Kelly Knight, PhD

Associate Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences Associate Director

Research Interests: The social construction and experience of addiction; Co-morbidity (HIV, substance abuse, mental illness), homelessness, and US urban health; Chronic non-cancer pain, clinical uncertainty, and scientific evidence; Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bi-polar disorder, and the US welfare state; Gender, reproduction, motherhood and citizenship.
Education
2017 - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Champion Training, University of California
PhD, 2010 - Graduate Division (Medical Anthropology), University of California, San Francisco
EdM, 1993 - Human Development and Psychology, Harvard University
BA, 1991 - Philosophy, Psychology, Theology, Georgetown University
Honors and Awards
  • Bridges Curriculum Teaching Award: Excellence in Innovative Teaching Modalities, UCSF School of Medicine, 2018
  • Foundation for the Sociology of Health and Illness Book Award, British Sociological Association, 2016
  • Honorable Mention, Eileen Basker Memorial Prize, Society for Medical Anthropology, 2016
  • Finalist (5/94), C. Wright Mills Award, Society for the Study of Social Problems, 2015
  • Chancellor’s Graduate Research Fellowship, UCSF, 2008
Websites
Publications

  1. Suen LW, Steiger S, Shapiro B, Castellanos S, Joshi N, Lambdin BH, Knight KR. "Get in and get out, get on with life": Patient and provider perspectives on methadone van implementation for opioid use disorder treatment. The International journal on drug policy 2023. PMID: 37778132


  2. Cooke A, Castellanos S, Koenders S, Joshi N, Enriquez C, Olsen P, Miaskowski C, Kushel M, Knight KR. The intersection of drug use discrimination and racial discrimination in the management of chronic non-cancer pain in United States primary care safety-net clinics: Implications for healthcare system and clinic-level changes. Drug and alcohol dependence 2023. PMID: 37459819


  3. Textor L, Friedman J, Bourgois P, Aronowitz S, Simon C, Jauffret-Roustide M, Namirembe S, Brothers S, McNeil R, Knight KR, Hansen H. Rethinking urban-rural designations in public health surveillance of the overdose crisis and crafting an agenda for future monitoring. The International journal on drug policy 2023. PMID: 37327697


  4. Olding M, Joshi N, Castellanos S, Valadao E, Hall L, Guzman L, Knight K. Saving lives in our homes: Qualitative evaluation of a tenant overdose response program in supportive, single-room occupancy (SRO) housing. The International journal on drug policy 2023. PMID: 37300920


  5. Fleming T, Collins AB, Boyd J, Knight KR, McNeil R. "It's no foundation, there's no stabilization, you're just scattered": A qualitative study of the institutional circuit of recently-evicted people who use drugs. Social science & medicine (1982) 2023. PMID: 37044003


  6. Cooke A, Castellanos S, Enriquez C, Olsen P, Miaskowski C, Kushel M, Knight KR. Telehealth for management of chronic non-cancer pain and opioid use disorder in safety net primary care. BMC health services research 2023. PMID: 37005610


  7. Aronowitz SV, Carroll JJ, Hansen H, Jauffret-Roustide M, Parker CM, Suhail-Sindhu S, Albizu-Garcia C, Alegria M, Arrendondo J, Baldacchino A, Bluthental R, Bourgois P, Burraway J, Chen JS, Ekhtiari H, Elkhoy H, Farhoudian A, Friedman J, Jordan A, Kato L, Knight K, Martinez C, McNeil R, Murray H, Namirembe S, Radfar R, Roe L, Sarang A, Scherz C, Tay Wee Teck J, Textor L, Thi Hai Oanh K. Substance use policy and practice in the COVID-19 pandemic: Learning from early pandemic responses through internationally comparative field data. Global public health 2023. PMID: 36692903


  8. Qi D, Abri K, Mukherjee MR, Rosenwohl-Mack A, Khoeur L, Barnard L, Knight KR. Health Impact of Street Sweeps from the Perspective of Healthcare Providers. "It's not the doctor - it's me." How self-blame obscures language and other structural barriers to diabetes care mong low-income Latinos with limited English Proficiency. 2022. PMID: 35296981


