Katherine Hoerster, PhD, MPH

Faculty Appointment(s)

Associate Professor

hoerster@uw.edu

206-277-4203

Personal Statement

My research focuses on understanding and addressing the contextual factors like social support and policy that affect health and health behavior. I recently completed a 5-year VA HSR&D Career Development Award.  During the award our team engaged Veterans to develop a behavioral weight loss program for Veterans with PTSD called MOVE!+UP. We recently launched a VA Merit-funded study to test MOVE!+UP in a hybrid effectiveness and implementation randomized controlled trial. I am also PI on a VA Merit pragmatic clinical trial to test a remote behavioral weight loss intervention among 500 Veterans with obesity. I am Principal Investigator for an HSR&D- and MIRECC-funded survey study that examines the role of social and neighborhood factors in prevention and management of chronic disease among Veterans. 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 to the public and policymakers.

Education

PhD, San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, 2010
MPH, San Diego State University, School of Public Health, 2009
BA, Connecticut College, 2001

Department Affiliations

Centers/Programs
Training Programs

VA Puget Sound, Seattle Division Psychology Internship and Fellowship Program

Other Affiliations

VA Health Services Research & Development (HSR&D) Seattle-Denver Center of Innovation for Veteran-Centered and Value-Driven Care.

Scholarly Expertise

Clinical Expertise

Teaching Philosophy

I believe in competency-based training that capitalizes on trainees’ unique strengths and skillsets.  I believe that experiential learning is a powerful tool, providing the opportunity for direct observation and feedback, modeling, and bidirectional learning.

Recent Publications

Climate to COVID, global to local, policies to people: a biopsychosocial ecological framework for syndemic prevention and response in behavioral medicine.
(2022 May 25)
Transl Behav Med 12(4): 516-525
Persad-Clem R, Hoerster KD, Romano EFT, Huizar N, Maier KJ
National Veterans Health Administration MOVE! Weight Management Program Participation During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
(2022 Mar 10)
Prev Chronic Dis 19(): E11
Gray KE, Hoerster KD, Spohr SA, Breland JY, Raffa SD
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health, Occupational Functioning, and Professional Retention Among Health Care Workers and First Responders.
(2022 Feb)
J Gen Intern Med 37(2): 397-408
Hendrickson RC, Slevin RA, Hoerster KD, Chang BP, Sano E, McCall CA, Monty GR, Thomas RG, Raskind MA
Table for two: Perceptions of social support from participants in a weight management intervention for veterans with PTSD and overweight or obesity.
(2021 Sep 13)
Psychol Serv
Robustelli BL, Campbell SB, Greene PA, Sayre GG, Sulayman N, Hoerster KD
Improvements in physical activity and some dietary behaviors in a community health worker-led diabetes self-management intervention for adults with low incomes: results from a randomized controlled trial.
(2021 Dec 14)
Transl Behav Med 11(12): 2144-2154
Gray KE, Hoerster KD, Taylor L, Krieger J, Nelson KM
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