Haeok Lee

Faculty

Haeok Lee headshot

Haeok Lee

FAAN PhD RN

Professor

1 212 998 5714

433 FIRST AVENUE
NEW YORK, NY 10010
United States

Haeok Lee, FAAN, PhD, RN, is a professor at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing. She is an experienced nurse behavioral scientist with extensive clinical and research experience with populations affected by health disparities. Her research has played a critical role in the national and global recognition of health disparities, especially related to cervical and liver cancers among Asians and Africans. Prof. Lee is currently the site PI on an NIH/NIA-funded grant (R56 AG069130) for the Asian Ancestry Cohort for Alzheimer's Disease Study. Lee is particularly interested in culturally linguistically responsive and theory-based storytelling narrative interventions tailored to targeted racial/ethnic minority populations. Her research, which is noteworthy for its theoretical base, holds considerable promise for the development of practice guidelines and interventions for improving health communication and changing health behaviors to move toward global health equity. She has conducted her studies globally with colleges in several countries.

Before joining the faculty at NYU Meyers, she was a nursing professor at the University of Massachusetts Boston from 2008–2022. She was also on faculty at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and Case Western Reserve University. She mentors faculty, postdoctoral scholars, PhD students, and undergraduate students from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds from diverse disciplines. She has sponsored overseas visiting scholars.

Among her many honors, Lee received the 2022 American Nurses Association, Massachusetts Excellence in Nursing Research Awards. She was honored by Choson University, South Korea as the 2012 Excellent Chosun Alumni for Contributions in Education and Social Justice. She has provided advice to the Korean Nurses Association as a Senior Advisor in Global Health as well as has served on several NIH review panels in the areas of vaccination behavior, HIV/AIDs, and global health.

Lee earned her PhD from the University of California San Francisco, a Master in Nursing Education from Yonsei University, and a BSN from Chosun University. She received a postdoctoral fellowship from the University of California San Francisco, Clinical Cardiology.

Why isn't evidence based practice improving health care for minorities in the United States?

Lee, H., Fitzpatrick, J. J., & Baik, S. Y. (2013). Applied Nursing Research, 26(4), 263-268. 10.1016/j.apnr.2013.05.004
Abstract
Abstract
Achieving health equity by improving the health care of all racial/ethnic groups is one of the key goals of Healthy People 2020. The implementation of evidence based practice (EBP) has been a major recommendation to achieve health equity in hopes of eliminating the subjectivity of clinical decision making. However, health disparities among racial/ethnic minorities are persistent in spite of the adoption of standardized care based on evidence. The EBP with racial and ethnic minorities is often seen as a possible cause of health and health care disparities. Three potential issues of using EBP to reduce health disparities have been identified: (1) a lack of data for EBP with ethnic/racial minority populations; (2) limited research on the generalizability of the evidence based on a European-American middle-class; and (3) sociocultural considerations in the context of EBP. Using EBP to reduce disparities in health care and health outcomes requires that nurse professionals should know how to use relevant evidence in a particular situation as well as to generate knowledge and theory which is relevant to racial/ethnic minorities. In addition, EBP implementation should be contextualized within the sociocultural environments in which patients are treated rather than solely focusing on the health problems.

Correlates of Hepatitis B Virus Health-Related Behaviors of Korean Americans: A Situation-Specific Nursing Theory

Lee, H., Fawcett, J., Yang, J. H., & Hann, H. W. (2012). Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 44(4), 315-322. 10.1111/j.1547-5069.2012.01468.x
Abstract
Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this article is to explain the evolution of a situation-specific theory developed to enhance understanding of health-related behaviors of Korean Americans (KAs) who have or are at risk for a chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Organizing Construct: The situation-specific theory evolved from an integration of the Network Episode Model, studies of health-related behaviors of people with HBV infection, and our studies of and practice experiences with Asian American individuals with HBV infection. Findings: The major concepts of the theory are sociocultural context, social network, individual-level factors, illness experience, and health-related behaviors. Conclusions: The major propositions of the theory are that sociocultural context, social network, and individual-level factors influence the illness experience, and that sociocultural context, social network, individual-level factors, and the illness experience influence health-related behaviors of KAs who have or are at risk for HBV infection. Clinical Relevance: This situation-specific theory represents a translation of abstract concepts into clinical reality. The theory is an explanation of correlates of health-related HBV behaviors of KAs. The next step is to develop and test the effectiveness of a nursing intervention designed to promote behaviors that will enhance the health of KAs who have or are at risk for HBV infection, and that takes into account sociocultural context, social network, individual-level factors, and illness experience.

