PCH: Faculty

Jenny Hsin-Chun Tsai, PhD, ARNP, CS Assistant Professor Psychosocial & Community Health Box 357263 University of Washington Seattle, WA 98195-7263 Email Address: jennyt@u.washington.edu

I am an American Nurses Association certified clinical specialist and licensed ARNP in the State of Washington in child and adolescent psychiatric-mental health nursing. During my doctoral study, I became interested in social determinants of health (e.g., racism, sexism, class) and community-oriented interventions for mental health promotion. I have great passion for bridging the fields of psychiatric-mental health and of community health and using that body of knowledge to promote mental health of Asian immigrants and other disadvantaged youth and families.

My current research falls under the field of occupational health. Occupational demotion is not uncommon for those who immigrate through mechanisms other than their professional skills. The influence of racism and sexism on health inequalities is well documented in many countries; the body of knowledge regarding income inequality and population health is growing. My interest is to use the critical theory framework to generate knowledge that promotes immigrants' occupational health in the United States and other developed countries.

It is my belief and practice that a strong background in multiple methodologies enhances the productivity of scholarship in my research area. My methodological expertise includes qualitative and critical theory research, program evaluation, and instrument development. Due to my research interests with Asian immigrants, I also have expertise in cross-cultural research inquiry, especially with language, translation, and cross-cultural instrumentation.

Chinese Immigrant Restaurant Workers' Occupational Health and Safety: An Exploratory Study

Current Projects

• Determinants of Asian Immigrant Workers' Mental Health & Work Performance   (Principal Investigator)