ISAP Researchers' Profiles

Mary-Lynn Brecht, Ph.D.

Mary-Lynn Brecht, Ph.D., Research Statistician. Dr. Brecht is a researcher and director of statistical support for the UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs. She is PI of a University Aids Research Project-funded project on HIV risk behaviors among methamphetamine users and of a state-funded needs assessment among service providers for technical assistance and training related to problem gambling. In addition she directs the Data Management and Statistics core for the Center for Advancing Longitudinal Drug Abuse Research. She has recently completed a NIDA-funded project “Methamphetamine Use: Natural History and Treatment Effects.” She is also co-investigator and Director of the Research Support Core of the Center for Vulnerable Population Research (UCLA School of Nursing). She has had extensive training and experience in the development/adaptation, application, and integration of quantitative research methodologies, particularly those for longitudinal analyses, with emphasis in the areas of drug-abuse, health systems, and treatment evaluation research. She has served on grant and contract review committees for NIDA and CSAT. Dr. Brecht has continuing research interest and numerous publications in substance abuse topics, including maturing out, effects of social interventions and prevalence estimation methods, as well as in other health care related topics including quality of life.

Education and Training

• Stanford University, B.S., Statistics, 1966
• Stanford University, M.A., Education, 1967
• University of California, Los Angeles, Ph.D., Research Methods/Evaluation, 1979

Specialties

• Research & statistical methods, especially for longitudinal analysis Substance abuse etiology
• Epidemiology Treatment evaluation
• Methamphetamine abuse

Contact Info

UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs
1640 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Suite 200
Los Angeles, CA 90025
lbrecht@ucla.edu

Selected Publications

Van Servellen, G., Sarna, L., Nyamathi, A., Padilla, G., Brecht, M.-L., & Jablonski, K. (1998) Emotional distress in women with symptomatic HIV disease.  Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 19, 173-189.

Brecht, M.-L., von Mayrhauser, C., & Anglin, M.D. (2000) Predictors of relapse after treatment for methamphetamine use.  Journal of Psychoactive Drugs,  32(2), 211-220.

Sarna, L., Brown, J., Lillington, L., Rose, M., Wewers, M. & Brecht, M.-L. (2000) Tobacco interventions by oncology nurses in clinical practice:   Report from a national survey. Cancer, 89(4), 881-889.

Sarna, L., Brown, J., Lillington, L., Wewers, M. & Brecht, M.-L. (2000) Tobacco-control attitudes, advocacy, and smoking behaviors of oncology nurses. Oncology Nursing Forum,  27(10), 1519-1528.

Sarna, L., Tae, Y.S., Kim, Y., Brecht, M.-L. & Maxwell, A. (2001) Cancer screening among Korean Americans. Cancer Practice, 9(3).

Brecht, M.-L., von Mayrhauser, C. & Greenwell, L. (2001) Patterns of methamphetamine use from first use to treatment.   Drug and Alcohol Dependence,  63(Supplement 1), S18 [abstract, paper presented at the College on Problems of Drug Dependence, 2001]

Chang, B., Brecht, M.-L., & Carter, P. (2001) Predictors of social support and caregiver outcomes. Women and Health, 33(1-2), 39-61.

Riedinger, M., Dracup, K., Brecht, M.-L., Padilla, G., Sarna, L., & Ganz, P.   (2001)  Quality of life in patients with heart failure.  Do gender differences exist?  Heart & Lung, 30(2), 105-116.

Sarna, L., Wewers, M. Brown, J., Lillington, L., & Brecht, M.-L. (2001) Barriers to tobacco cessation in clinical practice:   Report from a national survey of oncology nurses.  Nursing Outlook,  49(4), 166-172.

von Mayrhauser, C., Brecht, M.-L. & Anglin, M. D.  (2002)  Use ecology and drug use motivations of methamphetamine users admitted Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities in Los Angeles:   An emerging profile. Journal of Addictive Diseases,21(1), 45-60.

Koniak-Griffin, D., Anderson, N., Brecht, M.-L., Verzemnieks, I., Lesser, J., & Kim, S. (2002) Public health nursing care for adolescent mothers: Impact on infant health and selected maternal outcomes at 1 year postbirth.  Journal of Adolescent Health, 30(1), 44-54.

