Research Program: Prevention & Etiology
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine

jthomas@umn.edu
612-625-0414 — office
612-626-6033 — lab
Preferred method of contact: e-mail or phone

Dr. Thomas completed her Ph.D. training in clinical psychology, with an emphasis on behavioral medicine at Louisiana State University. She later completed internship training in health psychology at the University of California, San Diego and a post-doctoral research fellowship in tobacco research at the Mayo Clinic. Prior to joining the faculty of the University of Minnesota, she was an assistant professor of preventive medicine and public health at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Although primarily a behavioral scientist, Dr. Thomas is also a licensed psychologist specializing in the treatment of anxiety disorders.

Research Interests

Tobacco control among underserved populations. Primary focus includes smoking cessation, using supportive others to assist a smoker in smoking behavior change, survey development and implementing home smoking restrictions.

Selected Publications

Scarinci, IC, Thomas, JL, Jones, GN, Brantley, PJ. (2002). Smoking and major depression among low-income women attending primary care clinics. American Journal of Health Promotion, 16(6):323-330.

Vickers-Douglas, KS, Thomas, JL, Patten, CP, Mrazek, D. (2002). Prevention of tobacco use in adolescents: Review of current findings and implications for health care providers. Current Opinion in Pediatrics;14:708-712.

Thomas JL, Patten, CA, Offord, KP, Decker, PA. (2004). Preliminary Finding on the Development of a Measure of Supportive Behaviors Provided by Support Persons to Help Someone Stop Smoking. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 27(5), 507-523.

Patten, CA, Offord, KP, Hurt, RD, Cox, LS, Thomas, JL, Quigg, SM, Croghan, SM, Croghan, IT, Wolter, TD, Decker, PA. (2004). Training support persons to help smokers quit: A pilot study. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 26(5), 386-9.

Patten, CP, Lopez, KN, Thomas, JL, Offord, KP , Decker, PA. (2004). Reported willingness among adolescent nonsmokers to help parents, peers, and others to stop smoking. Preventive Medicine 39, 1099-1106.

Haire-Joshu, D & Thomas, JL. (2005). Gambling with Addiction: Dangerous Beliefs about Smoking and Diabetes, Diabetes Voice.

Foraker, R.E., Patten, C.A., Lopez, K.N., Croghan, I.T., & Thomas, J.L. (2005). Beliefs and attitudes regarding smoking among young adult latinos. Preventive Medicine, 41(1), 126-133.

Thomas, JL, Patten, CA, Decker, Diedrich, ML, Bronars, CA, Nirelli, LM, & Schroeder, DR. (2005). Development of a measure of support provided to a smoker among young adults. Addictive Behaviors, 30(7), 1351-1369.

Choi, W, Daley, C, James, A., Thomas, J., Schupbach, R., Segraves, M., Barnoski, R., & Ahluwalia, J.S. (2005). Beliefs and Attitudes Regarding Smoking Cessation among American Indians: A Pilot Study. Ethnicity and Disease, 16, 35-40.

Thomas, J.L., Ebbert, J.O.Patten, C.A., Bronars, C.A., Croghan, I.T., Nirelli, L.M. Schroeder, D.R., , Dale, L.C. (2006). Measuring nicotine dependence among smokeless tobacco users. Addictive Behaviors. 31: 1511-1521.

Caldwell, A.R., Okuyemi, K.S., Thomas, J.L., Born, W., Richter K., Nollen, N., Braunstein, K.,& Ahluwalia, J.S. (2006). Homelessness and Smoking Cessation: Insights from Focus Groups. Nicotine and Tobacco Research.8(2): 287-296.

Croghan, IT, Bronars, C, Patten, CA, Schroeder, D, Nirelli, N, Thomas, JL, Clark, MM, Vickers, K, Foraker, R, Lane, K, Houlihan, D, Offord, K, Hurt, R. (2006). Relationship of smoking and gender with body image, perceived stress, and self-esteem in young adults. American Journal of Health Behaviors, 30 (3), 322-333.

Okuyemi, K., Thomas, J., Hall, S., Nollen, N., Richter, K., Jeffries, S., Caldwell, A., & Ahluwalia, J.S. Smoking Cessation in Homeless Populations: A Pilot Clinical Trial. Nicotine and Tobacco Research, 8(5), 689-699.

Thomas, J.L., Patten, C.A., Bronars, C.A., Cowles, M.L., Croghan, I.T., Schroeder, D.R., & Nirelli, L.M. (In Press) Psychological distress among young adults concerned about a cigarette smoker. Addictive Behaviors.

Befort, C., Thomas, J.L., Daley, C., Rhode, P., & Ahluwalia J.S. (In Press). Perceptions of Body Size, Weight and Weight Loss Among Obese African American Women. Health Education and Behavior.

Cox, L, Bronars, C., & Thomas, J.L, Okuyemi, K.S. (In Press) Consent for Genetic Testing Among Low-Income African American Smokers Enrolled in a Tobacco Cessation Study. Nicotine and Tobacco Research.