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Rima Nakkash isÌýInterim Chair andÌýProfessor in the Department of Global and Community Health. Nakkash is a leading international scholar in tobacco controlÌý°ùesearch in prevention and policy evaluation. She has published on community based participatory research initiatives as well as process,Ìýand implementationÌýresearch, particularly with youth and disadvantaged populationsÌýwith a focus on mental health promotion.ÌýShe is interested in civicÌý and citizen engagement in health policy making, translation of evidence-based public health to inform interventions andÌýpolicy, and advocacy for health. Her most recent research interests includeÌýresearch on research ethics and exploring interactions and conflict of interest between corporations and public health.Ìý She co-coordinates a global network on Governance on Ethics and Conflict and interest in Public Health (GECI-PH).ÌýShe isÌýa strong tobacco control advocateÌýat national,Ìýregional,ÌýandÌýinternationalÌýlevels and believes in the power of partnerships and coalitions.ÌýIn partnership with civilÌýsocietyÌýand media,Ìýshe had a major role in the passage of the most comprehensive tobacco control law while in Lebanon in 2011.ÌýIn 2013, she wasÌýgranted the international WHO World No Tobacco Day AwardÌýby Dr. MargaretÌýChan, theÌýWHO Director at that time.

Before coming to Mason, Nakkash was a tenuredÌýAssociate Professor at the Health Promotion and Community Health Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, at the American University of Beirut.ÌýShe was the coordinator of the AUB Tobacco Control research group, co-director the WHO FCTCÌýwaterpipeÌýtobacco smoking knowledge hub, Associate Director of the Knowledge to Policy Center, and Director of the Public Health Education Office.

Research

Research Interests

• Implementation science
• Tobacco controlÌý
• AdvocacyÌý
• Mental health promotionÌý
• Community based participatory researchÌý
• Commercial determinants of healthÌý

Select Publications

• Nakkash R,ÌýMugharbil S, Tleis M, Jaafar M, Asfar T, Maziak W. Implementing pictorial health warning labels on waterpipe tobacco products in Lebanon: A policy framework analysis of content, actors, context, and process. Nicotine Tob Res. 2024 May 7:ntae104. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntae104. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38712750.
• Farran D, Abla R, Nakkash R. Abu Rmeileh N,Ìý Jawad M, Khader Y, Mostafa A, Salloum R, Chalak A, Factors associated with intentions to quit tobacco use in Lebanon: A cross-sectional survey,Preventive Medicine Reports (2024),Volume 37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2023.102572
• Farran D., Salloum R. G., El Jardali F., Abla R., Abu Rmeileh N., Al Sheyab N. NakkashÌýR. (2024). From knowledge production to knowledge translation: Waterpipe tobacco control research in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.ÌýTobacco Prevention & Cessation (2024), 10(January), 3. https://doi.org/10.18332/tpc/175953
• Jebai, R,Asfar T,Ìý Nakkash R, Chehab S,Ìý Schmidt M,Wu W, Bursac Z,Maziak W.(2023) Comparisons between young adult waterpipe smokers andÌýnonsmokers’ reactions to pictorial health warning labels inÌýLebanon: a randomized crossover experimental study, Health Education Research, cyad027, https://doi.org/10.1093/her/cyad027
• Makhoul J, El Ashkar C, Mialon M, Levy A, Sabbagh D, Nakkash R. Benefits and risks: Views of humanitarian organizations in Lebanon on corporate assistance. PLOS Glob Public Health.(2023) Nov 10;3(11):e0002291. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0002291
• 3Mostafa A, Jawad M, Abla R, Chalak A, Khader Y, Nakkash R, Salloum RG, Abu Rmeileh NME. ÌýHealth and economic impacts of introducing specific excise tax to waterpipe tobacco in Egypt: A simulation model of simple and mixed tax policy approaches. BMJ Global Health. (2023)

See CV for more.

Degrees

• Doctorate,ÌýPublic Health Policy,ÌýLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, U.K.
• MPH,ÌýEpidemiology and Biostatistics,ÌýAmerican University of Beirut, Lebanon
• BS,ÌýBachelor of Arts,ÌýMacalester College