About

Patricia A. Cioe is an Adjunct Professor of Behavioral and Social Sciences at Brown University School of Public Health and an Associate Dean of Research and Scholarship at the University of Rhode Island College of Nursing. She earned her Ph.D. in Nursing from the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School in 2012 and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Brown University's Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, where she cross-trained in HIV, tobacco dependence, and other substance use disorders. Her research broadly focuses on cardiovascular risk reduction in people with HIV, with particular emphasis on smoking cessation and tobacco harm reduction. Dr. Cioe has developed and pilot-tested tailored interventions that incorporate motivational interviewing and personalized feedback to improve cardiovascular risk perception and promote heart-healthy behaviors among people with HIV. Her current work involves developing innovative smoking cessation interventions for this population and examining the effects of cigarette smoking on HIV clinical outcomes, including biomarkers of inflammation and monocyte activation. She is also conducting research on the use of electronic nicotine delivery systems for harm reduction in smokers with HIV who are unable or unwilling to quit. Dr. Cioe has received recognition for her contributions, including the Nurse Researcher Recognition Award from the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care in 2018 and being named Nurse Scientist of the Year by the Rhode Island State Nurses Association in 2019.

Research topics

• Psychiatry
• Medicine
• Intensive care medicine
• Internal medicine
• Gerontology
• Environmental health
• Virology

Selected publications

• A qualitative examination of peer navigation for smoking cessation in people with HIV

  Tobacco Prevention & Cessation · 2025-12-16

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  INTRODUCTION: People with HIV (PWH) are disproportionately affected by cigarette use, with a 40-60% prevalence rate. They achieve relatively low cessation rates following traditional interventions and often confront compounded challenges related to social factors. HIV care services have integrated Peer Navigators (PNs) into clinical care for many years, but not in the context of smoking cessation. The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences of PWH on a novel smoking cessation intervention that integrated PNs as part of a pilot randomized controlled trial. METHODS: This qualitative examination was conducted among PWH who smoke cigarettes and who participated in a randomized controlled trial between June 2020 and 2021 in Providence, Rhode Island, USA. A PN, defined as a PWH who smoked daily and successfully quit, was trained to provide cessation resources, encourage readiness to quit, and provide social support for quitting. Participants were randomized to either PN or usual care. Twenty-three participants assigned to a PN completed a semi-structured, in-depth qualitative interview. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Analysis revealed that participants valued the interaction with the PN and described feeling increased social support for quitting. They expressed that the use of storytelling by the PN was linked to a sense of success, and that certain traits of the PN were perceived as salient. Interacting with a PN enforced a sense of accountability, and lead to feelings of enhanced self-efficacy. CONCLUSIONS: Integrating PNs to increase support for quitting seems to be highly acceptable among PWH who smoke. The findings underscore the significance of the lived experience of the peer navigator and the provision of social support.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Reprint of: The effects of switching to the standardized research electronic cigarette in people with HIV who smoke in the United States

  Preventive Medicine · 2025-08-27 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  OBJECTIVE: People with HIV (PWH) who smoke and report ambivalence about quitting may benefit from switching to non-combusted nicotine products. This pilot study examined the effects of providing the NIDA standardized research electronic cigarette (SREC) on smoking behaviors and inflammatory biomarkers in PWH. METHODS: Thirty-five participants in the United States were enrolled from April 2022 to January 2024 (Mean age 54.4 [13.2] years, 30.1 % female, 62.9 % White) and randomized to SREC provision (n = 17) or usual brand control (n = 18). SREC participants were asked to substitute tobacco-flavor pod-type SRECs for their combustible cigarettes. SREC use and cigarette use were assessed weekly for 6 weeks. Serum inflammatory biomarkers were measured at baseline and week 6. RESULTS: The effect of condition on cigarettes per day (CPD) during the 6-week period was significant, B = -5.68, 95 % CI = -10.25, -1.11: CPD were reduced by 42.7 % in the SREC condition versus 17.3 % in the control condition. Participants in the SREC condition reported significantly lower urge to smoke at week 6 compared to those in control, (B = -17.05, 95 % CI = -27.15, -6.95). One (5.9 %) participant reported that they transitioned completely from CCs to SREC at week 6. Significant decreases in inflammatory biomarkers were not observed. CONCLUSIONS: Participants who were provided the SREC, compared to those in the control condition, smoked fewer CPD and had reduced urge to smoke. However, dual use was the most common outcome, indicating that additional support may be needed to improve the likelihood of complete transition from CCs to noncombustible products.

