About
Yuka Imai, RN, PHN, MSN is a PhD student at the Joe C. Wen School of Nursing, University of California Los Angeles, committed to improving HIV care access and health outcomes for people living with HIV (PWH) experiencing intersecting challenges such as housing instability and cognitive impairment. Her nursing experience ranges from providing nursing care in specialized units including HIV/AIDS, cardiac surgery, and discharge planning services in Tokyo, Japan. She also provided comprehensive nursing care from emergency care to end-of-life support in both hospital and home care settings on Oki Island, a remote island in Shimane, Japan. These diverse nursing experiences strengthened her understanding of the structural and socioeconomic barriers that influence healthcare engagement and deepened her commitment to advancing nursing knowledge to address health inequities. Her research focuses on building a greater understanding of the unique challenges people living with HIV experience to inform interdisciplinary, evidence-based approaches that improve their health outcomes and overall well-being.
Research Interests:
Marginalized Population, People Living with HIV, HIV Care, Cognitive Health, Housing Instability, Aging, Social Determinants of Health, Access to Care, Interdisciplinary Care, Community-Partnered Research, Implementation Science