Research Summary

Dr. Karliner is Professor in Residence in the Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). She is Director of the Center for Aging in Diverse Communities (CADC), an NIA funded Resource Center on Minority Aging Research. She is also Director of the Multiethnic Health Equity Research Center (MERC) in the Division of General Internal Medicine, and a member of the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. She is both a practicing general internist and a health services researcher, with expertise in practice-based and communication research. She completed her training – including her MD degree, a residency in primary care internal medicine, a general internal medicine research fellowship and a Master’s of Advanced Studies in Clinical Research all at UCSF. Dr. Karliner’s research focus is on evaluation and implementation of interventions to enhance equity, quality care, clinical communication, and outcomes for older adult populations. She is an national and internationally recognized expert on clinical communication and quality care delivery across language barriers. As a primary care general internist and practice-based researcher, she has experience and expertise in recruitment and retention of clinical populations from a variety of backgrounds into research studies. Her studies have spanned clinical topics, including breast cancer screening and diagnosis, chronic kidney disease management, hospital discharge diagnosis, language access services evaluation, and dementia screening and diagnosis. Ultimately, the goal of her research agenda is aimed at achieving optimal health outcomes for all populations.

Research Funding

  • March 15, 2021 - February 28, 2026 - Mentoring Researchers on Clinical Communication With Diverse Aging Populations , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: K24AG067003
  • September 30, 1997 - June 30, 2023 - Center for Aging in Diverse Communities: Ending Health Inequities in Older Adults , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: P30AG015272
  • September 1, 2016 - June 30, 2020 - An Electronic Clinical Decision Support Stytem (CDSS) to Lower Blood Pressure in Persons with CKD in Primary Care: A Randomized Trial , Co-Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R18DK110959
  • October 1, 2015 - September 30, 2019 - Clinician Language Concordance and Interpreter Use: Impact of a Systems Intervention on Communication and clinical Outcomes , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute, Sponsor Award ID: AD-1409-23627
  • January 1, 2016 - December 31, 2018 - Disparities in Abnormal Mammogram Follow-up: Actionable Communication and Care Coordination Strategies , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R21CA195429
  • April 15, 2011 - March 31, 2016 - Bedside Interpreter Intervention, Hospital Outcomes of Older LEP Patients , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R01AG038684

Education

Columbia College, Columbia University, NY, BA, 1984-1988, History
University of California at San Francisco, MD, 1992-1996, Medicine
University of California at San Francisco, MCR, 2003-2005, Clinical Research

Honors & Awards

  • 1988
    Magna Cum Laude, Columbia University
  • 1988
    Phi Beta Kappa, Columbia University
  • 1988
    Boyer History of Science Prize
  • 2002-
    Recipient NIH Health Disparities Research Loan Repayment Program
  • 2003
    Best Abstract by a Junior Investigator, Bay Area Clinical Research Symposium

