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Rebekah H Nagler

Photo of Rebekah H Nagler

Contact Me

nagle026@umn.edu
612-625-9388

Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication
206 Church St SE
Rm 304 Murphy Hall

Affiliations

I am an associate professor in the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Minnesota. My research examines the effects of routine exposure to health information in the media, with a particular focus on conflicting and often controversial information about cancer prevention and screening. Additional research interests include communication inequalities, health disparities (along racial/ethnic minority, socioeconomic status, and sex/gender lines), and tobacco control. My work has been funded by agencies and organizations including the National Cancer Institute, American Cancer Society, and ClearWay Minnesota. From 2014-2017, I was supported by a career development award through the University of Minnesota's NIH-funded Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health (BIRCWH) program. I received my PhD in Communication and my BA in the History and Sociology of Science, both from the University of Pennsylvania.

Educational Background & Specialties

Educational Background

  • Postdoctoral Research Fellow: Harvard Education Program in Cancer Prevention, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 2010-2013.
  • PhD: Communication, Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 2010.
  • BA: History and Sociology of Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 2002.

Specialties

  • Health communication
  • Cancer communication
  • Mass media effects
  • Communication inequalities and health disparities
  • Women's health
  • Tobacco control
  • Community-engaged research
Courses Taught
  • JOUR 5541 / PUBH 6074: Mass Communication and Public Health
  • JOUR 3005: Mass Media Effects
  • JOUR 8720: Mass Media and Health
Publications
  • Shi, W., Nagler, R.H., Gollust, S.E., & Fowler, E.F. (In press). Predictors of women’s awareness of the benefits and harms of mammography screening and associations with confusion, ambivalence, and information seeking. Health Communication.
  • Clark, D., Nagler, R.H., & Niederdeppe, J. (In press). Confusion and nutritional backlash from news media exposure to contradictory information about carbohydrates and dietary fats. Public Health Nutrition.
  • Blaes, A.H., Vogel, R.I., Nagler, R.H., Allen, A.M., Mason, S., Teoh, D., Talley, K.M.C., Raymond, N., & Wyman, J.F. (2019). Breast cancer screening practices with high-risk women: A cross-sectional survey of primary care providers. Journal of Women’s Health. DOI: 10.1089/jwh.2018.7463
  • Martin, K., Vogel, R.I., Nagler, R.H., Wyman, J.F., Raymond, N., Teoh, D., Allen, A.M., Talley, K.M.C., Mason, S., & Blaes, A.H. (2019). Mammography screening practices in average-risk women aged 40-49 years in primary care: A comparison of physician and non-physician providers in Minnesota. Journal of Women’s Health. DOI: 10.1089/jwh.2018.7436
  • Saulsberry, L., Fowler, E.F., Nagler, R.H., & Gollust, S.E. (2019). Perceptions of politicization and HPV vaccine policy support. Vaccine, 37, 5121-5128. DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2019.05.062
  • Qin, X., Nagler, R.H., Fowler, E.F., & Gollust, S.E. (2019). U.S. women’s perceived importance of the harms and benefits of mammograms and associations with screening ambivalence: Results from a national survey. Preventive Medicine, 123, 130-137. DOI:10.1016/j.ypmed.2019.03.023
  • Teoh, D., Shaikh, R., Schnaith, A., Lou, E., McRee, A.L., Nagler, R.H., & Vogel, R.I. (2019). Evaluation of graphic messages to promote human papillomavirus vaccination among young adults: A statewide cross-sectional survey. Preventive Medicine Reports, 13, 256-261. DOI:10.1016/j.pmedr.2019.01.002
  • Nagler, R.H., Fowler, E.F., Marino, N., Mentzer, K., & Gollust, S.E. (2019). The evolution of controversy about mammography screening: A content analysis of four publicized screening recommendations, 2009-2016. Women’s Health Issues, 29(1), 87-95. DOI:10.1016/j.whi.2018.09.005
  • Bekalu, M.A., Ramanadhan, S., Bigman, C.A., Nagler, R.H., & Viswanath, K. (2019). Graphic and arousing? Emotional and cognitive reactions to tobacco graphic health warnings and associated quit-related outcomes among low SEP population groups. Health Communication, 34(7), 726-734. DOI:10.1080/10410236.2018.1434733
  • Nagler, R.H., Yzer, M.C., & Rothman, A.J. (2019). Effects of media exposure to conflicting information about mammography: Results from a population-based survey experiment. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 53, 896-908. DOI: 10.1093/abm/kay098
  • Ramanadhan, S., Nagler, R.H., Alexander-Molloy, J.M., & Viswanath, K. (2018). The role of local organizations in supporting implementation of graphic health warnings for tobacco in underserved communities: A qualitative inquiry. Frontiers in Public Health, 6, 322. DOI:10.3389/fpubh.2018.00322
