Hsien-Chang Lin, Ph.D.

Email

Primary Email: [email protected]

Phone/Fax

Primary Phone: 619-594-0514

Building/Location

Lamden Hall - 403A

Bio

Dr. Hsien-Chang Lin is Professor of Health Behavior and Policy and Chair of the Department of Child and Family Development. He joined the San Diego State University College of Education in August 2024. Before joining SDSU, he was Professor and served as Interim Associate Dean at the Indiana University Bloomington School of Public Health. 

A prodigious researcher with more than 100 journal articles to his name and a recipient of prestigious R01 grant funding from the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Lin’s research program focuses on childhood well-being and substance use behaviors and their impact on later-life health outcomes. Additionally, his reputation as an outstanding mentor and teacher during his 13 years in Bloomington earned him the Indiana University Trustees’ Teaching Award and the Mentorship Award from the American Academy of Health Behavior. 

Dr. Lin’s research and leadership garnered national recognition. He recently served as President of the American Academy of Health Behavior, where he is also a Fellow. He also served as a member of a national committee at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, evaluating the impact of opioids on veterans. Recently, he was named Fellow of New York Academy of Medicine. 

Dr. Lin received his bachelor's degree in economics and sociology as well as a master's degree in economics from National Taiwan University, before earning a master's in applied economics and a dual Ph.D. in health services research and pharmacoepidemiology from the University of Michigan. 

Dr. Lin is very excited about his department chair role, leading the interdisciplinary department and working with all faculty, staff, and students. 

Education

• Dual Ph.D., Health Policy & Pharmaceutical Health Services Research, University of Michigan
• M.A., Applied Economics, University of Michigan 
• M.A., Economics, National Taiwan University
• B.A., Economics and Sociology, National Taiwan University

Interests

Drawing upon his multidisciplinary training and research experience, Dr. Lin's research program spans various fields, including health services, health policy, pharmaceutical health outcomes, and health behavior research. Guided by the socioecological model of health, Dr. Lin integrates diverse perspectives and methods from multiple disciplines to link macro-level health policy analysis with micro-level health behavior research. 

Dr. Lin's primary research focus is the application of quantitative methodologies to examine behaviors such as substance use/misuse, health services prescribing and utilization, and related health outcomes. He is particularly interested in understanding how policies influence substance use behaviors, including vaping, marijuana use, and the prescribing and misuse of opioids. Within the realm of substance use, Dr. Lin places special emphasis on studying adolescents, young adults, and individuals affected by adverse childhood experiences and stressful life events. 

In addressing complex health and behavior issues, Dr. Lin employs innovative methods, including big data analytics, to examine high-dimensional quantitative data in health policy research and assess its impact on substance use behaviors. 

Awards & Honors

• Fellow, New York Academy of Medicine, 2024
• Mentorship Award, American Academy of Health Behavior (AAHB), 2023
• Honorary Member, Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health, 2021
• Fellow, American Academy of Health Behavior (AAHB), 2019
• Trustees Teaching Award, Indiana University, 2014, 2017
• Best Master Thesis Award, Taiwan Economic Association, 2004
• Honorary Member, The Phi-Tau-Phi Scholastic Honor Society of Taiwan, 2004 

Publications

• Ou TS, Huber L, Macy JT, Chow A, Lin HC. Psychological Pathways from Adverse Childhood Experiences to Cigarette, Marijuana, and Excessive Alcohol Use in Early Middle Adulthood: A Longitudinal Examination. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction. (In-press).
• Zheng X, Li W, Li R, Yang M, Lin HC. Exposure to User-generated E-cigarette Social Media Content Associated with Greater Vulnerability to E-cigarette Use among Youth Non-users. Addictive Behaviors. 2024; 156: 108061.
• Rossheim ME, LoParco CR, Tillett KK, Yockey RA, Lin HC, Berg CJ. Kratom Products Are Widely Available Throughout the United States. American Journal of Public Health. 2024; 114(11): 1188-1190.
• Kwon E, Fisher S, Lin HC, Kogan S. Racial Discrimination, Childhood Adversity, and Depression among Black Men: Tests of Stress Sensitization Hypotheses. Psychiatry Research. 2023; 325: 115257.
• Buu A, Yang JJ, Ou TS, Nam JK, Suh G, Lin HC. An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study to Examine Covariates and Effects of Concurrent and Simultaneous Use of Electronic Cigarettes and Marijuana Among College Students. Addictive Behaviors. 2023; 
  141: 107662.
• Ou TS, Huber L, Macy JT, Chow A, Lin HC. Trajectories of Polysubstance Use: Are Past-year Internalizing and Externalizing Problems Associated with Trajectories of Polysubstance Use Over Time? Addictive Behaviors. 2024; 159: 108136.
• Zheng X, Lin HC. How Does Online E-cigarette Advertisement Promotes Youth’s E-cigarettes Use? The Mediating Roles of Social Norm and Risk Perceptions. Health Communication. 2023(7); 1388-1394.
• Yang M, Russell AM, Barry AE, Merianos AL, Lin HC. Stealth Vaping and Associated Attitudes, Perceptions, and Control Beliefs Among US College Students Across Four Tobacco-Free 
  Campuses. Addictive Behaviors. 2023; 136: 107490.
• Han DH, Seo DC, Lin HC. Statewide Vaping Product Excise Tax Policy and Use of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems Among U.S. Young Adults, 2014-2019. Tobacco Control. 2023; 32: 352-358.
• Ou TS, Huber L, Macy JT, Bray BC, Lin HC. Stressful Life Events and Polysubstance Use among U.S. Late Middle-Aged and Older Adults. Journal of Applied Gerontology. 2023; 42(8): 1867-1876.
• Lin HC, Wang Z, Hu YH, Simon K, Buu A. Characteristics of Statewide Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs and Potentially Inappropriate Opioid Prescribing to Patients with Non-Cancer Chronic Pain: A Machine Learning Application. Preventive Medicine. 2022; 161: 107116.
• Russell AM, Yang M, Barry AE, Merianos AL, Lin HC. Stealth Vaping Among College Students on Four Geographically Distinct Tobacco-Free College Campuses: Prevalence and Practices. Nicotine & Tobacco Research. 2022; 24(3): 342-348.
• Lin HC, Buu A, Su WC. Disposable E-Cigarettes and Associated Health Risks: An Experimental Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022; 19(17): 10633.
• Buu A, Nam JK, Yang M, Su WC, Lin HC. Home E-cigarette Rules and Youth’s Vulnerability to Initiate and Sustain E-Cigarette Use. Preventive Medicine. 2022; 164: 107334.
• Tang S, Ports KA, Stone DM, Lin HC. The Mediating Role of Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms in the Association between Child Neglect and Suicide Attempt in Adulthood. International Journal of Injury Control and Safety Promotion. 2022; 29(1), 112-122.
• Wang Z, Lohrmann DK, Buu A, Lin HC. Resilience as a Mediator between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Prescription Opioid Misuse among U.S. Adults. Substance Use & Misuse. 2021; 56(4): 484-492.
• Wong SW, Buu A, Lin HC. State Medical Marijuana Laws and Associated Marijuana Use, Attitude, and Perceived Social Norms among Adolescents in the U.S. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs. 2020; 52(5): 383-392.
• Tang S, Ports KA, Zhang K, Lin HC. Adverse Childhood Experiences, Internalizing/Externalizing Symptoms, and Associated Prescription Opioid Misuse: A Mediation Analysis. 2020. Preventive Medicine. 2020: 134: 106034.
• Wong SW, Lohrmann DK, Middlestadt SE, Lin HC. Is E-cigarette Use a Gateway to Marijuana Use? Longitudinal Examinations of Initiation, Reinitiation, and Persistence of E-Cigarette and Marijuana Use. Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 2020; 208: 107868.
• Lin HC, Wang Z, Simoni-Wastila L, Boyd CJ, Buu A. Interstate Data Sharing of Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs and Associated Opioid Prescriptions among Patients with Non-Cancer Chronic Pain. Preventive Medicine. 2019; 118: 59-65.
• Wong SW, Lin HC. Medical Marijuana Legalization and Associated Illicit Drug Use and Prescription Medication Misuse Among Adolescents in the U.S. Addictive Behaviors. 2019; 90: 48-54.
• Goldberg D, Cho B, Lin HC. Factors Influencing U.S. Physicians' Decision to Provide Behavioral Counseling. Preventive Medicine. 2019; 119: 70-76.
• Lee CG, Middlestadt SE, Seo DC, Lin HC, Macy JT, Park S. Incorporating Environmental Variables as Precursor Background Variables of the Theory of Planned Behavior to Predict Quitting-Related Intentions: A Comparative Study between Adult and Young Adult Smokers. 2018. Archives of Public Health. 2018; 76: 66.
• Kwon E, Lin HC, Seo DC. Predictors of Youth E-cigarette Use Susceptibility in a U.S. Nationally Representative Sample. Addictive Behaviors. 2018; 82: 79-25.
• Lee HY, Lin HC, Seo DC, Lohrmann DK. The Effect of E-cigarette Warning Labels on College Students’ Perception of E-cigarettes and Intention to Use E-cigarettes. Addictive Behaviors. 2018; 76: 106-112.
• Pampati S, Buu A, Hu YH, Mendes CM, Lin HC. Effects of Alcohol and Cigarette Use on the Initiation, Reinitiation, and Persistence of Cannabis Use from Adolescence to Emerging Adulthood. Addictive Behaviors. 2018; 79: 144-150.
• Lin HC, Wang Z, Boyd CJ, Simone-Wastila L, Buu A. Associations between Statewide Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) Requirement and Physician Patterns of Prescribing Opioid Analgesics for Patients with Non-cancer Chronic Pain. Addictive Behaviors. 2018; 76: 348-354.