Jennifer McClure, PhD

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“We create programs and tools to empower people and help them lead healthier lives. By doing so, we can reduce the need for health care and the growing burden of health care costs for all.”

Jennifer McClure, PhD

Director, Investigative Science; Senior Investigator, Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute
Professor, Department of Health Systems Science, Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine

Biography

Jennifer McClure, PhD, is director of Investigative Science at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (KPWHRI). She is also a senior investigator and clinical psychologist whose research focuses on developing new interventions to reduce people’s risk of chronic disease and cancer or help them better manage existing chronic disease through:

  • Smoking cessation
  • Dietary improvement
  • Increased physical activity
  • Treatment adherence
  • Stress management
  • Better oral health
  • Informed decision-making

Much of Dr. McClure’s research emphasizes creating highly individualized behavioral treatments that can be disseminated on a population level, through health care systems and tobacco quitlines or directly to individuals via digital health tools, such as mobile health (mHealth) apps. Her goal is to design programs that are effective, convenient, engaging, and cost-effective, understanding that to make the leap from research to real world, interventions should meet these criteria.

Dr. McClure is best known for her research creating novel treatments for nicotine dependence, particularly interventions targeted to smokers who are ambivalent about quitting. These individuals may want to quit smoking some day, but are not yet ready to give up tobacco. Most smokers fall into this category, but few interventions are targeted to this important group. Her research has demonstrated the effectiveness of using proactive counseling and online interventions to motivate and support smoking cessation among ambivalent smokers. Her work has also shed light on the potential risks and benefits of using biological indicators of disease or disease risk to motivate quitting. Now she is developing two new mHealth apps to help ambivalent smokers kick the habit: one designed for anyone who smokes and one designed specifically for smokers living with HIV.

Dr. McClure’s collaborative research covers a range of topics from reducing sedentary behavior to comparing the effectiveness of various strategies for assessing and diagnosing high blood pressure.

In recognition of her scientific contributions, Dr. McClure was named a fellow in the Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM) in 2013 and a fellow in the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco in 2018. In 2019 she joined the faculty of the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J Tyson School of Medicine as a professor in Health Systems Science. Dr. McClure is also an affiliate professor of health services at the University of Washington School of Public Health and an affiliate investigator in the Division of Public Health Sciences at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. She currently serves as the Secretary and Treasurer of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco.

RESEARCH INTERESTS AND EXPERIENCE

  • Behavior Change & Behavioral Medicine

    Tobacco cessation; pharmocogenomics of nicotine addiction; treatment adherence; population-based behavior interventions; health risk communications; oral health promotion; dietary change; physical activity promotion; informed decision-making; psychoneuroimmunology; HIV

  • Health Informatics & Digital Health

    Development of eHealth and mHealth intervention tools

  • Mental Health

    Depression treatment and development of behavior change interventions for people with serious mental illness

  • Cancer

    Prevention

  • Chronic Illness Management

    HIV

  • Addictions

    Prevention and treatment

Recent publications

Strecher VJ, McClure J, Alexander G, Chakraborty B, Nair V, Konkel J, Greene S, Couper M, Carlier C, Wiese C, Little R, Pomerleau C, Pomerleau O. The role of engagement in a tailored web-based smoking cessation program: randomized controlled trial.  J Med Internet Res. 2008;10(5):e36. PubMed

Swan GE, Jack LM, Javitz HS, McAfee T, McClure JB. Predictors of 12-month outcome in smokers who received bupropion sustained-release for smoking cessation.  CNS Drugs. 2008;22(3):239-56. PubMed

McClure JB, Richards J, Westbrook EO, Pabiniak C, Ludman E. Research letter using a commercial mailing list to recruit smokers: a cautionary tale. Am J Prev Med. 2007;33(5):436-7. PubMed

McClure JB, Greene SM, Wiese C, Johnson KE, Alexander G, Strecher V. Interest in an online smoking cessation program and effective recruitment strategies: results from Project Quit. J Med Internet Res. 2006;8(3):e14

Scholes D, Grothaus L, McClure J, Reid R, Fishman P, Sisk C, Lindenbaum JE, Green B, Grafton J, Thompson RS. A randomized trial of strategies to increase chlamydia screening in young women. Prev Med. 2006;43(4):343-50. Epub 2006 Jun 19. PubMed

McClure JB, Scholes D, Grothaus L, Fishman P, Reid R, Lindenbaum J, Thompson RS. Chlamydia screening in at-risk adolescent females: An evaluation of screening practices and modifiable screening correlates.  J Adolesc Health. 2006;38(6):726-33. PubMed

McClure JB. Tobacco control in the U.S.: behavioral and cognitive-behavioral principles in action. The Behavior Therapist. 2006;29(2):27-28.

McClure JB, Swan GE. Tailoring nicotine replacement therapy: rationale and potential approaches. CNS Drugs. 2006;20(4):281-91. PubMed

McClure JB, Westbrook E, Curry SJ, Wetter DW. Proactive, motivationally enhanced smoking cessation counseling among women with elevated cervical cancer risk.  Nicotine Tob Res. 2005;7(6):881-9. PubMed

Reid RJ, Scholes D, Grothaus L, Truelove Y, Fishman P, McClure J, Grafton J, Thompson RS. Is provider continuity associated with chlamydia screening for adolescent and young adult women? Prev Med. 2005;41(5-6):865-72. Epub 2005 Sep 16. PubMed

 

Research

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Digital tool could help people change smoking habits

A mobile application designed to engage smokers who are ambivalent about quitting shows promising results.

Healthy findings blog

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For Women's History Month: Q&A with scientific leaders

KPWHRI’s executive director and scientific division leaders share their career paths, advice.

New findings

Senior adult male sitting at table taking blood pressure with a blood pressure machine

There’s no place like home … to track blood pressure

Research led by KPWHRI’s Beverly Green, MD, MPH, finds that patients prefer at-home monitoring of blood pressure. 

Behavioral Health

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Surviving an FFP: COVID-19

Dr. Jennifer McClure shares advice and resources for staying physically and emotionally well during the COVID-19 crisis, and beyond.

research

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Oral Health 4 Life: 10 years of research to improve smokers’ health and dental care

As Dr. Jennifer McClure completes the last of three innovative studies, she reflects on how the work began, the difference it may make, and what happens next.

healthy findings blog

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Can being accepting and mindful help you stop smoking?

Tobacco remains a public health priority. Jennifer McClure, PhD, discusses her findings comparing ’acceptance and commitment therapy’ to standard care.