Galen Joseph, PhD

Professor

Dr. Galen Joseph, Ph.D. is a Professor of Anthropology in the Department of Anthropology, History and Social Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. She is also a member of the Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and Affiliate Faculty with the Center for Vulnerable Populations at San Francisco General Hospital. Her research, at the intersection of medical anthropology and public health, investigates the socio-cultural and institutional dimensions of inequities in cancer care by using mixed methods and community based participatory research. Key areas of interest include: health disparities, genomic medicine, translational medicine, clinical trials recruitment, clinical trials education, health communication and health literacy, cancer, migration, globalization, and identity.

Dr. Joseph is a founding member of the International Network for the Comparative understanding of BRCA breast cancer gene research and medical practices, an interdisciplinary working group which aims to understand the development of research and medical practices related to the BRCA genes in multiple national contexts. Along with other members of the group, Dr. Joseph edited the recently published a volume of essays "Breast Cancer Gene Research and Medical Practices: Transnational perspectives in the time of BRCA" (Routledge 2014). Prior to her work at UCSF, she received her PhD in Cultural Anthropology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and completed a post-doctoral fellowship in Migration, Globalization and Citizenship at Yale University’s Center for International & Area Studies.
Education
PhD, 06/1999 - Cultural Anthropology, University of California
BA, 05/1988 - Anthropology, Wesleyan University
Websites
Publications

  1. Kraft SA, Porter KM, Duenas DM, Guerra C, Joseph G, Lee SS, Shipman KJ, Allen J, Eubanks D, Kauffman TL, Lindberg NM, Anderson K, Zepp JM, Gilmore MJ, Mittendorf KF, Shuster E, Muessig KR, Arnold B, Goddard KAB, Wilfond BS. Participant Reactions to a Literacy-Focused, Web-Based Informed Consent Approach for a Genomic Implementation Study. 2020. PMID: 32981477


  2. Katrina A.B. Goddard, Frank A.N. Angelo, Sara L. Ackerman, Jonathan S. Berg, Barbara B. Biesecker, Maria I. Danila, Kelly M. East, Lucia A. Hindorff, Carol R. Horowitz, Jessica Ezzell Hunter, Galen Joseph, Sara J. Knight, Amy McGuire, Kristin R. Muessig, Jeffrey Ou, Simon Outram, Elizabeth J. Rahn, Michelle A. Ramos, Christine Rini, Jill O. Robinson, Hadley Stevens Smith, Margaret Waltz, Sandra Soo-Jin Lee. Lessons Learned about Harmonizing Survey Measures for the CSER Consortium. 2020. PMID:


  3. Van Blarigan EL, Chan H, Van Loon K, Kenfield SA, Chan JM, Mitchell E, Zhang L, Paciorek A, Joseph G, Laffan A, Atreya CE, Fukuoka Y, Miaskowski C, Meyerhardt JA, Venook AP. Self-monitoring and reminder text messages to increase physical activity in colorectal cancer survivors (Smart Pace): a pilot randomized controlled trial. 2019. PMID: 30866859


  4. Nickell A, Stewart SL, Burke NJ, Guerra C, Cohen E, Lawlor C, Colen S, Cheng J, Joseph G. Engaging limited English proficient and ethnically diverse low-income women in health research: A randomized trial of a patient navigator intervention. 2019. PMID: 30772115


  6. Lara-Otero K, Weil J, Guerra C, Cheng JKY, Youngblom J, Joseph G. Genetic Counselor and Healthcare Interpreter Perspectives on the Role of Interpreters in Cancer Genetic Counseling. 2018. PMID: 30230379


  7. Amendola LM, Berg JS, Horowitz CR, Angelo F, Bensen JT, Biesecker BB, Biesecker LG, Cooper GM, East K, Filipski K, Fullerton SM, Gelb BD, Goddard KAB, Hailu B, Hart R, Hassmiller-Lich K, Joseph G, Kenny EE, Koenig BA, Knight S, Kwok PY, Lewis KL, McGuire AL, Norton ME, Ou J, Parsons DW, Powell BC, Risch N, Robinson M, Rini C, Scollon S, Slavotinek AM, Veenstra DL, Wasserstein MP, Wilfond BS, Hindorff LA, Plon SE, Jarvik GP. The Clinical Sequencing Evidence-Generating Research Consortium: Integrating Genomic Sequencing in Diverse and Medically Underserved Populations. 2018. PMID: 30193136


  8. Atreya CE, Kubo A, Borno HT, Rosenthal B, Campanella M, Rettger JP, Joseph G, Allen IE, Venook AP, Altschuler A, Dhruva A. Being Present: A single-arm feasibility study of audio-based mindfulness meditation for colorectal cancer patients and caregivers. 2018. PMID: 30036361


