Maansi Bansal-Travers, PhD

Research Assistant Professor, Department of Community Health and Health Behaviormaansi.travers@roswellpark.org
Department of Health Behavior, Roswell Park Cancer Institute
Elm and Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY 14263
716.845.1527
716.845.1265 (fax)
Education
Postdoctoral Fellowship, Transdisciplinary Tobacco Use Research Center, Department of Health Behavior, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY
PhD, Epidemiology and Community Health, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
M.S., Epidemiology, The State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
B.S., Human Nutrition and Food Management, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OHProfile
Dr. Bansal-Travers’ current research interests include exploring areas of misperceptions held by smokers about cigarette characteristics and the health effects of smoking, as well as designing and testing materials to correct these misperceptions and promote behavior change.  Dr. Bansal-Travers is currently developing and expanding the Communications Testing Lab in the Department of Health Behavior which focuses on testing materials, including print and television ads, using Web surveys, focus groups, and eye-tracking methodology, to help produce the most salient and effective health communications campaigns.  Current projects that Dr. Bansal-Travers is working on include developing and testing the most effective corrective statements ordered by Judge Kessler in her recent ruling in the U.S. Department of Justice lawsuit against cigarette manufacturers.  Dr. Bansal-Travers is also working on evaluating various media campaigns and materials developed by the New York State Department of Health, the Erie-Niagara Tobacco-Free Coalition, and the New York State Smokers’ Quitline.Research Interests
Health communications and health policy; Risk perceptions of nicotine and tobacco products; Tobacco product regulation; Product-specific tobacco education; Risk communication; International tobacco research and regulation.

Selected Publications

  • Bansal MA, Cummings KM, Hyland A, Giovino GA.  Stop-smoking medications:  who uses them, who misuses them, and who is misinformed about them?  Nicotine Tob Res2004 Dec:6 Suppl 3:S303-10.
  • Bansal MA, Cummings KM, Hyland A, Bauer JE, Hastrup JL, Steger C.  Do smokers want to know more about the cigarettes they smoke?  Results from the EDUCATE study. Nicotine Tob Res.  2004 Dec;6 Suppl 3:S289-302.
  • Cummings KM, Hyland A, Giovino GA, Hastrup J, Bauer J, Bansal MA.  Are Smokers Adequately Informed About the Health Risks of Smoking and Medicinal Nicotine?  Nicotine & Tobacco Research.  2004:6(Supplement 3):S333-S340.
  • Cummings KM, Hyland A, Bansal MA, Giovino GA.  What Do Marlboro Light Smokers Know About Low Tar Cigarettes?  Nicotine & Tobacco Research.  2004;6(supplement 6):S323-S332.
  • 2007, National Conference on Tobacco or Health (submitted).  Minneapolis, Minnesota. Bansal-Travers M, Hyland A, McNeill A, Hammond D, Borland R, Cummings KM.  Perceptions of NRT Safety and Efficacy:  Findings from the ITC 4 Country Study.
  • 2007, Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco.  Austin, Texas.  Bansal-Travers M, Cummings KM, Celestino P, Hyland A, Brown A.  Evaluation of an Intervention to Correct Smokers’ Misperceptions about their Cigarettes.
  • 2007, Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco.  Austin, Texas.  Travers M, Hyland A, Higbee C, Bansal-Travers M, Peppone L, Cummings KM. Tobacco Smoke Pollution Exposure in Hospitality Venues Around the U.S. and the Effect of Smoke-Free Air Policies.
  • 2007, Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco.  Austin, Texas.  Hyland A, Higbee C, Travers M, Van Deusen A, Bansal-Travers M, Cummings KM. Smoke-Free Homes and Smoking Cessation in Adults.
  • 2006, World Conference on Tobacco or Health, Washington D.C.  Travers MB, Cummings KM, Celestino P, Hyland A, Brown A. Evaluation of an Intervention to Correct Smokers’ Misperceptions about their Cigarettes.
  • 2006, American Society of Preventive Oncology.  Bethesda, Maryland. Travers MB, Cummings KM, Celestino P, Hyland A, Brown A. Evaluation of an Intervention to Correct Smokers’ Misperceptions about their Cigarettes.

Professional Affiliations
Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, American Society for Preventive Oncology, 2007
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