COIN Investigators & Staff
COIN Investigators
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Katherine Hoerster, PhD, MPH
- Title: Investigator
Associate Professor, University of Washington (UW) School of Medicine,
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Health Systems and Population Health,
School of Public Health - Contact: Katherine.Hoerster@va.gov
- Location: Seattle
- University of Washington webpage
I am Associate Professor in the University of Washington School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. My research focuses on understanding and addressing the contextual factors like social support and policy that affect health and health behavior. I completed a VA Health Systems Research (HSR) Career Development Award focused on developing a behavioral weight management program for Veterans with PTSD called MOVE!+UP (2015-2020). We are currently testing MOVE!+UP in a VA HSR Merit-funded study using a hybrid effectiveness and implementation RCT design. I led another VA HSR Merit-funded study as Principal Investigator (PI) to test a self-directed behavioral weight management intervention among 500 Veterans with obesity; the findings were published in JAMA: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2799407. I am PI for a newly-funded VA HSR-funded Merit focused on testing an integrated treatment to co-address PTSD and obesity. I am Co-PI for two additional VA HSR Merit-funded studies, both RCTs testing behavioral interventions that harness the power of social support. Last, I am Co-PI for a VA operations-funded project called MOVED By LOVE, a multi-method study that is partnering with Black Veterans to enhance how weight management care in VA serves Black Veterans. Findings from the study were published in the:
Journal of General Internal Medicine: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11606-024-08628-7
Preventive Medicine Reports: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335525002633
I am fortunate to work with Veterans with PTSD as a staff psychologist in the VA Puget Sound-Seattle PTSD Outpatient Clinic. Lastly, I have an interest in maximizing research impact by communicating about science with Veterans, the public, institutions, and policymakers.
Research Interests
- Peer Support
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
- Health Behavior Interventions
- Influence of Contextual Factors
Links to Publications and External Websites
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Katherine+Hoerster+OR+Kate+Hoerster&sort=date
https://psychiatry.uw.edu/profile/katherine-hoerster/
VA Operational Partners I have worked with
- VA National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
- VA Office of Mental Health
