Karen G. Cheng, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior
Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science
Los Angeles, CA 90059
Tel: (323) 357-3424
Fax: (323) 357-3477
e-mail: kacheng@cdrewu.edu
Karen G. Cheng, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Charles Drew University (CDU) in Los Angeles, USA. For nearly six years, she has been working on international health projects, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa.
Her research focuses on culturally appropriate uses of information and communications technology (ICT) to improve delivery of health information and health services in low-income countries. Dr. Cheng's studies evaluate the acceptability and impact of handheld computers, mobile phones, websites, and other ICT in order to understand the social and cultural barriers to accepting ICT in healthcare settings in low-income countries. Dr. Cheng has worked with the Rwanda Defense Forces for the last three years to build their capacity to provide medical and psychosocial services to Rwandan soldiers living with HIV or AIDS. This includes developing an electronic system for patient records. The next step of the project will be to expand services to families of soldiers.
In addition, she has worked with the Angolan Armed Forces to develop and experimentally test a culturally-appropriate HIV prevention intervention. The main aims of the intervention were education and skills-building.
Dr. Cheng received her Ph.D. in social psychology from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 2002. Her dissertation focused on how interpersonal relationships affect cultural identity.
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