Research Summary

I have over 25 years of research experience conducting studies in health disparities among underserved US minority populations, with a particular emphasis on Latino health. Born and initially educated in Argentina, I obtained advanced degrees in the US in public health. I am currently a professor in the Department of Medicine at UCSF, Director of the Medical Effectiveness Research Center, and a co-director of the Investigator Core of the Center for Aging in Diverse Communities.

From the beginning of my research career, I have focused my efforts on examining health disparities across the cancer-care continuum. I have examined cancer prevention among adolescents; conducted studies in cervical, breast and colorectal cancer screening and follow-up of abnormalities; studied treatment decision making after cancer diagnosis among Latina women; and looked at recruitment barriers, facilitators, and strategies for improving minority participation in cancer-related research.

My research has included epidemiological studies and assessing barriers to and facilitators of health behaviors, as well as the development, implementation, and evaluation of health interventions to improve health outcomes. Participants in my studies have different language preferences and are of diverse ethnic backgrounds, age groups, levels of education, occupations, and socioeconomic and health statuses. I have used a variety of venues and methods for recruiting minorities and people of lower socioeconomic status, including clinic panels, population registries, random-digit dialing, and direct contact.

I have a long history of utilizing qualitative and quantitative research methods with health care organization representatives, health providers and patients. My research has been funded by federal and state agencies and private foundations, and my publications represent diverse areas of research.

Research Funding

  • September 30, 1997 - June 30, 2028 - Center for Aging in Diverse Communities: Ending Health Inequities in Older Adults , Co-Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: P30AG015272
  • April 12, 2016 - March 31, 2021 - Comparison of 3 Modes of Genetic Counseling in High-Risk Public Hospital Patients , Co-Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R01CA197784
  • September 20, 2002 - August 31, 2014 - Tobacco Control Research and Training in South America , Co-Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R01DA024877
  • September 27, 2006 - August 31, 2010 - CIS-Initiated Calls: Can We Enhance Information Services for Latino Patients? , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R21CA126390
  • July 1, 1996 - June 30, 2002 - HEALTH BEHAVIORS AMONG LATINO YOUTH--LONGITUDINAL STUDY , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R29CA073641

Education

University of Buenos Aires-Argentina, B.A., 1979, Sociology
University of California, Los Angeles, M.P.H., 1982, Public Health
University of California, Los Angeles, M.A., 1983, Latin Am. Studies
University of California, Los Angeles, Dr.P.H., 1990, Public Health

