Profile

Texas A&M University, Ph.D. ,2015
Texas A&M University, MS ,2011

Position/Grant/Award etc.

2021-2023: Principal Investigator, Racial/Ethnic Patterning in Determinants of Vaping Initiation and Trajectory of Use. National Cancer Institute 3R01CA229617-03S1

2020-2022: Principal Investigator, A Pilot to Design a Public Health Promotion Research, Advocacy, and Professional Development Training Program for Public Health Promotion Undergraduate Students, California State University, Stanislaus

2017-2018: Principal Investigator/Mentor, National Study of Nigerian Adolescents' Social and Family Networks: Engaging Young Researchers in Adolescent Substance Use Research, Carnegie Africa Diaspora Research Fellowship, Institute of International Education/ Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Scholarly Interests

• Social and substance use epidemiology
• Tobacco/nicotine-cannabis co-use 
• Biopsychosocial and structural determinants of youth and young adult health and risk behaviors
• Co-morbid mental health and substance use disparities 

Research Interests

Dr. Jacobs' research broadly aims to understand the cultural, biopsychosocial, environmental, and structural drivers of co-morbid mental health and substance use disparities  in consequences/health effects among adolescents and young adults. Specifically, her work focuses on examining: 1) substance use (e.g., tobacco/nicotine & cannabis products, non-prescribed drugs) risks and outcomes among vulnerable populations (e.g., adolescents and young adults, persons with mental health disorders, racial/ethnic minorities, immigrants); and 2) disparities in co- and poly-substance use, comorbidities, and consequences among youth and young adults.

Google Scholar Profile

Qin, W. A., Seo, D. C., Jacobs, W., Huang, S., & Elam, K. K. (2026). Developmental Trajectories of Positive Expectancies of Cannabis Use Effects Among Early Adolescents: Longitudinal Observational Study Using Latent Class Growth Analysis. JMIR Public Health and Surveillance, 12, e85652.

Jacobs, W., Qin, W. A., Jafarzadeh, N. S., Barrington-Trimis, J., & Leventhal, A. M. (2026). Multilevel Correlates of Same Day Poly-Product Use/Co-Use among Adolescents Who Use Tobacco and Cannabis. Nicotine and Tobacco Research, 28(1), 26-35.

Campbell, A. G., & Jacobs, W. (2025). Correlates of Adverse Childhood Experiences Among Children in Non-Hispanic White, Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic Immigrant Households in the United States. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 1-12.

Summit, A. G., Moseley, M. C., Chaku, N., Elam, K. K., Jacobs, W., Lederer, A. M., ... & Quinn, P. D. (2025). Prevalence of pharmacotherapy for attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder and prescription stimulant misuse: A national study of US college students. Addiction, 120(4), 721-731.

Jacobs, W., Qin, W., Riley, T. N., Parker, E. S., Owora, A. H., & Leventhal, A. (2024). Race/ethnic differences in the association of anxiety, depression, and discrimination with subsequent nicotine and cannabis use among young adults: a prospective longitudinal study. Addictive behaviors, 153, 107979.

Jacobs, W., Merianos, A. L., Quinn, P., Barrington-Trimis, J., & Leventhal, A. (2023). Association of self-reported use of cannabis for the purpose of improving physical, mental, and sleep health with problematic cannabis use risk. BMC Public Health, 23(1), 1560.

Jacobs, W., Merianos, A., & Leventhal, A. (2022). Vaping Motivations: Association of Behavioral Inhibition and Behavioral Activation Systems with Nicotine and Cannabis Vaping among Adolescents. Addictive Behaviors, 107436.

Jacobs, W., Orozco, G., Villanueva, G., & Merianos, A. L. (2022). E-cigarette and cannabis use patterns, depression, and suicide behaviors among US youth: analysis of 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey data. American journal of health promotion, 08901171221112927.

Jacobs, W., Idoko, E., Montgomery, L., Smith, M. L., & Merianos, A. L. (2021). Concurrent E-cigarette and marijuana use and health-risk behaviors among US high school students. Preventive Medicine, 145, 106429.

Amuta-Jimenez, A. O., Jacobs, W., & Smith, G. (2020). Health disparities and the heterogeneity of Blacks/African Americans in the United States: why should we care? Health promotion practice, 21(4), 492-495.

Merianos, A.l., Jacobs, W., Oloruntoba, O., Gittens, O. E., & Smith, M. L. (2020). Perceived Severity of Interrelated Cardiometabolic Risk Factors among U.S. College Students. American Journal of Health Education, 51(4), 234-243.