Marsha Rosenthal

Marsha Rosenthal, Ph.D., is a Research Professor at the Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research, Rutgers University. She holds a dual background in sociology and public administration (Ph.D., Rutgers University; M.P.A., New York University). Her work focuses on vulnerable populations, including underserved groups, the mentally ill, and elderly patients.

Her research integrates medical sociology with gerontology, examining physician-patient interactions, organizational impacts on healthcare quality, and chronic illness management (cancer, diabetes, congestive heart failure). She has designed seven empirical studies using mixed-methods approaches, including community-based research on elderly patients' health beliefs and medical error communication.

Notable contributions include a theoretical framework on blame attribution post-medical errors, which earned the 2002 Matilda White Riley Prize. She collaborates with Brown University on nursing home medical practice studies and advises the NJ Medicaid Long Term Care Funding Advisory Council.

Her work bridges sociological models of emotion theory and trust with healthcare systems, emphasizing patient self-management and organizational ethics.