Health disparities or data disparities: Sampling issues in hepatitis B Virus infection among Asian American Pacific Islander studies

Lee, H., & Baik Seong-Yi, S. Y. (2011). Applied Nursing Research, 24(2), e9-e15. 10.1016/j.apnr.2009.12.005
Abstract
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) is an important health problem that must be recognized and addressed by the U.S. public health policy. However, AAPIs have been to a large degree invisible in public health data and debates and their interests have been disregarded. Moreover, an estimation of HBV infection rates reported from the National Nutritional and Health Survey Examinations III was 1.25 million; however, an estimate based on AAPI-targeted studies places the number at almost 2 million. This article discusses the perils of application of textbook methods of sampling coverage, selection, and nonresponse in studies related to AAPIs and the importance to note that some rapidly increasing racial/ethnic groups such as AAPIs have linguistic and cultural differences and these differences often cause such groups to be omitted from data collection.

Project Report: Analysis of the Contents of the Journal of Family Nursing (1995–2007)

Cannon, S., Connelly, T., Desanto-Madeya, S., Fawcett, J., Hayman, L. L., Hickson, K., & Lee, H. (2011). Journal of Family Nursing, 17(2), 270-271. 10.1177/1074840711404160

Recognition and management of HBV infection in a social context

Lee, H., Hann, H. W., Yang, J. H., & Fawcett, J. (2011). Journal of Cancer Education, 26(3), 516-521. 10.1007/s13187-011-0203-5
Abstract
Abstract
Chronic viral hepatitis B and C infection is three to five times more frequent than HIV in the USA, and chronically infected people are at risk for long-term sequelae including cirrhosis, liver decomposition, and hepatocellular carcinoma (Institute of Medicine, 2010). Socio-cultural factors are central to the way an individual constructs hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, perceives it as serious health problem, and moves on to appropriate health behavior (Lee et al., J Canc Educ 25:337-342, 2010; Kim, J Health Care Poor Underserved 5:170-182, 2004; Lee et al., Asian Nurs Res 1:1-11, 2007; Wu et al, Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 8(1):127-234, 2007; Yang et al., J Korean Academy Nurs 40:662-675, 2010). The purpose of this study was to seek "real world" data about factors that influence the recognition and management of HBV infection in Korean Americans' socio-cultural contexts. The descriptive qualitative study used an interview informed by ethnography to collect data and was guided by the Network- Episode Model. (Pescosolido, Adv Med Sociol 2:161-184, 1991; Pescosolido, AJS 97:1096-1138, 1992; Pescosolido, Res Sociol Health Care 13A:171-197, 1996). The sample comprised 12 HBV patients and nine key informants. Six factors that influenced the management of HBV infection emerged from the interviews: recognition of disease within a social context, unrecognized disease in a hidden health system, the socio-cultural meaning of disease, lay construction of the cause of disease, misunderstandings and cultural learning styles, and personal and environmental barriers to health care. Each theme was associated with Korean American (KA) social contexts, participants' experiences, and the beliefs they held about the disease. The findings explored that the family network is "genetic code" for social networking among KAs and the network of patients was not geographically bound. Health management behaviors are mediated by an array of types and levels of social and personal networks, and this raises questions about current health education, management of HBV, and prevention of liver cancer.

Complexity and uncertainty of living with an invisible virus of hepatitis b in Korea

Lee, H., Yang, J. H., Cho, M. O., & Fawcett, J. (2010). Journal of Cancer Education, 25(3), 337-342. 10.1007/s13187-010-0047-4
Abstract
Abstract
The objective of this study was to explore infected Koreans' perceptions, knowledge, and experiences of living with a hepatitis B virus (HBV)-positive diagnosis. The qualitative, descriptive study with a purposive sampling method was utilized. Participants were recruited from hepatology outpatient clinics at an urban Korean university hospital. The findings of this study illustrate the complexity and uncertainty of living with an invisible virus once that one's HBV positive status is known. The themes highlight misunderstanding, confusion, uncertainty, and various perceptions of health management with which the patients have been living. Education of both the general public and people with HBV infection is necessary to reduce HBV infection by preventing transmission of the virus and protecting the livers of infected patients from further damage.

