Myra Muramoto
Tuscon
-Arizona-
United States

Dr. Muramoto has been Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator on 42 translational research studies, 27 involving testing of novel pharmacologic, behavioral, and system interventions for tobacco cessation. The majority of her community-engaged tobacco cessation translational research has focused on ethnic/racial minority groups (Latino, American Indian, rural African American), low-income populations, and other special populations (rural, adolescents, pregnant women, military, and complementary and alternative medicine practitioners). Consequently, she has experience with custom development and/or tailoring of training interventions for a broad range of special population audiences. Specific to this proposal, Dr. Muramoto has considerable expertise in the development, implementation and evaluation of public health and clinical intervention/prevention programs for health professional, paraprofessional, student and lay audiences. This includes three state-wide tobacco cessation intervention training programs for healthcare and public health professionals, three national and international substance abuse faculty development programs, and the implementation of modular tobacco cessation curriculum and cancer prevention curriculum into medical schools in the US, India and Indonesia.

Dr. Muramoto is well versed in the development and mixed-methods evaluation of web-based and other technology-based training programs. She is currently leading a mixed-methods study to develop and test a brief tobacco cessation training and office system intervention for chiropractors, acupuncturists, and massage therapists (CAM practitioners). She is also leading a mixed methods study to develop and pilot test a web-based tobacco cessation training and clinical competency assessment for CAM practitioners.  As an outgrowth of these two studies of CAM practitioners, Dr. Muramoto began exploring the potential for massage therapists to engage in skin cancer screening and referral and promotion of personal sun safety with their clients.

Dr. Muramoto is currently conducting a pilot study national survey of the awareness, attitudes, behaviors and experiences of massage therapists and massage therapy clients with regards to skin cancer and sun safety behaviors.