Van Servellen, G., Aguirre, M., Sarna, L., & Brecht, M.-L. (2002) Differential predictors of emotional distress in HIV-infected men and women.  Western Journal of Nursing Research, 24(1), 49-72.

Riedinger, M., Dracup, K., & Brecht, M.-L. (2002) Quality of life in women with heart failure, normative groups, and patients with other chronic conditions. Amer. Journal of Critical Care, 11(3), 211-219.

Brecht, M.-L., von Mayrhauser, C. (2002) Differences between ecstasy-using and non-using methamphetamine users. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 34(2), 215-223.

Sarna, L., Padilla, G., Holmes, C., Tashkin, D., Brecht, M.-L., & Evangelista, L. (2002) Quality of life of long-term survivors of non-small cell lung cancer.  Journal of Clinical Oncology, 20(13), 2920-2929.

Greenwell, L., & Brecht, M.-L. (2003) Self-reported health status among treated methamphetamine users.   American Journal of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, 29(1), 75-104.

Brecht, M.-L. & Greenwell, L  (2002)  Effectiveness of treatment for methamphetamine users:  Drug use, crime, and employment outcomes. Abstract in Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 66(Supplement 1), S20.

Koniak-Griffin, D., Verzemnieks, I., Anderson, N., Brecht, M.-L., Lesser, J., Kim, S., & Turner-Pluta, C. (2003) Effect of public health nursing visitation for adolescent mothers:   Infant health and maternal outcomes at 2 years post-birth.   Nursing Research, 52(2),127-36.

Podus, D., Chang, E., Brecht, M.-L., Swartz, J.A., & Anglin, M.D. (2003) Drug use prevalence among former SSI DA&A Recipients. Contemporary Drug Problems, 30(1-2), 275-290.

Evangelista, L., Sarna., L., Brecht, M.-L., Padilla, G., & Chen, J. (2003) Health perceptions and risk behaviors of lung cancer survivors.  Heart & Lung, 32(2),131-9.

Sarna, L., Evangelista, L., Tashkin, D., Padilla, G., Holmes, C., Brecht, M.-L., Grannis, F., & Chen J. (2003) Respiratory symptoms, pulmonary function, and quality of life in long-term survivors of non-small cell lung cancer, Chest, 125(2), 439-45

Brecht, M.-L., O’Brien, A., von Mayrhauser, C. & Anglin, M. D. (2004) Methamphetamine use behaviors and gender differences. Addictive Behaviors, 29(1), 89-106.

Chernecky, C., Sarna, L., Waller, J. & Brecht, M.-L.  (2004) Assessing coughing and wheezing in lung cancer: a pilot study. Oncology Nursing Forum, 31(6), 1095-1101.

Brecht, M.-L., Anglin, M. D., & Dylan, M. (2005) Coerced treatment for methamphetamine abuse : differential patient characteristics and outcomes. American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 31, 337-356.

Brecht, M.-L., Greenwell, L., & Anglin, M.D. (2005) Methamphetamine treatment: trends and predictors of retention and completion in a large state treatment system (1992-2002). Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 29, 295-306.

Brecht, M.-L., Greenwell, L., & von Mayrhauser, C.  (2006, in press) Outcomes of treatment for methamphetamine use. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs.

Brecht, M.-L., Greenwell, L. & Anglin, M. D. (2006, in press) Substance Use Pathways to Methamphetamine Use Among Treated Users. Addictive Behaviors.

Murphy, D.A., Greenwell, L., Mouttapa, M., Brecht, M., & Schuster, M.A. (2006, in press).  Physical health of mothers with HIV/AIDS and the mental health of their children.  Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics.

O’Brien, A., Brecht, M.-L., & Casey, Conerly. (2006, in press) Narratives of methamphetamine abuse: a qualitative exploration of the development of methamphetamine abuse as it relates to social, psychological, and emotional experiences. Journal of Social Work Practice
in the Addictions.

Last updated - 06/25/2007

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