Renee Royak-Schaler, Ph.D., M.Ed. Visiting Associate Professor
Department:
Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine
UMGCC Research Program:
Hormone Responsive Cancers Program
Contact
Information:
Mailing Address:
Department of Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Suite 109 Howard Hall
660 W. Redwood Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
Email:
rroyak@som.umaryland.edu
Phone:
410-706-1049
Fax:
410-706-1050
Research Interests:
Dr. Royak-Schaler is a health psychologist whose program of research focuses on the psychosocial and behavioral factors that influence cancer risk perceptions, early detection, and follow-up care practices of minority populations. She investigates the elements of patient-physician communication, which are often associated with patient behaviors that lead to compliance in the early detection, treatment, and follow-up care of breast and colorectal cancers.
As principal investigator of an NCI training grant, she mentored minority faculty members and graduate students in community-based participatory approaches to cancer control research. One of her ongoing funded studies addresses the special needs of African American (AA) breast cancer survivors by: 1) investigating a group of key psychosocial variables for their associations with follow-up breast cancer care; and 2) translating these findings into a computer-based interactive education program which offers both education and distinct guidelines for self-care after breast cancer treatment.