  • Yzer, M.C., Rhodes, K., McCann, M., Harjo, J., Nagler, R.H., LoRusso, S., & Gollust, S.E. (2018). Effects of cultural cues on perceptions of HPV vaccination messages among parents and guardians of American Indian youth. Preventive Medicine, 115,104-109. DOI:10.1016/j.ypmed.2018.08.021
  • Lee, C.J., Nagler, R.H., & Wang, N. (2018). Source-specific exposure to contradictory nutrition information: Documenting prevalence and effects on adverse cognitive and behavioral outcomes. Health Communication, 33(4), 453-461. DOI:10.1080/10410236.2016.1278495
  • Nagler, R.H., & LoRusso, S. (2018). Conflicting information and message competition in health and risk messaging. In R. Parrott (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Health and Risk Message Design and Processing. New York: Oxford University Press. DOI:10.1093/acrefore/9780190228613.013.292
  • Nagler, R.H. (2017). Measurement of media exposure. In J. Matthes (Ed.), International Encyclopedia of Communication Research Methods. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell and the International Communication Association.
  • Tan, A.S., Bigman, C.A., Nagler, R.H., Minsky, S., & Viswanath, K. (2017). Comparing perceived effectiveness of FDA-proposed cigarette packaging graphic health warnings between sexual and gender minorities and heterosexual adults. Cancer Causes and Control, 28(10), 1143-1155. DOI:10.1007/s10552-017-0954-3
  • Nagler, R.H., Fowler, E.F., & Gollust, S.E. (2017). Women’s awareness of and responses to messages about breast cancer overdiagnosis and overtreatment: Results from a 2016 national survey. Medical Care, 55(10), 879-885. DOI:10.1097/MLR.0000000000000798
  • Tan, A.S., Lee, C.J., Nagler, R.H., & Bigman, C.A. (2017). To vape or not to vape? Effects of exposure to conflicting news headlines on beliefs about harms and benefits of electronic cigarette use: Results from a randomized controlled experiment. Preventive Medicine, 105, 97-103. DOI:10.1016/j.ypmed.2017.08.024
  • Yu, J., Nagler, R.H., Fowler, E.F., Kerlikowske, K., & Gollust, S.E. (2017). Women's awareness and perceived importance of the harms and benefits of mammography screening: Results from a 2016 national survey. JAMA Internal Medicine, 177(9), 1381-1382. DOI:10.1001/jamainternmed.2017.2247
  • Vallone, D.M., Allen, J., Cantrell, J., McCauley, M.P., Nagler, R.H., & Viswanath, K. (2017). Communications, marketing, and tobacco-related health disparities. In U.S. National Cancer Institute, A socioecological approach to addressing tobacco-related health disparities. National Cancer Institute Tobacco Control Monograph 22. NIH Publication No. 17-CA-8035A (pp. 357-442). Bethesda, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute.
  • Ramanadhan, S., Nagler, R.H., McCloud, R.F., Kohler, R.E., & Viswanath, K. (2017). Graphic health warnings as activators of social networks: A randomized experiment among individuals of low socioeconomic position. Social Science and Medicine, 175, 219-227. DOI:10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.12.044
  • Nagler, R.H., Lueck, J.A., & Gray, L.S. (2017). Awareness of and reactions to mammography controversy among immigrant women. Health Expectations, 20, 638-647. DOI:10.1111/hex.12494
  • Ramanadhan, S., Nagler, R.H., McCauley, M.P., Lora, V., Minsky, S., Bruff, C., Muneton, Y.F., McCloud, R.F., Puleo, E., & Viswanath, K. (2016). Much ventured, much gained: Community-engaged data collection by adolescents/young adults. Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education, and Action, 10(2), 217-224. DOI:10.1353/cpr.2016.0027
  • Bigman, C.A., Nagler, R.H., & Viswanath, K. (2016). Representation, exemplification, and risk: Resonance of tobacco graphic health warnings across diverse populations. Health Communication, 31(8), 974-987. DOI:10.1080/10410236.2015.1026430
  • Nagler, R.H., Bigman, C.A., Ramanadhan, S., Ramamurthi, D., & Viswanath, K. (2016). Prevalence and framing of health disparities in local print news: Implications for multilevel interventions to address cancer inequalities. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, & Prevention, 25(4), 603-612. DOI:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-15-1247
  • Gollust, S.E., LoRusso, S., Nagler, R.H., & Fowler, E.F. (2016). Understanding the role of the news media in HPV vaccine uptake: Synthesis and commentary. Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics, 12(6), 1430-1434. DOI:10.1080/21645515.2015.1109169
  • Carpenter, D.M., Geryk, L.L., Chen, A., Nagler, R.H., Dieckmann, N., & Han, P.K.J. (2016). Conflicting health information: A critical research need. Health Expectations, 19(6), 1173-1182. DOI:10.1111/hex.12438
  • Nagler, R.H., Fowler, E.F., & Gollust, S.E. (2015). Covering controversy: What are the implications for women's health? Women's Health Issues, 25(4), 318-321. DOI:10.1016/j.whi.2015.04.011