  PublisherDOI

• “I’ve learned that I’m open-minded to this possibility”: A qualitative study to evaluate the acceptability of a psilocybin-aided smoking cessation treatment for people with HIV who smoke

  Addiction Science & Clinical Practice · 2025-07-21 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  BACKGROUND: People with HIV (PWH) are disproportionately affected by cigarette use, with a 40 - 70% prevalence rate. Although many express a strong interest in quitting, many PWH who smoke experience lower cessation rates with traditional treatments, in part due to their comorbid anxiety and depressive symptoms. Psilocybin, a classic psychedelic referred to as "breakthrough therapy" by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), has been shown to have potential as a therapeutic treatment for psychiatric symptoms, (e.g., anxiety and depression) and substance use disorders, including tobacco dependence. Preliminary evidence has shown that administering psilocybin to people who smoke and have been previously unable to quit with traditional treatments resulted in impressive smoking abstinence rates (80%) at 6-months in a smoking cessation pilot study. OBJECTIVE: Explore, using qualitative methods, the perceptions and acceptability of a psilocybin-assisted treatment for smoking cessation among PWH who smoke. METHODS: Semi-structured, in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with PWH who smoke. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using rapid thematic analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-five participants were enrolled: 15 cis male, 9 cis female, and 1 transgender female. Five main themes emerged: varying previous experiences with psilocybin; uncertainty about psilocybin's effects and concern over potential side effects; need for trusted sources of information and testimonials; ultimately willing to try psilocybin-aided therapy for tobacco treatment; and, set and setting of psilocybin use matters. CONCLUSIONS: Psilocybin-assisted smoking cessation treatment appears to be acceptable among PWH who smoke. Participants highlighted the importance of addressing key concerns related to an emerging therapy to increase acceptability and willingness to try it. Further research is needed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of psilocybin prior to incorporating this emerging therapy for smoking cessation into tobacco treatment clinical services for PWH.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Response to commentary by Akhter et al. titled, “Beyond biomarkers: Underexplored considerations in SREC trials for people with HIV who smoke”

  Preventive Medicine · 2025-07-24

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• A Robust Cross-Platform Solution With the Sense2Quit System to Enhance Smoking Gesture Recognition: Model Development and Validation Study

  Journal of Medical Internet Research · 2025-03-18

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND: Smoking is a leading cause of preventable death, and people with HIV have higher smoking rates and are more likely to experience smoking-related health issues. The Sense2Quit study introduces innovative advancements in smoking cessation technology by developing a comprehensive mobile app that integrates with smartwatches to provide real-time interventions for people with HIV attempting to quit smoking. OBJECTIVE: We aim to develop an accurate smoking cessation app that uses everyday smartwatches and an artificial intelligence model to enhance the recognition of smoking gestures by effectively addressing confounding hand gestures that mimic smoking, thereby reducing false positives. The app ensures seamless usability across Android (Open Handset Alliance [led by Google]) and iOS platforms, with optimized communication and synchronization between devices for real-time monitoring. METHODS: This study introduces the confounding resilient smoking model, specifically trained to distinguish smoking gestures from similar hand-to-mouth activities used by the Sense2Quit system. By incorporating confounding gestures into the model's training process, the system achieves high accuracy while maintaining efficiency on mobile devices. To validate the model, 30 participants, all people with HIV who smoked cigarettes, were recruited. Participants wore smartwatches on their wrists and performed various hand-to-mouth activities, including smoking and other gestures such as eating and drinking. Each participant spent 15 to 30 minutes completing the tasks, with each gesture lasting 5 seconds. The app was developed using the Flutter framework to ensure seamless functionality across Android and iOS platforms, with robust synchronization between the smartwatch and smartphone for real-time monitoring. RESULTS: -score of 97.52% in detecting smoking gestures, outperforming state-of-the-art models by distinguishing smoking from 15 other daily hand-to-mouth activities, including eating, drinking, and yawning. Its robustness and adaptability were further confirmed through leave-one-subject-out evaluation, demonstrating consistent reliability and generalizability across diverse individuals. The cross-platform app, developed using Flutter (Google), demonstrated consistent performance across Android and iOS devices, with only a 0.02-point difference in user experience ratings between the platforms (iOS 4.52 and Android 4.5). The app's continuous synchronization ensures accurate, real-time tracking of smoking behaviors, enhancing the system's overall utility for smoking cessation. CONCLUSIONS: Sense2Quit represents a significant advancement in smoking cessation technology. It delivers timely, just-in-time interventions through innovations in cross-platform communication optimization and the effective recognition of confounding hand gestures. These improvements enhance the accuracy and accessibility of real-time smoking detection, making Sense2Quit a valuable tool for supporting long-term cessation efforts among people with HIV trying to quit smoking. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): RR2-10.2196/49558.