  9. Wyatt JP, Suen LW, Coe WH, Adams ZM, Gandhi M, Batchelor HM, Castellanos S, Joshi N, Satterwhite S, Pérez-Rodríguez R, Rodríguez-Guerra E, Albizu-Garcia CE, Knight KR, Jordan A. Federal and State Regulatory Changes to Methadone Take-Home Doses: Impact of Sociostructural Factors. "It's not the doctor - it's me." How self-blame obscures language and other structural barriers to diabetes care mong low-income Latinos with limited English Proficiency. 2022. PMID: 35349318


  10. Suen LW, Coe WH, Wyatt JP, Adams ZM, Gandhi M, Batchelor HM, Castellanos S, Joshi N, Satterwhite S, Pérez-Rodríguez R, Rodríguez-Guerra E, Albizu-Garcia CE, Knight KR, Jordan A. Structural Adaptations to Methadone Maintenance Treatment and Take-Home Dosing for Opioid Use Disorder in the Era of COVID-19. "It's not the doctor - it's me." How self-blame obscures language and other structural barriers to diabetes care mong low-income Latinos with limited English Proficiency. 2022. PMID: 35349324


  11. Checkley L, Steiger S, Knight KR. "I wanted something that was more flexible": A qualitative study of patient preferences on choosing buprenorphine over methadone in a large, safety-net hospital opioid treatment program. "It's not the doctor - it's me." How self-blame obscures language and other structural barriers to diabetes care mong low-income Latinos with limited English Proficiency. 2022. PMID: 35112998


  12. Suen LW, Castellanos S, Joshi N, Satterwhite S, Knight KR. "The idea is to help people achieve greater success and liberty": A qualitative study of expanded methadone take-home access in opioid use disorder treatment. "It's not the doctor - it's me." How self-blame obscures language and other structural barriers to diabetes care mong low-income Latinos with limited English Proficiency. 2022. PMID: 35499469


  13. Handley MA, Kushel M, Weeks J, Olsen P, Castillo J, Knight KR. Ground-Truthing the Experiences of Homeless Older Adults' Recent Stays with Family and Friends: A Case Study of Participatory Data Analysis. "It's not the doctor - it's me." How self-blame obscures language and other structural barriers to diabetes care mong low-income Latinos with limited English Proficiency. 2022. PMID: 35153219


  14. Suen LW, McMahan VM, Rowe C, Bhardwaj S, Knight K, Kushel MB, Santos GM, Coffin P. Factors Associated with Pain Treatment Satisfaction Among Patients with Chronic Non-Cancer Pain and Substance Use. "It's not the doctor - it's me." How self-blame obscures language and other structural barriers to diabetes care mong low-income Latinos with limited English Proficiency. 2021. PMID: 34772764


  15. Knight KR, Duke MR, Carey CA, Pruss G, Garcia CM, Lightfoot M, Imbert E, Kushel M. COVID-19 Testing and Vaccine Acceptability Among Homeless-Experienced Adults: Qualitative Data from Two Samples. "It's not the doctor - it's me." How self-blame obscures language and other structural barriers to diabetes care mong low-income Latinos with limited English Proficiency. 2021. PMID: 34704204


  16. Knight KR, Weiser J, Handley MA, Olsen P, Weeks J, Kushel M. Temporary stays with housed family and friends among older adults experiencing homelessness: Qualitative findings from the HOPE HOME study. Qualitative social work : QSW : research and practice 2021. PMID: 35706979


  17. Haq N, McMahan VM, Torres A, Santos GM, Knight K, Kushel M, Coffin PO. Race, pain, and opioids among patients with chronic pain in a safety-net health system. Drug and alcohol dependence 2021. PMID: 33810908


  18. Mehtani NJ, Ristau JT, Snyder H, Surlyn C, Eveland J, Smith-Bernardin S, Knight KR. COVID-19: A catalyst for change in telehealth service delivery for opioid use disorder management. Substance abuse 2021. PMID: 33684331


  19. Servis M, Fishman SM, Wallace MS, Henry SG, Ziedonis D, Ciccarone D, Knight KR, Shoptaw S, Dowling P, Suchard JR, Shah S, Singh N, Cedarquist LC, Alem N, Copenhaver DJ, Westervelt M, Willis BC. Responding to the Opioid Epidemic: Educational Competencies for Pain and Substance Use Disorder from the Medical Schools of the University of California. Pain medicine (Malden, Mass.) 2021. PMID: 33316051