  • Tan, A.S.L., Nagler, R.H., Hornik, R.C., & DeMichele, A. (2015). Evolving information needs among colon, breast, and prostate cancer survivors: Results from a longitudinal mixed-effects analysis. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, & Prevention, 24(7), 1-8. DOI:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-15-0041
  • Yzer, M.C., LoRusso, S., &Nagler, R.H.. (2015). On the conceptual ambiguity surrounding perceived message effectiveness. Health Communication, 30(2), 125-134. DOI:10.1080/10410236.2014.974131
  • Nagler, R.H., Puleo, E., Sprunck-Harrild, K., Viswanath, K., & Emmons, K.M. (2014). Health media use among childhood and young adult cancer survivors who smoke. Supportive Care in Cancer, 22(9), 2497-2507. DOI: 10.1007/s00520-014-2236-x
  • Nagler, R.H. (2014). Adverse outcomes associated with media exposure to contradictory nutrition messages. Journal of Health Communication, 19(1), 24-40. DOI: 10.1080/10810730.2013.798384
  • Ramirez, A. S., Freres, D., Martinez, L.S., Lewis, N., Bourgoin, A., Kelly, B., Lee, C.J., Nagler, R., Schwartz, J.S., & Hornik, R.C. (2013). Information seeking from media and family/friends increases the likelihood of engaging in healthy lifestyle behaviors. Journal of Health Communication, 18(5), 527-42. DOI:10.1080/10810730.2012.743632
  • Nagler, R.H., Ramanadhan, S., Minsky, S., & Viswanath, K. (2013). Recruitment and retention for community-based eHealth interventions with populations of low socioeconomic position: Strategies and challenges. Journal of Communication, 63(1), 201-220. DOI:10.1111/jcom.12008
  • Cantrell, J., Vallone, D.M., Thrasher, J.F., Nagler, R.H., Feirman, S.P., Muenz, L.R., He, D.Y., & Viswanath, K. (2013). Impact of tobacco-related health warning labels across socioeconomic, race and ethnic groups: Results from a randomized web-based experiment. PLoS ONE, 8(1), e52206. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0052206
  • Nagler, R.H., & Viswanath, K. (2013). Implementation and research priorities for Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Articles 13 & 16: Tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship and sales to and by minors. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 15(4), 832-46. DOI:10.1093/ntr/nts331
  • Viswanath, K., Nagler, R.H., Bigman, C.A., McCauley, M.P., Jung, M., & Ramanadhan, S. (2012). The communications revolution and health inequalities in the 21st century: Implications for cancer control. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, & Prevention, 21(10), 1701-1708. DOI:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-12-0852
  • Nagler, R.H., & Hornik, R.C. (2012). Measuring media exposure to contradictory health information: A comparative analysis of four candidate measures. Communication Methods and Measures, 6(1), 56-75. DOI:10.1080/19312458.2011.651348
  • Nagler, R.H., Puleo, E., Sprunck-Harrild, K., & Emmons, K.M. (2012). Internet use among childhood and young adult cancer survivors who smoke: Implications for cessation interventions. Cancer Causes and Control, 23(4), 647-652. DOI:10.1007/s10552-012-9926-9
  • Lewis, N., Martinez, L.S., Freres, D., Schwartz, J., Armstrong, K., Gray, S.W., Fraze, T., Nagler, R.H., Bourgoin, A., & Hornik, R.C. (2012). Seeking cancer-related information from media and family/friends increases fruit and vegetable consumption among cancer patients. Health Communication, 27(4), 380-388. DOI:10.1080/10410236.2011.586990
  • Kelly, B.J., Hornik, R.C., Romantan, A., Schwartz, J., Armstrong, K., DeMichele, A., Fishbein, M., Gray, S., Hull, S., Kim, A., Nagler, R., Niederdeppe, J.D., Ramirez, A. S., Smith-McLallen, A., & Wong, N. (2010). Cancer information scanning and seeking in the general population. Journal of Health Communication, 15(7), 734-753. DOI:10.1080/10810730.2010.514029
  • Nagler, R.H., Gray, S.W., Romantan, A., Kelly, B.J., DeMichele, A., Armstrong, K., Schwartz, J.S., & Hornik, R.C. (2010). Differences in information seeking among breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer patients: Results from a population-based survey. Patient Education and Counseling, 81(Suppl 1), S54-S62. DOI:10.1016/j.pec.2010.09.010
  • Nagler, R.H., Romantan, A., Kelly, B.J., Stevens, R.S., Gray, S.W., Hull, S.J., Ramirez, A.S., & Hornik, R.C. (2010). How do cancer patients navigate the public information environment? Understanding patterns and motivations for movement among information sources. Journal of Cancer Education, 25(3), 360-370. DOI:10.1007/s13187-010-0054-5
Awards
  • University of Minnesota BIRCWH K12 Scholar, 2014 - 2017
  • Grant-in-Aid of Research, Artistry and Scholarship, 2014 - 2016
  • New Investigators Workshop Invitee, American Society of Preventive Oncology, 2012
  • Poster of Distinction Award, American Academy of Health Behavior Annual Meeting, 2012
  • Harvard Education Program in Cancer Prevention Fellowship, 2010 - 2013
  • Poster Excellence Award, NCI Centers of Excellence in Cancer Communication Research Grantee Meeting, 2010
  • Annenberg Dissertation Research Fellowship, 2009 - 2010