Faculty & Staff

Sheryl Burt Ruzek, PhD, MPH
Professor Emeritus

Dr. Ruzek is Professor of Public Health and Women’s Studies and Co-Directs the Center for Women’s Health Research, Leadership and Advocacy at Temple University. Her research focuses on gender issues in risk communication, cancer communication, and the role of patient advocacy organizations in women’s health. She has written and edited numerous books and articles on women's health issues and health communication. The Ohio State University Press published her last book, Women’s Health: Complexities and Differences, with Virginia Olesen and Adele Clarke. Selected articles are listed below. Dr. Ruzek has served as a consultant to the WHO, FDA and numerous state and regional public health organizations. She is Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees of the ECRI Institute, an Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Evidence Based Practice Center and WHO Collaborating Center.  In 1996, Dr. Ruzek received the University's Great Teacher Award and from 2000-2002 served as Acting Dean of the Graduate School.

Education  

University of California, Davis, Ph.D.
University of California, Berkeley, MPH

Teaching Areas  

Women's and maternal-child health
Epidemiology and public policy
History and Ethics in Public Health

Current External Funding 

Philadelphia Department of Public Health. “Health Providers' Perceptions of HIV Prevention and Case Management.” TF Gordon, PI, SB Ruzek, SB Bass Co-PIs.  

National Cancer Institute/NIH 1R21CA120122-01A1. “Using Perceptual Mapping to Develop Low Literacy CRC Screening Decision Aids.” TF Gordon, PI, SB Ruzek, SB Bass, L Kaplan, Co-PIs.

Recent External Funding 

PA Department of Health, Office of PH Preparedness in coordination with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mental Health Preparedness and Risk Communication, AH Hausman, Center Director and PI. TF Gordon, PI, SB Ruzek, SB Bass, Co-PIs for Risk Communication projects (2003-2006).

Temple University Tobacco Settlement Fund, Office of the Vice President for Research. Risk Communication Laboratory for Modeling Simulations & Building Predictive Computer Models. TF Gordon, PI, SB Ruzek and SB Bass, Co-PIs. (2005)

American International Health Alliance and U.S. Agency for International Development. “Development of Primary Care Systems for NIS of former Soviet Union. Primary care infrastructure for Kiev, Ukraine.”  NIH Health Partnerships Program. Aaronson, W and Portwood, J, Fox School of Business, Project Leaders. SB Ruzek, Leadership and Community Health Assessment Teams. (1999-2004)

Selected Publications

Ward, SH, K Lin, B Meyer, SB Bass, L Parameswaran, TF Gordon and SB Ruzek “Increasing Colorectal Cancer Screening Among African Americans.  Linking Risk Perception to Interventions Targeting Patients, Communities and Clinicians” Journal of the National Medical Associations 100 (6):  748-758, 2008.

Bass, SB, TF Gordon, SB Ruzek, AJ Hausman “Mapping Perceptions Related To Acceptance Of Smallpox Vaccination By Hospital Emergency Room Personnel” Biosecurity and Bioterrorism: Biodefense Strategy, Practice, and Science, 6 (2): 179-189, 2008. 

Balmer, D, SB Ruzek, S Ludwig and A Giardino. “Pediatric Residents and Continuity Clinic Preceptor Perceptions of the Effects of Restricted Work Hours on Their Learning Relationship” Ambulatory Pediatrics 7 (5); 348-353, 2007. 

Ruzek, SB “"Transforming doctor: patient relationships" Journal of Health Services Research & Policy 12(3): 181-182, 2007.

Balmer, D, S Ruzek, S Ludwig, A Giardino  “Learning about Systems-Based Practice in the Informal Curriculum: A Case Study in an Academic Pediatric Continuity Clinic.” Ambulatory Pediatrics 7 (3): 214-219, 2007.

Bass, SB, SB Ruzek, TF Gordon, A Hanlon. “Preparedness for a Smallpox Outbreak: Comparing Metrics for Assessing Levels of Vaccination among Healthcare Workers by State” Epidemiology and Infection, 135(4): 622-33, 2007.

Bass, SB, SB Ruzek, L Fleisher, N McKeown-Conn, TF Gordon, and D Moore. “Relationship of Internet Health Information Use with Patient Behavior and Self-Efficacy: Experiences of newly diagnosed cancer patients who contact the National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Information Service. Journal of Health Communication 11:1-18, 2006.    

Katz, ML, SB Ruzek, S Miller, P Legos, “Gender differences in patients needs and concerns   

undergoing diagnostic tests for possible cancer.” Journal of Cancer Education 19:227-231,  

2004.

Ruzek, SB. “How Might the Women’s Health Movement Shape National Agendas on Women and Aging?” Women’s Health Issues 14:112-4, 2004.

Katz, ML, K Smith-Whitley, SB Ruzek and K Ohene-Frempong, “Knowledge of Stroke Risk,  

Signs of Stroke, and Need for Stroke Education Among Children with Sickle Cell Disease and Their Caregivers,” 7:2 pp. 115-123 Ethnicity and Health, 2002.

Ruzek, SB and J Becker, “The Women’s Health Movement in the US: From Grass-roots Activism to Professional Agendas,” Journal of the American Medical Women’s Association 54:1 pp. 4-8, 40, 1999.

Ruzek, SB, "Rethinking Feminist Ideologies and Actions: Thoughts on the Past and Future of  Health Reform," pp. 303-323 in VL Olesen and AE Clarke, Eds.,  Revisioning Women's Health and Healing. Feminist, Cultural and Technoscience Perspectives .  New York: Routledge, 1998.

Ruzek, SB, "Demographic Changes That Impact on Women's Health Over the Life Phases," in L Wallis, Ed. Textbook of Women's Health. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1997.