Rebecca Brown, MD, MPH

Assistant Professor

Dr. Brown is an affiliated Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Geriatrics at the University of California, San Francisco. As a clinician-investigator, Dr. Brown focuses on improving functional status among socioeconomically vulnerable older adults. Dr. Brown received her medical school training at Harvard Medical School. She completed residency in internal medicine at UCSF, followed by fellowship in geriatric medicine at Harvard Medical School, including an MPH from the Harvard School of Public Health. She returned to UCSF for a research fellowship in geriatric medicine before joining the faculty of the Division of Geriatrics in 2013. In 2018 she joined the Division of Geriatric Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

The goal of Dr. Brown’s research is to improve functional status among socioeconomically vulnerable older adults, including those experiencing homelessness. To achieve this goal, she is working to describe the risk factors for functional disability and other geriatric conditions in these groups, and to develop targeted interventions to address these risk factors and improve health and functional status.

Honors and Awards
  • Outstanding Junior Clinician Education Manuscript Award, American Geriatrics Society, 2018
  • Outstanding Junior Investigator of the Year Award, American Geriatrics Society, 2016
  • Outstanding Junior Research Manuscript Award, American Geriatrics Society, 2016
  • Best Published Research Award, Society for General Internal Medicine, 2016
  • Best Research Mentor Award, Medical Student Training in Aging Research (MSTAR) program, University of California, San Francisco, 2014
  • Best Paper, Health Services and Policy Research, American Geriatrics Society Annual Scientific Meeting, 2013
  • Best Poster, Geriatric Syndromes, American Geriatrics Society Annual Scientific Meeting, 2013
  • New Investigator Award, Merck/American Geriatrics Society, 2013
  • Excellence in Tutoring Award, Harvard Medical School Academy, Center for Teaching and Learning, 2010
Publications

  1. Stites SD, Lee BN, Largent EA, Harkins K, Sankar P, Krieger A, Brown RT. Double-Edged Sword: A Positive Brain Scan Result Heightens Confidence in an Alzheimer's Diagnosis but also Leads to Higher Stigma among Older Adults in a Vignette-Based Experiment. The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences 2024. PMID: 38869988


  2. Kler SE, Diaz-Ramirez LG, Ryskina KL, Young Jeon S, Patel K, Cudjoe TKM, Ritchie CS, Harrison KL, Boscardin WJ, Brown RT. Geriatric conditions and healthcare utilization among older adults living in subsidized housing. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2024. PMID: 38847363


  3. Brown RT, Zamora K, Rizzo A, Spar MJ, Fung KZ, Santiago L, Campbell A, Nicosia FM. Improving measurement of functional status among older adults in primary care: A pilot study. PloS one 2024. PMID: 38739582


  4. Schmucker AM, Reyes-Farias D, Nicosia FM, Xu E, B Potter M, Karliner LS, Brown RT. Caring for Patients with Functional Impairment in Middle Age: Perspectives from Primary Care Providers and Geriatricians. Journal of general internal medicine 2024. PMID: 38489004


  5. Reaves S, Arya LA, Newman DK, Wyman J, Klusaritz H, Walsh W, Brown RT, Andy UU. Reducing Falls in Older Women with Urinary Incontinence. Advances in geriatric medicine and research 2024. PMID: 38454916


  6. Reyes-Farias D, Finucane E, Watson A, Resnick B, Reid C, Gupta S, Jahan M, Sadovnikov K, Brown RT. "You Need to Keep It Going, Mind, Body, and Spirit": Older Adults' Perspectives on Aging in Place in Subsidized Housing. Journal of health care for the poor and underserved 2024. PMID: 38661865


  7. Bolanos G, Hentschel C, Jahan M, Gupta S, Akhiary M, Wisdom-Goulbourne T, Reyes-Farias D, Resnick B, Brown RT. "I'll fill in the gaps": perspectives of HHAs on promoting aging in place for older adults with low incomes. Home health care services quarterly 2023. PMID: 38116781


  8. Jain S, Rosenbaum PR, Reiter JG, Ramadan OI, Hill AS, Hashemi S, Brown RT, Kelz RR, Fleisher LA, Silber JH. Mortality Among Older Medical Patients at Flagship Hospitals and Their Affiliates. Journal of general internal medicine 2023. PMID: 38087179


