Personal History
Dr. Royak-Schaler is an Associate Professor and Director of the Master of Public Health Program in the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD. She is a behavioral scientist whose multi-disciplinary program of research focuses on disparities across the continuum of cancer care, including the psychosocial and behavioral factors that are associated with the early detection, prevention, and survivorship care practices of minority populations. This includes investigating the relationships between communication in the healthcare setting and patient decisions to carry out recommended screening, treatment plans and preventive health practices.
She is currently PI of three ongoing studies: A Culturally Specific Dietary Plan to Manage Weight Gain Among African American Breast Cancer Survivors (American Institute for Cancer Research, 7/2006-6/2008); Strategies for Health After Breast Cancer: A Survivorship Guide For African American Women (Komen for the Cure, 7/2007 – 6/2009; and Radiation Therapy Following Breast Conserving Surgery in Low-Income Women: Communicating the Benefits and Risks (American Cancer Society, 7/2008 – 6/2012). The implementation of “Strategies for Health” involves an academic-community research partnership with the Sisters Network Inc., a national African American breast cancer survivors network. She was also PI of the PARTNERS in Breast Cancer Education Program, funded by the National Cancer Institute (1996-2000), an academic research partnership with African American churches in rural, eastern North Carolina. Lay health advisors participated in the design, implementation and evaluation of the PARTNERS Program, whose goal was to educate the church community about breast cancer risk factors, prompt symptom care and effective communication with primary care providers.
Research Interests
Cancer Prevention and Control, Mammography Screening and Breast Cancer Biology in African American Women
Current Grant Support:
NIH/NEI R01 EY015899-01
Ellish N (P.I.), Royak-Schaler, R., (Co-I) 9/2004-8/2008
Tailored Messages to Increase Eye Examination Behavior ($250,000)
NHLBI R01 HL71690
Finkelstein (PI) 12/26/2003-11/30/2008
Evaluation of Home Asthma Telemanagement in COPD
Role: Co-Investigator
NIH R01-HL78579-01
Finkelstein (PI) 9/30/2004-6/30/2009
Hypertension Telemanagement in African Americans
Role: Co-Investigator
American Institute for Cancer Research
Royak-Schaler (PI) 9/06 – 8/08
A Culturally Specific Dietary Plan to Manage Weight Gain Among African American Breast Cancer Survivors. ($165,000)
Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Royak-Schaler (PI) 6/2007 – 5/2009
Strategies for Health After Breast Cancer: A Survivorship Guide for African American Women. ($300,000)
American Cancer Society
Royak-Schaler (PI) 7/2008 – 6/2012
Radiation Therapy Following Breast Conserving Surgery in Low-Income Women: Communicating
The Benefits and Risks. ($1,266,000.)
Publications
Journals (Refereed)
Royak-Schaler, R., & Feldman, R.H.L. (1984). Health behaviors of psychotherapists. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 40(3), 705-710.
Royak-Schaler, R. (1987). Assessing, treating women’s health issues in psychotherapy. The Ohio Psychologist, 35(1), 23.
Royak-Schaler, R. (1991). Psychological processes in breast cancer: A review of selected research. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology, 9, 71-89.
Royak-Schaler, R., DeVellis, B.M., Wilson, K.R., Sorenson, J.R., Lannin, D., & Emerson, J.W. (1995). Breast cancer in African-American families: Risk perception, cancer worry, and screening practices of first-degree relatives. In H.L. Bradlow, M.P. Osborne, & U. Veronesi (Eds.), Cancer prevention from the laboratory to the clinic: Implications of genetic, molecular, and preventive research [Monograph]. The Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 768, 281-286.
Royak-Schaler, R., Gallant, S.J., & Klabunde, C.N. (1996). Mammography screening under 50: A limited perspective on a multifaceted issue. Women’s Health: Research on Gender, Behavior, and Policy, 2 (4), 243-249.
Royak-Schaler, R., Cheuvront, J.B., Wilson, K.R., & Williams, C.M. (1996). Addressing women’s understanding of breast cancer risk and perceptions of control in medical settings. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, 3 (3), 185-199.
Rose, D.P., & Royak-Schaler, R. (2001). Tumor biology and prognosis in African-American breast cancer patients – A review. Cancer Detection and Prevention, 25, 62-77.
Royak-Schaler, R., Klabunde, C.N., Greene, W., DeVellis, B., Lannin, D.R., Wilson, K.R., & Cheuvront, B. (2002). Communicating breast cancer risk: Patient perceptions of provider discussions. Medscape General Medicine, 7(2), http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/429553.
Royak-Schaler, R., Lemkau, J.P., & Ahmed, S.M. (2002). Discussing breast cancer risk in primary care. Journal of the American Medical Women’s Association, 57 (2), 115-116.