  20. Harvey M, Neff J, Knight KR, Mukherjee JS, Shamasunder S, Le PV, Tittle R, Jain Y, Carrasco H, Bernal-Serrano D, Goronga T, Holmes SM. Structural competency and global health education. Global public health 2020. PMID: 33351721


  21. Paul DW, Knight KR, Campbell A, Aronson L. Beyond a Moment - Reckoning with Our History and Embracing Antiracism in Medicine. The New England journal of medicine 2020. PMID: 32722907


  23. Neff J, Holmes SM, Knight KR, Strong S, Thompson-Lastad A, McGuinness C, Duncan L, Saxena N, Harvey MJ, Langford A, Carey-Simms KL, Minahan SN, Satterwhite S, Ruppel C, Lee S, Walkover L, De Avila J, Lewis B, Matthews J, Nelson N. Structural Competency: Curriculum for Medical Students, Residents, and Interprofessional Teams on the Structural Factors That Produce Health Disparities. MedEdPORTAL : the journal of teaching and learning resources 2020. PMID: 32342010


  24. Rosenwohl-Mack S, Kushel M, Ramsey C, Handley M, Knight KR. "We Really Help, Taking Care of Each Other": Older Homeless Adults as Caregivers. Gerontology & geriatric medicine 2019. PMID: 31903411


  25. Paul DW, Knight KR, Olsen P, Weeks J, Yen IH, Kushel MB. Racial Discrimination in the Life Course of Older Adults Experiencing Homelessness: Results from the HOPE HOME Study. Journal of Social Distress and the Homeless 2019. PMID: 33727778


  26. Knight KR, Duncan LG, Szilvasi M, Premkumar A, Matache M, Jackson A. Reproductive (In)justice - Two Patients with Avoidable Poor Reproductive Outcomes. The New England journal of medicine 2019. PMID: 31412176


  27. Bruns EB, Befus D, Wismer B, Knight K, Adler SR, Leonoudakis-Watts K, Thompson-Lastad A, Chao MT. Vulnerable Patients' Psychosocial Experiences in a Group-Based, Integrative Pain Management Program. Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) 2019. PMID: 31314560


  28. Satterwhite S, Knight KR, Miaskowski C, Chang JS, Ceasar R, Zamora K, Kushel M. Sources and Impact of Time Pressure on Opioid Management in the Safety-Net. Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine : JABFM 2019. PMID: 31068401


  29. Donald C; Fernandez F; Hsiang E; Mesina, O; Rosenwohl-Mack S; Medeiros A; Knight KR. “Reflections on the Intersection of Student Activism and Structural Competency Training in a New Medical School Curriculum” Structural Competency in Mental Health and Medicine: A Case-Based Approach to Treating the Social Determinants of Health, edited by Metzl and Hansen. 2019. PMID:


  30. Neff J; Holmes S; Strong S; Chin G; De Avila J; Dubal S; Duncan L; Halpern J; Harvey M; Knight KR; Lemay E; Lewis B; Matthews J; Nelson N; Satterwhite S; Thompson-Lastad A; Walkover L. “The Structural Competency Working Group: Lessons from Iterative, Interdisciplinary Development of a Structural Competency Training Module” Structural Competency in Mental Health and Medicine: A Case-Based Approach to Treating the Social Determinants of Health, edited by Metzl and Hansen. 2019. PMID:


  31. Cooke AC, Knight KR, Miaskowski C. Patients' and clinicians' perspectives of co-use of cannabis and opioids for chronic non-cancer pain management in primary care. The International journal on drug policy 2018. PMID: 30472467


  33. Knight KR, Kushel M, Chang JS, Zamora K, Ceasar R, Hurstak E, Miaskowski C. Opioid pharmacovigilance: A clinical-social history of the changes in opioid prescribing for patients with co-occurring chronic non-cancer pain and substance use. Volume 186. Social science & medicine (1982) 2017. PMID: 28599142


