Research Summary

Dr. Yao is an associate professor in the Institute for Health and Aging at the University of California, San Francisco. Her research focuses on the economic impact of cannabis use and tobacco product use including cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and secondhand smoke exposure. Dr. Yao has a broad background in public health, with specific training and expertise in health economics research and secondary data analysis on economic aspects of tobacco and cannabis use. Her research has also been addressing health disparity by focusing on vulnerable populations including adolescents, racial/ethnic minorities, people living in rural areas, people in low socioeconomic status, and pregnant women. In addition, Dr. Yao has extensive experience developing econometric models using both longitudinal and cross-sectional data.

Research Funding

  • July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025 - Cannabis vaping and the risk of respiratory symptoms for U.S. youth and young adults , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: UCSF Resource Allocation Program, Sponsor Award ID:
  • September 2, 2019 - August 31, 2024 - The impact of price on the demand for marijuana and cigarettes , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: California Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program, Sponsor Award ID: T30IR0897
  • September 1, 2018 - August 31, 2024 - Integrated Health, Behavioral and Economic Research on Current and Emerging Tobacco Products , Co-Investigator on Project 5 . Sponsor: U.S. Food and Drug Administration/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NIH, Sponsor Award ID: U54HL147127
  • July 1, 2018 - June 30, 2023 - Economic impact of Proposition 56 on Low-Income Californians , Co-Investigator . Sponsor: California Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program, Sponsor Award ID: 579770
  • August 1, 2017 - July 31, 2020 - The Economic Impact of the California Tobacco 21 Law , Co-Investigator . Sponsor: California Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program, Sponsor Award ID: 26IR-0007
  • August 1, 2017 - July 31, 2019 - The impact of price on the demand for electronic cigarettes , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: California Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program, Sponsor Award ID: 26IR-0008
  • January 1, 2017 - December 31, 2017 - Own-price and cross-price elasticity of demand for tobacco products in the U.S. , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: UCSF Resource Allocation Program, Sponsor Award ID:

Education

  • Sichuan University, China, B.A., 06/2003, Public Health
  • Sichuan University, China, Ph.D., 06/2009, Health Economics
  • University of California, San Francisco, Postdoctoral Fellow, 01/2014, Economics of Smoking

Honors & Awards

  • 2010
    National Cancer Institute Postdoctoral Fellowship, UCSF Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education
  • 2012
    Dorothy Rice Postdoctoral Fellowship, UCSF Institute For Health & Aging
  • 2013
    Cornelius Hopper Diversity Award Supplement, Tobacco-related Disease Research Program (TRDRP)
  • 2019
    Nominated for John Ziegler Mentor Award, UCSF Master of Science in Global Health Program
  • 2020
    Nominated for John Ziegler Mentor Award, UCSF Master of Science in Global Health Program