  9. Yannatos I, Stites SD, Boen C, Xie SX, Brown RT, McMillan CT. Epigenetic age and socioeconomic status contribute to racial disparities in cognitive and functional aging between Black and White older Americans. medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences 2023. PMID: 37873230


  10. Nicosia FM, Zamora K, Rizzo A, Spar MJ, Silvestrini M, Brown RT. Using multiple qualitative methods to inform intervention development: Improving functional status measurement for older veterans in primary care settings. PloS one 2023. PMID: 37616266


  11. Yannatos I, Stites S, Brown RT, McMillan CT. Contributions of neighborhood social environment and air pollution exposure to Black-White disparities in epigenetic aging. PloS one 2023. PMID: 37405974


  12. Piazza KM, Ashcraft LE, Rose L, Hall DE, Brown RT, Bowen MEL, Mavandadi S, Brecher AC, Keddem S, Kiosian B, Long JA, Werner RM, Burke RE. Study protocol: Type III hybrid effectiveness-implementation study implementing Age-Friendly evidence-based practices in the VA to improve outcomes in older adults. Implementation science communications 2023. PMID: 37231459


  13. Vaughan CP, Brown RT, Hastings SN, Makris UE, Forman DE. Veterans Health Administration research in aging: Opportunities for high impact across the academic career. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2023. PMID: 37093614


  14. Gupta S, Jahan M, Reyes-Farias D, Bailey K, Resnick B, Reid C, Brown RT. Advocating for independence: The role of subsidized housing staff in supporting older residents. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2023. PMID: 37070229


  15. Hughes JM, Brown RT, Fanning J, Raj M, Bisson A, Ghneim M, Kritchevsky SB. Achieving and sustaining behavior change for older adults: A Research Centers Collaborative Network workshop report. The Gerontologist 2022. PMID: 36473052


  16. Jain S, Rosenbaum PR, Reiter JG, Ramadan OI, Hill AS, Hashemi S, Brown RT, Kelz RR, Fleisher LA, Silber JH. Defining Multimorbidity in Older Patients Hospitalized with Medical Conditions. Journal of general internal medicine 2022. PMID: 36385407


  17. Brown RT, Evans JL, Valle K, Guzman D, Chen YH, Kushel MB. Factors Associated With Mortality Among Homeless Older Adults in California: The HOPE HOME Study. JAMA internal medicine 2022. PMID: 36036902


  18. Reddy KP, Brown RT. Association between residential segregation and Black-White disparities in frequent mental distress among older adults. International journal of geriatric psychiatry 2022. PMID: 35949159


  19. Burke RE, Ashcraft LE, Manges K, Kinosian B, Lamberton CM, Bowen ME, Brown RT, Mavandadi S, Hall DE, Werner RM. What matters when it comes to measuring Age-Friendly Health System transformation. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2022. PMID: 36053842


  20. Brown RT, Diaz-Ramirez LG, Boscardin WJ, Cappola AR, Lee SJ, Steinman MA. Changes in the Hierarchy of Functional Impairment from Middle Age to Older Age. The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences 2021. PMID: 34498040


  21. Brown RT, Shultz K, Karlawish J, Zhou Y, Xie D, Ryskina KL. Benzodiazepine and antipsychotic use among hospitalized older adults before versus after restricting visitation: March to May 2020. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2022. PMID: 35775444


  22. Ryskina KL, Anderson J, Stites SD, Brown RT. Gender Disparity in Lead Authorship Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: No News Is Bad News? 2022. PMID: 35411526


  23. Xu E, Nicosia FM, Zamora K, Barrientos M, Spar MJ, Reyes-Farias D, Karliner LS, Potter MB, Brown RT. When Functional Impairment Develops Early: Perspectives from Middle-Aged Adults. 2022. PMID: 35391621


  24. Fessler EB, Brown RT, Miller RK. Rebooting Instrumental Activities of Daily Living for the 21st Century. 2021. PMID: 34928697


  25. Burke RE, Brown RT, Kinosian B. Selecting implementation strategies to drive Age-Friendly Health System Adoption. 2021. PMID: 34651696


