Brian J. Fairman

Assistant Professor

UAMS

Also affiliated: National Institutes of Health (2019–2021); Johns Hopkins University (2015–2017); University of Arkansas Medical Center (2023); Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center (2021); Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (2017–2021); Naval Research Laboratory Information Technology Division (2021); Michigan State University (2010–2014)

Faculty Researcher

Epidemiology, College of Public Health

15 h-index 34 pubs 875 cited

Research Areas

Biomedical Subjects

Links

ORCID Research Group UAMS TRI Profile

OverviewAI-generated summary

Dr. Brian J. Fairman's research centers on the epidemiology of substance use, with a particular focus on the co-use of cannabis and tobacco products, including blunt smoking. His work investigates initiation pathways, risk factors, and the health consequences associated with these behaviors, often utilizing large-scale national survey data such as the PATH and NSDUH studies. Dr. Fairman also examines how state policies, neighborhood characteristics, and individual health behaviors intersect, contributing to disparities in substance use and mental health outcomes.

His research portfolio includes federally and institutionally funded projects. These have explored topics such as the features of cigar products, the development of nicotine dependence, and access to telehealth services for behavioral health. Dr. Fairman's publications address temporal trends in telehealth availability, particularly in relation to state rurality and the treatment of opioid use disorder. He has also published on the association between cannabis use and initiation of other tobacco products, as well as nicotine dependence among dual users. His work on COVID-19's impact on opioid overdose deaths in Arkansas and the aggressiveness of cigarette smoking and prostate cancer further demonstrates the breadth of his epidemiological interests.

Dr. Fairman leads a research group at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, where he is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology. His scholarly metrics include an h-index of 14 and over 34 publications with more than 869 citations. He collaborates with researchers within his institution, including Jure Baloh, George Pro, Brooke E. E. Montgomery, and Ping-Ching Hsu.

Research Overview

Dr. Brian J. Fairman is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. His research focuses on the epidemiology of substance use, particularly cannabis and tobacco co-use, with an emphasis on blunt smoking, initiation pathways, and health consequences. He has published extensively using national survey data (e.g., PATH, NSDUH) to examine longitudinal trends, risk factors, and disparities in substance use and mental health outcomes. His work also explores the intersection of state policies, neighborhood context, and health behaviors. Dr. Fairman has led and contributed to federally and institutionally funded studies, including projects on cigar product features, nicotine dependence, and telehealth access in behavioral health services.

Metrics

h-index: 15
Publications: 34
Citations: 875

Selected Publications

Perceived Tobacco Accessibility and Cigar Initiation: Exploring Racial and Ethnic Differences (2025)

Tobacco Use Insights 1 citation DOI OpenAlex
Cannabis and Tobacco Co-Use and Cannabis Dependence: A Survey of US Adults in Legal Recreational Cannabis Markets (2025)

Substance Use & Misuse 2 citations DOI OpenAlex
Blunt Smoking Trends in the United States: Findings From the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2004-2021 (2025)

Drug and Alcohol Dependence DOI OpenAlex
Cigarillo Purchasing and Pack Sizes by Their Use as Blunts (2024)

Drug and Alcohol Dependence DOI OpenAlex
A multilevel analysis of changing telehealth availability in opioid use disorder treatment settings: Conditional effects of rurality, the number and types of medication for opioid use disorder available, and time, US, 2016–2023 (2024)

The Journal of Rural Health 2 citations DOI OpenAlex
Cigarette smoking and prostate cancer aggressiveness among African and European American men (2024)

Cancer Causes & Control 10 citations DOI OpenAlex
Abstract B096: Cigarette smoking and prostate cancer aggressiveness among African and European American men (2023)

Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention DOI OpenAlex
Temporal Trends in Telehealth Availability in Mental Health Treatment Settings: Differences in Growth by State Rurality, 2015–2020 (2023)

Journal of Urban Health 6 citations DOI OpenAlex
Blunt and non-blunt cannabis use associated with cigarette, e-cigarette, and cigar initiation: Findings from the population assessment of tobacco and health (PATH) study (2023)

Drug and Alcohol Dependence 15 citations DOI OpenAlex
Nicotine Dependence among Current Cigarette Smokers Who Use E-Cigarettes and Cannabis (2023)

Substance Use & Misuse 12 citations DOI OpenAlex
Impact of COVID-19 on the characteristics of opioid overdose deaths in Arkansas (2022)

International Journal of Drug Policy 10 citations DOI OpenAlex

View all publications on OpenAlex →

Research Interests

Dr. Brian J. Fairman’s research focuses on substance use epidemiology, with particular emphasis on the co-use of cannabis and tobacco products. His work examines behavioral patterns, health consequences, and policy influences surrounding blunt smoking—a common method of cannabis use involving hollowed-out cigars. He leverages nationally representative longitudinal data, such as the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study and the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), to investigate how social, environmental, and regulatory factors shape substance use behaviors across the life course. A key theme of Dr. Fairman’s research is the intersection of cannabis and tobacco use, including the role of flavored products, initiation pathways, and associations with nicotine dependence and mental health outcomes. He also studies disparities in access to behavioral health services, including telehealth, particularly in rural and underserved communities. His research aims to inform prevention strategies, policy development, and treatment approaches. Dr. Fairman has served as Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator on federally and institutionally funded projects and regularly collaborates with multidisciplinary teams across public health, behavioral science, and health services research.

Grants & Funding

As listed on this researcher's institutional profile.

Cigar Product Features and Blunt Use Center for the Study of Tobacco (CST), UAMS Principal Investigator
Racial Differences in Nicotine Dependence Indicators Among Adolescent Electronic Cigarette Users Arkansas Center for Health Disparities (ARCHD), UAMS Principal Investigator
Facility- and State-Level Characteristics Associated with Telehealth Adoption and Service Integration in Specialty Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health Facilities in the US HRSA / Telehealth Focused Rural Health Research Center Co-Investigator