Grace X. Ma, Ph.D.

Professor
Director, Center for Asian Health
1301 Cecil B. Moore Avenue
Ritter Annex, 9th floor (004-09)
Philadelphia, PA 19122

(215) 204-5108 Office
(215) 204-1854 Fax

Grace.Ma@temple.edu

Biography

Dr. Grace X. Ma is a tenured Professor in the Department of Public Health and Director of Center for Asian Health, College of Health Professions at Temple University. As a behavioral health scientist, Dr. Ma’s research focuses on community-based participatory intervention research (CBPR), early detection, patient navigation of Hepatitis B, cancers and chronic illnesses, smoking cessation, access and quality of healthcare in medically underserved, uninsured and high-risk Asian American populations. In 2000, Dr. Ma founded the Center for Asian Health, one of the first in the nation dedicated to reducing cancer and other health disparities among Asian Americans. Dr. Ma in partnership with Asian community leaders co-founded the first Asian Community Health Coalition (ACHC) in the Eastern region of the U.S., including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York City and Washington DC areas. Over the past decade, Dr. Ma has received over 50 grant awards from various sources, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to conduct research in her expertise areas. Dr. Ma’s research collaboration extends to the Southeast and Southwest regions of China. This international component of her research focuses on longitudinal studies of tobacco and cancer control in China. Dr. Ma has authored and co-authored 5 books, over 90 peer-reviewed publications and delivered over 420 professional presentations at regional, national and international conferences. The impacts of these publications and presentations are reflected in public health academic teaching and mentorship, research and practices, as well as in Asian and minority health care policies and programs in the United States.

Dr. Ma has taught graduate courses in public health, substance abuse and addiction, research methods, and behavioral health, among others. Dr. Ma has trained and mentored over 110 junior researchers. Among them, 19 post-doctoral fellows/junior faculty; 51 pre-doctoral fellows in dissertations; 23 masters fellows in theses and interns.

Dr. Ma has served on numerous scientific advisory boards in cancer, Hepatitis B, tobacco control, diabetes and other chronic disease issues. She has also served on national, state and community health advisory boards. She is an active member of numerous public health professional associations, journal editorial boards, national and statewide tobacco and cancer control plans. Dr. Ma, a nationally and internationally recognized scholar has received numerous distinguished awards from academic institutions, scientific associations, and NIH and community organizations that include 2010 Partnership Award by Nanjing Cancer Survivors Association, Nanjing, China 2009 Outstanding Scientific Publication Award by NCI-CRCHD, NIH, 2009 Outstanding Health Leadership Award from Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association and Chinese Community Center, Inc. NYC, 2008 Distinguished Asian Health Leader Award from Penn Asian Senior Services, 2006 NYC Chinese Community Cultural Center’s Asian Health Leadership Award, 2005 National Institutes of Health’s Martin Luther King Award in Reducing Health Disparities, 2004 NCI-CRCHD Community Healthcare Leadership Award, and 2001 NCI’s Atlantic Region Cancer Information Service award.

Course Involvement

Syllabi for all courses taught at Temple

Advanced Research Methods in Public Health

The Foundations of Public Health Education

Health Program Planning and Evaluation

History and Bioethics in Public Health and Medicine

Introduction to Health Professions

Doctoral Pre-Dissertation Research in Public Health

Addictions and Dependencies (Substance Abuse)

Health Promotion, Wellness, and Holistic Health

Social Change and Community Health

Publications/Presentations

Wang, X. Fang, C. Tan, Y. Liu, A. & Ma, G.X. (2010). Evidence-Based Intervention to Reduce Access Barriers to Cervical Cancer Screening among Underserved Chinese American Women. Journal of Women’s Health. 19(3):463-469.

Lee, S., Martinez, Ma, G.X., Hsu, C.E., Robinson, E.S., Bawa, J., Juon, H.S. (2010). Barriers to Health Care Access in 13 Asian American Communities. American Journal of Health Behavior.34(1):21-30.

Lee S, Ma G.X., Juon HS, Martinez G, Hsu CE, Bawa J. (2009). Assessing the Needs and Guiding the Future: Findings from focus groups of 13 Asian American communities. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health (Epub ahead of Print).