  26. Gondi S, Berchuck SI, Brown RT, Hinderlie M, Easton L, Smith L, Berchuck JE, Burden HS, Berchuck CM. A Community Partnership to House and Care for Complex Patients with Unstable Housing. 2021. PMID: 34514431


  27. Ryskina KL, Shultz K, Zhou Y, Lautenbach G, Brown RT. Older adults' access to primary care: Gender, racial, and ethnic disparities in telemedicine. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2021. PMID: 34224577


  28. Gaulton TG, Neuman MD, Brown RT, Betz ME. Association of hospitalization with driving reduction and cessation in older adults. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2021. PMID: 33864381


  29. Henwood BF, Rhoades H, Dzubur E, Madden DR, Redline B, Brown RT. Investigating Sleep Disturbance and Its Correlates Among Formerly Homeless Adults in Permanent Supportive Housing. Medical care 2021. PMID: 33710097


  30. Nicosia FM, Spar MJ, Neumann A, Silvestrini MC, Barrientos M, Brown RT. "The More They Know, the Better Care They Can Give": Patient Perspectives on Measuring Functional Status in Primary Care. Journal of general internal medicine 2020. PMID: 32749552


  31. Brown RT, Covinsky KE. Moving prevention of functional impairment upstream: is middle age an ideal time for intervention? Women's midlife health 2020. PMID: 32695430


  32. Abbs E, Brown R, Guzman D, Kaplan L, Kushel M. Risk Factors for Falls in Older Adults Experiencing Homelessness: Results from the HOPE HOME Cohort Study. Journal of general internal medicine 2020. PMID: 31965522


  33. Silvestrini M, Nicosia F, Spar MJ, Gibson CJ, Brown RT. "We Have a Long Way to Go:" A Case Study Examination of Older Women Veterans' Experiences in VA Primary Care. Inquiry : a journal of medical care organization, provision and financing 2020. PMID: 32525421


  34. Henwood BF, Rhoades H, Lahey J, Pynoos J, Pitts DB, Brown RT. Examining fall risk among formerly homeless older adults living in permanent supportive housing. Health & social care in the community 2019. PMID: 31815341


  35. Brown RT, Guzman D, Kaplan LM, Ponath C, Lee CT, Kushel MB. Trajectories of functional impairment in homeless older adults: Results from the HOPE HOME study. PloS one 2019. PMID: 31408488


  36. Henwood BF, Lahey J, Rhoades H, Pitts DB, Pynoos J, Brown RT. Geriatric Conditions Among Formerly Homeless Older Adults Living in Permanent Supportive Housing. Journal of general internal medicine 2019. PMID: 30604125


  37. Brown RT, Diaz-Ramirez LG, Boscardin WJ, Lee SJ, Williams BA, Steinman MA. Association of Functional Impairment in Middle Age With Hospitalization, Nursing Home Admission, and Death. JAMA internal medicine 2019. PMID: 30958504


  38. Nicosia FM, Spar MJ, Steinman MA, Lee SJ, Brown RT. Making Function Part of the Conversation: Clinician Perspectives on Measuring Functional Status in Primary Care. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2018. PMID: 30506667


  39. Brown RT, Covinsky KE. Frailty as an Outcome in Geriatrics Research: Not Ready for Prime Time? Annals of internal medicine 2018. PMID: 29310132


  40. Makaroun LK, Brown RT, Diaz-Ramirez LG, Ahalt C, Boscardin WJ, Lang-Brown S, Lee S. Wealth-Associated Disparities in Death and Disability in the United States and England. JAMA internal medicine 2017. PMID: 29059279


  41. Brown RT, Diaz-Ramirez LG, Boscardin WJ, Lee SJ, Steinman MA. Functional Impairment and Decline in Middle Age: A Cohort Study. Volume 167 of Issue 11. Annals of internal medicine 2017. PMID: 29132150


  42. Spar MJ, Nicosia FM, Steinman MA, Brown RT. Current approaches to measuring functional status among older adults in VA primary care clinics. Federal practitioner : for the health care professionals of the VA, DoD, and PHS 2017. PMID: 29706753


