Faculty

faculty photo
Clarence Spigner
Associate Professor
Our earth is but a small star in the great universe. Yet of it we can make, if we choose, a planet unvexed by war, untroubled by hunger or fear, undivided by senseless distinctions of race, color, or theory

(Prayer read by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to the United Nations, June 14, 1942).
DrPH  
University of California (Berkeley), 1987
Behavioral Science
MPH  
University of California (Berkeley), 1982
Behavioral Science
AB  
University of California (Berkeley), 1979
Sociology
Adjunct Associate Professor, American Ethnic Studies

Department of Health Services Program Affiliations:
  -  Social and Behavioral Sciences Track, (MPH program)
  -  PhD program in Health Services
  -  Department of Global Health, (MPH Program)

Clarence Spigner is the acting coordinator of the MIRT program and the faculty director of the Global Partnerships Travel Grant. Spigner's teaching and research interests are in the health of disadvantage populations, race & ethnic relations, and the intersections of popular culture's influence. His primary and critical focus is in community based research and the inherent contradictions of race, gender, and structural inequalities within institutions of health and medicine. His research/publications include, but are not limited to; tobacco-related behavior, organ donation & transplantation, stress and coping strategies, and intra-ethnic tensions. He and wife Jennifer, daughter Surita, and son Ravi live in Seattle.

Contact Information
(office)  H-692, Health Sciences Building
University of Washington
1959 NE Pacific Street
Box:  357660
Seattle, WA 98195-7660
(voice)  206-616-2948     (fax)  206-543-3964
cspigner@u.washington.edu
Teaching Interests
Social determinants of health; racism and discrimination. Social inequalities in health, Popular Culture
  • HSERV 522
    Health Program Evaluation
  • HSERV 561   (Extended MPH Program)
    Introduction to Health Promotion Planning
  • HSERV 561
    Introduction to Health Promotion Planning
Research Interests
Tobacco-related behavior; racism as a stressor; social construction of 'race' vis-a-vis biological reductionism in health research and behavior; knowledge and opinions about organ donation among ethnic groups; program evaluation; popular culture.
Projects
Impact of race-related Stress and Coping Patterns on Heart Disease
This project employs basically qualitative approaches to assess how African Americans who are already diagnosed with hypertension cope with the disease. In part, a bibliographic analysis of hypertension studies is underway under the informal hypothesis that how health providers/research view hypertension or high blood pressure can reflect how people with the disease are treated.
Process Evaluation of Community-based Approaches to Washington's Statewide Tobacco Prevention and Control Program
This comprehensive research and service program employs a community-based participatory approach in developing tobacco-related control and prevention strategies statewide. Priority groups, or communities, such as African Americans, Asian American, Pacific Islanders, Latino/Hispanic, Native Americans, LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered), and low income whites. These groups operate in collaborative partnership with the State Department of Health and the Cross Cultural Health Care Program in formulating capacity building programs with built-in evaluative components to prevent and control tobacco-related behaviors.
Perceptions and Knowledge about Organ Donation Among African Americans and Asian Americans in Seattle, Washington
This community based research project is in collaboration with the Hope Heart Institute and employs qualitative and quantitative approaches to discerning opinions about the organ donation and tissue transplantation process among racial minority groups in Seattle.
Tobacco Cessation Among Asian American Men
In partnership with the International Community Health Services Clinic, this community-based research and evaluation project is designed to measure the efficacy of a clinic-based and culturally-specific tobacco cessation program that employs the Stages of Change Model (the Transtheoretical Model) of behavioral readiness.
Course Development: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgendered Issues in Public Health
In collaboration with selected students and faculty within and external to the School of Public Health, developing a comprehensive course (or courses) that will address the historical, social, political, and epidemiological dimensions of LGBT issues in health.
Course Development: Race, Popular Film Imagery, and the Public's Health
In the process of developing freshman seminar courses which use images from popular film to help explain constructs and concepts of socio-political behavior and the relationship to public expectations health behavior.
External Funding (sampling of current and past involvement)
Evaluation Consultation for Priority Communities
WA State Department of Health
PI:   Spigner           Dates:    11/2003 - 06/2008
Dr. Spigner will provide consultation to the priority population contractors (five organizations) in the Evaluation Consultation for Priority Community project for the DOH and to the DOH Tobacco Prevention & Control Evaluation staff regarding ongoing program evaluation efforts.

Global Health Fellows Program
Public Health Institute
PI:   Katz           Dates:    07/2006 - 08/2007
The goal of this project is to develop a pipeline for future leaders in global health, to the professional development and support to emerging, mid-career and senior global health fellows, and related training opportunities to promote leadership development among global health professionals.

A Multicultural Urban High School Intervention Project
Hope Heart Institute
PI:   Spigner           Dates:    09/2002 - 08/2006
This project is a school-based program on organ donation and transplantation education.

Tobacco Cessation Program Among Asian American Men
American Legacy Foundation
PI:   Spigner           Dates:    09/2002 - 08/2005
This is an innovative research project that involves tobacco cessation and infrastructure capacity-building. The major goal of this project is to continue the development and modification of a pilot program now underway.

SDOH Tobacco and Disparities Grant Evaluation
WA State Department of Health
PI:   Spigner           Dates:    09/2002 - 06/2004
Dr. Spigner will participate as a consultant to the DOH Tobacco Prevention and Control Program to support the disparities grant received from the CDC.

SIP 20-99 Urban Research Center (Seattle Partners for Health Communities)
Centers for Disease Control
PI:   LoGerfo           Dates:    09/1999 - 09/2003
The major goal of this project is to improve the health of urban, marginalized Seattle residents by conducting community-based collaborative research. The focus of this research is to define and affect social determinants of health.

Community Based Plan to Increase Minority Organ Donation (Seattle Organ Donation)
Hope Heart Institute
PI:   Spigner           Dates:    09/2000 - 08/2003
The object of this study is to increase organ donation and living-related transplantation among minority groups in Seattle.

SIP 15-99 Tobacco Network
Centers for Disease Control
PI:   Spigner           Dates:    09/1999 - 09/2002
Support tobacco research efforts within university settings and to facilitate involvement in state and community tobacco control efforts.

A Formulative Evaluation of the Strategic Planning Process: Addressing Tobacco-related Health Problems in Diverse Communities in Washington State
WA State Department of Health
PI:   Spigner           Dates:    01/2002 - 06/2002
This project is a formulative evaluation of the Washington State's strategic plan to prevent and control tobacco-related behavior state-wide.

Race-related Stress and Coping on Cardiovascular Disease: Hypertension
Centers for Disease Control
PI:   LoGerfo           Dates:    09/1999 - 09/2001
To examine the relationship between race/ethnic-related stress, coping mechanisms and cardiovascular disease.


Selected Publications
Dissertation, Thesis and Capstone Committees (recent graduates)
2006
Chair, thesis committee for Moira Mar-Tang
An Exploratory Study on a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program (MBSR) on the Quality of Life

2005
Chair, thesis committee for Gwyneth Moya
Subsequent alcohol and/or drug exposed births in the Parent-Child Assistance Program (PCAP)

2005
Member, thesis committee for Michael Sanchez
Factors influencing prostate cancer screening decisions among African-American men

2004
Member, thesis committee for Jennifer Meyer
Exploring community perspectives on people-led health promotion and community development: a case study from Northern Thailand

2004
Chair, thesis committee for Timothy Struna
The community mirror: a method to evaluate community changes secondary to assets-based community development for health promotion. A case study of the process from Chiang Mai, Thailand


Links
Multidisciplinary International Research Training
Director of the national program designed to encourage students to pursue careers in biomedical and behavioral research. The program provides support for undergraduates, graduates, and faculty to do health-related population-based research and training in developing countries
http://depts.washington.edu/mirt/
The Global Partnerships Travel Grant
This grant funds 3-5 students per year to work for up to three months overseas under the supervision of UW faculty and faculty and staff of linked institutions in the host countries