Suzanne M. Miller

Director & Professor

biography

The goal of Dr. Miller’s research is to make cancer prevention-control programs more effective by identifying the distinctive ways in which individuals make decisions, adjust to risk information, and manage recommended medical regimens. Her efforts focus on the application of assessments and interventions that are specifically targeted and tailored to individual and cultural differences among patients and their families. The studies in her program are conceptually derived from our integrative theory-based framework, the Cognitive-Social Health Information Processing model. Based on her model, she is currently exploring the utility of traditional (e.g., print materials, telephone counseling) as well as new technology (e.g., text-messaging, web-based applications) to enhance decision-making for prevention, treatment, and clinical trial options; adherence to recommended screening regimens; adjustment to cancer feedback; and the translation and dissemination of interventions into clinical, community, and other real world service settings. Employing a transdisciplinary team approach, our work is currently focusing on interventions to reduce relapse in smoking cessation; promote cervical screening for abnormal pap smears; enhance quality decisions in genetic testing as well as in early stage breast and prostate cancer; facilitate the transition into survivorship after active treatment for breast and prostate patients; and to develop and test interventions to activate patients to better coordinate their care following a cancer diagnosis, with a particular focus on underserved populations.

 

Area of Interest

Counseling for high risk women Smoking cessation Facilitating follow-up for abnormal Paps Risk assessment & screening in underserved groups Facilitating lymphedema minimization Light therapy & smoking cessation Stress & pubertal timing Cancer-related cognitive change


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