Aya Yoshikawa, DrPH, PhD, CHES®

Contact

AYoshikawa@twu.edu
940-898-2584
Pioneer Hall 208F

Biography

Aya Yoshikawa is an assistant professor in the School of Health Promotion and Kinesiology at Texas Woman's University. Prior to joining Texas Woman’s University, she completed postdoctoral training in the Center for Population Health and Aging at Texas A&M University. Her research focuses on healthy aging, with particular interests in fall prevention, age- and dementia-friendly communities, caregiving issues, and health communication. She examines the psychosocial and environmental determinants of healthy aging. Dr. Yoshikawa has published her work in peer-reviewed journals, including Age and Ageing, The Journals of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, The Gerontologist, Public Health Nutrition, Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, and Journal of Applied Gerontology. 

Education

Dr.P.H., Health Promotion & Community Health Sciences, Texas A&M University
Ph.D., Geography, Texas A&M University
M.A., Geography, The University of Toledo
B.A., International Relations, magna cum laude, The University of Toledo

Expertise

Healthy aging; Fall prevention; Active living; Age- and dementia-friendly communities; Caregiving issues

Latest Articles

Pain Medication Frequency and Fall Risk among Community-dwelling Older Adults with Arthritis
Journal of Applied Gerontology (2024)
Aya Yoshikawa, Richard H Fortinsky

Dementia caregiving experiences and health across geographic contexts by race and ethnicity
Journals of Gerontology. Series B: Psychological Sciences & Social Sciences (2023)
Tiffany B Kindratt, Dominique L Sylvers, Aya Yoshikawa, Mónika López-Anuarbe, Noah J Webster

Use of caregiving support services among diverse dementia caregivers by geographic context
The Gerontologist (2023)
Aya Yoshikawa, Erin D Bouldin, Mónika López-Anuarbe, Tiffany B Kindratt, Dominique L Sylver

An analysis of health care team communication needs among younger vs older breast cancer survivors: web-based survey
JMIR Cancer (2022)
Deborah Vollmer Dahlke, Aya Yoshikawa, Molly McAdam, Sharyn Malatok, Elaine D Gonzales

The role of improved dietary-specific social support for healthy eating in a lifestyle intervention: Texercise Select
Public Health Nutrition (2021)
Aya Yoshikawa, Matthew Lee Smith, Shinduk Lee, Samuel D Towne Jr., Marcia G Ory

Perceptions of a mobile phone-based approach to promote medication adherence: A cross-sectional application of the technology acceptance model
Exploratory Research in Clinical and Social Pharmacy (2021)
Bernard Appiah, Irene A Kretchy, Aya Yoshikawa, Lucy Asamoah-Akuoko, Christopher R France

Differential risk of falls associated with pain medication among community-dwelling older adults by cognitive status
Age and Ageing (2021)
Aya Yoshikawa, Matthew Lee Smith, Marcia G Ory

Opioid use and the risk of falls, fall injuries, and fractures among older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis
The Journals of Gerontology: Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences (2020)
Aya Yoshikawa, Gilbert Ramirez, Matthew Lee Smith, Margaret Foster, Anas K Nabil

A multi-level analysis of charges and cost of fall-related hospitalizations among older adults: Individual, hospital, and geospatial variation
Journal of Aging & Social Policy (2020)
Samuel D Towne Jr, Matthew Lee Smith, Yajuan Li, Diane Dowdy, SangNam Ahn

Systematic review and meta-analysis of fear of falling and fall-related efficacy in a widely disseminated community-based fall prevention program
Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics (2020)
Aya Yoshikawa, Gilbert Ramirez, Matthew Lee Smith, Shinduk Lee, Marcia G Ory

Mediating role of fall-related efficacy in a fall prevention program
American Journal of Health Behavior (2019)
Aya Yoshikawa, Matthew Lee Smith

Healthy workplaces, active employees: A systematic literature review on impacts of workplace environments on employees' physical activity and sedentary behavior
Building and Environment (2019)
Xuemei Zhu, Aya Yoshikawa, Lingyi Qiu, Zhipeng Lu, Chanam Lee

Consumer reporting of suspected adverse drug reactions: Modeling the acceptance of mobile phone caller tunes to raise awareness
Journal of Pharmaceutical Health Services Research (2019)
Bernard Appiah, Aya Yoshikawa, Lucy Asamoah-Akuoko, David A Anum, Irene Kretchy

Geospatial distribution of fall-related hospitalization incidence in Texas
Journal of Safety Research (2015)
Samuel D Towne Jr, Matthew Lee Smith, Aya Yoshikawa, Marcia G Ory

Chapters

Health and the built environment: enhancing successful aging through environmental interventions
in Handbook of Active Aging and Quality of Life: From Concepts to Applications | Springer Publishers (2021)
Marcia G Ory, Chanam Lee, Aya Yoshikawa

Best practices for ensuring a healthy and active lifestyle in older adults
in Physical Activity in Public Health Practice | Springer Publishers (2019)
Marcia G Ory, Barbara Resnick, Mark Stoutenberg, Aya Yoshikawa, Matthew Lee Smith

Recent Presentations

Sex differences in factors associated with falls among community-dwelling older adults with osteoarthritis
The Gerontological Society of America 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting (2024)
Poster | Aya Yoshikawa, Horng-Shiuann Wu

Pain medication and fall risks among community-dwelling older adults with arthritis
The Gerontological Society of America 2023 Annual Scientific Meeting (2023)
Poster | Aya Yoshikawa, Richard H Fortinsky

Integrating active living and active learning in K-12 schools: Synergistic approach to health promotion and whole child development
The 2023 Active Living Conference (2023)
Paper | Xuemei Zhu, Aya Yoshikawa, Lingyi Qiu, Manasa Hegde

Active living & active learning: Designing whole school and whole communities for the whole child.
Educating the Whole Child Symposium: Exploring Ways to Ensure the Health, Safety, and Welfare of Our Children and Community (2022)
Symposium Paper | Xuemei Zhu, Lingyi Qiu, Aya Yoshikawa

Resources and experiences among diverse dementia caregivers by geographic context
The Gerontological Society of America 2022 Annual Scientific Meeting (2022)
Poster | Aya Yoshikawa, Erin D. Bouldin, Monika Lopez-Anuarbe, Tiffany B. Kindratt, Dominique L. Sylvers

ADRD care partner experiences and health by race, ethnicity and care recipient geographic context in the United States
The 35th Global Conference of Alzheimer's Disease International (2022)
Paper | Tiffany B Kindratt, Dominique L Sylvers, Aya Yoshikawa, Monika Lopez-Anuarbe, Noah J Webster

ADRD caregiving experiences and health by race, ethnicity and care recipient by geographic context
The Gerontological Society of America 2021 Annual Scientific Meeting (2021)
Poster | Tiffany B Kindratt, Dominique L Sylvers, Aya Yoshikawa, Monika Lopez-Anuarbe, Noah J Webster

Associations between social engagement and physical activity among community-dwelling older adults with dementia
The Gerontological Society of America 2020 Annual Scientific Meeting (2020)
Poster | Aya Yoshikawa, Matthew Lee Smith, Marcia G Ory

Impact of COVID-19 on caring for persons with dementia: Interactions with the community environment
The American Public Health Associations 2020 Annual Meeting and Expo (2020)
Poster | Marcia G Ory, Samuel D Towne Jr, Aya Yoshikawa, Xuemei Zhu, Zhipeng Lu

Innovative school design for active and healthy students: Status of knowledge and suggestions for future research and practice
The Active Living Research Annual Conference 2020 (2020)
Poster | Xuemei Zhu, Aya Yoshikawa, Lingyi Qiu, Zhipeng Lu, Chanam Lee

Differential intervention effects tied to place of residence: Greater returns on investment among rural residents
The Active Living Research Annual Conference 2020 (2020)
Paper | Samuel D Twone Jr, Shinduk Lee, Matthew Lee Smith, Gang Han, Yuxian Du

Design for active living in and around buildings: Look back and look forward to using workplace and school as examples
EDRA50, Sustainable Urban Environments Research, Design, and Planning for the Next 50 Years (2019)
Paper | Xuemei Zhu, Aya Yoshikawa, Lingyi Qiu, Zhipeng Lu, Chanam Lee

The role of improved social support for healthy eating in a lifestyle intervention: Texercise Select
The Gerontological Society of America 2019 Annual Scientific Meeting (2019)
Poster | Aya Yoshikawa, Matthew Lee Smith, Shinduk Lee, Samuel D Towne Jr, Marcia G Ory

Opioid use and the risk of falls, fall-related fractures, and other injuries among older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis
The American Public Health Association 2019 Annual Meeting and Expo (2019)
Poster | Aya Yoshikawa, Gilbert Ramirez, Matthew Lee Smith, Margaret Foster, Anas K Nabil

Designing a 23-acre walkable urban village to promote healthy aging in Japan: A cross-disciplinary collaboration
EDRA50, Sustainable Urban Environments Research, Design, and Planning for the Next 50 Years (2019)
Paper | Kenji Nishino, Chanam Lee, Susan Rodiek, Aya Yoshikawa, Jiajing Li

Influence of healthcare referrals on the effectiveness of three evidence-based fall prevention programs among older adults
The American Academy of Health Behavior Conference (2018)
Poster | Matthew Lee Smith, Y Shen, Y Cheng, Samuel D Towne Jr, Marcia G Ory

Healthy workplaces for active employees: Suggestions for future research and practice
2018 Health in Buildings for Today and Tomorrow: Making Connections – An Interdisciplinary Conference on Health and the Sustainable Built Environment (2018)
Paper | Xuemei Zhu, Aya Yoshikawa, Lingyi Qiu, Zhipeng Lu, Chanam Lee

Confidence to prevent and manage falls among community-dwelling older adults: Scale validation and mediation testing
The 17th Annual American Academy of Health Behavior Meeting (2017)
Poster | Aya Yoshikawa, Matthew Lee Smith, Samuel D Towne Jr, Marcia G Ory

Public health practice and research at the Texas A&M School of Public Health - cost and geospatial distribution of falls among older adults
The Texas Public Health Association's 92nd Annual Education Conference (2016)
Paper | Samuel D Towne Jr., Marcia G Ory, Aya Yoshikawa, Matthew Lee Smith

Changes in mobility and associated factors in a fall prevention program for community-dwelling older adults
The American Academy of Health Behavior Annual Conference (2015)
Poster | Aya Yoshikawa, Samuel D Towne Jr., Ranjana Mehta, Matthew Lee Smith, Marcia G Ory

BMI selectively impairs postural balance under dual-task conditions
The Gerontological Society of America Annual Conference (2015)
Poster | Ranjana K Mehta, Samuel D Towne Jr, Ashley E Shortz, Aya Yoshikawa, Robert B Pankey

Professional Affiliations

• American Public Health Association
• Gerontological Society of America
• Japan Society for Dementia Prevention

Honors & Awards

• The Texas International Education Fund (TIEF) Study Abroad Development Grant, Texas International Education Consortium (2024)
• The Texas International Education Fund (TIEF) Study Abroad Development Grant, Texas International Education Consortium (2023)
• Healthy School Design Research Project Travel Fund, College of Architecture, Texas A&M University (2020)
• Design for Aging Scholarship, Center for Health System and Design, Texas A&M University (2018)