Kristen McCarter

Dr. Kristen McCarter is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Psychological Sciences at the University of Newcastle. Her research focuses on improving health outcomes for priority populations, particularly those with severe mental illness, through smoking cessation interventions, mental health services, and behavioral health strategies. She has led numerous trials, including the Quitlink initiative, which bridges mental health services with smoking cessation care. Her work emphasizes compassionate support and evidence-based practices.

Education:

• Doctor of Philosophy (University of Newcastle)
• Bachelor of Psychology (Honours), University of Newcastle

Research Interests: Kristen’s research addresses coexisting health risks like smoking, alcohol use, and mental health. She develops and evaluates interventions to improve nutrition in cancer patients and smoking cessation among vulnerable populations. Her work integrates clinical psychology, health behavior change, and public health strategies.

Key Projects:

• Quitlink: A peer-supported quitline intervention for severe mental illness patients.
• Outback Quit Pack: Smoking cessation outreach in rural areas.
• EAT Trial: Nutritional interventions for head and neck cancer patients.

Grants & Awards:

• Total funding: $5,584,321 (e.g., NHMRC, HCRA grants)
• Awards include NHMRC Best Publication Award and multiple supervision excellence awards.

Collaborations: Works with Quit Victoria, Mind Services Australia, and SMART Recovery to translate research into practice.