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Namkee G. Choi, Ph.D.Professor |
School of Social Work: |
Professional Interests
Social Policy for older persons (Social Security and Supplemental Security Income); Social gerontology (long-term care; service utilization; minority aging); Program evaluation.
Education
- Ph.D., University of California at Berkeley
- M.S.W., University of Minnesota
- M.A., Ewha Women's University, Seoul, Korea
- B.A., Ewha Women's University, Seoul, Korea
About
Dr. Namkee Choi is a professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Choi is a gerontologist and Scholar of the Advanced Research Institute in Geriatric Mental Health funded by the National Institute of Mental Health. Her current research focuses on depression in late life and the development and evaluation of effective psychosocial interventions for depressive symptoms among both community-dwelling and institutionalized older adults. Dr. Choi's other areas of research include disparities in health status and healthcare utilization, program evaluation, minority aging, and social policy for the aging population. Dr. Choi teaches social policy and research methods at the graduate level.
Dr. Choi serves on the editorial board the Journal of Gerontological Social Work and Journal of Poverty and as an expert reviewer for several professional journals in gerontology and social work. She is the author/co-author of two books and editor of two books and has published extensively in gerontology journals. Dr. Choi is active as a member of the National Advisory Committees of the Hartford Geriatric Doctoral Fellowship Program and the Hartford Faculty Scholars Program. She is also a national research mentor for the latter program.
Dr. Choi is originally from Korea where she had her master's degree in social work and worked at the Planned Parenthood of Korea and was a part-time lecturer for undergraduate social work students. Since she came to the United States in 1981, Dr. Choi received her MSW degree from the University of Minnesota and Ph.D. in Social Welfare from the University of California at Berkeley. While she was at UC Berkeley, Dr. Choi worked for the Mental Health Research Group for three years as a research assistant. Dr. Choi's social work practice experience in the United States has included advocacy for and direct work with long-term care residents and homebound older adults. In her spare time, she volunteers for the Meals on Wheels and More program as a grocery shopper for homebound older adults and for a local food pantry in Austin.
Teaching
Office Hours:
Visit the School's Electronic Classroom for course list and syllabi.
Research Projects
Completed projects have the year of completion.
- Telehealth Problemsolving Treatment of Homebound Older Adults
- Understanding Long-term Care Planning Behavior of Baby-Boom Aged Adults: Hartford Fellowship in Geriatric Social Work
- A Feasibility Study of Short-Term Depression Treatment for Homebound Older Adults (2009)
- Autonomy in the Face of Depression in Nursing Homes: What Do Nursing Home Residents and Staff Have to Say about the Residents' Depression and Intervention Needs? (2007)
- Mental Health Needs of Low-Income Older Texans: A Pilot Study of Assessment of Depressive Symtomatology and Preferred Treatments (2006)
- The Adult Protective Services Client Assessment and Risk Evaluation Form (APS CARE form) Validation Study (2006)
- Assessment of Depression Needs of Low-Income Older Adults: Informal Caregivers' and Social Service Providers' Perspectives (2005)
- Practitioners' Perspectives on Retention Problems among Geriatric Mental Health Clients (2004)
Selected Refereed Journal Articles
Choi, N. G., Teeters, M., Perez, L., Farar, B., & Thompson, D. (2010). Severity and Correlates of depressive Symptoms among recipients of Meals in Wheels: Age, Gender, and Racial/Ethnic Difference. Aging & Mental Health.
Choi, N. G. & Chou, R. J. (2010). Time and Money Volunteering in Mid- and Late-Life: Relationship between Past and Current Volunteering Behaviors and Predictors of Stability and Change. Ageing & Society.
Kim, J. & Choi, N. G. (2010). Age Group Differences in 12-Month Prevalence of Mental Disorders among Asian Americans. Aging and Mental Health.
Choi, N. G., Wyllie, R. & Ransom, S. (2009). Risk Factors and Intervention Programs for Depression in Nursing Home Residents: Nursing Home Staff Interview Findings. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 52(7), 668-683.
Choi, N. & McDougall, G. (2009). Unmet Need and Depressive Symptoms among Low-Income Older Adults. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 52(6), 567-583.
Choi, N. G., Kim, J. & Asseff, J. (2009). Self-Neglect and Neglect of Older Adults and Poverty: Re-examination of Etiology. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 52(2). 1-17.
Choi, N. G. & Jun, J. (2009). Life Regrets, Pride, and Depressive Symptoms among Low-Income Older Adults. Aging & Mental Health, 13. 213-225.
Choi, N. (2009). The Integration of Social and Psychological Services to Improve Low-Income Homebound Older Adults' Access to Depression Treatment. Family and Community Health, 32 (1S), S27-S35.
Choi, N. & Kimbell, K. (2009). Depression Care Need among Low-Income Older Adults: Views from Aging-Service Providers and Informal Caregivers. Clinical Gerontologist, 32, 60-76.
Choi, N. G., Ransom, S. & Wyllie, R. (2008). Depression in Older Nursing Home Residents: The Influence of Nursing Home Environmental Stressors, Coping, and Acceptance of Group and Individual Therapy. Aging & Mental Health, 12(5), 536-547.
Choi, N. G. & Kim, J. (2007). Age Group Differences in Depressive Symptoms among Older Adults with Functional Impairments. Health & Social Work, 32(3), 177-188.
Choi, N. G. & McDougall, G. (2007). Comparison of Depressive Symptoms between Homebound Older Adults and Ambulatory Older Adults. Aging & Mental Health, 11(3), 310-322.
Choi, N. & Morrow-Howell, N. (2007). Older Adults' Attitudes Toward Depression Treatment: Within-Group Differences. Aging & Mental Health, 11(4), 422-433.
Choi, N. G., Burr, J. A., Mutchler, J. E. & Caro, F. G. (2007). Formal and Informal Volunteer Activity and Spousal Caregiving among Older Adults. Research on Aging, 29(2), 1-26.
Choi, N, G., & Bohman, T. M. (2007). Predicting the changes in depressive symptomatology in later life: How much do changes in health status, marital and caregiving status, work and volunteering, and health-related behaviors contribute? Journal of Aging and Health, 19(1), 152-177.
Book Publications
Choi, N. G. (Ed., 2002) Social Work Practice with the Asian American Elderly. Binghamton, NY: Haworth
Choi, N. G. (Ed., 2001). Psychosocial Aspects of the Asian American Experience: Diversity within Diversity. Binghamton, NY: Haworth.
Choi, N. G. & Snyder, L. J. (1999). Homeless Families with Children: The Subjective Experience of Homelessness. New York: Springer.
Mui, A., Choi, N. G., & Monk, A. (1998). Long-Term Care and Ethnicity. Westport, CN: Auburn House.