Andrea P. Sankar (aa7651)

Email: asankar@wayne.edu

Phone: 7-2935

Department: Anthropology

Thru Year: 2026

College/Division: Liberal Arts and Sciences

Department:

Anthropology

Title: Professor, Cultural Anthropologist

Secondary Title: Former Chair; past editor "Medical Anthropology Quarterly"

Phone: 313-577-2935

Fax: 313-577-5958

Email: asankar@wayne.edu

Office:

3043 FAB

Research interest(s)/area of expertise:

Medical anthropology

Care

Urban sustainability

Death and dying

Research:

Medical Anthropologist specializing in the study of care, death and dying and urban sustainability

Education – Degrees, Licenses, Certifications: B.A. University of Michigan-Chinese Ph.D. University of Michigan-Anthropology NIMH Post-doc University of California-San Francisco NIA Post-doc University of Michigan

Awards and grants:

• 2021 Wayne State Distinguished Service Professor
• 2021 Society for Medical Anthropology Graduate Mentor Award 2020
• Sankar, A. and Luborsky, M. Co-PIs. 2020. ”Promoting COVID19 Mitigation and Trust for Workplace & Community Safety”,Ford Motor Company/UAW. $50,000
• 2017-2022. Kashian, D. PI, Sankar, A. Senior Personal. ”NRT Transforming Research in Urban Sustainability and Training (T-RUST)”($2,999,976)
• 2014-2015. PI, Wayne State Office of the Vice Present for Research, “Follow the lines: Environmental legacies, health, and fishing the Detroit River” $5,000
• 2014-2015. PI, Office of the CLAS Dean, Wayne State University, “Follow the lines: Environmental legacies, health, and fishing the Detroit River”,$1,500
• 2018 Jung, Y. and Sankar, A. Co-PIs. ‘Safety Shield: Qualitative study on driver evaluation of automotive safety technology”, Nissan-Hearst. $40,670
• 2017.PI. Sankar, A. and Jung Y.  “Virtual Passenger Beta Test & Qualitative Study of User Experience”, Chevrolet Motors, 2017, $45,406
• 2012-2014, Co-PI. Erb Foundation, Improving community awareness for Detroit River fish consumption advisories, $95,000

2011-2013, PI Bio-monitoring of Persistent Toxic Substances in Michigan Urban Fish Eaters: Venue Based Sampling Michigan Department of Community Health, $202,500

2013, Invited Speaker Medical Anthropology and Ecology, National Science Council of China, Taiwan

2006-2013, Society Medical Anthropology Executive Committee

2006-2013, Editor Medical Anthropology Quarterly

2009-2006, PI Rwanda-Prevention for Positives: Intervention-linked Research Targeting HIV infected People USAID, $97,000.

2008, “Masters of Anthropology” at “Dialoguing with the Masters: Advanced Training in Anthropology” hosted by the Academia Sinica’s Institute of Ethnology. Invited Faculty Mentor, National Science Council of China, Taiwan

2005-2006, Co-investigator, “Patient Provider Communication and Outcomes in HIV Care”, Agency for Health Research and Quality, AHRQ-01-0012

2007, AGEP (Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate) Faculty Mentor of the Year

2004-2007, PI HAART Minority Supplement, NIH 3 RO1 AI04113, $87,757.00

2004-2006, PI, “Physician/ Patient Communication in HIV+ African Americans’ Adherence to ART” National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease., RO1 AI 49113, $137,113.

2001-2006, PI, “HAART Adherence among HIV+ African Americans,” National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, # RO1 AI 49113-01, $3,119,668.

2001-2002, CoPI “Overcoming the Digital Divide: African American Use of the Internet for Breast Cancer Information” State of Michigan. $95.000

2003 - present, Fellow, Society for Applied Anthropology

2000-2002, AARR-8 NIH Study Section Chair

2000, Wayne State University Alumni Association Faculty Service Award

2000, President’s Distinguished Service Award, Wayne State University

2000, President’s Recognition for Outstanding Scholarly Achievements, Wayne State University

1999-2002, Executive Committee, General Anthropology Division, American Anthropological Association

1997-2001, Permanent NIH Study Section Member, Committee on AIDS and Immunology Research, NIH

1999-00, PI “Risk Behavior by HIV+ African Americans Receiving Protease Inhibitor (PI) Therapy,” NIH Office on AIDS Research, #R01-MH54391, $97,000

1996-1999, PI “African Americans and HIV: The Caregiving Experience,” National Institute of Mental Health, #R01-MH54391, $1,44,368.00.