Selected Publications

  1. Jih J, Quema La Chica P, Antonio L, Villero O, Roque M, Domingo J, Landicho J, Napoles A, Kaplan CP, Nguyen TT. . Understanding dietary behaviors of older Filipino adults with cardiovascular disease: A mixed methods pilot study using Photovoice. In press. View on PubMed
  2. Fiscalini A, Blum K, Fergus K, Hiatt RA, Naeim A, Kaster A, Scheuner MT, van 't Veer LJ, LaCroix AZ, Borowsky AD, Olopade OI, Park HL, Esserman J, Lancaster R, Heditsian D, Brain S, Lee V, Goodman DL, Ross KS, Wenger N, Parker BA, Madlensky L, Tice JA, Shieh Y, Ziv E, Arasu VA, Anton-Culver H, Kaplan CP, Rhoads KF, Badal K, Hogarth M, Petruse A, Soto IA, Leggat-Barr K, Goodman S, Atamer J, Ryu R, Adduci K, Matthews JB, Eklund M, Athena/WISDOM Network Collaborators and Advocate Partners, Sabacan LP, Esserman L. WISDOM randomized trial comparing risk-based versus annual breast cancer screening: study cohort characteristics and design. NPJ Breast Cancer. 2026 May 24. View on PubMed
  3. Esserman LJ, Fiscalini AS, Naeim A, Van't Veer LJ, Kaster A, Scheuner MT, LaCroix AZ, Borowsky AD, Anton-Culver H, Olopade OI, Esserman J, Lancaster R, Madlensky L, Blanco AM, Ross KS, Goodman DL, Tong BS, Hogarth M, Heditsian D, Brain S, Lee V, Blum K, Kim MO, Sabacan LP, Fergus KB, Yau C, Park HL, Parker BA, Kaplan C, Rhoads KF, Eder S, Adduci K, Matthews JB, Wenger NS, Shieh Y, Hiatt RA, Ziv E, Tice JA, Eklund M. Risk-Based vs Annual Breast Cancer Screening: The WISDOM Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2026 03 03; 335(9):763-774. View on PubMed
  4. Nicosia FM, Good MK, Arreguin BDC, Perez-Aguilar G, Chesney MA, Kaplan CP, Huang AJ. Learning Yoga Through Interactive Online Classes: Perspectives From Midlife and Older Women Enrolled in the LILA Trial for Urinary Incontinence. Glob Adv Integr Med Health. 2026 Jan-Dec; 15:27536130261425954. View on PubMed
  5. Leggat-Barr K, Lewis T, Tice JA, Tsopurashvili E, Sayaman R, Warner P, Malvin K, Sabacan L, Perry-Solomon A, Theiner S, Acerbi I, Griffin A, McGuire J, Lee V, Borowsky AD, Wisdom Study and Athena Breast Health Network Investigators and Advocate Partners, Eklund M, Kaplan C, Hiatt RA, Fiscalini AS, Kerlikowske K, Shieh Y, Esserman L, Van't Veer L. Breast cancer risk level and prediction of tumor aggressiveness in the Athena Breast Health Network. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2026 Jan 28; 215(3):65. View on PubMed
  6. Fiscalini A, Blum K, Fergus K, Hiatt RA, Naeim A, Kaster A, Scheuner MT, van 't Veer LJ, LaCroix AZ, Borowsky AD, Olopade OI, Park HL, Esserman J, Lancaster R, Heditsian D, Brain S, Lee V, Goodman DL, Ross KS, Wenger N, Parker BA, Madlensky L, Tice JA, Shieh Y, Ziv E, Arasu VA, Anton-Culver H, Kaplan CP, Rhoads KF, Badal K, Hogarth M, Petruse A, Soto IA, Leggat-Barr K, Goodman S, Atamer J, Ryu R, Adduci K, Matthews JB, Eklund M, Athena/WISDOM Network Collaborators and Advocate Partners, Sabacan LP, Esserman L. WISDOM Randomized Trial Comparing Risk-Based Versus Annual Breast Cancer Screening: Study Cohort Characteristics and Design. Res Sq. 2025 Dec 15. View on PubMed
  7. Murphy KA, Livaudais-Toman J, Kaplan CP, Kerlikowske K, Burke NJ, Karliner LS. Assessing Preparedness of Primary Care Physicians to Discuss the Breast Biopsy Process and Results after Abnormal Mammograms: A Cross-Sectional Survey. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2026 Jan; 35(2):144-151. View on PubMed
  8. Gould MK, Creekmur B, Qi L, de Bie E, Aberle DR, Dyer DS, Golden S, Kaplan CP, Mularski RA, Steiner JS, Steltz JP, Vachani A, Wiener RS, Kelly K, Smith-Bindman R, Miglioretti DL. Less Versus More Intensive Surveillance of Pulmonary Nodules Detected Incidentally or by Screening: A Survey of Radiologist Beliefs About Guidelines Implemented in the Watch the Spot Trial. J Am Coll Radiol. 2025 12; 22(12):1589-1597. View on PubMed
