DF/HCC Program Affiliation

Cancer Risk and Disparities

Research Abstract

I conduct research primarily on child, adolescent, and family issues, including on family leave, children with chronic illness, adolescent sexual health, and child and adolescent obesity. Currently, I have been leading NIH-funded studies to (1) examine the impact of California’s Paid Family Leave Law on families of children with chronic illness, (2) develop and evaluate a worksite-based parenting program for parents of adolescents to learn communication skills and foster healthy sexual development and sexual risk prevention, (3) partner with school district to develop and evaluate an intervention to promote healthy eating and physical activity among 7th graders, and (4) develop a center for community partnered research to improve child health. I am head of the L.A. site of the CDC-funded “Healthy Passages,” which seeks to identify personal, family, school, and community influences on substance use, violence, injuries, physical activity, nutrition, sexual behavior, and mental/physical health by studying over 5,000 ten-year olds in three cities regularly to age 20. In addition, I have studied quality of health care, the impact of parental HIV on children, childhood immunizations, anticipatory guidance, injury prevention, and the effects of terrorist attacks on stress and coping.

Publications

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