Gaps in Care: Jacqueline Kim, PhD, Puts Health in Context

Do psychosocial influences affect how we experience and manage our health? Learn how Jacqueline H.J. Kim, PhD, is addressing gaps in knowledge to better integrate mental health support into clinical care.

It has been more than 20 years since researchers demonstrated the impact of cultural ecology with the Michigan Fish Test, comparing how East Asians and Westerners view an underwater scene. While the former generally described the context of the scene, the latter typically focused on the physical appearance of fish swimming in the foreground.

“There are common things we value in life, but how we grew up can influence the first things we think about or see,” explains Jacqueline H.J. Kim, PhD, who was intrigued by this research as an undergraduate at UCLA. Now, as a clinical psychologist and assistant professor in the UC Irvine School of Medicine, she explores how culture can influence not only our perspective but also our health and mental well-being.

Leading the Kim Stress, Coping and Health in Context Lab, Kim is expanding our understanding of psychosocial influences on managing hardships and illness. Through a series of research “firsts,” Kim is working to address gaps in knowledge and develop novel approaches to better integrate mental health support into clinical care.

Noticing the Gaps

“I’m a 1.5-gen immigrant, so I grew up adjusting to different cultural norms,” says Kim. Moving to the U.S. at a young age, Kim learned to adapt and became a keen observer of the lives unfolding around her.

“We moved a lot but eventually my family landed in Orange County,” she says. “By that time, I had learned English, but adjustment was still difficult.” Her parents also struggled, as did other families she observed. “They did their best, but uprooting your whole life is a challenge,” says Kim.

As a teenager, Kim noticed the emotional burden carried by immigrant families. “I saw needs in terms of mental health,” she says. This observation led her to study psychology as an undergraduate at UCLA, where she took a pivotal course on Asian American personality and mental health, taught by Anna Lau, PhD. “If I did not take her course, I would not be here today,” says Kim, explaining how she was introduced to concepts such as acculturation, the acculturative gap and stressors related to immigration. She also learned how cultural factors can hinder Asian Americans from seeking mental health support.

“Another big takeaway was realizing there wasn’t enough data to truly understand the scope of the problem or to advocate for policy changes,” says Kim. Despite reviewing the most recent research and epidemiological data at the time, information on the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community was missing. “That was an ‘aha’ moment for me,” says Kim, “when I thought, ‘I need to contribute to this, to lift up the stories of those I know.’”

A String of “Firsts”

Kim went on to earn her PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where she observed close links between physical conditions and depression. Returning to UCLA as a postdoctoral fellow, she had the opportunity to merge her interests by working with Lau as well as with Annette Stanton, PhD, a pioneering clinical health psychologist in the field of coping with cancer and depression. With their strong mentorship and support, Kim received a National Institutes of Health grant in 2020 for her research into supportive care needs in Asian Americans with metastatic cancer, the first K99/R00 award centered on Asian Americans.

The following year, when The American Psychologist (the flagship journal for the field) published its first-ever Asian American-focused special issue, it included “Overcoming Constraints of the Model Minority Stereotype to Advance Asian American Health,” an article lead-authored by Kim with Stanton and Qian Lu, PhD. “We highlighted the fact that there hasn’t been as much work in this area,” she says, “and explored how stereotypes about Asians could perpetuate this cycle.”

When Kim started looking for a faculty position, mentors suggested UC Irvine. “I was drawn to the scholars and their genuine spirit of care for those who are understudied, as well as the demographic in our catchment area for health,” she says. “There are also supportive funding opportunities. It’s the perfect place to be.” Since joining in 2022, her lab has focused on providing underserved populations with the care they need.

“Why aren’t they getting support, and how can we offer earlier interventions?” asks Kim. “Addressing those questions is the mission of the lab, especially for those with advanced cancer.” As a faculty member of the UC Irvine Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, Kim works to continue the Chao legacy of transforming lives for cancer patients. “My colleagues are doing a fantastic job with new advances in cancer treatment, helping patients live longer,” she says, “but people need additional support.”

In 2024, Kim helped coordinate the first-ever cancer-specific issue in the Asian American Journal of Psychology, collaborating again with Lu of the University of Texas and with Carolyn Y. Fang of Temple Health, Philadelphia. The issue promotes research to improve cancer screening behaviors, patient-provider communication during clinical encounters, and the delivery of supportive care. It also demonstrates how social factors contribute to cancer-related disparities within the Asian American population.

Mental Health and Cancer Care

“Given that cancer is the leading cause of mortality for Asian Americans, it’s important to look at cancer-related issues,” says Kim. “I’m a psychologist, so I’m interested in behavioral aspects contributing to greater risks.”

Kim is currently looking to expand access to an intervention called Managing Cancer And Living Meaningfully (CALM). “One of the biggest issues,” she explains, “is we don’t have enough qualified mental health providers.”

Through a new grant from the Cancer Research Coordinating Committee under the University of California Research Initiatives, Kim is leading a multidisciplinary team in refining a hybrid online version of the CALM intervention. She is partnering with her School of Medicine colleague Jennifer Valerin, MD, PhD; Kai Zheng, PhD, from the School of Information and Computer Sciences; and members of the UC Pancreatic Cancer Consortium. The goal is to use the app to provide more timely and flexible mental health support.

Kim is also exploring earlier use of CALM with patients diagnosed with advanced ovarian cancer. Through a grant from the Cancer Center Anti-Cancer Challenge, she’s working with Megan Yoo Schneider and Dawn Eldevik, who were treated by Robert E. Bristow, MD.

It’s not uncommon for patients to experience depression following a cancer diagnosis, and data shows that patient-provider discussions about emotional and social needs help people cope better. “The feedback I get from every patient is that they wish they had received more information and support earlier,” says Kim. “We want to see if catching people early can help prevent symptoms related to the diagnosis, such as stress, anxiety and depression.”

Well-Being and Gratitude

When it comes to her own mental health and stress management, Kim likes to relax by going for walks with her husband. “My go-to is Crystal Cove,” she says. “We also do karaoke — a Korean cultural phenomenon. I grew up listening to Mariah Carey, so I enjoy singing her songs!”

Kim also appreciates those who support her work. “I’ve been working with community partners including the Vital Access Care Foundation since 2020, and I’m so grateful for their collaboration,” she says. “I also have to credit my students, who truly care about these issues. This has never been the most funded type of work, so it takes people who are really passionate about it.”

Kim wants to mentor the next generation of researchers to foster that passion for pushing for better care. “Here at UC Irvine, we don’t just do clinical work,” she says. “We merge it with academic research to advance science and improve people’s quality of life.”

Learn more about the Kim Lab and make a donation in support of this work.

— Shani Murray