Maria Chao, DrPH, MPA

Professor

Maria T. Chao, DrPH, MPA is a professor at the University of California San Francisco’s Osher Center for Integrative Health and the Division of General Internal Medicine at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. Dr. Chao’s overarching goal is to investigate how complementary and integrative health approaches can advance health equity and improve quality of life among underserved populations living with chronic conditions. Her recent studies aim to: (1) rigorously test integrative approaches to address the under-treatment of pain in diverse patient populations; and (2) apply implementation science to broaden access to evidence-based integrative medicine. Her work has received funding support through the NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, and numerous foundations.
Education
2019 - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Champion Training, University of California
Postdoctoral Studies, 2011 - Integrative Medicine, University of California, San Francisco
DrPH, 2004 - Sociomedical Sciences, Columbia University
MPA, 1999 - Public Administration, Columbia University
Custom Faculty Group
Core
Publications

  1. Qina'au J, Chao MT, Austin Seabury A, Antonio MCK. Imagining Indigenized Futures: Multi-Eyed Seeing and Decolonialism in Integrative Health Equity. Global advances in integrative medicine and health 2025. PMID: 40918401


  2. Thompson-Lastad A, Wennik J, Swedlow P, Wu J, Hartogensis W, Jackson JLN, Chao MT. Group-Based Integrative Pain Management: Feasibility of a Factorial Randomized Trial in Safety-Net Primary Care. Journal of primary care & community health 2025. PMID: 40817732


  3. Meng EX, Chao MT, Wayne P. Dignity-Based Care: Lessons for Today from Two Turning Points in the Histories of Acupuncture. Journal of integrative and complementary medicine 2025. PMID: 40658034


  4. Chiu DT, Fein F, Thompson-Lastad A, Hartogensis W, Christian-Afflu SN, Ekman E, Chao MT. "It's a Really Big Privilege to be Able to Take Care of Ourselves": A Mixed Methods Study of Integrating Mindfulness for Mental Health into a Job Training Program for Low-Income Emerging Adults. Global advances in integrative medicine and health 2025. PMID: 40487858


  5. Adams MCB, Bann CM, Bayman EO, Chao M, Hergenroeder GW, Knott C, Lindquist MA, Luo ZD, Martin R, Martone ME, McCarthy J, McCumber M, Meropol SB, Ridenour TA, Saavedra LM, Sarker A, Anstrom KJ, Thompson WK. Building Community Through Data: The value of a Researcher Driven Open Science Ecosystem. Pain medicine (Malden, Mass.) 2025. PMID: 39836639


  6. Bahl S, Ritter V, Thompson-Lastad A, Ruvalcaba D, Jackson J, Fernando CM, Turchin C, Finch MA, Soldaini A, Swedlow P, Wennik J, Chao MT. Evaluating Feasibility and Acceptability of a Telehealth Integrative Pain Management Program Among Primary Care Safety-Net Patients. Global advances in integrative medicine and health 2025. PMID: 40018417


  7. Thompson-Lastad A, Hussein SN, Harrison JM, Zhang XJ, Ikeda MP, Chao MT, Adler SR, Weng HY. "May we be the bridge and boat to cross the water": Community-engaged research on metta meditation. The American journal of orthopsychiatry 2025. PMID: 39786823


  8. Huang AJ, Subak LL, Rowen TS, Schembri M, Raghunathan H, Gibson C, Pawlowsky S, Cheng J, Chao MT. A Multisite Randomized Feasibility Trial of a Remotely Delivered Pelvic Yoga Program for Women with Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome. Journal of integrative and complementary medicine 2024. PMID: 39723995


  9. Chao MT, Thompson-Lastad A, Swedlow P, Prathikanti S, Hartogensis W, Wolfe-Modupe F, Wennik J. Group-Based Integrative Pain Management in Primary Care: A Study Protocol for Multilevel Interventions to Address Health Disparities. Global advances in integrative medicine and health 2024. PMID: 39568795


  10. Mishra KK, Leung IC, Chao MT, Thompson-Lastad A, Pollak C, Dhruva A, Hartogensis W, Lister M, Cheng SW, Atreya CE. Mindfulness-Based Group Medical Visits: Strategies to Improve Equitable Access and Inclusion for Diverse Patients in Cancer Treatment. Global advances in integrative medicine and health 2024. PMID: 38895040


