Xiang Qi

Faculty

Xiang Qi headshot

Xiang Qi

PhD RN

Assistant Professor

1 212 992 5797

433 First Ave
New York, NY 10010
United States

Xiang Qi, PhD, RN, is an Assistant Professor at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing. His research sits at the intersection of gerontology, social epidemiology & psychiatry, and geriatric oral health. He conducts interdisciplinary research focusing on social disparities of healthy aging and longevity that crosscuts a range of areas in social isolation & loneliness, immigration, and neighborhood environment. The goal of Qi’s work is to reduce health disparities in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia in the US and globally. Qi is an expert in data science and quantitative methodology, including machine learning, multilevel modeling, and causal inference, and has extensive experience working with large-scale data analyses as well as analyzing electronic health records to understand the social determinants of health disparities.

Qi is the Principal Investigator on NIH-funded projects investigating the disparities in cardiometabolic diseases, mental health, and cognitive health across older Asian American ethnic groups. Prior to joining the faculty at NYU Meyers, he served as a Research Scientist on the “NYUCI-ES: Psychosocial Intervention to Improve Health Outcomes for Chinese and Korean ADRD Caregivers project (P50MD017356)” at the Rutgers-NYU Center for Asian Health Promotion and Equity. He also works on NIH-funded projects to elucidate the neurobiological pathways on the associations between poor oral health and dementia.

Among his many honors, Qi has received the Douglas Holmes Emerging Scholar Paper Award, the ESPO Best Poster Award, and the Minority Issues in Gerontology Student Poster Award, from the Gerontological Society of America. He has also been recognized with the 2022-2023 Outstanding PhD Dissertation Award from NYU Meyers. Additionally, Qi has received the FIRE Doctoral Student Research Leadership Award from the New York Academy of Medicine. His work has been featured in numerous media outlets, including U.S. News & World Reports, Yahoo!, Cable News Network (CNN), Science News, PsyPost, Daily Nurse, Dental Tribute, National Institute of Aging, Dentistry Today, and Neuroscience News. Qi’s research on the associations between social isolation, loneliness, and cognitive health has garnered significant attention and recognition.

Qi earned his PhD from New York University. He completed his Bachelor of Science at Fudan University in Shanghai, China, which included an exchange program at the Department of Neurobiology, Physiology & Behavior, University of California, Davis.

PhD, Nursing Research and Theory Development, New York University
Exchange Program, Neurobiology, Physiology & Behavior, University of California, Davis
BS, Fudan University

Gerontology
Oral-systemic health
Immigrants
Mental health
Underserved populations
Community/population health

Alzheimer’s Association International Society
New York Academy of Medicine
Sigma Theta Tau Nursing Honor Society
Gerontological Society of American
Eastern Nursing Research Society

Minority Issues in Gerontology Student Poster Award, Gerontological Society of American (2023)
2022-2023 Outstanding PhD Dissertation Award, NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing (2023)
The Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization – Carol Schutz Student Travel Award, Gerontological Society of American (2022)
Minority Issues in Gerontology Student Poster Award, Gerontological Society of American (2022)
Douglas Holmes Emerging Scholar Paper Award, Gerontological Society of American (2022)
The Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization – Best Poster Award, Gerontological Society of American (2022)
FIRE Doctoral Student Research Leadership Award, New York Academy of Medicine (2022)
Student Registration Award, Gerontological Society of American (2021)
Excellent Graduate of Shanghai, Shanghai Municipal Education Commission (2019)
Research and Innovation Award, Fudan University, Fudan University, Shanghai, China (2018)
National Undergraduate Scholarship, Ministry of Education of China (2018)National Undergraduate Scholarship, Ministry of Education of China (2018)
Overseas Exchange Outstanding Student Scholarship, Fudan University, China (2017)
The First Prize Scholarship, Fudan University, China (2016)
Excellent Student Leader, Fudan University, China (2015)

Perceived Discrimination and Symptoms of Cognitive Dysfuntion among Middle-Age and Older Persons Living with HIV in China: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study of the Mediating Role of Mental Health Symptoms and Social Isolation

Han, S., Hu, Y., Wang, L., Pei, Y., Zhu, Z., Qi, X., & Wu, B. (2021). Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, 32(4), 442-452. 10.1097/JNC.0000000000000264
Abstract
Abstract
Perceived discrimination is associated with symptoms of cognitive dysfunction (SOCD) among middle-age and older persons living with HIV (PLWH). We aimed to explore how the association between perceived discrimination and SOCD was mediated by mental health symptoms and social isolation. The sample included 321 PLWH, ages 45 years and older, for a multicenter cross-sectional study. Structural equation modeling showed an acceptable model fit and a significant total indirect effect between perceived discrimination and SOCD. All three indirect effect pathways were significant, suggesting that perceived discrimination could influence SOCD through mental health symptoms, through social isolation, or through mental health symptoms and then social isolation. Our study demonstrates that perceived discrimination is a concern for the management of cognitive function among middle-age and older PLWH. Both mental health symptoms and social isolation are critical elements in the design and evaluation of interventions for promoting cognitive health.

