commentary
Sniping: Homeless Youths' High-Risk Smoking Practice
Oct 29, 2015
Joan S. Tucker
Senior Behavioral Scientist
Santa Monica Office
Education
Ph.D. in social psychology, University of California, Riverside; B.A. in psychology, University of California, Irvine
Media Resources
This researcher is available for interviews.
To arrange an interview, contact the RAND Office of Media Relations at (310) 451-6913, or email media@rand.org.
More ExpertsOverview
Joan S. Tucker is a senior behavioral scientist at the RAND Corporation. She conducts research primarily in the areas of substance use and HIV/AIDS.
Tucker's work on substance use includes identifying developmental trajectories of substance use, risk factors for initiation and escalation, and short- and long-term consequences of use during adolescence and young adulthood. Her HIV-related research includes investigating the impact of mental health and substance use problems on adherence to antiretroviral medications; prevalence and correlates of risky sexual practices among HIV-positive adults with serious mental illness; and the interrelationships of substance use, violence, and HIV-related risk behavior among homeless adults and youth. Much of Tucker's recent research has focused on developing and evaluating brief interventions for substance use and sexual risk behaviors.
Tucker is an elected fellow of the Academy of Behavioral Medicine Research, Association for Psychological Science, Society of Behavioral Medicine, and Western Psychological Association. She received her Ph.D. in social psychology from University of California, Riverside.
Research Focus
Recent Projects
- Adolescent and young adult substance use
- Substance use and sexual risk behavior among the homeless (youth, women, men)
- Social network influences on health behaviors
- Brief interventions for substance use and sexual risk behaviors
Honors & Awards
- Fellow, Association for Psychological Science
- Fellow, Society of Behavioral Medicine
- Fellow, Academy of Behavioral Medicine Research
Recent Media Appearances
Interviews: ABC News Now; Healthy Life; MedicalResearch.com; United Press International; USA Today; Xinhua News Agency, China