Wu, D., Ma. G.X., Zhou, K. Zhou, D, Liu, A. & Poon, A. (2009). The effect of a culturally tailored smoking cessation for Chinese American smokers. Nicotine & Tobacco. 11(12):1448-1457.

Ma, G.X., Toubbeh, J., Wang, M., Shive, S., Cooper, L. & Pham, A. (2009). Factors Associated with Cervical Cancer Screening Compliance and Noncompliance among Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Cambodian Women. Journal of National Medical Association. 101(6): 541-551

Lee, S., Juon, H.S, Martinez, G., Hsu C.E., Robinson, E.S., Bawa, J., Ma, G.X. (2009). Model Minority at Risk: Expressed Needs of Mental Health by Asian American Young Adults, Journal of Community Health. 34(2):144-52.

Ma, G.X., Poon, A. & Toubbeh, J. (2009). Diffusion of Philadelphia’s No-Smoking Policy to Chinese Businesses. American Journal of Health Studies. 23(4): 162-173.

Wang, C., Ma, G., Zhai, C., Cao, P., et al. (2009) Smoking status among urban family and the measures of smoking control. Journal of Hygiene Research. 38(1): 78-82.

Ma, G.X., Shive, E.S., Wang, M.Q., Tan, Y. (2009). Cancer Screening Behaviors and Barriers in Asian Americans. American Journal of Health Behavior.33 (6):650-660.

Ma, G.X. & Daus, G.P (2009). Health Interventions in Asian American Community in Trinh-Shevrin, C, Islam, N.S. & Rey, M.J (Eds). Asian American Communities and Health. Jossey-Bass, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Liang, W. Chen, M., Ma, G.X., Mandelblatt, J. (2008) Knowledge, Perceptions, and Communication about Colorectal Cancer Screening among Chinese American Primary Care Physicians. Clinical Medicine: Gastroenterology. 1:21-26.

Xie,Y., Ma, G. X., Lan, Y., Zhou, D., Shive, S., Luo., Zhong, F. (2008) Evaluation on effects on the interference in changing workers’ smoking related intention in workplaces in Chengdu. Modern Preventive Medicine. 35(3):517-519.

Ma, G. X., Shive, S., Toubbeh, J., Tan, Y, Zavislak, J., Wu, D. (2008). Knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of Chinese Hepatitis B screening and vaccination. American Journal of Health Behavior. 32(2):178-187.

Ma, G.X., Shive, E.S., Toubbeh, J., Tan, Y., Wang, M. (2007) Factors Associated With Mammography Compliance and Non-Compliance Among Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese And Cambodian Women. American Journal of Health Studies. 22(4):234-243.

Fang, C., Ma, G.X. Tan, Y., & Nungia, C. (2007). A multifaceted intervention to increase cervical cancer screening among underserved Korean women. Cancer, Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. 16(6): 1298-302.

Ma, G.X., Fang, C., Shive, S., Toubbeh, J.I., & Siu, P. (2007). Risk perceptions, barriers, and self-efficacy of Hepatitis B screening and vaccination among Vietnamese immigrants. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health. 9(3):213-20.

Ma, G.X., Shive. S., Fang, C., Feng, Z., Parameswaran, L., Pham, A., & Khanh, C. (2007). Knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of Hepatitis B screening and vaccination and liver cancer among Vietnamese Americans. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved. 18: 63-74.

Ma, G.X., Tan, Y., Fang, C., Toubbeh, J.T., Shive, S. (2006) Passive smoke & its effect on Asian Americans. In Jeorgensen, N. (Ed), Passive smoke and health research. Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science Publishers.

Fang, C., Ma, G.X., Miller, S., Tan, Y., Zerr, T., Su, X., & Shive S. (2006). A brief smoking cessation intervention for Chinese and Korean American smokers. Preventive Medicine. 43: 321-324.

Ma, G.X., Fang, C., Knauer, C., Tan, Y., Shive, S. (2006). Tobacco dependence, risk perceptions and self-efficacy among Korean Americans smokers. Addictive Behaviors. 31: 1776-1784.

Su, X.F., Ma, G. X., Seals, B., Tan, Y., & Hausman A. (2006). Breast cancer early detection among Chinese women in the Philadelphia area. Journal of Women’s Health. 15(5): 507-519.

