Rachel Mahas

Rachel Mahas serves as Assistant Professor and MPH Program Director in the Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences at Wayne State University School of Medicine. Her work integrates public health research with medical education, focusing on community-based cancer prevention initiatives across the cancer continuum.

Her educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Health Education (University of Toledo, School of Population Health) with Epidemiology cognate
• M.S. in Basic Medical Sciences (Wayne State University School of Medicine)
• M.P.H. and B.S. in Clinical Laboratory Sciences (Georgia Southern University, with Honors)

Dr. Mahas specializes in cancer disparities research, employing survey methodology to examine health behaviors from screening through survivorship. Her work investigates community engagement strategies, HPV vaccination uptake, and multivitamin use patterns using national datasets like the Health Information National Trends Survey. She emphasizes translating research into public health practice through curriculum development.

Her publication history reveals consistent focus on women's cancer prevention, with recent work analyzing international cervical cancer policies and racial disparities in screening adherence. Key themes include health information seeking behaviors, psychosocial determinants of care, and methodological innovations in population health surveys.

Professional recognition includes:

• Over 10 Quality Matters certificates for online course design
• WSU Online Course Quality Fellowship from the Office of the Provost
• Site visitor role for the Council on Education for Public Health

As MPH Program Director, she develops health education curricula and teaches core public health courses including Foundations of Public Health and Public Health Policy, demonstrating commitment to training future public health professionals.