  PublisherDOI

• Effects of very low nicotine content cigarettes and concurrent provision of e-cigarettes on symptoms of depression and anxiety.

  Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology · 2025-09-18

  articleOpen access

  = .004, with scores decreasing over the experimental period across experimental conditions. In conclusion, providing VLNC cigarettes in combination with e-cigarettes appeared to ameliorate modest increases in affective symptoms observed when VLNC cigarettes were provided alone. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

  PublisherDOI

• Preloading With Nicotine Replacement Therapy in People With HIV Who Smoke: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

  Nicotine & Tobacco Research · 2025-06-03

  article1st authorCorresponding

  INTRODUCTION: Smoking cessation rates in people with HIV (PWH) are lower than in the general population, even when evidence-based treatments are used. This 16-week study examined the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of preloading with nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) in PWH to improve cessation outcomes. METHODS: Forty-nine participants were randomized to nicotine patch preloading (NRT-P) for 3 weeks prior to the target quit date (TQD) or standard treatment with no preloading (ST). All participants received combination NRT for 8 weeks at TQD, with five sessions of behavioral counseling. At week 16, biochemically verified 7-day point-prevalence abstinence was assessed. RESULTS: Mean preloading patch days was 19.7 (out of 21 days; SD 2.7), indicating excellent acceptability. Mean patch days post-TQD (out of 56 days) was 47.4 (SD = 13.2) in NRT-P and 32.7 (SD = 21.8) in ST (t = -2.48, p = .01). At week 16 there was no group difference in week 16 point-prevalence abstinence, but NRT-P participants smoked significantly fewer cigarettes per week (10.1 [SD 14.7] vs. 47.2 [SD 67.6]) and had lower carbon monoxide levels (5.22 [SD 3.6] vs. 10.89 [SD 11.3], p = .04) compared to ST participants. Cessation self-efficacy increased significantly over time in the NRT-P condition only. CONCLUSIONS: NRT preloading is feasible and acceptable among PWH, with excellent adherence to preloading, and benefits observed relative to ST following TQD in patch adherence, self-efficacy, cigarettes smoked per day, and carbon monoxide levels. The lack of effect of preloading on smoking abstinence suggests further study is needed. IMPLICATIONS: Preloading with nicotine patch among PWH who smoke prior to the TQD may be an effective means of improving adherence to smoking cessation medications both pre- and post-quit. By increasing self-efficacy for quitting and lowering cigarette dependence, preloading may improve cessation rates and help reduce the burden of tobacco-related disease among PWH. Further research is needed.

  PublisherDOI

• Feasibility and Acceptability of the Sense2Quit App for Improving Smoking Cessation in PWH

  AIDS and Behavior · 2025-02-25 · 2 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Additional file 1 of “I’ve learned that I’m open-minded to this possibility”: A qualitative study to evaluate the acceptability of a psilocybin-aided smoking cessation treatment for people with HIV who smoke

  Figshare · 2025-01-01

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Supplementary Material 1

  PublisherDOI

• Validating the information technology (IT) implementation framework to Implement mHealth technology for consumers: A case study of the Sense2Quit app for smoking cessation

  International Journal of Medical Informatics · 2025-05-20 · 1 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• A Peer Navigator Model to Improve Quit Attempts, Quitline Use, and Smoking Cessation Rates among HIV-positive smokers

  NIH · $389k · 2019–2022

• NIH Grant F31NR012656

  NIH · $56k · 2012

• NIH Grant U01DA045514

  NIH · $1.1M · 2024

• Administrative Core

  NIH · $34.9M · 2019–2029

• NIH Grant K23NR014951

  NIH · $397k · 2018

Frequent coauthors

• Christopher W. Kahler

  Brown University

  89 shared

• Jennifer W. Tidey

  Brown University

  52 shared

• Lorenzo Leggio

  National Institutes of Health

  44 shared

• Michael D. Stein

  Boston University

  31 shared

• Suzanne M. Colby

  Providence College

  29 shared

• Rachel N. Cassidy

  25 shared

• Robert M. Swift

  Providence VA Medical Center

  22 shared

• Peter D. Friedmann

  Baystate Health

  22 shared

Labs

• Cioe LabPI

Education

• Ph.D.

  University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester

  2012

Awards & honors

• Researcher Recognition Award, 31st Annual Association of Nur…
• Nurse Scientist/Researcher of the Year, RI State Nurses Asso…
• Young Investigator Scholarship, Conference on Retroviruses a…