Nicole (Donghee) Lee, PhD
Population Sciences in the Pacific Program (Cancer Prevention in the Pacific), University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center
Academic Appointment(s):
Assistant Professor (Assistant Researcher), University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center
Degree(s):
Postdoctoral Fellowship, Health Communication, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA
PhD, Mass Communication – emphasis in health communication, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
MA, Media Studies, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Research Focus
Dr. Lee is a health communication scientist specializing in message-based interventions that translate scientific evidence into behaviors that prevent and reduce cancer risk among priority populations. Her research focuses on using linguistic strategies, audience segmentation, and message tailoring to develop evidence-based communication approaches that advance understanding of how to communicate critical cancer-related information both appropriately and effectively to shape health behaviors. To conduct this research, she draws on methodological expertise in randomized trials and experimental designs using crowdsourced samples, laboratory-based and online psychophysiological methods (e.g., eye tracking, heart rate, skin conductance), and health information technologies (e.g., mHealth and text messaging interventions).
Her current work focuses on testing message design characteristics (e.g., source credibility and message style) to strengthen public health campaigns discouraging vaping among young adults, and examining psychosocial factors (e.g., perceived stigma) to promote lung cancer screening among older adults who smoke.
Selected Publications
Lee DN, Villanti AC, Stevens EM. Tailoring e-cigarette health messages by vaping status: How source and message presentation type shape young adults’ perceptions. Nicotine & Tob Research. 2026; ntag002. PMID: 41499158.
Lee DN, Kim HM, Stevens EM. How stress influences e-cigarette health message perceptions and intentions to abstain from vaping among young adults who vape. Addictive Behaviors. 2024;160:108174. PMID: 39321718 PMCID: PMC11577494.
Stevens EM, Lee DN, Stevens H, Sadasivam RS. The role of mood in shaping reactions to smoking cessation messages among adults who smoke: A multimodal investigation. BMC Public Health. 2024;24:2872. PMID: 39425111 PMCID: PMC11487937.
Lee DN, Sadasivam RS, Stevens EM. Developing mood-based computer-tailored health communication for smoking cessation: Feasibility randomized controlled trial. JMIR Formative Research. 2023;7:e48958. PMID: 38133916 PMCID: PMC10770788.
Lee DN, Hutchens MJ, George TJ, Wilson-Howard D, Cooks EJ, Krieger, JL. Do they speak like me? Exploring how perceptions of linguistic difference may influence patient perceptions of healthcare providers. Medical Education Online. 2022;27(1): 2107470. PMID: 35912473 PMCID: PMC9347466.
Publication list on NIH MyBibliography
Publication list on Google Scholar
Active Grants
DN Lee, PI
NIH/NCI
K99CA281094; R00CA281094
"Identifying and examining the effects of source and presentation on responses to electronic cigarette public education messages in young adult vapers and non-vapers"
01/01/2024 – 04/30/2028
DN Lee, PI
University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center
SEED grant
"Developing and Testing Lung Cancer Screening Messages for Hawaiʻi Adults who Smoke"
12/2025 – 12/2026