  9. Hilary Chan, Katherine Van Loon, Stacey A. Kenfield, June M. Chan, Emily Mitchell, Li Zhang, Alan T Paciorek, Galen Joseph, Angela Laffan, Yoshimi Fukuoka, Christine Miaskowski, Jeffrey A. Meyerhardt, Alan P. Venook, Erin Van Blarigan. Effect of physical activity trackers and daily text messages on quality-of-life in colorectal survivors (Smart Pace): A pilot randomized controlled trial. 2018. PMID:


  10. Hilary Chan, Katherine Van Loon, Stacey A. Kenfield, June M. Chan, Emily Mitchell, Li Zhang, Alan Paciorek, Galen Joseph, Angela Laffan, Yoshimi Fukuoka, Christine Miaskowski, Jeffrey A. Meyerhardt, Alan P. Venook, Erin Van Blarigan. Effect of physical activity trackers and daily text messages on quality-of-life in colorectal survivors (Smart Pace): A pilot randomized controlled trial. 2018. PMID:


  11. Erin Van Blarigan, Katherine Van Loon, Stacey A. Kenfield, June M. Chan, Emily Mitchell, Hilary Chan, Li Zhang, Alan Paciorek, Galen Joseph, Angela Laffan, Yoshimi Fukuoka, Christine Miaskowski, Jeffrey A. Meyerhardt, Alan P. Venook. Self-monitoring and reminder text messages to increase physical activity after colorectal cancer (CRC): A pilot randomized controlled trial. 2018. PMID:


  12. Cheng JKY, Guerra C, Pasick RJ, Schillinger D, Luce J, Joseph G. Cancer genetic counseling communication with low-income Chinese immigrants. Volume 9 of Issue 3. 2017. PMID: 29197036


  13. Joseph G, Pasick RJ, Schillinger D, Luce J, Guerra C, Cheng JKY. Erratum to: Information Mismatch: Cancer Risk Counseling with Diverse Underserved Patients. Volume 26 of Issue 5. 2017. PMID: 28432537


  14. Kamara D, Weil J, Youngblom J, Guerra C, Joseph G. Cancer Counseling of Low-Income Limited English Proficient Latina Women Using Medical Interpreters: Implications for Shared Decision-Making. Volume 27 of Issue 1. 2017. PMID: 28791541


  15. Joseph G, Pasick RJ, Schillinger D, Luce J, Guerra C, Cheng JKY. Information Mismatch: Cancer Risk Counseling with Diverse Underserved Patients. Volume 26 of Issue 5. 2017. PMID: 28289853


  16. G Joseph, RJ Pasick, D Schillinger, J Luce, JKY Cheng, C Guerra. Effective Cancer Risk Communication to Prevent Disparities in the Era of Precision Medicine. 2017. PMID:


  17. Berg JS, Agrawal PB, Bailey DB, Beggs AH, Brenner SE, Brower AM, Cakici JA, Ceyhan-Birsoy O, Chan K, Chen F, Currier RJ, Dukhovny D, Green RC, Harris-Wai J, Holm IA, Iglesias B, Joseph G, Kingsmore SF, Koenig BA, Kwok PY, Lantos J, Leeder SJ, Lewis MA, McGuire AL, Milko LV, Mooney SD, Parad RB, Pereira S, Petrikin J, Powell BC, Powell CM, Puck JM, Rehm HL, Risch N, Roche M, Shieh JT, Veeraraghavan N, Watson MS, Willig L, Yu TW, Urv T, Wise AL. Newborn Sequencing in Genomic Medicine and Public Health. Volume 139 of Issue 2. 2017. PMID: 28096516


  18. Burke NJ, Napoles TM, Banks PJ, Orenstein FS, Luce JA, Joseph G. Survivorship Care Plan Information Needs: Perspectives of Safety-Net Breast Cancer Patients. Volume 11 of Issue 12. 2016. PMID: 27992491


  19. Stewart SL, Kaplan CP, Lee R, Joseph G, Karliner L, Livaudais-Toman J, Pasick RJ. Validation of an Efficient Screening Tool to Identify Low-Income Women at High Risk for Hereditary Breast Cancer. Volume 19 of Issue 6. 2016. PMID: 27788513


  20. Pasick RJ, Joseph G, Stewart S, Kaplan C, Lee R, Luce J, Davis S, Marquez T, Nguyen T, Guerra C. Effective Referral of Low-Income Women at Risk for Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer to Genetic Counseling: A Randomized Delayed Intervention Control Trial. Volume 106 of Issue 10. 2016. PMID: 27552275


  21. Joseph G, Chen F, Harris-Wai J, Puck JM, Young C, Koenig BA. Parental Views on Expanded Newborn Screening Using Whole-Genome Sequencing. Volume 137 Suppl 1. 2016. PMID: 26729702


