Research Areas

Community-Based Research and Interventions

Cancer Screening and Chronic Health Care Interventions in Primary Care
Michael Potter, MD

Improving Quality of Life at End of Life in Underserved Populations: End-of-life Narratives
Shelley Adler, PhD

Practice-based Research
Michael Potter, MD

Role of the Physicial and Social Environment in Shaping Health Behaviors
Jennifer Rienks, PhD

Substance Use and HIV Prevention
Daniel H. Ciccarone, MD, MPH

Transitions Clinic Network: Linking High Risk Medicaid Patients from Prison to Community Primary Care
Shira Shavit, MD

Cross-Cultural Care and the Clinician-Patient Relationship

Assessing and Developing Individuals' Inter-professional Teamwork Skills
Shelley Adler, PhD

Communication and the Clinician-Patient Relationship
George Saba, PhD

Cross-Cultural Communication and Medical Decision Making at the End of Life
Quynh Bui, MD, MPH

Healthcare Needs of Patients Engaged in Non-Traditional Sexual Practices
Jessica, Waldura, MD

Patient-Centered Health Promotion
Christine Dehlendorf, MD, MAS

Patient Decision Making
George Saba, PhD

Global Public Health

International Family Planning Research
Kelsey, Holt, ScD

International HIV Epidemiology and Prevention
Norman Hearst, MD, MPH

Health Policy and Reducing Social Disparities in Health

Black Infant Health (BIH) Assessment and Evaluation
Paula Braveman, MD, MPH and Susan Egerter, PhD

Health Systems Reform
Nwando Olayiwola, MD, MPH, Tom Bodenheimer, MD, MPH, and Kevin Grumbach, MD

Impact of Structural Capacity on Health and Mental Health Outcomes for Children and the Population of Reproductive Age
Geraldine Oliva, MD, MPH and Jennifer Rienks, PhD

Maternal and Infant Health Assessment (MIHA)
Paula Braveman, MD, MPH and Kristen Marchi, MPH

Primary Care Crisis and Reform
Thomas Bodenheimer, MD, MPH

Quality Improvement in Medicaid
Diane Rittenhouse, MD, MPH

Research support for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America
Paula Braveman, MD, MPH

Social Determinants of Infant Mortality in California
Paula Braveman, MD, MPH and Susan Egerter, PhD

Use of County Level Data to Impact Local and State Health Policies
Jennifer Rienks, PhD​

Integrative and Psychosocial Medicine

Alcohol and Drug Use in the Primary Care Setting
Diana Coffa, MD

Depression, Distress, Self-Management and Glycemic Control in Diabetes
Lawrence Fisher, PhD and Danielle Hessler, PhD

Integrative Exercise for Alzheimer’s Disease, PTSD and Back Pain
Wolf Mehling, MD

Interoceptive Bodily Awareness
Wolf Mehling, MD

Mind-Body Interventions for Preventing Chronicity in Low Back Pain
Wolf Mehling, MD

Prognosis of Low Back Pain, Clinical Decision Rule
Wolf Mehling, MD

Medical Education

Evaluating Pipeline Programs for Minority and Disadvantaged Students
Kevin Grumbach, MD and Elisabeth Wilson, MD, MPH

Evaluation of PRIME-US, A Medical School Track for Students Interested in Caring for Urban Underserved Communities
Elisabeth Wilson, MD, MPH

Factors Affecting Medical Trainee Specialty Choice and Service to Underserved Populations
Diane Rittenhouse, MD, MPH

Impact of a SFGH-Based Training Track on Students Interest in Care of the Underserved and Career Choices
Margo Vener, MD, MPH and Elisabeth Wilson, MD, MPH

Providers' Perceptions of Clinical Social Determinants of Health Interventions
Laura Gottlieb, MD, MPH

Resident Education on Substance Use Disorders and Motivational Interviewing Skills
Diana Coffa, MD

Resident Wellness and Burnout Prevention
Diana Coffa, MD

Primary Care and Chronic Care Innovations

Comparing Strategies for Translating Self-Management Support into Primary Care
Danielle Hessler, PhD and Lawrence Fisher, PhD

Development of a Clinical Prediction Rule for the Development of Chronic Pain in Patients with Acute Low Back Pain
Wolf Mehling, MD

Evaluating Community-Based Interventions to Improve the Health of Women, Children and Adolescents
Jennifer Rienks, PhD

The Evidence Base for Clinical Social Determinants of Health Interventions
Laura Gottlieb, MD, MPH

Health Coaching by Medical Assistants to Improve Control for Low-Income Patients with Diabetes, Hypertension, and/or Hyperlipidemia
David Thom, MD, PhD, MPH, Thomas Bodenheimer, MD, MPH, Ellen Chen, MD, and Danielle Hessler, PhD

Health Coaching to Reduce Disparities for Low-Income Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
David Thom, MD, PhD, MPH, Danielle Hessler, PhD, and George Su, MD (Pulmonology)

Health Information Technology and Electronic Health Record Optimization
Nwando Olayiwola, MD, MPH

Improving Transition Outcomes Through Accessible Health IT and Caregiver Support
Danielle Hessler, PhD and Lawrence Fisher, PhD

Integrating Social Determinants Interventions into Health Care Settings
Laura Gottlieb, MD, MPH

National Study of Physician Organizations - Understanding Differences in Practice Performance
Diane Rittenhouse, MD, MPH

Patient-Informed Decision Making with Health Coaches: A PCORI Pilot Study
David Thom, MD, PhD, MPH, George Saba, PhD, Shelley Adler, PhD, Thomas Bodenheimer, MD, MPH, Kevin Grumbach, MD, Danielle Hessler, PhD and Lawrence Fisher, PhD

Pediatric Help Desks: How Addressing Social Determinants of Health Affects Child Health Outcomes
Laura Gottlieb, MD, MPH and Danielle Hessler, PhD

Practice Transformation
Thomas Bodenheimer, MD, MPH, and Kevin Grumbach, MD

Reducing Distress and Improving Glycemic Control in Adults with Type 1 Diabetes
Lawrence Fisher, PhD and Danielle Hessler, PhD

Tailoring Care for Younger Adults with Type 2 Diabetes
Danielle Hessler, PhD and Lawrence Fisher, PhD

Understanding Medicaid MCOs' Incentives for Investing in Clinical Social Determinants of Health Interventions
Laura Gottlieb, MD, MPH

Reproductive and Children's Health

Access to Abortion and Family Planning Services
Christine Dehlendorf, MD and Kelsey Holt, ScD

Family-Centered Well Child Care
Pooja Mittal, DO

Family Planning Disparities
Christine Dehlendorf, MD and Kelsey Holt, ScD

Female Sexual Dysfunction as a Predictor of Cardiovascular Disease
Jessica Waldura, MD

Genetic Risk Factors for Stress Urinary Incontinence in Women
David Thom, MD, PhD

Improving Detection of Female Sexual Dysfunction in Primary Care
Jessica Waldura, MD

Increasing Breastfeeding in the Community through Engagement of Promotoras
Pooja Mittal, DO

Increasing Preconception and Contraceptive Counseling in the Primary Care Setting
Pooja Mittal, DO

Patient Preferences for Contraceptive Counseling
Christine Dehlendorf, MD and Kelsey Holt, ScD

Social Influences on Contraceptive Use
Christine Dehlendorf, MD and Kelsey Holt, ScD

The Use of Community and Hospital Level Date to Improve Birth Outcomes
Jennifer Rienks, PhD