancer patients who have difficulty quitting following diagnosis and has several grant submissions under review that are focused on this topic; including a NCI funded study evaluating the efficacy of a novel smoking cessation intervention for cancer patients. She has published a number of articles evaluating the impact of clinical depression on withdrawal and abstinence outcomes among smokers with current depressive disorders, and the effect of psychiatric disorders on abstinence outcomes in cancer patients.
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Associate Professor, Department of Behavioral Science, Division of Cancer Prevention and Population, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 1992 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA, Ph.D, Clinical Psychology |
| 1991 | Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA, Training, Internship, Psychology |
| 1987 | University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA, USA, MA, Psychology |
| 1980 | Southwest Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, USA, BS, Psychology |
Experience & Service
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Assistant Director, Department of Tobacco Treatment Program, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, 2005 - 2017
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Cox-Martin E**, Cox MG, Basen-Engquist K, Bradley C, Blalock JA. Changing multiple health behaviors in cancer survivors: smoking and exercise. Psychol Health Med 25(3):1-13, 2020. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31630537.
- Cinciripini PM, Karam-Hage M, Kypriotakis G, Robinson JD, Rabius V, Beneventi D, Minnix JA, Blalock JA. Association of a comprehensive smoking cessation program with smoking abstinence among patients with cancer. JAMA Netw Open 2(9):e1912251, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31560387.
- Minnix JA, Blalock JA, Karam-Hage M, Cinciripini PM. The importance of incorporating smoking cessation into lung cancer screening. Translational Lung Cancer Research 7(3):272-280, 2018. PMID: 30050765.
- Karam-Hage M, Kypriotakis G, Robinson JD, Green CE, Mann G, Rabius V, Wippold R, Blalock JA, Mouhayar E, Tayar J, Chaftari P, Cinciripini PM. Improvement of smoking abstinence Rates with increased Varenicline dosage: A propensity score-matched analysis. J Clin Psychopharmacol 38(1):34-41, 2018. PMID: 29232312.
- Cofta-Woerpel L, Lam C, Reitzel L, Wilson W, Karam-Hage M, Beneventi D, Cofer J, Baker E, WetterD, Cinciripini P, Blalock JA. A tele-mentoring tobacco cessation case consultation and education model for healthcare providers in community mental health centers. Cogent Medicine:5: 1430652, 2018. PMID: 30364535.
- Cox M, Basen-Engquist K, Carmack CL, Blalock JA, Li Y, Murray J, Pisters L, Rodriguez-Bigas M, Song J, Cox-Martin E**, Demark-Wahnefried W. Comparison of internet and telephone interventions for weight loss among cancer survivors: Randomized controlled trial and feasibility study. JMIR Cancer 3(2):e16, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28954716.
- Karam-Hage M, Oughli HA, Rabius V, Beneventi D, Wippold RC, Blalock JA, Cinciripini PM. Tobacco cessation treatment pathways for patients with cancer: 10 years in the making. J Natl Compr Canc Netw 14(11):1469-1477, 2016. PMID: 27799514.
- Farris SG**, Robinson JD, Zvolensky MJ, Hogan J, Rabius V, Cinciripini PM, Karam-Hage M, Blalock JA. Panic attacks and smoking cessation among cancer patients receiving smoking cessation treatment. Addict Behav 61:32-9, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27235990.
- Martin EC**, Basen-Engquist K, Cox MG, Lyons EJ, Carmack CL, Blalock JA, Demark-Wahnefried W. Interest in health behavior intervention delivery modalities among cancer survivors: A cross-sectional study. JMIR Cancer 2(1/e1):e1, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 28410164.
- Bluethmann SM, Basen-Engquist K, Vernon SW, Cox M, Gabriel KP, Stansberry SA, Carmack CL, Blalock JA, Demark-Wahnefried W. Grasping the 'teachable moment': time since diagnosis, symptom burden and health behaviors in breast, colorectal and prostate cancer survivors. Psychooncology 24(10):1250-1257, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 26060053.
- Parrott CE**, Rathnayaka N, Blalock JA, Minnix JA, Cinciripini PM, Vincent JP, Wetter DW, Green C. Examination of the Wisconsin inventory of smoking dependence motives (WISDM-68) factor structure in a sample of pregnant smokers. Nicotine Tob Res 17(6):653-60, 2015. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25475086.
- Wippold R, Karam-Hage M, Blalock JA, Cinciripini P. Selection of optimal tobacco cessation medication treatment in patients with cancer. Clin J Oncol Nurs 19(2):170-5, 2015. PMID: 25840382.
- Stotts AL, Northrup TF, Cinciripini PM, Minnix JA, Blalock JA, Mullen PD, Pedroza C, Blackwell S. Randomized, controlled pilot trial of bupropion for pregnant smokers: Challenges and future directions. Am J Perinatol 32(4):351-6, 2015. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25111040.
- Lin J, Blalock JA, Chen M, Ye Y, Gu J, Cohen L, Cinciripini PM, Wu X. Depressive symptoms and short telomere length are associated with increased mortality in bladder cancer patients. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 24(2):336-43, 2015. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25416716.