  34. Hurstak EE, Kushel M, Chang J, Ceasar R, Zamora K, Miaskowski C, Knight K. The risks of opioid treatment: Perspectives of primary care practitioners and patients from safety-net clinics. Volume 38 of Issue 2. 2017. PMID: 28394752


  35. Neff J, Knight KR, Satterwhite S, Nelson N, Matthews J, Holmes SM. Teaching Structure: A Qualitative Evaluation of a Structural Competency Training for Resident Physicians. Volume 32 of Issue 4. Journal of general internal medicine 2016. PMID: 27896692


  36. Chang JS, Kushel M, Miaskowski C, Ceasar R, Zamora K, Hurstak E, Knight KR. Provider Experiences With the Identification, Management, and Treatment of Co-occurring Chronic Noncancer Pain and Substance Use in the Safety Net. Volume 52 of Issue 2. 2016. PMID: 27754719


  39. Riley ED, Shumway M, Knight KR, Guzman D, Cohen J, Weiser SD. Risk factors for stimulant use among homeless and unstably housed adult women. Volume 153. 2015. PMID: 26070454


  40. Mizuno Y, Purcell DW, Knowlton AR, Wilkinson JD, Gourevitch MN, Knight KR. Syndemic vulnerability, sexual and injection risk behaviors, and HIV continuum of care outcomes in HIV-positive injection drug users. Volume 19 of Issue 4. AIDS and behavior 2015. PMID: 25249392


  41. Riley ED, Cohen J, Knight KR, Decker A, Marson K, Shumway M. Recent violence in a community-based sample of homeless and unstably housed women with high levels of psychiatric comorbidity. Volume 104 of Issue 9. American journal of public health 2014. PMID: 25033127


  42. Knight KR, Das M, DeMicco E, Raiford JL, Matheson T, Shook A, Antunez E, Santos GM, Dadasovich R, Dilley JW, Colfax GN, Herbst JH. A roadmap for adapting an evidence-based HIV prevention intervention: personal cognitive counseling (PCC) for episodic substance-using men who have sex with men. Volume 15 of Issue 3. 2014. PMID: 23412947


  43. Knight KR, Lopez AM, Comfort M, Shumway M, Cohen J, Riley ED. Single room occupancy (SRO) hotels as mental health risk environments among impoverished women: the intersection of policy, drug use, trauma, and urban space. Volume 25 of Issue 3. 2013. PMID: 24411945


  44. Mackenzie S, Pearson C, Frye V, Gómez CA, Latka MH, Purcell DW, Knowlton AR, Metsch LR, Tobin KE, Valverde EE, Knight KR. Agents of change: peer mentorship as HIV prevention among HIV-positive injection drug users. Volume 47 of Issue 5. 2012. PMID: 22428820


  47. Rose CD, Courtenay-Quirk C, Knight K, Shade SB, Vittinghoff E, Gomez C, Lum PJ, Bacon O, Colfax G. HIV intervention for providers study: a randomized controlled trial of a clinician-delivered HIV risk-reduction intervention for HIV-positive people. Volume 55 of Issue 5. Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes (1999) 2010. PMID: 20827218


  48. Latkin CA, Buchanan AS, Metsch LR, Knight K, Latka MH, Mizuno Y, Knowlton AR. Predictors of sharing injection equipment by HIV-seropositive injection drug users. Volume 49 of Issue 4. Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes (1999) 2008. PMID: 19186356


  49. Mizuno Y, Purcell DW, Zhang J, Knowlton AR, De Varona M, Arnsten JH, Knight KR. Predictors of current housing status among HIV-seropositive injection drug users (IDUs): results from a 1-year study. Volume 13 of Issue 1. AIDS and behavior 2008. PMID: 18247113


  50. Arnsten JH, Li X, Mizuno Y, Knowlton AR, Gourevitch MN, Handley K, Knight KR, Metsch LR. Factors associated with antiretroviral therapy adherence and medication errors among HIV-infected injection drug users. Volume 46 Suppl 2. Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes (1999) 2007. PMID: 18089986


  51. Frye V, Latka MH, Wu Y, Valverde EE, Knowlton AR, Knight KR, Arnsten JH, O'Leary A. Intimate partner violence perpetration against main female partners among HIV-positive male injection drug users. Volume 46 Suppl 2. Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes (1999) 2007. PMID: 18089979