  9. L. Diamond, A. Ponce, S. Mutha, C. Kaplan, L. Karliner. Building capacity to disseminate evidence for language access services. Patient Education and Counseling. 2025 Aug 1; 137:109032. View on PubMed
  10. L. Karliner, W. Semere, L. Diamond, J. Toman, C. Kaplan. Physician communication experience with language diverse patients when a care partner is present. Patient Education and Counseling. 2025 Aug 1; 137:108889. View on PubMed
  11. Guerra RA, Kaplan C, Borno H, Boscardin J, Alvarez EA, Lazar A, Chapman J, Swanson M, Ueda S, Chen LM. The role of race/ethnicity and age in clinical trial knowledge among patients with gynecologic malignancy. Gynecol Oncol. 2024 11; 190:84-89. View on PubMed
  12. Livaudais-Toman J, Kaplan CP, Karliner LS. Who do patients depend on as they age and for what medical needs? An exploratory study of Chinese and Latino primary care patients. BMC Prim Care. 2024 06 08; 25(1):204. View on PubMed
  13. Semere W, Karter AJ, Lyles CR, Reed ME, Karliner L, Kaplan C, Liu JY, Livaudais-Toman J, Schillinger D. Care Partner Engagement in Secure Messaging Between Patients With Diabetes and Their Clinicians: Cohort Study. JMIR Diabetes. 2024 Feb 09; 9:e49491. View on PubMed
  14. Karliner LS, Gregorich SE, Mutha S, Kaplan C, Livaudais-Toman J, Pathak S, Garcia ME, Diamond L. Language Access Systems Improvement initiative: impact on professional interpreter utilisation, a natural experiment. BMJ Open. 2024 01 04; 14(1):e073486. View on PubMed
  15. Holt HK, Flores R, James JE, Waters C, Kaplan CP, Peterson CE, Sawaya GF. A qualitative study of primary care clinician's approach to ending cervical cancer screening in older women in the United States. Prev Med Rep. 2023 Dec; 36:102500. View on PubMed
  16. Walsh JME, Karliner L, Smith A, Leykin Y, Gregorich SE, Livaudais-Toman J, Velazquez AI, Lowenstein M, Kaplan CP. LungCARE: Encouraging Shared Decision-Making in Lung Cancer Screening-a Randomized Trial. J Gen Intern Med. 2023 11; 38(14):3115-3122. View on PubMed
  17. Gould MK, Creekmur B, Qi L, Golden SE, Kaplan CP, Walter E, Mularski RA, Vaszar LT, Fennig K, Steiner J, de Bie E, Musigdilok VV, Altman DA, Dyer DS, Kelly K, Miglioretti DL, Wiener RS, Slatore CG, Smith-Bindman R. Emotional Distress, Anxiety, and General Health Status in Patients With Newly Identified Small Pulmonary Nodules: Results From the Watch the Spot Trial. Chest. 2023 12; 164(6):1560-1571. View on PubMed
  18. Flynn SJ, Livaudais-Toman J, Kaplan CP, Kerlikowske K, Burke NJ, Pathak S, Karliner LS. Primary Care Physicians' Perceived Barriers to Follow-Up of Abnormal Mammogram Results: Opportunities for Systems-Level Interventions. J Gen Intern Med. 2023 05; 38(7):1786-1788. View on PubMed
  19. Tosteson ANA, Schifferdecker KE, Smith RE, Wernli KJ, Zhao W, Kaplan CP, Buist DSM, Henderson LM, Sprague BL, Onega T, Budesky J, Jackson-Nefertiti G, Johnson D, Miglioretti DL, Kerlikowske K. Women's Breast Cancer Screening Confidence by Screening Modality and Breast Density: A Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium Survey Study. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2022 11; 31(11):1547-1556. View on PubMed
  20. Wernli KJ, Smith RE, Henderson LM, Zhao W, Durham DD, Schifferdecker K, Kaplan C, Buist DSM, Kerlikowske K, Miglioretti DL, Onega T, Alsheik NH, Sprague BL, Jackson-Nefertiti G, Budesky J, Johnson D, Tosteson ANA. Decision quality and regret with treatment decisions in women with breast cancer: Pre-operative breast MRI and breast density. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2022 Aug; 194(3):607-616. View on PubMed

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