Mira Katz, PhD
Professor
Health Behavior and Health Promotion
“As a behavioral scientist dedicated to reducing cancer, my teaching and research are two interconnected areas that motivate me. I use mixed methods and community-engaged strategies to develop, implement and evaluate theoretically-guided interventions to improve health outcomes and reduce cancer.”
Biography
Dr. Katz's research concentrates on providing understandable and acceptable cancer prevention and control messages to different populations with an overarching research goal of reducing cancer. In the past decade, as a behavioral scientist, she has led community-engaged research projects focused on increasing cancer screening rates and improving the uptake of the HPV vaccine. Dr. Katz has a special interest in providing cancer prevention and control information to individuals with limited health literacy skills so they may make informed health decisions.
Education
- Ph.D.
- Health Education, Temple University
- M.P.H.
- Community Health Education, Temple University
- M.L.A.
- Liberal Arts, Temple University
- B.S.
- Biology, University of Cincinnati
Research interests
Reducing cancer among different populations
- Reiter PL, Katz ML. Willingness of adults in the United States to have a multicancer detection test. Cancer Causes & Control, 2025 (in press).
- Emerson B, Reiter PL, Klatt M, Gray DM, Hussan H, Chakraborty S, Katz ML. Development of a brief online mindfulness-based intervention to reduce patient anxiety before a first-time screening colonoscopy. J Cancer Educ 2025; Mar 31 (in press).
- Katz ML, Loomans-Kropp H, Reiter PL. Colorectal cancer screening blood test: awareness and willingness among a national sample of adults post-Federal and Drug Administration approval. BMC Public Health 2025; 25: 1853.
- Reiter PL, Shoben AB, Cooper S, Ashcraft AM, Mitchell E, Dignan M, Cromo M, Walunis J, Flinner D, Boatman D, Hauser L, Ruffin MT, Belinson JL, Anderson R, Kennedy-Rea S, Paskett ED, Katz ML. A mail-based HPV self-collection program to increase cervical cancer screening in Appalachia: Results of a group randomized trial. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2025; 34:159-165.
- Katz ML, Shoben A, Ashcraft AM, Mitchell E, Dignan M, Cooper S, Cromo M, Walunis J, Flinner D, Boatman D, Hauser L, Ruffin MT, Reiter PL. Results of an HPV self-collection educational intervention for health care providers in Appalachia. Women’s Health Reports 2025; 6:113-121.
- Emerson B, Reddy M, Reiter PL, Shoben AB, Klatt M, Chakraborty S, Katz ML. Mindfulness-based interventions across the cancer continuum in the United States: a scoping review. Am J Health Promot. 2024; 38:560-575.
- Katz ML, Shoben AB, Newell S, Hall C, Emerson B, Gray DM, Chakraborty S, Reiter PL. Video brochures in a mailed fecal immunochemical test outreach program provide cancer screening information in a user-friendly format for rural Appalachian community members. J Rural Health 2024; 40:96-103.
- Rawl SM, Baltic R, Monahan PO, Stump TE, Hyer M, Ennis AC, Walunis J, Renick K, Hinshaw K, Paskett ED, Champion VL, Katz ML. Receipt, uptake, and satisfaction with tailored DVD and patient navigation interventions to promote cancer screening among rural women. Transl Behav Med. 2023; 13:879-890.
- Katz ML, Senter L, Reiter PL, Emerson B*, Ennis AC, Shane-Carson KP, Aeilts A, Cassingham HR, Schnell PM, Agnese DM, Toland AE, Sweet K. Development of a web-based, theory-guided narrative intervention for women at elevated risk for breast cancer. Patient Educ Couns, 2023; 106:163-169.
- Katz ML, Stump TE, Monahan PO, Emerson B, Baltic R, Young GS, Hyer JM, Paskett ED, Champion VC, Rawl SM. Factors associated with the accurate self-report of cancer screening behaviors among women living in the rural Midwest. Preventive Medicine Report 2022; 30: 102063.