UCLA
Institute of American Cultures

Roshan Bastani

Title: Professor
Department: Public Health
Email: bastani@ucla.edu

Current Project(s):

  • Dr. Bastani is a social and health psychologist whose main research interests are in disease prevention and control among disadvantaged groups, with a focus on implementing and rigorously testing individual, community, organization and system-directed interventions to improve access and reduce disparities. She has led a large number of studies targeting low income, ethnic minority and immigrant populations, and has had continuous research funding from the National Institutes of Health since 1988. She has established strong ties with an extensive network of community organizations that serve as partners in her collaborative community research.

    Dr. Bastani’s research spans the developmental continuum and includes studies on breast, cervix, colorectal and prostate cancer screening and diagnostic follow-up; hepatitis B screening; tobacco control; melanoma prevention; obesity control; liver disease; and HPV vaccine uptake. This work includes examination of the drivers of disparities among underserved groups, implementation of pragmatic intervention trials to mitigate observed disparities and methodological studies, as well as studies to advance theory in the field.

    In addition to conducting her own research, Dr. Bastani devotes considerable effort to mentoring junior investigators, particularly minority individuals and those interested in research among underserved populations. For over 15 years, she led a National Cancer Institute post-doctoral career development program with a heavy focus on transdisciplinary cancer control training and disparities research.

Available Publications/Books:

  • Bastani R, Glenn BA, Tsui J, Chang LC, Marchand EJ, Taylor VM, Singhal R (2011). Understanding suboptimal human papillomavirus vaccine uptake among ethnic minority girls. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, 20(7):1463-1472. PMCID: PMC3132826
  • Bastani R, Glenn BA, Maxwell AE, Ganz PA, Mojica CM, Alber S, Chang LC (2015). Randomized trial to increase colorectal cancer screening in an ethnically diverse sample of first-degree relatives. Cancer, 121(17):2951-2959. PMCID: PMC4545725
  • Bastani R, Glenn BA, Maxwell AE, Jo AM, Herrmann AK, Crespi CM, Wong WK, Chang LC, Stewart SL, Nguyen TT, Chen MS, Taylor VM (2015). Cluster-randomized trial to increase hepatitis B testing among Koreans in Los Angeles. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, 24(9):1341-1349. PMCID: PMC4560609

Tagged: Public Health