PhD, Health Services Research, UCLA, 2014

MS, Health Economics, Fudan University, 2009

BA, Health Administration, Shanghai Jiaotong University, 2006

Dr. Zhang’s areas of expertise are in health services research, economic evaluation, policy impact analysis, simulation and systems science methods. Her research expertise lies in health insurance and access to health care, mobile health and tele-health, prevention of cardiovascular disease, obesity and nutrition policy, and early childhood intervention.

Early Career Travel Stipend Award, American Heart Association
Travel Award for the Systems Approaches to the Obesity Epidemic, Johns Hopkins Global Center on Childhood Obesity

AcademyHealth
American Society of Health Economists
International Health Economics Association
American Public Health Association
American Heart Association
Medical Decision-Making

Dr. Zhang teaches courses on research methods in health policy that introduces research questions, conceptual framework in health services research, study designs and policy-related data analyses.

HPAM 8300: Research Methods in Health Policy
HPAM 7010: Introduction to Health Policy and Management

Dr. Zhang’s research agenda has been focused on health policy evaluation, access to health, health care expenditures and rural health. She developed a simulation model to compare relative effectiveness of population-based strategies on unhealthy dietary behavior and hypertension prevalence. Her recent work focuses on testing the efficacy and feasibility of new service delivery models such as telemedicine and m-health in resource constrained areas.

Zhang, D., Wang, G., Zhu, W., Thapa, J., Switzer, J., Hess, D., Smith, M., & Ritchey M. Expansion of Telestroke Services Improves Quality of Care Provided in Super Rural Areas: An Analysis of Medicare Fee-For-Service Claims Data from 2008 to 2015. Health Affairs. 2018 (in press)

Wu T, Deng Z, Feng Z, Gaskin D, Zhang D, Wang R. The Effect of Doctor-Consumer Interaction on Social Media on Consumers’ Health Behaviors: Cross-Sectional Study. Journal of Medical Internet Research. 2018; 20(2): e73.

Zhang D, Pan X, Li S, Liang D, Hou Z, Li Y, Shi L. Impact of the National Essential Public Health Services Policy on Hypertension Control in China. American Journal of Hypertension. 2017; hpx139

Zhang D, Zhang P, Fang J, Ayala C, Wang G. Medical Expenditures Associated with Hypertension in the US: 2000 – 2013. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2017;53(6): S164–S171

Zhang D, Joo H, Wang G. A Systematic Review of Economic Evidence on Community Hypertension Interventions. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2017;53(6): S121–S130

Zhang D, Li Y, Wang G, Moran A, Pagán J. Nutrition Label Use and Sodium Intake in the United States. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2017;53 (6): S220–S227

Zhang D, Shi L, Tian F, Zhang L. Care utilization with China’s New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme: Updated Evidence from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study 2011 – 2012. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine. 2016: 1-9

Shi L, Zhang D, Meijgaard J, MacLeod K, Fielding J. The Interaction between an Individual’s Acculturation and Community Factors on Physical Inactivity, Obesity and Hypertension: A Multilevel Analysis. American Journal of Public Health. 2015;105(7): 1460-1467

Zhang D, Meijgaard J, Shi L, Core B, Fielding J. Does Neighborhood Composition Modify the Association Between Acculturation and Unhealthy Dietary Behaviors? Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. 2015; 69(3): 69 – 74.

Zhang D, Giabbanelli PJ, Arah OA, Zimmerman FJ. Impact of Different Policies on Unhealthy Dietary Behaviors in an Urban Adult Population: An Agent-Based Simulation Model. American Journal of Public Health. 2014;104(7): 1217-22.