Charity Ntansah

• Priority Area: Health Equity & Race, Racism and Inequality
• Disciplines: Tobacco control, health communication, tobacco-related health disparities, tobacco regulatory science, public health policy  
• Mentors: Dr. Kymberle Sterling
• Mentors' Disciplines: Tobacco control, tobacco-related health disparities, tobacco regulatory sciences, cigars research
• School: Institute for Nicotine & Tobacco Studies and Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS)
• Department: Institute for Nicotine & Tobacco Studies and Department of Family Medicine & Community Health (RWJMS)

Charity Ntansah is a seasoned health communication specialist who has developed and implemented federal and state-level communication campaigns aimed at reducing health disparities among minority communities. Her expertise lies in crafting strategies that resonate with underserved communities, particularly Black and African American populations, to promote health equity.

Dr. Ntansah’s tobacco control research incorporates innovative methodologies such as discrete choice experiments (DCEs) to better understand factors influencing decision-making under proposed tobacco legislation. Her work is pivotal in informing regulatory decisions by shedding light on the impact of tobacco-related health disparities. She places a particular emphasis on how these disparities affect Black and African American communities, who often bear a disproportionate burden of tobacco-related illnesses and deaths.

As a presidential postdoctoral fellow, Dr. Ntansah will explore how to leverage communication to correct misperceptions and counter disinformation concerning flavored tobacco products and cigars. This research is crucial for developing targeted communications that address the unique challenges faced by Black communities, who are often the targets of aggressive marketing tactics by the tobacco industry.

Dr. Ntansah’s dissertation, titled “Communicating about a Nicotine Reduction Policy among People who Use Little Cigars and Cigarillos,” provided valuable insights into the distinct perceptions and uses of cigar products. Her findings underscore the importance of tailored communication strategies that meet the specific needs of people who use cigar products. She earned her PhD from the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina. She also holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) in Behavioral Sciences and Health Education from Emory University, and a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from Syracuse University.