  43. Brown RT, Hemati K, Riley ED, Lee CT, Ponath C, Tieu L, Guzman D, Kushel MB. Geriatric Conditions in a Population-Based Sample of Older Homeless Adults. Volume 57 of Issue 4. The Gerontologist 2017. PMID: 26920935


  44. Brown RT, Komaiko KD, Shi Y, Fung KZ, Boscardin WJ, Au-Yeung A, Tarasovsky G, Jacob R, Steinman MA. Bringing functional status into a big data world: Validation of national Veterans Affairs functional status data. PloS one 2017. PMID: 28570678


  45. Brown RT, Ahalt C, Rivera J, Stijacic Cenzer I, Wilhelm A, Williams BA. Good Cop, Better Cop: Evaluation of a Geriatrics Training Program for Police. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2017. PMID: 28436006


  46. Psick Z, Simon J, Brown R, Ahalt C. Older and incarcerated: policy implications of aging prison populations. International journal of prisoner health 2017. PMID: 28299972


  47. Brown RT, Goodman L, Guzman D, Tieu L, Ponath C, Kushel MB. Pathways to Homelessness among Older Homeless Adults: Results from the HOPE HOME Study. Volume 11 of Issue 5. PloS one 2016. PMID: 27163478


  48. Cimino T, Steinman MA, Mitchell SL, Miao Y, Bharel M, Barnhart CE, Brown RT. The Course of Functional Impairment in Older Homeless Adults: Disabled on the Street. JAMA internal medicine 2015. PMID: 26011591


  49. Brown RT, Miao Y, Mitchell SL, Bharel M, Patel M, Ard KL, Grande LJ, Blazey-Martin D, Floru D, Steinman MA. Health Outcomes of Obtaining Housing Among Older Homeless Adults. American journal of public health 2015. PMID: 25973822


  50. Brown RT, Steinman MA. Case 38-2014: A man with sore throat, hoarseness, fatigue, and dyspnea. The New England journal of medicine 2015. PMID: 25738685


  51. Brown RT, Ahalt C, Steinman MA, Kruger K, Williams BA. Police on the front line of community geriatric health care: challenges and opportunities. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2014. PMID: 25378267


  52. Brown RT, Pierluissi E, Guzman D, Kessell ER, Goldman LE, Sarkar U, Schneidermann M, Critchfield JM, Kushel MB. Functional disability in late-middle-aged and older adults admitted to a safety-net hospital. Volume 62 of Issue 11. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2014. PMID: 25367281


  53. Brown RT, Kiely DK, Bharel M, Grande LJ, Mitchell SL. Use of acute care services among older homeless adults. JAMA internal medicine 2013. PMID: 23752708


  54. Brown RT, Kiely DK, Bharel M, Mitchell SL. Factors associated with geriatric syndromes in older homeless adults. Journal of health care for the poor and underserved 2013. PMID: 23728022


  55. Brown RT, Steinman MA. Characteristics of emergency department visits by older versus younger homeless adults in the United States. American journal of public health 2013. PMID: 23597348


  56. Brown RT, Thomas ML, Cutler DF, Hinderlie M. Meeting the Housing and Care Needs of Older Homeless Adults: A Permanent Supportive Housing Program Targeting Homeless Elders. Seniors housing & care journal 2013. PMID: 24729832


  57. Brown RT, Kiely DK, Bharel M, Mitchell SL. Geriatric syndromes in older homeless adults. Journal of general internal medicine 2011. PMID: 21879368


  58. Kim DH, Brown RT, Ding EL, Kiel DP, Berry SD. Dementia medications and risk of falls, syncope, and related adverse events: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2011. PMID: 21649634


  59. Brown RT, Kimes RV, Guzman D, Kushel M. Health care access and utilization in older versus younger homeless adults. Volume 21 of Issue 3. Journal of health care for the poor and underserved 2010. PMID: 20693744


  60. Robinson TN, Killen JD, Kraemer HC, Wilson DM, Matheson DM, Haskell WL, Pruitt LA, Powell TM, Owens AS, Thompson NS, Flint-Moore NM, Davis GJ, Emig KA, Brown RT, Rochon J, Green S, Varady A. Dance and reducing television viewing to prevent weight gain in African-American girls: the Stanford GEMS pilot study. Ethnicity & disease 2003. PMID: 12713212