Junhan Cho, PhD

Associate Professor of Research Population and Public Health Sciences

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Overview

Dr. Junhan Cho is an Assistant Professor of Research in the Department of Preventive Medicine in the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California. He is the Director of Methodology and Statistics for the USC-Health, Emotion, & Addiction Laboratory (USC-HEAL), which conducts interdisciplinary research on mental health problems and health-related behaviors. With a strong interest to develop advanced research methodologies, Dr. Cho’s research aims to address how diverse social contexts and psychological vulnerabilities intersect to increase risk of addictive behaviors. Based on his research background on Human Development and Family Science throughout master and doctoral programs, his studies incorporate both theoretical and methodological frameworks necessary to conducting longitudinal and prevention studies on youth health risk behaviors with a focus on the psychosocial processes influenced by family and community contexts. His current studies include: 1) developmental patterns of conjoint multiple health risk behaviors; 2) longitudinal risk and protective pathways linking early contextual stressors to mental health problems in adolescence; and 3) interaction of social contexts and biological factors influencing psychological vulnerability to addictive behaviors including substance use across adolescence and young adulthood.

Publications

  • Effects of dual use of e-cigarette and cannabis during adolescence on cigarette use in young adulthood. Tob Control. 2023 May 05.. View in PubMed
  • Associations of alternative cannabis product use and poly-use with subsequent illicit drug use initiation during adolescence. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2025 Jul; 242(7):1529-1539.. View in PubMed
  • Hispanic/Latinos and non-Hispanic whites’ childhood cancer survivors and parents: a dyadic analysis of coping resources and mental health. J Cancer Surviv. 2024 06; 18(3):996-1005.. View in PubMed
  • Alcohol Use and Life Stressors During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Study of Young Adults. J Subst Use. 2024; 29(4):554-561.. View in PubMed
  • Regular Cannabis Use During the First Year of the Pandemic: Studying Trajectories Rather Than Prevalence. Am J Prev Med. 2023 06; 64(6):888-892.. View in PubMed
  • Associations between anxiety symptoms and barriers to smoking cessation among African Americans who smoke cigarettes daily. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2023 04 01; 245:109808.. View in PubMed
  • Prevalence of and disparities in adolescents’ susceptibility to novel oral nicotine products marketed as “tobacco-free”. Prev Med. 2023 01; 166:107387.. View in PubMed
  • Willingness to Use Commercial Nicotine Gums, Lozenges, and Gummies Among Nontobacco Using Adolescents in Southern California. J Adolesc Health. 2023 02; 72(2):277-286.. View in PubMed
  • Barriers and facilitators of Hispanic/Latino parents caregiving for a childhood cancer survivor: a qualitative study. Cancer Causes Control. 2023 Feb; 34(2):151-160.. View in PubMed
  • Differences in intention to use flavored oral nicotine products among young adult e-cigarette users and non-users. Prev Med Rep. 2022 Dec; 30:102027.. View in PubMed