As a trained behavioral scientist in public health, my research focuses on designing innovative, technology-enabled, community-engaged interventions to address health inequalities faced by socially disadvantaged groups, particularly by sexual and gender minority (SGM) people living in resource-limited contexts. I have been actively engaged in digital health projects in diverse cultural settings (China, US, South Africa, Vietnam), using qualitative and quantitative approaches to assess health needs in marginalized communities, and developing and testing mobile phone-based interventions to improve HIV/sexually transmitted infections (STI) care continuum (including prevention, testing, diagnosis, treatment, and retention). Specifically, my Ph.D. dissertation developed and tested a mobile app to promote the uptake of a biomedical HIV prevention strategy – pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) – among Chinese gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM). Results indicate that our app was highly acceptable and feasible among the target population; expanding access to healthcare via identifying alternative provision models outside of traditional clinical settings is also highly desired. This further motivates me to focus my research at Tokyo College on identifying the opportunities of integrating digital health into traditional health settings to facilitate the adoption of health innovations among international SGM communities living in Japan who are often underserved in the healthcare system.
2022 – Postdoctoral Fellow, Tokyo College
2022 Social/Clinical Research Scientist, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
2017-2022: Ph.D. in Health Behavior, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
2015-2017: M.Sc. in Health Policy and Management, Peking University
2010-2015: Bachelor of Medicine in Preventive Medicine, Peking University
1. Li C*, Zhao P* (co-first author), Tan R, Wu D. Community Engaged Efforts in Sexually Transmitted Infections. Current Opinions in Infectious Diseases. 2024.37(1):p 53-62. PMID: 38050762
2. Li C, Xiong Y, Maman S, et al. An instant messaging mobile phone application for promoting HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis uptake among Chinese gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men in China: a mixed methods feasibility and piloting study. PLOS One. 2023. 18(11). e0285036. PMID: 37956177
3. Li C (corresponding author), Xiong Y, Liu H, et al. Multifaceted Barriers to Rapid Roll-out of HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis in China: A Qualitative Study Among Men Who Have Sex with Men. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine. 2023. PMID: 37156941
4. Davis A, Kpokiri E, Li C, et al. Using Crowdsourcing at an Academic Conference to Develop STI Testing Messaging for Public Dissemination. Sexually Transmitted Infections. 2023. PMID: 38071540
5. Nguyen M, Li C, Go V, et al. A systematic review of interventions for young men who have sex with men and young transgender women living with HIV. AIDS and Behavior. 2023. PMID: 37768429
6. Yang M, Li C, Zou K, et al. “They have their own people”: emotional connections, community belonging, and Chinese gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) college students’ needs for sexual health support. PLOS One. 2023;18(9): e0291550. PMID: 37729385
7. Tan R, Marley G, Wang T, Li C, et al. Mapping Online Community Spaces Through Online Focus Group Discussions among GBMSM in Guangdong, China: Implications for HIV/STI Prevention Services. Sexually Transmitted Diseases. 2023. PMID: 37934141
8. Marley G, Tan R, Wang T, Byrne M, Li C, et al. Online Focus Group Discussions to Engage Stigmatized Populations in Qualitative Health Research: Lessons Learned. International Journal of Qualitative Methods. 2023:22.
9. Zhang J*, Li C* (co-first author), Xu J*, et al. Discontinuation, Inadequate Adherence, and Re-Initiation of Oral HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis: A Global Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Lancet HIV. 2022. 9(4): e254-e268. PMID: 35364026
10. Li C, Giovenco D, Dong W, et al. Understanding How Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men in China Cope with HIV Care-related Stressors. AIDS Education and Prevention. 2021. 33(1). PMID: 33617323
