Psychology doctoral student awarded NIH grant to study impact of smoke on mental health

Psychology doctoral student awarded NIH grant to study impact of smoke on mental health

Wednesday, October 30, 2024

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Hannah Appleseth, a doctoral student in Oklahoma State University's Department of Psychology, received the R36 dissertation award from the National Institutes of Health for her project involving the impact of smoke and vapor on children's mental health.

Appleseth's project, formally named "Tracing the Impact of Evolving Environmental Exposure to Tobacco, Cannabis and Nicotine Smoke and Vapor Emissions on Children's Mental Health Symptom Trajectories," seeks to analyze secondary data from the NIH-supported Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program to better understand the prevalence of childhood exposure to secondhand smoke and e-cigarette aerosols.

"While the harmful effects of secondhand tobacco smoke on children's health are well documented, we lack a full understanding of how secondhand cannabis smoke and e-cigarette emissions may impact children's health," Appleseth said. "[It's] an issue that is becoming increasingly significant as traditional cigarette smoking declines, while e-cigarette and cannabis use rises, particularly among young and middle-aged adults, including parents."

After applying for the NIH grant in fall 2023, Appleseth was notified in July that she was one of six doctoral students selected for the award, receiving $74,758 for a two-year project.

"I was honored and thrilled to learn that I had been selected as an award recipient," Appleseth said. "Receiving this dissertation grant is a significant milestone in my pursuit of becoming an independent clinical scientist at an academic medical center."

The secondary aim of Appleseth's research is exploring the effect of prenatal tobacco exposure on children's mental health as they develop. Prenatal cigarette exposure has been linked to higher rates of ADHD and depression in children, Appleseth explained, and early evidence suggests that e-cigarette aerosols and cannabis smoke could similarly affect children's mental health.

"The combined impact of exposure to these substances is not well understood," Appleseth said. "My overarching goal is to identify high-risk groups to guide future research, interventions and resource distribution."

Supported by OSU clinical psychology mentors Drs. Julie Croff and Thad Leffingwell, Appleseth credited their guidance and resources for helping her achieve her goals.

"Hannah has been a star student since she arrived at OSU. She has ambitious career goals to make a difference in the world," Leffingwell said. "Her award raises the research profile of the department and the College of Arts and Sciences."

According to Dr. Croff, Appleseth is one of few OSU students to have received an NIH grant.

"I believe this signals a shift in recognition of OSU's research environment," Croff said. "Indeed, investments by our donors, the state, and the federal government have helped to elevate the health research conducted on the OSU campus."

In addition to the mentorship of Croff and Leffingwell, Appleseth received assistance from the College of Arts and Sciences Research Office to submit her NIH proposal.

"It's exciting to watch a student succeed as Hannah has," said CAS Sponsored Programs Coordinator Emilie Tallent, who helped Appleseth in the proposal submission process. "She's a testament to how talent, hard work and ambition enable students to achieve their goals."

Appleseth said she hopes her research lays a strong foundation for identifying the next steps in addressing unanswered questions and informing public health practices.

"I am optimistic that we can continue to investigate the harms of secondhand exposure to tobacco, cannabis smoke and e-cigarette aerosols," Appleseth said. "Ultimately we could inform community health initiatives and public health policy."

Story By: Adeola Favour, CAS graduate assistant | [email protected]

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