Differences in Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Hepatitis B Infection and Vaccination Between Adolescents in Juvenile Detention Centers and in Schools in South Korea

Lee, O., Lee, H. O., Kim, S., Kang, Y. W., Lee, M. S., Han, S. J., Shim, M. S., & Yang, N. Y. (2010). Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 21(1), 65-72. 10.1177/1043659609348620
Abstract
Abstract
This study explored the level of knowledge and attitudes toward hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and vaccination of adolescents in juvenile detention facilities and in schools in South Korea. A cross-sectional comparison design with a convenient sampling method was used. Participants in the study were 301 delinquent and 410 school adolescents. The results showed that knowledge of HBV infection among juvenile detention adolescents was significantly lower but there was no difference between groups in attitudes toward infection and vaccination.

Management of hepatitis B virus infection

Lee, H., Park, W., Yang, J. H., & You, K. S. (2010). Gastroenterology Nursing, 33(2), 120-126. 10.1097/SGA.0b013e3181d72c59
Abstract
Abstract
An estimated 2 million people are living with chronic hepatitis B virus (CHBV) in the United States and are at risk for long-term consequences such as cirrhosis, liver decompensation, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Less than 10 years ago, there was no treatment of CHBV infection, but now, new drugs have recently been approved and there is considerable new knowledge about the treatment of CHBV infection. Recently, consensus guidelines for the management of hepatitis B virus infection have been released by the National Institutes of Health and the American Medical Association, addressing the selection of patients and drugs for treatments. Determining what constitutes best practices to manage patients with CHBV is challenging and requires nurses and nurse practitioners to acquire and maintain up-to-date knowledge to understand recently approved drugs and disease management. Nurses and nurse practitioners should know how to identify patients who need treatment and how to educate, counsel, and monitor treatment adherence and side effects; these skills are crucially important. The goal of this article is to provide nurses with the most current consensus guidelines for the management of CHBV infection and their application in nursing practice to optimize treatment to enhance patient outcomes.

The meaning of illness among Korean Americans with chronic hepatitis B

Yang, J. H., Lee, H. O., & Cho, M. O. (2010). Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing, 40(5), 662-675. 10.4040/jkan.2010.40.5.662
Abstract
Abstract
Purpose: This ethnography was done to explore the meaning of illness in Korean Americans with chronic hepatitis B. Methods: The participants were 6 patients with chronic hepatitis B and 6 general informants who could provide relevant data. Data were collected from iterative fieldwork with ethnographic interviews within Korean communities in two cities in the United States. Data were analyzed using causal chain analysis developed by Wolcott. Results: The analyses revealed three meanings for the illness: hidden disease, intentionally hidden disease, and inevitably hidden disease. The contexts of meaning of illness included characteristics of the illness, social stigma, structure of health care system and communication patterns and discourse between health care providers and clients. Conclusion: The meaning of illness was based on folk illness concepts and constructed in the sociocultural context. Folk etiology, pathology and interpretation of one's symptoms were factors influencing illness behavior. These findings could be a cornerstone for culture specific care for Korean Americans with chronic hepatitis B.

Public health policy for management of hepatitis b virus infection: Historical review of recommendations for immunization

Lee, H., & Park, W. (2010). Public Health Nursing, 27(2), 148-157. 10.1111/j.1525-1446.2010.00842.x
Abstract
Abstract
Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the leading cause of cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer, and an estimated 620,000 persons die annually from HBV-related liver disease (Goldstein et al., 2005; World Health Organization, 2000). Immunization with the HBV vaccine is the most effective means of preventing HBV infection and its consequent acute and chronic liver diseases such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The HBV vaccine has been used against HBV in the United States since 1982 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1982); during the last 25 years, HBV vaccine policy continued to evolve in response to public health issues and epidemiologic data. Although the number of newly acquired HBV infections has substantially declined as a result of implementation of a national immunization program, the prevalence of chronic HBV infection remains high. The purpose of this article is to review the epidemiology of HBV, provide a historical review of health policies for HBV immunization, and summarize the recent evidence-based public health guidelines for management of HBV infection in the United States.