Selected Publications

  1. Jenny Ruiz, Rose L. Molina, Antoon Cox, Lisa C. Diamond, Leah Karliner, Raquel Lazaro Gutierrez, Shuangyu Li, Roukayya Oueslati, Carmen Pena Diaz, Barbara Schouten. Artificial intelligence and language discordant healthcare encounters: Challenges, opportunities, and recommendations. View on PubMed
  2. L. Diamond, J.A. Figueroa, J. Gonzalez, C. Perez-Cordon, L. Karliner, S. Gregorich, P. Ortega. Association of acquired or heritage language exposures with Spanish language proficiency. View on PubMed
  3. L. Diamond, A. Ponce, S. Mutha, C. Kaplan, L. Karliner. Building capacity to disseminate evidence for language access services. View on PubMed
  4. L. Karliner, W. Semere, L. Diamond, J. Toman, C. Kaplan. Physician communication experience with language diverse patients when a care partner is present. View on PubMed
  5. Garcia ME, Ochoa-Frongia L, Neuhaus J, Hong JC, Hinton L, Livaudais-Toman J, Feldman MD, Mangurian C, Appelle N, Karliner LS. Depression Treatment After a Positive Depression Screen Result. JAMA Intern Med. 2025 Feb 01; 185(2):221-229. View on PubMed
  6. Leung G, Dea D, Ho EY, Diamond L, Garcia ME, Karliner L. Partial language concordance in primary care communication: What is lost, what is gained, and how to optimize. Patient Educ Couns. 2025 Jan 26; 134:108678. View on PubMed
  7. Ortega P, Figueroa JA, Gregorich SE, Karliner L, González J, Pérez-Cordón C, Iñiguez RX, Diamond LC. An Exploratory Investigation of Heritage and Educational Language Exposures as Factors in Medical Student Spanish Language Proficiency. J Gen Intern Med. 2025 Jan 22. View on PubMed
  8. Leah Karliner, Sascha Dublin, Yates Coley, Clarissa Hsu, Tyler Barrett, Deborah Barnes. CHARACTERISTICS ASSOCIATED WITH PRIMARY CARE–BASED DEMENTIA SCREENING VISIT COMPLETION IN THE ERADAR STUDY. Innovation in Aging. 2024 Dec 31; 8(Supplement_1):346-346. View on PubMed
  9. Alma Hernández de Jesús, Sharifa Brooks-Smith-Lowe, Melissa Filippi, Julie Wood, Leah Karliner, Soo Borson, Alissa Bernstein Sideman. PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN PERSPECTIVES ON THE INVOLVEMENT OF FAMILY MEMBERS IN THE CARE OF PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA. Innovation in Aging. 2024 Dec 31; 8(Supplement_1):881-881. View on PubMed
  10. Sascha Dublin, Leah Karliner, Yates Coley, Deborah King, Clarissa Hsu, Sei Lee, Judith Walsh, Deborah Barnes. TESTING ERADAR: A NEW EHR-BASED ALGORITHM TO INCREASE DEMENTIA RECOGNITION IN HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS. Innovation in Aging. 2024 Dec 31; 8(Supplement_1):588-589. View on PubMed
  11. Charles Windon, Elena Tsoy, Jennifer Livaudais-Toman, Lucy Hanna, Constantine Gatsonis, Maria C. Carrillo, Charles Apgar, Peggye Dilworth-Anderson, Leah Karliner, Bruce E Hillner, Torsten B Neilands, Nynikka Palmer, Katherine L Possin, Anita L. Stewart, Rachel A. Whitmer, Consuelo H. Wilkins, Gil D. Rabinovici. Residential Neighborhood Disadvantage and Amyloid Positivity: Findings from IDEAS. Alzheimer's & Dementia. 2024 Dec 1; 20(Suppl 2):e091995. View on PubMed
  12. Charles Windon, Elena Tsoy, Jennifer Livaudais-Toman, Lucy Hanna, Constantine Gatsonis, Maria C. Carrillo, Charles Apgar, Peggye Dilworth-Anderson, Leah Karliner, Bruce E Hillner, Torsten B Neilands, Nynikka Palmer, Katherine L Possin, Anita L. Stewart, Rachel A. Whitmer, Consuelo H. Wilkins, Gil D. Rabinovici. Residential Neighborhood Disadvantage and Amyloid Positivity: Findings from IDEAS. Alzheimer's & Dementia. 2024 Dec 1; 20(Suppl 9):e094017. View on PubMed
  13. Garcia ME, Diamond LC, Williams M, Mutha S, Jih J, Pathak S, Karliner LS. Physicians' Perspectives on Using Direct Observation to Assess Non-English Language Proficiency for Clinical Practice: A Qualitative Study. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf. 2025 Mar; 51(3):211-215. View on PubMed
  14. Growdon ME, Jing B, Yaffe K, Karliner LS, Possin KL, Portacolone E, Boscardin WJ, Harrison KL, Steinman MA. High-risk medication use among older adults with cognitive impairment living alone in the United States. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2024 Dec; 72(12):3719-3729. View on PubMed
  15. Rambachan A, Neilands TB, Karliner L, Covinsky K, Fang M, Nguyen T. Pain management inequities by demographic and geriatric-related variables in older adult inpatients. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2024 Oct; 72(10):3000-3010. View on PubMed
  16. Growdon ME, Hunt LJ, Miller MJ, Halim M, Karliner LS, Gonzales R, Sudore RL, Steinman MA, Harrison KL. eConsultation for Deprescribing Among Older Adults: Clinician Perspectives on Implementation Barriers and Facilitators. J Gen Intern Med. 2024 Oct; 39(13):2461-2470. View on PubMed
  17. 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
  18. Heather Spencer Feigelson, Kathleen F. Mittendorf, Sonia Okuyama, Kathryn M. Porter, Joanna Bulkley, Elizabeth Shuster, Katherine P. Anderson, Marian J. Gilmore, Jamilyn M. Zepp, Tia L. Kauffman, Nangel M. Lindberg, Kristin R. Muessig, Cecelia Bellcross, Chinedu Ukaegbu, Sapna Syngal, Michael C. Leo, Benjamin S. Wilfond, Cancer Health Assessments Reaching Many Study, Jake Allen, Laura M. Amendola, Frank Angelo, Briana L. Arnold, Tiffany Bendelow, Barbara B. Biesecker, Kristina F. Booker, Kristin D. Breslin, Mikaella Caruncho, James V. Davis, Sonia Deutsch, Beth Devine, Michael O. Dorschner, Devan M. Duenas, Donna J. Eubanks, Amanda S. Freed, Katrina A.B. Goddard, Inga Gruß, Claudia Guerra, Boya Guo, Joan Holup, Jessica Ezzell Hunter, Chalinya L. Ingphakorn, Paige Jackson, Gail P. Jarvik, Charisma L. Jenkins, Galen Joseph, Leah S. Karliner, Erin Keast, Sarah Knerr, Alyssa H. Koomas, Stephanie A. Kraft, Mi H. Lee, Robin Lee, Sandra Soo-Jin Lee, Hannah S. Lewis, Elizabeth G. Liles, Frances Lynch, Carmit K. McMullen, Elizabeth Medina, Angela R. Paolucci, C. Samuel Peterson, Chelese L. Ransom, Ana Reyes, Leslie S. Riddle, Sperry Robinson, Bradley A. Rolf, Alan F. Rope, Emily Schield, Kelly J. Shipman, Brian H. Shirts, Britta N. Torgrimson-Ojerio, Meredith L. Vandermeer, Alexandra M. Varga, David L. Veenstra, Larissa Lee White, W. Chris Whitebirch. Author Details for “Implementation of a digital patient-facing cancer family history tool in medically underserved populations”. Genetics in Medicine Open. 2024 Jun 1; 101860. View on PubMed
  19. Li L, Kang J, Nguyen B, Ho M, Li AT, Shih JJ, Kotwal A, Yeh J, Karliner L, Jeung R, Smith A. "Hate has chipped away at my sense of security": A survey study of the impacts of anti-Asian hate on the health of older Asians. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2024 Jul; 72(7):2174-2183. View on PubMed
  20. Schmucker AM, Reyes-Farias D, Nicosia FM, Xu E, B Potter M, Karliner LS, Brown RT. Caring for Patients with Functional Impairment in Middle Age: Perspectives from Primary Care Providers and Geriatricians. J Gen Intern Med. 2024 Sep; 39(12):2292-2299. View on PubMed

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