Selected Publications

  1. Gu D, Sung HY, Calfee CS, Wang Y, Yao T, Max W. Smoking-Attributable Health Care Expenditures for US Adults With Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease. JAMA Netw Open. 2024 05 01; 7(5):e2413869.  View on PubMed
  2. Yao T, Lea Watkins S, Sung HY, Wang Y, Gu D, Chen Lyu J, Lightwood J, Max W. Association between tobacco product use and respiratory health and asthma-related interference with activities among U.S. Adolescents. Prev Med Rep. 2024 May; 41:102712.  View on PubMed
  3. Wang Y, Sung HY, Lea Watkins S, Lightwood J, Yao T, Max W. The association of current exclusive e-cigarette use and dual use of e-cigarettes and cigarettes with psychological distress among U.S. adults. Prev Med Rep. 2023 Dec; 36:102425.  View on PubMed
  4. Lyu JC, Sung HY, Yao T, Jiang N, Quah ACK, Meng G, Jiang Y, Fong GT, Max W. Cigarette Gifting Among Nonsmokers in China: Findings From the International Tobacco Control China Survey. Nicotine Tob Res. 2023 04 06; 25(5):928-936.  View on PubMed
  5. Hao P, Xu SS, Sung H, Yao T, Jiang Y, Quah ACK, Fong GT. Local Brand Smoking Among Adult Smokers: Findings from the Wave 5 International Tobacco Control China Survey - China, 2015. China CDC Wkly. 2022 May 27; 4(21):452-459.  View on PubMed
  6. Wang Y, Sung HY, Lightwood J, Yao T, Max WB. Healthcare utilisation and expenditures attributable to current e-cigarette use among US adults. Tob Control. 2023 11; 32(6):723-728.  View on PubMed
  7. Lyu JC, Sung HY, Yao T, Quah ACK, Jiang Y, Fong GT, Max W. Receiving and giving electronic cigarettes as gifts in China: Findings from International Tobacco Control China Survey. Prev Med Rep. 2022 Jun; 27:101763.  View on PubMed
  8. Gu D, Max WB, Yao T, Wang Y, Keeler C, Sung HY. Association between e-cigarette use and food insecurity among low-income adults. Tob Control. 2023 08; 32(e2):e212-e219.  View on PubMed
  9. Fang J, Ren J, Ren L, Max W, Yao T, Zhao F. Electronic cigarette knowledge, attitudes and use among students at a university in Hangzhou, China. Tob Induc Dis. 2022; 20:09.  View on PubMed
  10. Wang N, Yao T, Sung HY, Max W. The Association of Cannabis Use and Cigarette Smoking with Psychological Distress Among Adults in California. Subst Use Misuse. 2022; 57(2):193-201.  View on PubMed
  11. Keeler C, Wang Y, Max W, Yao T, Gu D, Sung HY. The Association of California's Proposition 56 Tobacco Tax Increase With Smoking Behavior Across Racial and Ethnic Groups and by Income. Nicotine Tob Res. 2021 11 05; 23(12):2091-2101.  View on PubMed
  12. Wang Y, Max W, Yao T, Keeler C, Sung HY. Differential price-responsiveness of smoking behaviors among non-Hispanic African Americans and non-Hispanic whites in the United States. Addiction. 2021 10; 116(10):2859-2869.  View on PubMed
  13. Huang S, Wei H, Yao T, Mao Z, Sun Q, Yang L. The impact of smoking on annual healthcare cost: an econometric model analysis in China, 2015. BMC Health Serv Res. 2021 Feb 28; 21(1):187.  View on PubMed
  14. Wang Y, Watkins SL, Sung HY, Yao T, Lightwood J, Max W. Health Care Utilization of Menthol and Non-menthol Cigarette Smokers. Nicotine Tob Res. 2021 01 07; 23(1):195-202.  View on PubMed
  15. Cui Z, Huang H, Zhang T, Yu Z, Zhang H, Yao T, Song D, Chen Y, Peixoto E, Wang C, Wang X, Yang J, Liu Y, Li C, Ma J. Low awareness of and willingness to use PrEP in the Chinese YMSM: An alert in YMSM HIV prevention. HIV Med. 2021 03; 22(3):185-193.  View on PubMed
  16. Yao T, Sung HY, Huang J, Chu L, St Helen G, Max W. The impact of e-cigarette and cigarette prices on e-cigarette and cigarette sales in California. Prev Med Rep. 2020 Dec; 20:101244.  View on PubMed
  17. Wei H, Zhong Z, Yang L, Yao T, Huang S, Mao Z. Impact of smoking on the income level of Chinese urban residents: a two-wave follow-up of the China Family Panel Study. BMJ Open. 2020 08 23; 10(8):e036939.  View on PubMed
  18. Zhong Z, Wei H, Yang L, Yao T, Mao Z, Sun Q. Catastrophic health expenditure: A comparative analysis of smoking and non-smoking households in China. PLoS One. 2020; 15(5):e0233749.  View on PubMed
  19. Keeler C, Max W, Yerger VB, Yao T, Wang Y, Ong MK, Sung HY. Effects of Cigarette Prices on Intention to Quit, Quit Attempts, and Successful Cessation Among African American Smokers. Nicotine Tob Res. 2020 04 17; 22(4):522-531.  View on PubMed
  20. Keeler C, Max W, Yao T, Wang Y, Zhang X, Sung HY. Smoking Behavior in Low- and High-Income Adults Immediately Following California Proposition 56 Tobacco Tax Increase. Am J Public Health. 2020 06; 110(6):868-870.  View on PubMed

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