Ma, G.X., Tan, Y., Toubbeh, J. I., Edwards, R.L., Shive, S. E., Siu, P. Wang, P., & Fang, C. Y. (2006) ATECAR Special Population Network: A model for reducing Asian American cancer health disparities. Cancer. 107(S8):1995-2005.

Ma, G.X., Tan, Y., Fang, C., Toubbeh, J.I., & Shive, S.E. (2005). Knowledge, attitudes and behavior regarding secondhand smoke among Asian Americans. Preventive Medicine. 41: 446-453.

Ma, G.X., Tan, Y., Su, X.F., Toubbeh, J.I., Shive, S. & Lan, Y.J. (2005). Acculturation and smoking behaviors among Asian American populations. Health Education Research. 19(6): 615-625.

Ma, G.X., Toubbeh, J.I., Su, X.F., & Edwards, R.L. (2004). ATECAR: An Asian community-based participatory research model. Health Promotion Practice. 5(4): 382-394.

Ma, G.X., Shive, S.E., Tan, Y., Feeley, R. M. (2004). The impact of acculturation on smoking in Asian American homes. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved. 15(2): 267-280.

Ma, G.X., Fang, C.Y., Tan, Y. & Feeley, R.M. (2003). Perceptions of risks of smoking among Asian Americans. Preventive Medicine, 37(4), 349-355.

Ma, G. X. & Fleisher, L. (2003). Awareness of cancer information among Asian Americans. Journal of Community Health, 28(2), 115-130.

Ma, G.X., Tan, Y., Toubbeh, J.I., Su, X.F. (2003) Difference in stages of change of smoking behaviors among current smokers of four Asian American subgroups. Addictive Behaviors, 28(8), 1431-1439.

Grants & Contracts

A Culturally Appropriate Cervical Cancer Intervention for Underserved Vietnamese Women (RO1), funded by NIH-DHHS (Principal Investigator: Grace X. Ma, PhD)

Asian Community Cancer Health Disparities Center (U54), funded by NIH-DHHS(Principal Investigator: Grace X. Ma, PhD)

ATECAR - Asian Community Cancer Network (U01), funded by NCI, NIH-DHHS (Principal Investigator: Grace X. Ma, PhD)

A Randomized Trial of HepB Screening and Vaccination in High Risk Vietnamese (RO1), funded by NIH-DHHS (Principal Investigator: Grace X. Ma, PhD)

A Physician-Based Trial to Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening in Chinese (RO1), funded by NIH-DHHS, (Co-Principal Investigator: Grace X. Ma, PhD; Principal Investigator: Wenchi Liang, PhD)

Evidence-Based Breast Cancer Intervention for Asian American Women by Susan G. Komen Foundation for the Cure Philadelphia (Principal Investigator: Grace X. Ma, PhD)

CBPR Hepatitis B Intervention For Underserved Korean Americans (R24), funded NIH-DHHS (Principal Investigator: Grace X. Ma, PhD)

Facilitating cervical cancer intervention among underserved Korean American women funded by American Cancer Society (R01) (Co-Principal Investigator: Grace X. Ma, Ph.D.) (Principal Investigator: Carolyn Fang, PhD)

A RCT to Promote Mammography Adherence Among Chinese Immigrant Women, (R01 funded by NIH-DHHS (co-Investigator: Grace X. Ma, PhD) (Principal Investigator: Judy Wang, PhD)

Research

Behavioral Health Intervention Trials

Health Disparities/Transcultural Health Care (Asian Americans and Ethnic Minority Populations)

Cancer Prevention and Intervention (Hep-B Liver, Lung, Cervical, Breast, Colon Cancers, Clinical Trials)

Tobacco Control and Lung Cancer

Chronic Disease Intervention (Diabetes and Hypertension)

Substance Abuse Prevention and Intervention

Public Health Education and Community Health

Health Promotion, Wellness, and Holistic Health

Perception, Risk and Protective Factors of Health Behaviors

Global or International Health

Translation Health Research

Clinical Interests

* Cancer screening, diagnosis, treatment and quality of care

Breast cance

Cervical cancer

Colorectal cancer

Hepatitis B related liver cancer

* Smoking Cessation

* Chronic disease prevention and intervention treatment

Diabetes

Hypertension

Osteoporosis