  52. Purcell DW, Latka MH, Metsch LR, Latkin CA, Gómez CA, Mizuno Y, Arnsten JH, Wilkinson JD, Knight KR, Knowlton AR, Santibanez S, Tobin KE, Rose CD, Valverde EE, Gourevitch MN, Eldred L, Borkowf CB. Results from a randomized controlled trial of a peer-mentoring intervention to reduce HIV transmission and increase access to care and adherence to HIV medications among HIV-seropositive injection drug users. Volume 46 Suppl 2. Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes (1999) 2007. PMID: 18089983


  53. Knight KR, Shade SB, Purcell DW, Rose CD, Metsch LR, Latka MH, Latkin CA, Gómez CA. Sexual transmission risk behavior reported among behaviorally bisexual HIV-positive injection drug-using men. Volume 46 Suppl 2. Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes (1999) 2007. PMID: 18089988


  54. Purcell DW, Mizuno Y, Metsch LR, Garfein R, Tobin K, Knight K, Latka MH. Unprotected sexual behavior among heterosexual HIV-positive injection drug using men: associations by partner type and partner serostatus. Volume 83 of Issue 4. 2006. PMID: 16736116


  56. Comfort M, Grinstead O, McCartney K, Bourgois P, Knight K. "You cannot do nothing in this damn place": sex and intimacy among couples with an incarcerated male partner. Volume 42 of Issue 1. 2005. PMID: 15795799


  57. Knight KR, Purcell D, Dawson-Rose C, Halkitis PN, Gomez CA. Sexual risk taking among HIV-positive injection drug users: contexts, characteristics, and implications for prevention. Volume 17 of Issue 1 Suppl A. AIDS education and prevention : official publication of the International Society for AIDS Education 2005. PMID: 15843119


  58. Dawson Rose, C.S., Shade, S.B., Lum, P.J., Knight, K.R., Purcell, D.P., & Parsons, J.. The Health Care Experience of HIV Positive Injection Drug Users. Journal of Multicultural Nursing and Health, 11(1): 23-30 2005. PMID:


  60. Mizuno Y, Purcell D, Borkowski TM, Knight K. The life priorities of HIV-seropositive injection drug users: findings from a community-based sample. Volume 7 of Issue 4. AIDS and behavior 2003. PMID: 14707536


  61. Downing M, Knight K, Reiss TH, Vernon K, Mulia N, Ferreboeuf M, Carroll A, Vu C. Drug users talk about HIV testing: motivating and deterring factors. Volume 13 of Issue 5. AIDS care 2001. PMID: 11571004


  62. Vernon KA, Mulia N, Downing M, Knight K, Riess T. "I don't know when it might pop up": understanding repeat HIV testing and perceptions of HIV among drug users. Volume 13 of Issue 1-2. 2001. PMID: 11547621


  63. Downing M, Mulia N, Vernon K, Knight K, Ferreboeuf M, Carroll A. Voices from the field: providers discuss HIV counseling and testing programs for drug users. Volume 15 of Issue 2. 2000. PMID: 11519367


  64. Downing M, Knight KR, Vernon KA, Seigel S, Ajaniku I, Acosta PS, Thomas L, Porter S. This is my story: a descriptive analysis of a peer education HIV/STD risk reduction program for women living in housing developments. Volume 11 of Issue 3. AIDS education and prevention : official publication of the International Society for AIDS Education 1999. PMID: 10407458


  65. van der Straten A, Vernon KA, Knight KR, Gómez CA, Padian NS. Managing HIV among serodiscordant heterosexual couples: serostatus, stigma and sex. Volume 10 of Issue 5. AIDS care 1998. PMID: 9828951


  67. Knight, K.R.; Rosenbaum, M.; Irwin, J.; Kelley, M.S.; Wenger, L.; Washburn, A.. Involuntary verses voluntary detoxification from methadone maintenance treatment: the importance of choice. Addiction Research 3(4): 351-362 1996. PMID:


  68. Rosenbaum, M.; Washburn, A.; Knight, K.R.; Kelley, M.S.; Irwin, J. Methadone maintenance: treatment as harm reduction, defunding as harm maximization. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs 28(3) 1996. PMID: