Lisa M. Lowenstein, PhD, MPH, RD
Department of Health Services Research, Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Assistant Professor, Department of Health Services Research, Division of OVP, Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Research Interests
I am a health services researcher with a focus on implementation science. My work applies both qualitative and quantitative methodologies to develop, implement, and evaluate interventions into clinical practice. I have been involved in research focusing on different implementation strategies (provider communication, clinical workflow assessment, provider and patient education needs). The qualitative studies have utilized intercept interviews, observations, field notes, focus groups, and in-depth interviews. For observations, I have conducted clinical workflow mapping to document the clinical workflow in primary pediatric practices, medical oncology practices, and surgical oncology practices. My research focuses on improving cancer care delivery and shared decision making from cancer prevention to survivorship, including, but not limited to, lung cancer screening, prostate cancer treatment decision making, and implementing frailty assessments to prevent over and under treatment of older adults with cancer.
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2011 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA, PHD, Nutrition |
| 2006 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA, MPH, Nutrition |
| 2003 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA, BS, Biology, Psychology |
Postgraduate Training
| 2013-2015 | Postdoctoral Fellowship, Preventive Cardiology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY |
Board Certifications
| 2006 | Commission on Dietetic Registration |
Experience & Service
Academic Appointments
Instructor, Department of Health Services Research, Division of OVP, Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2015 - 2016
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Decision Science Implementation Lead, Shared Decision Making Collaborative, Duncan Family Institute for Cancer Prevention and Risk Assessment, Department of Health Services Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2016 - 2020
Other Appointments/Responsibilities
Lab Technician III, Cystic Fibrosis Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 2003 - 2004
Institutional Committee Activities
Member, Review Committee for NCI R25E Summer Program Applications - Cancer Prevention Research Training Program (CPRTP), The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2016 - Present
Consultantships
Consulting Dietitian, St. Joseph’s Villa of Rochester Adolescent Residential Eating Disorder Program, Rochester, NY, 2009 - 2010
Professional Memberships
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Smith GL, Mendoza TR, Lowenstein LM, Shih YT. Financial Hardship in Survivorship Care Delivery. J Natl Cancer Inst Monogr 57(57):10-14, 2021. PMID: 34478512.
- Nishi SPE, Lowenstein LM, Mendoza TR, Lopez Olivo MA, Crocker LC, Sepucha K, Niu J, Volk RJ. Shared Decision Making for Lung Cancer Screening: How Well are we "Sharing"?. Chest 160(1):330-340, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33556362.
- Chapman AE, Elias R, Plotkin E, Lowenstein LM, Swartz K. Models of Care in Geriatric Oncology. J Clin Oncol 39(19):JCO2100118, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34043453.
- Wong ML, Lichtman SM, Morrow GR, Simmons J, Hargraves T, Gross CP, Lund JL, Lowenstein LM, Walter LC, McDermott CL, Mohile SG, Cohen HJ. Geriatric oncology health services research: Cancer and Aging Research Group Infrastructure Core. J Geriatr Oncol 11(2):350-354, 2020. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31326392.
- Gilmore NJ, Canin B, Whitehead M, Sedenquist M, Griggs L, Finch L, Grossman V, Targia V, Wells M, Kamen C, Flannery M, Magnuson A, Plumb S, Obrecht S, Lowenstein LM, Lopez G, Anderson J, Berenberg J, Vogel V, Bearden J, Dale W, Mohile SG. Engaging older patients with cancer and their caregivers as partners in cancer research. Cancer 125(23):4124-4133, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31420878.
- Housten AJ, Lowenstein LM , Hoffman AS, Jacobs LE, Zirari Z, Hoover DS, Stacey D, Pratt G, Bevers TB, Volk RJ. A Review of The Presentation of Overdiagnosis In Cancer Screening Patient Decision Aids. MDM Policy & Practice, 2019.
- Lowenstein LM, Basourakos SP, Williams MD, Troncoso P, Gregg JR, Thompson TC, Kim J. Active surveillance for prostate and thyroid cancers: evolution in clinical paradigms and lessons learned. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 16(3):168-184, 2019. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30413793.
- Lowenstein LM, Volk RJ, Street R, Flannery M, Magnuson A, Epstein R, Mohile SG. Communication about geriatric assessment domains in advanced cancer settings: Missed opportunities. J Geriatr Oncol 10(1):68-73, 2019. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29884597.
- Lowenstein LM, Escoto KH, Leal VB, Bailey L, Bevers TB, Cantor SB, Cinciripini PM, Jacobs LE, Esparza A, Godoy MC, Housten AJ, Lin H, Luckett P, Munden RF, Rabius V, Volk RJ. Randomized trial of a patient-centered decision aid for promoting informed decisions about lung cancer screening: Implementation of a PCORI study protocol and lessons learned. Contemp Clin Trials 72:26-34, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30010085.
- Lowenstein LM, Deyter GMR, Nishi S, Wang T, Volk RJ. Shared decision-making conversations and smoking cessation interventions: Critical components of low-dose CT lung cancer screening programs. Transl Lung Cancer Res 7(3):254-271, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30050764.
- Housten AJ, Lowenstein LM, Hoover DS, Leal VB, Kamath GR, Volk RJ. Limitations of the S-TOFHLA in measuring poor numeracy: A cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health 18(1):405, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 29587709.
- Hoffman AS, Hempstead AP, Housten AJ, Richards VF, Lowenstein LM, Leal VB, Volk RJ. Using a patient decision aid video to assess current and former smokers' values about the harms and benefits of lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography. MDM Policy Pract 3(1):1-9, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30288444.
- Hoffman AS, Lowenstein LM, Kamath GR, Housten AJ, Leal VB, Linder SK, Jibaja-Weiss ML, Raju GS, Volk RJ. An entertainment-education colorectal cancer screening decision aid for African American patients: A randomized controlled trial. Cancer 123(8):1401-1408, 2017. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 28001305.
- Street RL, Volk RJ, Lowenstein L, Michael Fordis C. Engaging patients in the uptake, understanding, and use of evidence: Addressing barriers and facilitators of successful engagement. Patient Educ Couns 100(1):4, 2017. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27450480.
- Lowenstein LM, Richards VF, Leal VB, Housten AJ, Bevers TB, Cantor SB, Cinciripini PM, Cofta-Woerpel LM, Escoto KH, Godoy MC, Linder SK, Munden RF, Volk RJ. A brief measure of smokers' knowledge of lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography. Prev Med Rep 4:351-6, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27512650.
- Lowenstein LM, Mohile SG, Gil HH, Pandya C, Hemmerich J, Rodin M, Dale W. Which better predicts mortality among older men, a prostate cancer (PCa) diagnosis or vulnerability on the Vulnerable Elders Survey (VES-13)? A retrospective cohort study. J Geriatr Oncol 16(30100):S1879-4068, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27480793.
- Carroll JK, Flocke SA, Sanders MR, Lowenstein L, Fiscella K, Epstein RM. Effectiveness of a clinician intervention to improve physical activity discussions in underserved adults. Fam Pract 33(5):488-91, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27234988.
- Wong JK, Chen PC, Falvey J, Melvin AL, Lidder AK, Lowenstein LM, Miranpuri AS, Knight PA, Massey HT. Anticoagulation reversal strategies for left ventricular assist device patients presenting with acute intracranial hemorrhage. ASAIO J 62(5):552-7, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27347708.
- Mohile SG, Hurria A, Cohen HJ, Rowland JH, Leach CR, Arora NK, Canin B, Muss HB, Magnuson A, Flannery M, Lowenstein L, Allore HG, Mustian KM, Demark-Wahnefried W, Extermann M, Ferrell B, Inouye SK, Studenski SA, Dale W. Improving the quality of survivorship for older adults with cancer. Cancer 122(16):2459-568, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27172129.
- Nipp RD, Yao NA, Lowenstein LM, Buckner JC, Parker IR, Gajra A, Morrison VA, Dale W, Ballman KV. Pragmatic study designs for older adults with cancer: Report from the U13 conference. J Geriatr Oncol 7(4):234-41, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27197914.
- Mohile SG, Velarde C, Hurria A, Magnuson A, Lowenstein LM, Pandya C, O'Donovan A, Gorawara-Bhat R, Dale W. Geriatric assessment-guided care processes for older adults: A Delphi consensus of geriatric oncology experts. J Natl Compr Canc Netw 13(9):1120-30, 2015. PMID: 26358796.
- Lowenstein LM, Ouellet JA, Dale W, Fan L, Gupta Mohile S. Preventive care in older cancer survivors. J Geriatr Oncol 6(2):85-92, 2015. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25547206.
- Lowenstein L, Brown K, Barrows D, Foti T, Scholer L, LeVant C, Schriefer J. Continuous quality improvement in a level IIIB NICU to increase human milk use at day of life 14, day of life 28, and discharge. ICAN 6(3):137-143, 2014. e-Pub 2014.
- Augustine AH*, Lowenstein L*, Harris WS, Shearer GC, Block RC. Treatment with omega-3 fatty acid ethyl-ester alters fatty acid composition of lipoproteins in overweight or obese adults with insulin resistance. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 90(2-3):69-75, 2014. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 24378016.
- Lowenstein LM, Perrin EM, Campbell MK, Tate DF, Cai J, Ammerman AS. Primary Care Providers' Self-Efficacy And Outcome Expectations For Childhood Obesity Counseling. Child Obes 9(3):208-15, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23635310.