Sleep satisfaction and cognitive complaints in Chinese middle-aged and older persons living with HIV: the mediating role of anxiety and fatigue

Han, S., Hu, Y., Pei, Y., Zhu, Z., Qi, X., & Wu, B. (2021). AIDS Care - Psychological and Socio-Medical Aspects of AIDS HIV, 33(7), 929-937. 10.1080/09540121.2020.1844861
Abstract
Abstract
Middle-aged and older persons living with HIV (PLWH) suffer from sleep distress and cognitive disorders due to HIV infection and aging. We aim to explore the relationship between sleep satisfaction and cognitive complaints, and the mediating role of anxiety and fatigue in this relationship among middle-aged and older PLWH. We used data from a multicenter cross-sectional study in China (Shanghai, Kunming, Nanning, Hengyang, and Changning) conducted in 2017. The data analysis included 435 PLWH aged 45 years and over. Multiple linear regression models showed that worse sleep satisfaction was significantly associated with lower cognitive complaints after controlling for anxiety, fatigue, demographic variables, and clinical variables (β = −0.246, p < 0.01). Both anxiety and fatigue were significant partial mediators in the relationship between sleep satisfaction and cognitive complaints. The serial multiple mediation models of sleep satisfaction–anxiety (M1)–fatigue (M2)–cognitive complaints were supported and the alternative model of sleep satisfaction–fatigue (M2)–anxiety (M1)–cognitive complaints were both supported. Our study indicates that it is important to improve sleep quality to promote cognitive function among Chinese middle-aged and older PLWH. Prevention and treatment programs for sleep satisfaction and cognitive function should include the assessment and reduction of fatigue and anxiety.

Urban-Rural Disparities in Dental Services Utilization Among Adults in China’s Megacities

Qi, X., Qu, X., & Wu, B. (2021). Frontiers in Oral Health, 2. 10.3389/froh.2021.673296
Abstract
Abstract
Objective: China’s dental care system is bifurcated between urban and rural areas. However, very few studies have examined the dental services utilization inequities in China’smegacities, particularly in these urban and rural areas. This study aims to examine the urban-rural disparities in dental services utilization among adults living in China’s megacities based on the Andersen dental services utilization model. Methods: This study used data from 4,049 residents aged 18–65 who participated in the “2019 New Era and Living Conditions in Megacities Survey.” Multivariate logistic regressions were employed to examine the associations between place of residence and dental services utilization for individuals from ten megacities in China. Predisposing variables (age, gender, marital status, living arrangement, and education), enabling variables (socioeconomic status, occupational status, income, insurance coverage, health attitude, and health behavior), and need variables (self-rated health, oral health status, gum bleeding) were controlled for. Results: The mean age of the 4,049 adults was 45.2 (standard deviation = 13.0), and 30.4% (n = 1,232) had no dental visits at all. Adults who resided in urban areas were more likely to use dental services [odds ratio (OR) = 1.57, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.30 to 1.91] than those residing in rural areas after controlling for key covariates. Factors associated with higher odds of visiting dentists include having a higher income (OR = 1.44, P < 0.001), higher education level (OR = 1.53, P = 0.042), being covered by insurance for urban residents/employees (OR = 1.49, P = 0.031), having a positive attitude toward healthy diets (OR = 1.43, P < 0.001), attending regular physical examination (OR = 1.66, P < 0.001), having more tooth loss (OR = 1.05, P < 0.001), and having frequent gum bleeding (OR = 2.29, P < 0.001). Conclusion: The findings confirm that place of residence is associated with dental services utilization while adjusting for key covariates. Despite rapid economic development in China, many adults had never visited dentists at all. More efforts should be taken to encourage widespread dental care, such as providing more dental coverage and better access to dental care services.

Disparities in dental service utilization among adults in chinese megacities: Do health insurance and city of residence matter?

Qu, X., Qi, X., & Wu, B. (2020). International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(18), 1-13. 10.3390/ijerph17186851
Abstract
Abstract
The aims of the study were to present the prevalence of dental service utilization among adults (age between 18 and 65) in Chinese megacities and to examine the associations of health insurance and city of residence with dental visits. This study was a cross-sectional analysis of the 2019 New Era and Living Conditions in Megacities Survey data with a sample of 4835 participants aged 18–65 from 10 different megacities in China. The data including gross domestic product (GDP) per capita of each megacity obtained from the National Bureau of Statistics of China as a city-level characteristic. After adjusting sampling weights, approximately 24.28% of the participants had at least one dental visit per year. Findings from multilevel mixed-effects linear models showed that participants residing in megacities with higher GDP per capita (β = 0.07, p < 0.001) who had Urban Employee Basic Medical Insurance (β = 0.25, p < 0.001) or Urban Resident Basic Medical Insurance (β = 0.19, p < 0.01) had more frequent dental visits after adjusting demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, health status, health behavior and attitude, and oral health indicators. Margins post-estimation model results demonstrated disparities in the predicted probability of having never visited a dentist by types of health insurance and city of residence. In conclusion, the prevalence of dental visits in China was found to be low. This study highlights socioeconomic inequalities in dental service utilization. There is a great need to develop more dental care programs and services and expand health insurance to cover dental care in China.