- |BFarris SG**, Zvolensky MJ, Blalock JA, Schmidt NB. Negative affect and smoking motives sequentially mediate the effect of panic attacks on tobacco-relevant processes. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse 40(3):230-239, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 24720260.
- Mathew AR**, Robinson JD, Norton PJ, Cinciripini PM, Brown RA, Blalock JA. Affective trajectories before and after a quit attempt in smokers with current depressive disorders. Nicotine Tob Res 15(11):1807-1815, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23509093.
- Blalock JA, Minnix JA, Mathew AR**, Wetter DW, McCullough JP, Cinciripini PM. Relationship of childhood trauma to depression and smoking outcomes in pregnant smokers. J Consult Clin Psychol 81(5):821-30, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23750463.
- Blalock JA, Nayak N**, Wetter DW, Schreindorfer L**, Minnix JA, Canul J, Cinciripini PM. The relationship of childhood trauma to nicotine dependence in pregnant smokers. Psychol Addict Behav 25(4):652-63, 2011. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 21928869.
- Minnix JA, Blalock JA, Marani S, Prokhorov AV, Cinciripini PM. Self-efficacy mediates the effect of depression on smoking susceptibility in adolescents. Nicotine Tob Res 13(8):699-705, 2011. e-Pub 2011. PMID: 21482619.
- Blalock JA, Lam, CY, Minnix, JA, Karam-Hage, M, Gritz, ER, Robinson, JD, Cinciripini, PM. The effect of mood, anxiety and alcohol use disorders on smoking cessation in cancer patients. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy 25(1):82-96, 2011.
- Tamí-Maury I**, Sharma A, Chen M, Blalock JA, Ortiz-Rivera J, Weaver L, Shete S.. Comparing smoking behavior between female-to-male and male-to-female transgender adults. Tobacco Prevention & Cessation. e-Pub 2020.
Other Articles
- Almirall D, Blalock JA Summary of the SRNT treatment network Webinar: getting SMART about developing individualized sequences of health interventions. Nicotine Tob Res 16(2):252, 2014. PMID: 24302636.
Editorials
- Rabius V, Karam-Hage M, Blalock JA, Cinciripini PM. "Meaningful use" provides a meaningful opportunity. Cancer 120(4):464-468, 2014. PMID: 24496865.
Abstracts
- Lyons E, Basen-Engquist K, Blalock JA, Demark-Wahnefried W. Preferences of breast cancer survivors for traditional and new media delivery of health promotion interventions. Journal of Women’s Health 22(10):893-893, 2013.
- Basen-Engquist K, Carmack C, Blalock JA, Baum G, Rahming D, Demark-Wahnefried W.. Predictors of cancer survivors' receptivity to lifestyle behavior change interventions. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, and Prevention 21(3):559-560, 2012. e-Pub 2012.
Grant & Contract Support
| Title: | Smoking cessation intervention for depressed smokers: Treatment development |
| Funding Source: | NIMH |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Innovative tobacco cessation intervention for oncology patients in Puerto Rico |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Principal Investigator-MDACC |
| Title: | A Phase 4, randomized, double-blind, active and placebo-controlled, multicenter study evaluating the neuropsychiatric safety and efficacy of 12 weeks varenicline tartrate 1 mg BID for smoking cessation in subjects with and without a history of psychiatric |
| Funding Source: | Pfizer Inc |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| Title: | Cancer Control Moonshot Platform Proposal: UT Dissemination |
| Funding Source: | |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Cancer Control Moonshot platform proposal: Project TEACH |
| Funding Source: | MDACC |
| Role: | Co-Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Lung Moonshot adult cessation project |
| Funding Source: | Other |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| Title: | Promoting long-term abstinence from smoking among cancer patients |
| Funding Source: | NIH |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| Title: | Postpartum intervention for pregnant smokers: Feasibility of smartphone delivery |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NIDA |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Development of a transdiagnostic emotional vulnerability smoking cessation intervention for cancer patients |
| Funding Source: | Duncan Family Institute Seed-funding Research Program |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Integrated care-versus quitline interventions for smokers with mental health conditions |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Multiple PI |
| Title: | ENDependence |
| Funding Source: | Arnold Foundation |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| Title: | Varenicline and combined NRT for initial smoking cessation and rescue treatment in smokers. A randomized pilot trial |
| Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
| Role: | Co-Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Increasing access to smoking cessation and smoke free home services for low-income pregnant women in northeast Texas |
| Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
| Role: | Program Director |
| Title: | Gender differences in Standard Research E-Cigarette (SREC) product use, acceptability, reinforcement, and nicotine dependence symptoms |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NIDA |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| Title: | Pilot study to evaluate a behavioral activation prenatal and postpartum intervention for depressed pregnant smokers |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NIDA |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | CCSG supplement: DCPPS Expanding the reach of University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Tobacco Treatment Program |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Program Leader |
| Title: | Expanding Tobacco Cessation in Northeast Texas |
| Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
| Role: | Program Director |