  22. Nickell A, Burke NJ, Cohen E, Caprio M, Joseph G. Educating low-SES and LEP survivors about breast cancer research: pilot test of the Health Research Engagement Intervention. Volume 29 of Issue 4. 2014. PMID: 24744119


  24. Sahra Gibbon, Galen Joseph, Jessica Mozersky, Andrea zur Nieden, Sonja Palfner, Editors. Breast Cancer Gene Research and Medical Practices: Transnational Perspectives in the Time of BRCA 2014. PMID:


  26. Hitch K, Joseph G, Guiltinan J, Kianmahd J, Youngblom J, Blanco A. Lynch syndrome patients' views of and preferences for return of results following whole exome sequencing. Volume 23 of Issue 4. 2014. PMID: 24449059


  27. Joseph G, Nguyen K, Nguyen T, Stewart S, Davis S, Kevany S, Marquez T, Pasick R. Efficient identification of low-income Asian American women at high risk for hepatitis B. Volume 24 of Issue 4. 2013. PMID: 24185165


  28. Beattie MS, Copeland K, Fehniger J, Cheung E, Joseph G, Lee R, Luce J. Genetic counseling, cancer screening, breast cancer characteristics, and general health among a diverse population of BRCA genetic testers. Volume 24 of Issue 3. 2013. PMID: 23974388


  29. Beattie MS, Kopeland C, Fehniger J, Joseph G, Cheung E, Lee R, Luce J. .. Journal of Healthcare for the Poor and Underserved
    August 2013     2013. PMID:


  30. Fehniger J, Lin F, Beattie MS, Joseph G, Kaplan C. Family communication of BRCA1/2 results and family uptake of BRCA1/2 testing in a diverse population of BRCA1/2 carriers. Volume 22 of Issue 5. 2013. PMID: 23666114


  31. Joseph G, Dohan D. Recruitment practices and the politics of inclusion in cancer clinical trials. Volume 26 of Issue 3. 2012. PMID: 23259347


  32. Joseph G, Kaplan C, Luce J, Lee R, Stewart S, Guerra C, Pasick R. Public Health Genomics 2012. PMID:


  34. Sahra Gibbon, Galen Joseph, Ute Kalender, Eirini Kampriani, Jessica Mozersky, Andrea zur Nieden, Sonja Palfner. Special section: Perspectives on globalising genomics: The case of ‘BRCA’ breast cancer research and medical practice. 2010. PMID:


  35. Joseph G, Beattie MS, Lee R, Braithwaite D, Wilcox C, Metrikin M, Lamvik K, Luce J. Pre-counseling education for low literacy women at risk of Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer (HBOC): patient experiences using the Cancer Risk Education Intervention Tool (CREdIT). Volume 19 of Issue 5. 2010. PMID: 20490636


  36. Gibbon S, Joseph G, Kalender U, Kampriani E, Mozersky J, Nieden AZ and Palfner S.. BioSocieties 2010. PMID:


  37. Mozersky J and Joseph G. BioSocieties 2010. PMID:


  38. Washington PK, Burke NJ, Joseph G, Guerra C, Pasick RJ. Adult daughters' influence on mothers' health-related decision making: an expansion of the subjective norms construct. Volume 36 of Issue 5 Suppl. 2009. PMID: 19805795


  39. Rena J. Pasick, Nancy J. Burke, Galen Joseph. Behavioral Theory and Culture Special Issue: Authors’ Response to Commentaries. 2009. PMID:


  40. Pasick RJ, Burke NJ, Barker JC, Joseph G, Bird JA, Otero-Sabogal R, Tuason N, Stewart SL, Rakowski W, Clark MA, Washington PK, Guerra C. Behavioral theory in a diverse society: like a compass on Mars. Volume 36 of Issue 5 Suppl. 2009. PMID: 19805789


  41. Pasick RJ, Barker JC, Otero-Sabogal R, Burke NJ, Joseph G, Guerra C. Intention, subjective norms, and cancer screening in the context of relational culture. Volume 36 of Issue 5 Suppl. 2009. PMID: 19805793


  42. Joseph G, Burke NJ, Tuason N, Barker JC, Pasick RJ. Perceived susceptibility to illness and perceived benefits of preventive care: an exploration of behavioral theory constructs in a transcultural context. Volume 36 of Issue 5 Suppl. 2009. PMID: 19805792


  43. Burke NJ, Joseph G, Pasick RJ, Barker JC. Theorizing social context: rethinking behavioral theory. Volume 36 of Issue 5 Suppl. 2009. PMID: 19805791


  46. Joseph G, Kaplan CP, Pasick RJ. Recruiting low-income healthy women to research: an exploratory study. Volume 12 of Issue 5. 2007. PMID: 17978946