- Lowenstein LM, Perrin EM, Berry D, Vu MB, Pullen Davis L, Cai J, Tzeng JP, Ammerman AS. Childhood Obesity Prevention: Fathers' Reflections With Healthcare Providers. Child Obes 9(2):137-43, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 23472966.
- Berry D, Colindres M, Vu MB, Davis LP, Chung G, Lowenstein LM, Ammerman A. Latino Caregiver's Insight Into Childhood Overweight Management and Relationships With Their Health Care Providers. Hisp Health Care Int 7(1):11-20(10), 2009. e-Pub 2009.
- Yeh MC, Ickes SB, Lowenstein LM, Shuval K, Ammerman AS, Farris R, Katz DL. Understanding Barriers and Facilitators of Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among A Diverse Multi-ethnic Population in The USA. Health Promot Int 23(1):42-51, 2008. e-Pub 2008. PMID: 18182418.
- Jilcott SB, Laraia BA, Evenson KR, Lowenstein LM, Ammerman AS. A Guide for Developing Intervention Tools Addressing Environmental Factors to Improve Diet and Physical Activity. Health Promot Pract 8(2):192-204, 2007. PMID: 17384406.
- Pandya C, Magnuson A, Dale W, Lowenstein L, Fung C, Mohile SG. Association of falls with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in older cancer survivors: A population based study. J Geriatr Oncol. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 26907564.
- Williams GC, Lowenstein L, Cox JF, Patrick H, Adams MJ, Block RC, Rigby CS. Brief report of virtual clinician research tools for tobacco dependence or dyslipidemia. J Health Psychol. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 26929166.
- Housten AJ, Lowenstein LM, Leal VB, Volk RJ. Responsiveness of a brief measure of lung cancer screening knowledge. J Cancer Educ. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27966194.
Invited Articles
- Lowenstein LM, Housten AJ, Volk RJ. Educating Men Diagnosed With Localized Prostate Cancer About Treatment Options: It Is More Than Life Expectancy. Ann Fam Med, 2016.
Manuals, Teaching Aids, Other Teaching Publications
- Volk RJ, Lowenstein LM, Fordis M. Is lung cancer screening right for me? A decision aid for people considering lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography. http://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/index.cfm/tools-and-resources/patient-decision-aids/. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), 2016.
- Volk RJ, Lowenstein LM, Fordis M. Is lung cancer screening right for me? A decision making tool for you and your health care professional. Patient Decision Aid. http://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/index.cfm/tools-and-resources/patient-decision-aids/. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), 2016.
- Volk RJ, Lowenstein LM, Fordis M. Lung cancer screening: A summary guide for primary care clinicians. Patient Decision Aid. http://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/index.cfm/tools-and-resources/patient-decision-aids/. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), 2016.
- Volk RJ, Lowenstein LM, Fordis M. Lung cancer screening: A Clinician’s Checklist. Patient Decision Aid. http://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/index.cfm/tools-and-resources/patient-decision-aids/. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), 2016.
Abstracts
- Smith GL, Lowenstein LM, Peterson SK, Rieber AG, Goodwin NA, Advani P, Jagsi R, Giordano SH, Volk RJ. Financial Toxicity Of Cancer Care: Defining Pathways Of Decline vs Resilience. ASCO Meeting Library:e22150, 2018.
- Cantor SB, Leal VB, Hoffman AS, Lowenstein LM, Volk RJ. Launching A Shared Decision Making Collaborative At A Comprehensive Cancer Center: Methods And Lessons Learned (PS3-29), 39th Annual Meeting of the Society for Medical Decision Making, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, October 22-25, 2017. Med Decis Making 38(1):E1-E371, 2018.
- Housten A, Lowenstein LM, Stacey D, Volk RJ. Attention To Overdiagnosis In Cancer Screening Patient Decision Aids: An Examination Of Aids From The Cochrane Systematic Review (PS4-29), 39th Annual Meeting of the Society for Medical Decision Making, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, October 22-25, 2017. Med Decis Making 38(1):E1-E371, 2018.
- Volk RJ, Bevers TB, Cantor SB, Cinciripini P, Escoto K, Godoy M, Housten AJ, Leal VB, Lin H, Lowenstein LM, Munden R, Rabius V. Impact Of A Patient Decision Aid On Smokers′ Knowledge Of Lung Cancer Screening Harms And Benefits: Project Inform, A Randomized Controlled Trial (1A-1), 39th Annual Meeting of the Society for Medical Decision Making, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, October 22-25, 2017. Med Decis Making 38(1):E1-E371, 2018.
- Graves KD, Tucker-Seeley R, Gonzalez BD, Deshpande A, Lowenstein L, Rowland JH. Aging and Cancer: Implications For Cognitive Outcomes And Clinical Encounters. Annals of Behavioral Medicine 49(Supplement 1, Abstract 29):S130-S130, 2015.
