Héctor Alcalá Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Behavioral and Community Health
1234 Hornbake
College Park , Maryland 20742
College Park , Maryland 20742
Email:
halcala@umd.edu
Office Phone:
301-405-2463
Education:
- Ph.D., Public Health / Community Health Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, 2015
- M.P.H., University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 2011
- Master of Public Health (MPH), Concentration: Community Health Sciences
- B.A., Psychology / Political Science, University of California, Los Angeles, 2009
Biography:
I study the impact of early life adversity on health. In particular, I examine how adversity impacts cancer risk and known correlates of cancer like smoking, cancer screening, and use of health services. I also study health disparities, with a strong focus on racial and ethnic disparities, and racism as a driver of racial disparities. This work explores differences between broad racial categories, examines how policies have impacted these disparities, and examines the heterogeneity that exists within racial and ethnic groups. In this research, I have investigated a variety of outcomes including access and utilization of health care, arrests, tobacco use and dietary behaviors.