  11. Chloe Evelyn Atreya, Ivan C. Leung, Maria T. Chao, Ariana Thompson-Lastad, Christine Pollak, Anand Dhruva, Wendy Hartogensis, Michael Lister, Stephanie W. Cheng, Kavita K. Mishra. Mindfulness-based group medical visits: Strategies to improve equitable access and inclusion for diverse patients in cancer treatment. Journal of Clinical Oncology 2024. PMID:


  12. Thompson-Lastad A, Harrison JM, Taiwo TK, Williams C, Parimi M, Wilborn B, Chao MT. Postpartum care for parent-infant dyads: A community midwifery model. Birth (Berkeley, Calif.) 2024. PMID: 38590170


  13. Chao MT, Adler SR. Integrative Health Equity: Definition, Principles, Strategies, and Reflections. Global advances in integrative medicine and health 2024. PMID: 38327738


  14. Bromley FA, Taylor-Swanson LJ, Chao MT. Room for all: Inclusive diversity, equity, and access in acupuncture practice, education, and research. Explore (New York, N.Y.) 2022. PMID: 36064701


  15. Ashby J, Toveg M, Ye H, Rubin LH, Reddy S, Chao MT. The Assessment and Treatment of Inpatient Cancer-Related Pain with Acupuncture: Development of a Manual. 2015 Year Book of Pediatrics. Ed. Cabana MD. (Elsevier; Philadelphia, PA) 2022. PMID: 35251434


  16. Ho EY, Agne RR, Santana T, Thompson N, McClendon G, Ng E, Merrick S, Gonzalez F, Smith T, Drewke K, Gutierrez A, Floyd G, Chao MT. A Communication Perspective on What Patient Advisory Boards Do: Action-Implicative Discourse Analysis and Negotiating Advice. Journal of general internal medicine 2021. PMID: 34591265


  17. Daubenmier J, Chao MT, Hartogensis W, Liu R, Moran PJ, Acree MC, Kristeller J, Epel ES, Hecht FM. Exploratory Analysis of Racial/Ethnic and Educational Differences in a Randomized Controlled Trial of a Mindfulness-based Weight Loss Intervention. Psychosomatic medicine 2020. PMID: 33214537


  18. Ho EY, Leung G, Chao MT, Chan D, Hsieh E, Pritzker S, Chi HL, Huang S, Ruan Q, Seligman HK. Integrative Nutritional Counseling Combining Chinese Medicine and Biomedicine for Chinese Americans with Type 2 Diabetes: A Mixed-Methods Feasibility Study. Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) 2021. PMID: 33979531


  19. Ho EY, Thompson-Lastad A, Lam R, Zhang X, Thompson N, Chao MT. Adaptations to Acupuncture and Pain Counseling Implementation in a Multisite Pragmatic Randomized Clinical Trial. Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) 2021. PMID: 33902333


  20. Weng HY, Ikeda MP, Lewis-Peacock JA, Chao MT, Fullwiley D, Goldman V, Skinner S, Duncan LG, Gazzaley A, Hecht FM. Corrigendum: Toward a Compassionate Intersectional Neuroscience: Increasing Diversity and Equity in Contemplative Neuroscience. Frontiers in psychology 2021. PMID: 33488490


  21. Weng HY, Ikeda MP, Lewis-Peacock JA, Chao MT, Fullwiley D, Goldman V, Skinner S, Duncan LG, Gazzaley A, Hecht FM. Toward a Compassionate Intersectional Neuroscience: Increasing Diversity and Equity in Contemplative Neuroscience. Frontiers in psychology 2020. PMID: 33329215


  23. Weng HY, Lewis-Peacock JA, Hecht FM, Uncapher MR, Ziegler DA, Farb NAS, Goldman V, Skinner S, Duncan LG, Chao MT, Gazzaley A. Focus on the Breath: Brain Decoding Reveals Internal States of Attention During Meditation. Frontiers in human neuroscience 2020. PMID: 33005138


