Abigail Friedman, PhD
Associate Professor of Public Health (Health Policy)
Research & Publications
Biography
News
Locations
Research Summary
Professor Friedman's research uses methods and models from health economics to identify the drivers of costly health behaviors, with a particular focus on adolescent and young adult tobacco use, as well as related disparities (e.g., by socioeconomic status, education, and mental health). She is particularly interested in understanding how policy can be leveraged to attenuate these behaviors and reduce disparities therein.
Currently, she conducts work in three areas. The first uses quasi-experimental methods to estimate the effects of federal, state, and local policies on conventional and electronic cigarette use, in order to inform more nuanced policymaking that accounts for the differing health impacts of these products. The second line of research considers how new tobacco products are affecting disparities in tobacco use, particularly by socioeconomic status and mental health. Finally, her work on mental health disparities in tobacco use focuses on identifying the drivers behind these differentials as well as potential means to close these gaps, particularly among adolescents and young adults.
Coauthors
Public Health Interests
Behavioral Health; Cancer; Genetics, Genomics, Epigenetics; Health Economics; Health Policy; Mental Health; Substance Use, Addiction
Selected Publications
- How Complete Are Tobacco Sales Data? Assessing the Comprehensiveness of US Tobacco Product Retail Sales Data Through Comparisons to Excise Tax CollectionsLiber A, Faraji M, Ranganathan R, Friedman A. How Complete Are Tobacco Sales Data? Assessing the Comprehensiveness of US Tobacco Product Retail Sales Data Through Comparisons to Excise Tax Collections. Nicotine & Tobacco Research 2023, ntad214. PMID: 37933997, DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntad214.
- Brand Differences in Underage Tobacco Use as Evidence for Targeted Sanctions—Reviving the LookbackFriedman A, Liber A. Brand Differences in Underage Tobacco Use as Evidence for Targeted Sanctions—Reviving the Lookback. JAMA Health Forum 2023, 4: e233463. PMID: 37801308, PMCID: PMC10559178, DOI: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2023.3463.
- Changing patterns of cigarette and ENDS transitions in the USA: a multistate transition analysis of youth and adults in the PATH Study in 2015–2017 vs 2017–2019Brouwer A, Jeon J, Jimenez-Mendoza E, Land S, Holford T, Friedman A, Tam J, Mistry R, Levy D, Meza R. Changing patterns of cigarette and ENDS transitions in the USA: a multistate transition analysis of youth and adults in the PATH Study in 2015–2017 vs 2017–2019. Tobacco Control 2023, tc-2022-057905. PMID: 36977570, PMCID: PMC10533746, DOI: 10.1136/tc-2022-057905.
- Intended and unintended effects of e-cigarette taxes on youth tobacco useAbouk R, Courtemanche C, Dave D, Feng B, Friedman A, Maclean J, Pesko M, Sabia J, Safford S. Intended and unintended effects of e-cigarette taxes on youth tobacco use. Journal Of Health Economics 2022, 87: 102720. PMID: 36565585, PMCID: PMC9879683, DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2022.102720.
- A Difference-in-Differences Analysis of Youth Smoking and a Ban on Sales of Flavored Tobacco Products in San Francisco, CaliforniaFriedman AS. A Difference-in-Differences Analysis of Youth Smoking and a Ban on Sales of Flavored Tobacco Products in San Francisco, California. JAMA Pediatrics 2021, 175: 863-865. PMID: 34028507, PMCID: PMC8145156, DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2021.0922.
- Adding vaping restrictions to smoke‐free air laws: associations with conventional and electronic cigarette useFriedman AS, Oliver JF, Busch SH. Adding vaping restrictions to smoke‐free air laws: associations with conventional and electronic cigarette use. Addiction 2021, 116: 2198-2206. PMID: 33565665, DOI: 10.1111/add.15434.
- Association of vaping‐related lung injuries with rates of e‐cigarette and cannabis use across US statesFriedman AS. Association of vaping‐related lung injuries with rates of e‐cigarette and cannabis use across US states. Addiction 2020, 116: 651-657. PMID: 32840932, PMCID: PMC7878297, DOI: 10.1111/add.15235.
- Marijuana Vaping in U.S. Adults: Evidence From the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance SystemBaldassarri SR, Camenga DR, Fiellin DA, Friedman AS. Marijuana Vaping in U.S. Adults: Evidence From the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. American Journal Of Preventive Medicine 2020, 59: 449-454. PMID: 32684361, PMCID: PMC7484388, DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2020.03.014.
- Associations of Flavored e-Cigarette Uptake With Subsequent Smoking Initiation and CessationFriedman AS, Xu S. Associations of Flavored e-Cigarette Uptake With Subsequent Smoking Initiation and Cessation. JAMA Network Open 2020, 3: e203826. PMID: 32501490, PMCID: PMC7275248, DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.3826.
- Smoking to cope: Addictive behavior as a response to mental distressFriedman AS. Smoking to cope: Addictive behavior as a response to mental distress. Journal Of Health Economics 2020, 72: 102323. PMID: 32505043, DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2020.102323.
- Do Local Tobacco-21 Laws Reduce Smoking Among 18 to 20 Year-Olds?Friedman AS, Wu RJ. Do Local Tobacco-21 Laws Reduce Smoking Among 18 to 20 Year-Olds? Nicotine & Tobacco Research 2019, 22: 1195-1201. PMID: 31348515, DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntz123.
- Tobacco‐21 laws and young adult smoking: quasi‐experimental evidenceFriedman AS, Buckell J, Sindelar JL. Tobacco‐21 laws and young adult smoking: quasi‐experimental evidence. Addiction 2019, 114: 1816-1823. PMID: 31342591, PMCID: PMC7233410, DOI: 10.1111/add.14653.
- Patterns of Youth Cigarette Experimentation and Onset of Habitual SmokingFriedman AS, Buckell J, Sindelar JL. Patterns of Youth Cigarette Experimentation and Onset of Habitual Smoking. American Journal Of Preventive Medicine 2019, 56: 803-810. PMID: 31005466, PMCID: PMC6594175, DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2019.02.009.
- Socioeconomic Disparities in Electronic Cigarette Use and Transitions from Smoking.Friedman AS, Horn SJL. Socioeconomic Disparities in Electronic Cigarette Use and Transitions from Smoking. Nicotine & Tobacco Research 2018, 21: 1363-1370. PMID: 29917124, DOI: 10.1093/ntr/nty120.
- Evidence Suggests That The ACA’s Tobacco Surcharges Reduced Insurance Take-Up And Did Not Increase Smoking CessationFriedman AS, Schpero WL, Busch SH. Evidence Suggests That The ACA’s Tobacco Surcharges Reduced Insurance Take-Up And Did Not Increase Smoking Cessation. Health Affairs 2016, 35: 1176-1183. PMID: 27385231, PMCID: PMC5589079, DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2015.1540.
- How does electronic cigarette access affect adolescent smoking?Friedman AS. How does electronic cigarette access affect adolescent smoking? Journal Of Health Economics 2015, 44: 300-308. PMID: 26583343, DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2015.10.003.