Royak-Schaler, R., & Rose, D.P. (2002). Mammography and other breast cancer detection issues in African American women. Cancer Detection and Prevention, 26, 180-191.
Royak-Schaler R , Chen S , Zang E , Vivacqua RJ , Bynoe M. Does equal access to screening translate into improved breast cancer outcomes for African American patients. J Am Med Women’s Assoc. 2003;58:154-156.
Royak-Schaler R, Blocker DE, Yali AM, Bynoe M Briant KJ, Smith S. Breast and Colorectal Cancer Risk Communication Approaches with Low-Income African American and Hispanic Women: Implications for Healthcare Providers. J Natl Med Assoc. 2004;96:598-608.
Jones-Burton C, Brown J, Miranda M, Passmore SR, Royak-Schaler R, Fink J. Awareness of the association between smoking and kidney disease among African-Americans. J Assoc Acad Minority Physicians. 2005;16(1):15-20.
Royak-Schaler R, Gadalla S, Lemkau JP, Ross D, Alexander C, Scott D. Family perceptions of communication issues with healthcare professionals in end-of-life cancer care. Oncol Nurs Forum 2006;33:753-760.
Royak-Schaler R, DeYoung C, Khakpour N, Ross D, Tkaczuk K, Gadalla S. Readers Respond to "Balancing Evidence-Based Medicine and Cultural Competence in the Quest to End Healthcare Disparities." Medscape Gen Med, posted 8/02/2006. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/541113.
Ellish N, Royak-Schaler R, Passmore SR, Higginbotham E. Knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about dilated eye examinations among African-Americans. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2007;48(5):1989-1994.
Zhan M, Flaws JA, Gallicchio L, Tkaczuk K, Lewis LM, and Royak-Schaler R. Profiles of tamoxifen-related side effects by race and smoking status in women with breast cancer. Cancer Detect Prev. 2007;31(5): 384-390.
Griffith KA, McGuire DB, Royak-Schaler R, Plowden KO, Steinberger EK. Influence of family history and preventive health behaviors on colorectal cancer screening in African Americans. CANCER; Published Online: June 9, 2008 (DOI: 10.1002/cncr.23550); Print Issue Date: July 15, 2008.
Royak-Schaler R., Passmore SR., Gadalla S, Hoy MK, Zhan M, Tkaczuk K, Harper LM, Nicholson P, Hutchison A. Takes two to tango: Exploring Patient-Physician Communication in Breast Cancer Care for African American Women Following Their Primary Treatment. Oncology Nursing Forum, forthcoming, September, 2008.
Royak-Schaler R, Green W, DeVellis B, Wilson KR, Lannin, DR. African Americans perceptions of physician communication about breast cancer: Associations with screening compliance. Submitted to Health Education & Behavior, 3/01/08.
Royak-Schaler R, Greene WF, Bynoe M, DeVellis B, Wilson KR, Lannin DR. A CBPR Approach to Informed Decision Making for African American Women during Medical Appointments: The PARTNERS in Breast Cancer Education Program. Submitted to Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education, and Action, 3/01/08.
Blocker DE, Royak-Schaler R, Briant KJ, Yali A, Bynoe M. Things We Can Change: Building Capacity to Modify Cancer Risk Through Academic-Community Health Center Partnerships. Submitted to Health Promotion Practice, 2/05/08. Books & Book Chapters
Royak-Schaler, R., & Feldman, R.H.L. (1988). Health education in the psychotherapy setting: The mind-body interface. In J.H. Humphrey (Ed.), Health Education: Current Selected Research, Volume I. New York: A.M.S. Press.
Royak-Schaler, R., & Benderly, B.L. (1992). Challenging the breast cancer legacy: A program of emotional support and medical care for women at risk. New York: HarperCollins.
Royak-Schaler, R. (1994). Health policy and breast cancer screening: The politics of research and intervention. In A.J. Dan (Ed.), Reframing women’s health: A sourcebook. Sage Publication.
Royak-Schaler, R., & Alt, P.M. (1994). The process of health behavior change: Individual factors and planning models. In J.D. Sinnott (Ed.), Interdisciplinary handbook of adult lifespan learning. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group.
Royak-Schaler, R., Stanton, A.L., & Danoff-Burg, S. (1997). Breast cancer: Psychosocial factors influencing risk perception, screening, diagnosis, and treatment. In S.J. Gallant, G.P. Keita, & R. Royak-Schaler (Eds.), Health care for women: Psychological, social, and behavioral influences. American Psychological Association Press.
Gallant, S., Keita, G.P., & Royak-Schaler, R. (Eds.) (1997). Health care for women: Psychological, social, and behavioral influences. American Psychological Association Press.
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