- Lowenstein L, Epstein R, Yellamaty V, Plumb S, Conn K, Mohile SG. Missed Opportunities To Discuss Patient And Caregiver Aging Concerns In Oncology Clinical Encounters. Annals of Behavioral Medicine 49(Supplement 1, Abstract 29C):S130-S130, 2015.
- Cuddy A, Lowenstein LM, Hempstead AP, Richards VF, Loon KV, You YN, Volk RJ, Chang GJ. Patient Self-Advocacy In Decision Making Related To Post-Treatment Surveillance For Colorectal Cancer (PS 3-31), 38th Annual North American Meeting of the Society for Medical Decision Making, Vancouver, Canada, October 23-26, 2016. Med Decis Making 37(1):E1-E334. e-Pub 2017.
- Lowenstein LM, Hempstead AP, Richards VF, Leal VB, Housten AJ, and Volk RJ. Responsiveness Of A Brief Measure Of Smokers' Knowledge Of Lung Cancer Screening With Low-Dose Computed Tomography (PS 3-23), 38th Annual North American Meeting of the Society for Medical Decision Making, Vancouver, Canada, October 23-26, 2016. Med Decis Making 37(1):E1-E334. e-Pub 2017.
- Hempstead AP, Leal VB, Richards VF, Lowenstein LM, Volk RJ. Acceptability And Efficacy Of A Video-Based Patient Decision Aid About Lung Cancer Screening With Low-Dose Computed Tomography (PS 3-21), 38th Annual North American Meeting of the Society for Medical Decision Making, Vancouver, Canada, October 23-26, 2016. Med Decis Making 37(1):E1-E334. e-Pub 2017.
- Lowenstein LM, Leal VB, Richards VF, Hempstead AP, Foxhall LE and Volk RJ. Primary Care Physicians' Lung Cancer Screening Practices: Comparisons Before And After The Centers For Medicare & Medicaid's National Coverage Determination (PS 1-34), 38th Annual North American Meeting of the Society for Medical Decision Making, Vancouver, Canada, October 23-26, 2016. Med Decis Making 37(1):E1-E334. e-Pub 2017.
- Lowenstein LM, Hoffman A, Kamath G, Housten AJ, Leal VB, Linder SK and Volk RJ. Entertainment-Education Colorectal Cancer Screening Decision Aid For African American Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial (2D-6), 38th Annual Meeting of the Society for Medical Decision Making, Vancouver, Canada, October 23-26, 2016. Med Decis Making 37(1):E1-E334. e-Pub 2017.
Grant & Contract Support
| Title: | Economic Strain and Resilience in Cancer Patients: Incorporating and Measuring Patient Perspectives on the Hidden Burdens of Treatment |
| Funding Source: | The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| Role: | Collaborator |
| Title: | Research and Development of IDM/SDM tools for the American Cancer Society: A Proposal from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| Funding Source: | American Cancer Society (ACS) |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| Title: | Capacity Constraints for Lung Cancer Screening Facilities in Providing Smoking Cessation |
| Funding Source: | CCSG Prevention and Population Science Research Programs Seed Funding Initiative |
| Role: | Co-Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Development of a Shared Medical Decision Making Tool for Maintenance Therapy in Ovarian Cancer |
| Funding Source: | AstraZeneca (AZ) Alliance |
| Role: | Collaborator |
| Title: | Improving the Quality of Smoking Cessation and Shared Decision Making for Lung Cancer Screening: A Cluster Randomized Trial |
| Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| Title: | Improving Surgical Care and Outcomes in Older Cancer Patients through Implementation of an Efficient Pre-Surgical Toolkit (OPTI-Surg) (A231601CD) |
| Funding Source: | Alliance for Clinical Trials In Oncology/Mayo Clinic |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| Title: | Older Men's Decision Making about Active Surveillance for Prostate Cancer |
| Funding Source: | American Cancer Society (ACS) |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Implementing Patient Decision Support for Lung Cancer Screening through Tobacco Quitlines |
| Funding Source: | Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) |
| Role: | Co-Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Implementing an Intervention to Address Concerns of Older Patients with Cancer Receiving Chemotherapy and Their Caregivers |
| Funding Source: | Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) |
| Role: | Principal Investigator |
| Title: | Design and Launch of a Dissemination and Implementation Graduate Certificate Program |
| Funding Source: | UTH-MDA Population Health Initiative Collaborative Projects Fund |
| Role: | Principal Investigator-MDACC |
| Title: | TELEhealth Shared decision-making Coaching for lung cancer screening in Primary care (TELESCOPE) |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NHLBI |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |
| Title: | Adaptation and Pilot Testing of a Lung Cancer Screening Decision Aid for Patients from a Safety-Net Healthcare System |
| Funding Source: | Quasi Endowment (QE) Community Outreach |
| Role: | Co-Investigator |