Elly Leavens, Ph.D.

Professional Background

Dr. Leavens is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Dr. Leavens received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from Oklahoma State University and completed her clinical internship at the Charleston Consortium at the Medical University of South Carolina. Dr. Leavens completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Broadly, her research focuses on tobacco regulatory science and investigates mechanisms that contribute to tobacco use and tobacco-related health inequities.

• BA, Psychology, Saint Louis University
• MS, Clinical Psychology, Oklahoma State University
• PhD, Clinical Psychology, Oklahoma State University
• Internship, Clinical Psychology, Charleston Consortium/Medical Univsersity of South Carolina
• Post Doctoral Fellowship, Psychology, University of Kansas Medical Center

• Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, Treatment Research Network Education Subcommittee, Co-Chair, 2023 - Present
• Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, Expert Reviewer, 2022 - Present
• Kansas Youth Vaping Task Force, Discipline and cessation subgroup, Chair, 2020 - Present
• Kansas Youth Vaping Task Force, Vaping ECHO for Education, Member, 2020 - Present
• Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, Abstract reviewer, 2019 - Present
• Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, Member, 2014 - Present

Research

Overview

Dr. Leavens is an Assistant Professor within the University of Kansas School of Medicine Department of Population Health. Her research focuses broadly on the assessment of tobacco regulatory policies and the impact on tobacco-related health inequities. Specifically, her research investigates product standards for new and emerging tobacco products such as electronic cigarettes, heat-not-burn devices, and hookah smoking and evaluates the impact on minoritized populations.

• Impact of e-cigarette nicotine concentration on compensation, cigarette use, and biomarkers of exposure and harm in African American and White smokers, NIH/NIDA, PI
• Impact of e-cigarette training on puff patterns, cigarette smoking, and health outcomes among smokers with COPD, KUCC CPC, PI

• Leavens ELS, Morgan, T., L, Brett, E., I, Patzkowsky, K, Son, J, Molina, N, Eissenberg, T, Shihadeh, A, Leffingwell, T., R, Wagener, T., L. 2020. Concurrent Alcohol Use and Waterpipe Tobacco Smoking: Smoking Topography, Toxicant Exposure, and Abuse Liability.. Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, 22 (2), 280-287
• Leavens ELS, Nollen, N., L, Ahluwalia, J., S, Mayo, M., S, Rice, M, Brett, E., I, Pulvers, K. 2021. Changes in dependence, withdrawal, and craving among adult smokers who switch to nicotine salt pod-based e-cigarettes.. Addiction (Abingdon, England)
• Leavens ELS, Stevens, E., M, Brett, E., I, Hébert, E., T, Villanti, A., C, Pearson, J., L, Wagener, T., L. 2019. JUUL electronic cigarette use patterns, other tobacco product use, and reasons for use among ever users: Results from a convenience sample.. Addictive behaviors, 95, 178-183
• Wagener, T., L, Leavens ELS, Mehta, T, Hale, J, Shihadeh, A, Eissenberg, T, Halquist, M, Brinkman, M., C, Johnson, A., L, Floyd, E., L, Ding, K, El Hage, R, Salman, R. 2020. Impact of flavors and humectants on waterpipe tobacco smoking topography, subjective effects, toxicant exposure and intentions for continued use.. Tobacco control
• Leavens, E., L, Driskill, L., M, Molina, N, Eissenberg, T, Shihadeh, A, Brett, E., I, Floyd, E, Wagener, T., L. 2018. Comparison of a preferred versus non-preferred waterpipe tobacco flavour: subjective experience, smoking behaviour and toxicant exposure.. Tobacco control, 27 (3), 319-324
• Leavens ELS, Smith, T., T, Natale, N, Carpenter, M., J. 2020. Electronic cigarette dependence and demand among pod mod users as a function of smoking status.. Psychology of addictive behaviors : journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors
• Nollen, N., L, Mayo, M., S, Saint Onge, J., M, Scheuermann, T., S, Cox, L., S, Chae, D, Leavens, E, Ahluwalia, J., S. 2021. The effect of area-level disadvantage and race on smoking abstinence in a clinical trial.. Experimental and clinical psychopharmacology
• Keller-Hamilton, B, Mehta, T, Hale, J., J, Leavens ELS, Shihadeh, A, Eissenberg, T, Brinkman, M., C, Wagener, T., L. 2021. Effects of flavourants and humectants on waterpipe tobacco puffing behaviour, biomarkers of exposure and subjective effects among adults with high versus low nicotine dependence.. Tobacco control
• Arnold, M., J, Nollen, N., L, Mayo, M., S, Ahluwalia, J., S, Leavens, E., L, Zhang, G, Rice, M, Pulvers, K. 2021. Harm Reduction Associated with Dual Use of Cigarettes and e-Cigarettes in Black and Latino Smokers: Secondary Analyses from a Randomized Controlled e-Cigarette Switching Trial.. Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, 23 (11), 1972-1976
• Wagener, T., L, Avery, J, Leavens ELS, Simmons, K. 2020. Associated Changes in E-cigarette Puff Duration and Cigarettes Smoked Per Day.. Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco