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HELENE STARKS, PhD MPH
Assistant Professor

Office: A-204A-2 Health Sciences Building
Phone: 206-543-9724
Email: tigiba@u.washington.edu

Bio | Recent Publications | Recent Talks | Honors, Awards, Grants | Courses | Curriculum Vita (PDF)

Helene Starks, PhD MPH, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medical History and Ethics and Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Services at the University of Washington School of Medicine. She received a MPH in Health Policy and Administration from the University of California at Berkeley and a PhD in Health Services Research from the University of Washington.

Dr. Starks’ research interests include issues related to the end-of-life for patients, their family members, clinicians, and health systems. Her research also includes qualitative and mixed methods research, surrogate decision-maker and family caregiver issues, utility assessment, medical decision-making, and clinician-patient communication. Special interests include feminist and narrative approaches to bioethics, and research ethics, especially involving vulnerable human subjects in research.

Recent Publications:

  • Burke W, Holland S, Kuszler P, Starks H, Press N. "Translational genomics: Seeking a shared vision of benefit." [Commentary] American Journal of Bioethics, 2008; in press.
  • Starks H, Curtis JR. "Is withholding life support associated with a premature death? If so, what does this mean for ICU practice?" Chest, 2008; in press.
  • Starks H, Simoni J, Zhao H, Huang B, Fredriksen-Goldsen K, Pearson C, Chen WT, Lu L, Zhang F. "Conceptualizing antiretroviral adherence in Beijing, China." AIDS Care, 2008; in press.
  • Valencia-Garcia D, Starks H, Simoni J, Strick L. "After the fall from grace: Negotiation of new identities among HIV-positive Peruvian women." Culture, Health and Sexuality, 2008; in press.
  • Kraft GH, Johnson KL, Yorkston K, Amtmann D, Bamer A, Bombardier C, Ehde D, Fraser R, Starks H. "Setting the agenda for Multiple Sclerosis rehabilitation research." Multiple Sclerosis, 2008; in press.
  • Chen WT, Starks H, Shiu CS, Fredriksen-Goldsen K, Simoni J, Zhang F, Pearson C, Zhao H. "Chinese HIV-positive patients and their health care providers: Contrasting Confucian vs. Western notions of secrecy and support." Advances in Nursing Science, 2007; 30(4):329-42.
  • Starks H, Trinidad SB. “Choose your method: A comparison of phenomenology, discourse analysis, and grounded theory.” Qual Health Res, 2007; 17(10):1372-80.
  • Deming N, Fryer-Edwards K, Dudzinski D, Starks H, Culver J, Robins L, Burke W.  “Incorporating principles and practical wisdom in research ethics education: A preliminary study.”  Acad Med, 2007; 82(1):1-7.
  • Starks H, Vig EK, Pearlman RA.  “Advance care planning.” In Palliative Care: Core Skills and Clinical Competencies. Emanuel, L.L. and Librach, L., eds. Saunders-Elsevier, Philadelphia, 2007.
  • Starks H, Back AL, Koenig BA, Pearlman RA, Hsu C, Gordon JR, Bharucha A. “Family member involvement in hastened death.”  Death Studies, 2007; 31(2):105-130.
  • Vig EK, Taylor JS, Starks H, Hopley EH, Fryer-Edwards KA.  “Beyond substituted judgment: How surrogates navigate end-of-life decision making.”  J Am Geriatr Soc, 2006; 54(11):1688-93.
  • Vig EK, Starks H, Taylor JS, Hopley EH, Fryer-Edwards KA, Pearlman RA. “How do surrogate decision-makers describe hospice?  Does it matter?”  Am J Hosp Pall Med, 2006; 23(2):91-99.
  • Starks H, Pearlman RA, Hsu C, Back AL, Gordon JR, Bharucha A. “Why now? Timing and circumstances of hastened deaths.”  J Pain Symptom Manage, 2005; 30(3):215-26.
  • Pearlman RA, Hsu C, Starks H, Back AL, Gordon JR, Bharucha A, Koenig BA, Battin MP. "Motivations for physician-assisted suicide: Patient and family voices." Journal of General Internal Medicine, 2005
  • Pearlman RA, Starks H, Cain KC, Cole WG. "Improvements in advance care planning in the VA: Results of a multifaceted intervention." Archives of Internal Medicine, in press for 2005
  • Sharp ND, Pineros SL, Hsu C, Starks H, Sales AE. "A qualitative study to identify barriers and facilitators to implementation of pilot interventions in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Northwest Network." Worldviews in Evidence-based Nursing, 2004; 1(2):129-13.

Recent Talks

  • “Justice and caregiving: Familial, national, and transnational perspectives.”  American Society for Bioethics and Medicine Annual Meeting, Denver, CO.  Oct. 26-29, 2006.
  • "Caregiving and Multiple Sclerosis." State of the Science in MS Rehabilitation Research, Washington DC.  Sept. 18-19, 2006.
  • "Responding to requests for physician-assisted suicide after Gonzales v. Oregon." Harborview Ethics Forum, March 8, 2006; Medical History & Ethics Brown Bag, July 26, 2006.
  • "Lessons from the Schiavo family for end of life care."  St. Mark’s Cathedral, Scientific Epiphanies Winter Lecture Series, February 1, 2006
  • "Substituted judgment vs. best interest standards." Conference on end of life issues and decision making, King County State Bar Association, October 26, 2005.
  • “Communication strategies for talking with your health care provider.”  Hamilton House Senior Center, August 29, 2005.
  • "Why now? Timing and circumstances of hastened deaths.” Annual assembly of the American Association of Hospice and Palliative Medicine/Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association, New Orleans, LA. January 22, 2005
  • “Appropriate use of surrogates in end-of-life decision-making.” American Society for Bioethics and Medicine Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA. October 29, 2004
  • “Responding to requests for aid-in-dying.” Internal Medicine Residents Ethics Conference, School of Medicine, University of Washington, June 16, 2004
  • “Home care use at the end of life: Evidence from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey.” Academy Health Annual Research Meeting, San Diego, CA. June 4, 2004
  • “Dysfunctional families or devoted caregivers? Rethinking health care from 'an ethic of accommodation'.” Dept. of Medical History and Ethics, University of Washington, April 9, 2004.

Awards, Honors and Grants Received:

  • National Research Service Award (NRSA) Pre-doctoral Traineeship, Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ), Grant No. T32 HS-013853, 2003-2004

Courses

  • MHE 597/HSERV 590D: Advanced qualitative methods, Winter 2006

  • MHE536: Research ethics, Winter 2007

Miscellaneous:

Cycling, gardening, knitting, skiing

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