Christian Gloria, PhD
- Associate Professor of Sociomedical Sciences at CUMC
Overview
Christian T. Gloria, PhD, MA, CHES, studies the protective and resilience factors that enable people to adapt, grow, and thrive against chronic stress and adversity. He has worked with and served various vulnerable communities including immigrant, marginalized, military, minority, and low-SES populations in Texas, Hawaii, and the Republic of the Philippines. His present research is focused on the health and well-being of Filipino communities locally in New York and nationally across the United States. Other professional and scholarly interests include physical activity, nutrition, weight management, employee-work engagement, and public health workforce development.
Dr. Gloria is a Visiting Scientist of Mental Health for the Philippine Council for Health Research & Development and a Visiting Professor of Public Health for several higher education institutions in the Republic of the Philippines (specifically, Angeles University Foundation, Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, Silliman University, University of San Agustin, University of the Assumption, and University of the Philippines Manila).
Previously, Dr. Gloria was the Department Chair and Associate Professor of Public Health at Hawaii Pacific University (2012-21) as well as the Vice President (2016-17) and President (2017-18) of the Hawaii Public Health Association. With over 20 years of experience, he has planned, implemented, and evaluated public health programs and research projects with various organizations including community health centers, hospitals, NGOs, government agencies, private/corporate institutions, and school systems.
Academic Appointments
- Associate Professor of Sociomedical Sciences at CUMC
Administrative Titles
- Vice Chair, Department of Sociomedical Sciences
- Principal Investigator, Region 2 Public Health Training Center
Credentials & Experience
Education & Training
- BS, 2005 The University of Texas at Austin (Health Promotion & Fitness; Specialization: Exercise Science & Personal Training)"
- MA, 2009 The University of Texas at Austin (Health Education; Specialization: Nutrition & Built Environment)
- PhD, 2013 The University of Texas at Austin (Health Behavior & Health Education; Specialization: Stress & Resilience)
Committees, Societies, Councils
Member, Medical Sciences Division of the National Research Council of the Philippines
Co-Convenor & Curator, Independent Dialogue for the United Nations Food Systems Summit 2021
Member, National Steering Committee of the Public Health Learning Agenda for Systems Change
Editorial Boards
Journal of Communication in Healthcare: Strategies, Media, and Engagement in Global Health
Honors & Awards
2019 Balik Scientist Award, Philippine Council for Health Research & Development, Department of Science & Technology
2018 Friend of Social Work Award, National Association of Social Workers - Hawaii Chapter
2016-17 Vice President and 2017-18 President, Hawaii Public Health Association
2017 Progress Award for Education, United Filipino Council of Hawaii
2013 National Herff Jones Teacher Shout Out Award
Research
Research Interests
- Chronic disease
- Community Health
- Food Policy and Obesity
- Healthcare Policy
- Mental Health
- Public Health Education
Selected Publications
Michaels, I., Pirani, S., Fleming, M., Arana, M., D'Angelo, E., Dyer-Drobnack, C., DiManno, M., Ravenhall, S., & Gloria, C. T. (In-press). Enumeration of the public health workforce in New York State: Workforce changes in the wake of COVID-19. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
Lehrer, H. M., Janus, K. C., Gloria, C. T., & Steinhardt, M. A. (2017). Personal and environmental resources mediate the positivity-emotional dysfunction relationship. American Journal of Health Behavior, 41(2), 186-193. doi:10.5993/AJHB.41.2.10
Gloria, C. T., & Steinhardt, M. A. (2017). The direct and mediating roles of positive emotions on work engagement among postdoctoral fellows. Studies in Higher Education, 42(12), 2216-2228. doi:10.1080/03075079.2016.1138938
Janus, K. C., Lehrer, H. M., Gloria, C. T., & Steinhardt, M. A. (2017). Resilience moderates the effect of stress on depressive symptoms in adolescent girls. Health Behavior and Policy Review, 4(3), 235-244. doi:10.14485/HBPR.4.3.4
Gloria, C. T., & Steinhardt, M. A. (2016). Relationships among positive emotions, coping, resilience, and mental health. Stress and Health, 32(2), 145-156. doi:10.1002/smi.2589
Gloria, C. T., Faulk, K. E., & Steinhardt, M. A. (2013). Positive affectivity predicts successful and unsuccessful adaptation to stress. Motivation and Emotion, 37(1), 185-193. doi:10.1007/s11031-012- 9291-8
Gloria, C. T., & Steinhardt, M. A. (2013). Flourishing, languishing, and depressed postdoctoral fellows: Differences in stress, trait anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Journal of Postdoctoral Affairs, 3(1), 1-8.
Faulk, K. E., Gloria, C. T., Cance, J. D., & Steinhardt, M. A. (2012). Depressive symptoms among US military spouses during deployment: The protective effect of positive emotions. Armed Forces & Society, 38(3), 373-390. doi:10.1177/0095327X11428785
Steinhardt, M. A., Smith Jaggars, S. E., Faulk, K. E., & Gloria, C. T. (2011). Chronic work stress and depressive symptoms: Assessing the mediating role of teacher burnout. Stress and Health, 27(5), 420-429. doi:10.1002/smi.1394
Gloria, C. T., & Steinhardt, M. A. (2010). Texas nutrition environment assessment of retail food stores (TxNEA-S): Development and evaluation. Public Health Nutrition, 13(11), 1764-1772. doi:10.1017/S1368980010001588
Global Health Activities
Mental Health Across Ages: Identifying Issues & Trends in Pampanga: Funded by the Philippine CHED DARE TO Research Grant, this project aims to study and establish baseline mental health data on the residents of Pampanga, Philippines, across all age groups. Findings will be used to develop mental health policies and programs for communities, government agencies, private institutions, and non-governmental organizations.
Independent Dialogues (“Healthier Islands through Sustainable Food Systems: A two-part virtual conference and dialogue series organized by four partners: 1) Hawaii Public Health Institute; 2) City and County of Honolulu: Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency, 3) Hawaii Pacific University's Department of Public Health, and 4) University of Hawaii at Manoa's Native Hawaiian and Indigenous Health, Office of Public Health Studies. The purpose of these dialogues is to bring various stakeholders together to discuss the unique qualities, needs, problems, and action plans for a sustainable future of the food systems of island communities (e.g., Guam, Hawaii, Micronesia, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, Philippines, Tonga, New Zealand). Data from these dialogues contribute to the global initiative of the United Nations Food Systems Summit.