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, 2023 - 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. 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 Nov; 190:84-89.  View on PubMed
  2. 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 Jun 08; 25(1):204.  View on PubMed
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. 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
  9. 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
  10. 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
  11. Borno HT, Zhang L, Zhang S, Kaplan C, Palmer NR, Bell A, Bakke B, Lin A, Aggarwal R, Small EJ. Mobile Clinical Trial Matching Technology in Medical Oncology Clinic: A Pilot Feasibility Study. JCO Clin Cancer Inform. 2022 05; 6:e2100182.  View on PubMed
  12. Lowenstein M, Karliner L, Livaudais-Toman J, Gregorich S, Velazquez AI, Vijayaraghavan M, Walsh JME, Kaplan CP. Barriers and Facilitators to Lung Cancer Screening: A Physician Survey. Am J Health Promot. 2022 09; 36(7):1208-1212.  View on PubMed
  13. Hala T. Borno, Sylvia Zhang, Tracy Kuo Lin, Li Zhang, Nynikka R. Palmer, Christopher Nguyen, Celia Kaplan, Charles J. Ryan. Evaluating the impact of financial toxicity among cancer clinical trial participants. International Journal of Cancer Care and Delivery. 2022 Jan 3.  View on PubMed
  14. Rosa Guerra, Celia Kaplan, Hala Borno, Edwin Alvarez, Jocelyn Chapman, Megan Swanson, Stefanie Ueda, Lee-may Chen. What do you know? The role of race/ethnicity in clinical trial knowledge among patients with a gynecologic malignancy. Gynecologic Oncology. 2022 Jan 1; 164(1):21-22.  View on PubMed
  15. Chu JN, Kaplan C, Lee JS, Livaudais-Toman J, Karliner L. Increasing Telehealth Access to Care for Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic at an Academic Medical Center: Video Visits for Elders Project (VVEP). Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf. 2022 03; 48(3):173-179.  View on PubMed
  16. Lee R, Frick M, Joseph G, Guerra C, Stewart S, Kaplan C, Dixit N, Tsoh JY, Flores S, Pasick RJ. Research to reduce inequities in cancer risk services: Insights for remote genetic counseling in a pandemic and beyond. J Genet Couns. 2021 10; 30(5):1292-1297.  View on PubMed
  17. Kaplan CP, Karliner L, Lee A, Livaudais-Toman J, Tice JA, Ozanne E. Acceptability of an mHealth breast cancer risk-reduction intervention promoting risk assessment, education, and discussion of risk in the primary care setting. Mhealth. 2021; 7:54.  View on PubMed
  18. Esserman L, Eklund M, Veer LV, Shieh Y, Tice J, Ziv E, Blanco A, Kaplan C, Hiatt R, Fiscalini AS, Yau C, Scheuner M, Naeim A, Wenger N, Lee V, Heditsian D, Brain S, Parker BA, LaCroix AZ, Madlensky L, Hogarth M, Borowsky A, Anton-Culver H, Kaster A, Olopade OI, Sheth D, Garcia A, Lancaster R, Plaza M. The WISDOM study: a new approach to screening can and should be tested. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2021 Oct; 189(3):593-598.  View on PubMed
  19. Palmer NR, Borno HT, Gregorich SE, Livaudais-Toman J, Kaplan CP. Prostate cancer patients' self-reported participation in research: an examination of racial/ethnic disparities. Cancer Causes Control. 2021 Oct; 32(10):1161-1172.  View on PubMed
  20. Kornbluth L, Kaplan CP, Diamond L, Karliner LS. Communication methods between outpatients with limited-English proficiency and ancillary staff: LASI study results. Patient Educ Couns. 2022 01; 105(1):246-249.  View on PubMed

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