  24. Liu R, Santana T, Schillinger D, Hecht FM, Chao MT. "It Gave Me Hope" Experiences of Diverse Safety Net Patients in a Group Acupuncture Intervention for Painful Diabetic Neuropathy. Health equity 2020. PMID: 32462104


  25. Chao MT, Schillinger D, Nguyen U, Santana T, Liu R, Gregorich S, Hecht FM. A Randomized Clinical Trial of Group Acupuncture for Painful Diabetic Neuropathy Among Diverse Safety Net Patients. Pain medicine (Malden, Mass.) 2019. PMID: 31127837


  26. Hullender Rubin LE, Mist SD, Schnyer RN, Chao MT, Leclair CM. Acupuncture Augmentation of Lidocaine for Provoked, Localized Vulvodynia: A Feasibility and Acceptability Study. Journal of lower genital tract disease 2019. PMID: 31592976


  27. Thompson-Lastad A, Atreya CE, Chao MT, Pollak C, Dhruva A, Santana T, Abrams DI. Improving Access to Integrative Oncology Through Group Medical Visits: A Pilot Implementation Project. Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) 2019. PMID: 31314561


  28. Gardiner P, Chao M, Burnett M. Improving Access, Integration, and Sustainability: A Reflective Overview of the Special Issue on Innovation in Group-Delivered Services. Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) 2019. PMID: 31314568


  29. Chao MT, Hurstak E, Leonoudakis-Watts K, Sidders F, Pace J, Hammer H, Wismer B. Patient-Reported Outcomes of an Integrative Pain Management Program Implemented in a Primary Care Safety Net Clinic: a Quasi-experimental Study. Journal of general internal medicine 2019. PMID: 30783878


  30. Bruns EB, Befus D, Wismer B, Knight K, Adler SR, Leonoudakis-Watts K, Thompson-Lastad A, Chao MT. Vulnerable Patients' Psychosocial Experiences in a Group-Based, Integrative Pain Management Program. Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) 2019. PMID: 31314560


  31. Hurstak E, Chao MT, Leonoudakis-Watts K, Pace J, Walcer B, Wismer B. Design, Implementation, and Evaluation of an Integrative Pain Management Program in a Primary Care Safety-Net Clinic. Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) 2019. PMID: 30870021


  32. Ye H, Bowden D, Ashby J, Toveg M, Reddy S, Chao MT. Improving Usability of Electronic Health Records for Whole Systems Integrative Medicine Practitioners. Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) 2019. PMID: 30870026


  33. Harrison JD, Reddy S, Liu R, Adler SR, Chao MT. Implementing an Inpatient Acupuncture Service for Pain and Symptom Management: Identifying Opportunities and Challenges. Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) 2019. PMID: 30758215


  34. Thompson-Lastad A, Gardiner P, Chao MT. Integrative Group Medical Visits: A National Scoping Survey of Safety-Net Clinics. Health equity 2019. PMID: 30706043


  35. Helen Y Weng, Jarrod A Lewis-Peacock, Frederick M Hecht, Melina Uncapher, David Ziegler, Norman AS Farb, Veronica Goldman, Sasha Skinner, Larissa G Duncan, Maria T Chao, Adam Gazzaley. Focus on the breath: Brain decoding reveals internal states of attention during meditation. bioRxiv 2018. PMID:


  36. Dhruva A, Atreya CE, Chao MT. Applying New Models of Care to Meet Patient Needs in Integrative Oncology. Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) 2018. PMID: 30247958


  37. Ho EY, Acquah J, Chao C, Leung G, Ng DC, Chao MT, Wang A, Ku S, Chen W, Yu CK, Xu S, Chen M, Jih J. Heart healthy integrative nutritional counseling (H2INC): Creating a Chinese medicine + western medicine patient education curriculum for Chinese Americans. Patient education and counseling 2018. PMID: 30126680


  38. Chao MT, Adler SR. Integrative Medicine and the Imperative for Health Justice. Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) 2018. PMID: 29364694


  39. Salvatore D’Amico, Maria Chao, Paula Gardiner. Addressing Disparities in Integrative and Complementary Therapies. Advances in Integrative Medicine 2017. PMID:


  40. Huang AJ, Rowen TS, Abercrombie P, Subak LL, Schembri M, Plaut T, Chao MT. Development and Feasibility of a Group-Based Therapeutic Yoga Program for Women with Chronic Pelvic Pain. Pain medicine (Malden, Mass.) 2017. PMID: 28419385


  41. Handley MA, Quan J, Chao MT, Ratanawongsa N, Sarkar U, Emmons-Bell S, Schillinger D. Use of Complementary Health Approaches Among Diverse Primary Care Patients with Type 2 Diabetes and Association with Cardiometabolic Outcomes: From the SF Bay Collaborative Research Network (SF Bay CRN). Volume 30 of Issue 5. Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine : JABFM 2017. PMID: 28923815


  42. Duncan LG, Cohn MA, Chao MT, Cook JG, Riccobono J, Bardacke N. Benefits of preparing for childbirth with mindfulness training: a randomized controlled trial with active comparison. BMC pregnancy and childbirth 2017. PMID: 28499376


  43. Liu R, Chao MT, Jostad-Laswell A, Duncan LG. Does CenteringPregnancy Group Prenatal Care Affect the Birth Experience of Underserved Women? A Mixed Methods Analysis. Journal of immigrant and minority health 2017. PMID: 26942939


  44. Chao MT, Chang A, Reddy S, Harrison JD, Acquah J, Toveg M, Santana T, Hecht FM. Adjunctive acupuncture for pain and symptom management in the inpatient setting: protocol for a pilot hybrid effectiveness-implementation study. Journal of integrative medicine 2016. PMID: 27181130


  45. Wade C, Wang L, Zhao WJ, Cardini F, Kronenberg F, Gui SQ, Ying Z, Zhao NQ, Chao MT, Yu J. Acupuncture point injection treatment of primary dysmenorrhoea: a randomised, double blind, controlled study. BMJ open 2016. PMID: 26733563


  46. Chang A, Acquah J, Reddy S, Chao MT. Acupuncture for the Management of Postdural Puncture Headache: A Case Report. Global advances in health and medicine 2016. PMID: 26937320


  47. Liu R, Chang A, Reddy S, Hecht FM, Chao MT. Improving Patient-Centered Care: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Prior Use and Interest in Complementary and Integrative Health Approaches Among Hospitalized Oncology Patients. Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) 2015. PMID: 26505257


  48. Chao MT, Abercrombie PD, Santana T, Duncan LG. Applying the RE-AIM Framework to Evaluate Integrative Medicine Group Visits Among Diverse Women with Chronic Pelvic Pain. Pain management nursing : official journal of the American Society of Pain Management Nurses 2015. PMID: 26365760


  49. Chao MT, Handley MA, Quan J, Sarkar U, Ratanawongsa N, Schillinger D. Disclosure of complementary health approaches among low income and racially diverse safety net patients with diabetes. Patient education and counseling 2015. PMID: 26146238


  50. Chao MT, Abercrombie PD, Nakagawa S, Gregorich SE, Learman LA, Kuppermann M. Prevalence and use of complementary health approaches among women with chronic pelvic pain in a prospective cohort study. Pain medicine (Malden, Mass.) 2014. PMID: 25279935


  51. Maria T. Chao, Margaret Handley, Judy Quan, Urmimala Sarkar, Neda Ratanawongsa, Dean Schillinger. Disclosure of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among Diverse Safety Net Patients with Diabetes. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 2014. PMID:


  52. Maria T. Chao, Priscilla D. Abercrombie, Larissa G. Duncan, Trilce Santana, Alexandra M. Chang. Feasibility and Preliminary Effects of Centering for Chronic Pelvic Pain: Integrative Group Visits for Medically Underserved Women. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 2014. PMID:


  53. Larissa Duncan, Michael Cohn, Maria Chao, Joseph Cook, Jane Riccobono, Nancy Bardacke. Mind in Labor: Effects of Mind/Body Training on Childbirth Appraisals and Pain Medication Use During Labor. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 2014. PMID:


  54. Maria T. Chao, Unity Nguyen, Zachary Zibrat, Fija Reed, Dean Schillinger, Frederick M. Hecht. Protocol Development of Group Acupuncture Treatment for Painful Diabetic Neuropathy Using Treatment Manualization. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 2014. PMID:


  55. Chao MT, Wade CM, Booth SL. Increase in plasma phylloquinone concentrations following acupoint injection for the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea. Journal of acupuncture and meridian studies 2014. PMID: 24929459


  56. Chao MT, Wade CM, Abercrombie PD, Gomolak D. An innovative acupuncture treatment for primary dysmenorrhea: a randomized, crossover pilot study. Alternative therapies in health and medicine 2014. PMID: 24445356


  57. Tippens KM, Chao MT, Connelly E, Locke A. Patient perspectives on care received at community acupuncture clinics: a qualitative thematic analysis. BMC complementary and alternative medicine 2013. PMID: 24168022


  58. Chao MT, Abercrombie PD, Duncan LG. Centering as a model for group visits among women with chronic pelvic pain. Journal of obstetric, gynecologic, and neonatal nursing : JOGNN 2012. PMID: 22862426


  59. M Chao,C Wade. P02.44. A pilot crossover trial of acupoint injection for treating primary dysmenorrhea. BMC complementary and alternative medicine 2012. PMID:


  60. K Tippens, M Chao, E Connelly, A Locke. P05.37. Assessing patient perspectives on quality of care at community acupuncture clinics. BMC complementary and alternative medicine 2012. PMID:


  61. M Chao,P Abercrombie. P05.41. Development and evaluation of group medical visits for medically underserved women with chronic pelvic pain. BMC complementary and alternative medicine 2012. PMID:


  62. Chao MT, Tippens KM, Connelly E. Utilization of group-based, community acupuncture clinics: a comparative study with a nationally representative sample of acupuncture users. Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) 2012. PMID: 22551075


  63. Xie SB, Zhu JY, Ying Z, Zeng LJ, Chao M, Lu MQ. Prevention and risk factors of the HBV recurrence after orthotopic liver transplantation: 160 cases follow-up study. Transplantation 2010. PMID: 20703179


  64. Chao MT, Wade C, Kronenberg F. Disclosure of complementary and alternative medicine to conventional medical providers: variation by race/ethnicity and type of CAM. Journal of the National Medical Association 2008. PMID: 19024232


  65. Reiff M, Wade C, Chao MT, Kronenberg F, Cushman LF. Health practices and vaginal microbicide acceptability among urban black women. Journal of women's health (2002) 2008. PMID: 18788991


  66. Wade C, Chao M, Kronenberg F, Cushman L, Kalmuss D. Medical pluralism among American women: results of a national survey. Journal of women's health (2002) 2008. PMID: 18537484


  68. Wade C, Chao MT, Kronenberg F. Medical pluralism of Chinese women living in the United States. Journal of immigrant and minority health 2007. PMID: 17431784


  69. Chao MT, Wade C, Kronenberg F, Kalmuss D, Cushman LF. Women's reasons for complementary and alternative medicine use: racial/ethnic differences. Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) 2006. PMID: 17034277


  70. Kronenberg F, Cushman LF, Wade CM, Kalmuss D, Chao MT. Race/ethnicity and women's use of complementary and alternative medicine in the United States: results of a national survey. American journal of public health 2006. PMID: 16735632


  71. Abraído-Lanza AF, Chao MT, Flórez KR. Do healthy behaviors decline with greater acculturation? Implications for the Latino mortality paradox. Social science & medicine (1982) 2005. PMID: 15970234


  72. Abraído-Lanza AF, Chao MT, Gates CY. Acculturation and cancer screening among Latinas: results from the National Health Interview Survey. Annals of behavioral medicine : a publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine 2005. PMID: 15677297


  73. Abraído-Lanza AF, Chao MT, Gammon MD. Breast and cervical cancer screening among Latinas and non-Latina whites. American journal of public health 2004. PMID: 15284049


  74. Dessio W, Wade C, Chao M, Kronenberg F, Cushman LE, Kalmuss D. Religion, spirituality, and healthcare choices of African-American women: results of a national survey. Ethnicity & disease 2004. PMID: 15132203