1999, PI “African American Community Health Forums,” Charity Motors, $5,000.

1999, PI “African American Community Health Forums,” Blue Cross/Blue Shield Community Foundation of Michigan, $1,500

1999, PI “African American Community Health Forums,” K-Mart Foundation, $2,500

1999, PI “African American Community Health Forums,” Aguourin Pharmaceuticals, $2,500

1998, PI “African American Community Health Forums,” Detroit Medical Center, $2,000.

1998, PI “African American Community Health Forums,” Michigan AIDS Fund, $5,000.

1997, PI “The Faces of AIDS,” Vice President for Research, Research Stimulation Fund, $4,400.

1997, PI “The Faces of AIDS,” Office of the Provost, Bridge Funds, $,6000

1997-1999, PI “African Americans and HIV: The Caregiving Experience,-supplement” NIMH #R01-MH54391.

1997-1998, PI “Selective Compliance in HIV Positive Women,” Detroit Medical Center.

1995-1996, Co-PI, “Cultural Impact on Caregiving Outcomes--Alzheimer s,” RO1-09791AG, $25,000.

1995, Michiganian of the Year, awarded by the Detroit News

1994-1995, PI “HIV Needs Assessment,” HRSA/DHD, $5,000.

1994, PI “Community Health Ethnography,” Office for Research and Sponsored Programs, $4,000.

1994, Faculty Research Stimulation, Dean Liberal Arts, $3,000.

1994, Wayne State University Mentor Award

1993-94, PI Emergency Relief Grant Program, Ryan White Title Care Act, Title (RFP) City of Detroit Health Department and Southeastern Michigan AIDS Coordinating Council, $43,000.

1992-97, PI “Ethnography of AIDS Prevention in the Recovery Community,” NIDA, $11,800/yr.

Wayne State University Distinguished Service Professor, 2021

2020 PI. Sankar, A. ‘COVID-19: Promoting work place mitigation and trust for workplace and community safety. Ford Motor Company, $50,000.  2017, .

2018 Co-PI. Sankar, A. ‘Safety Shield: Qualitative study on driver evaluation of automotive safety technology”, Nissan-Hearst. $40,670. 2017. PI. Sankar, A. “Virtual Passenger Beta Test & Qualitative Study of User Experience”, Chevrolet Motors, $45,406. 2017 Kashian, D. PI, Sankar, A. Senior Personal. “Research in Urban Sustainability and Transformation (T-RUST)”, NSF , $3,000,000

Society for Medical Anthropology Mentor Award 2021

Li, Hao-chu, Sankar, A. 2017. “Safer Sex Practices Among Newly Diagnosed HIV-positive Men Who Have Sex With Men in China: Results From an Ethnographic Study” . International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being 10.1080/17482631.2017.1335167 Nevedal, A., Neufeld, S., Luborsky, M. Sankar, A. 2017."Older and Younger African Americans' Story Schemas and Experiences of Living With HIV/AIDS," Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology. Nevedal, A. and Sankar, A. 2015 "The significance of sexuality and intimacy in the lives of older African Americans with HIV/AIDS". The Gerontologist. doi: 10.1093/geront/gnu160.

Luborsky, M, and Sankar, A. 2019. "Detroit American-American’s Fishing For Food And Heritage: Threats From Factory Toxins." In, Jay Sokolovsky (Ed). The Cultural Context of Aging, 4th edition: Worldwide Perspectives, NY: ABC-CLIO Praeger Publishers. Sankar, A., Luborsky, M. Johnson, R. 2019. The River Rats: Fishing, mutuality, and community. In, L. Campbell, A. Newman, S. Safransky, & T. Stallmann (Eds). Detroit People's Atlas. Wayne State University Press, Detroit, MI.

Sankar, A., Luborsky, M. Johnson, R. 2019. The River Rats: Fishing, mutuality, and community. In, L. Campbell, A. Newman, S. Safransky, & T. Stallmann  (Eds).  Detroit People's Atlas. Wayne State University Press, Detroit, MI

Kashian, D. Wallen, M., Guerra-Lopez, I. Meroueh, L. Mohamed, R., Sankar, A.,Sopory, P.,

 

Watkins, R. 2021.  "Designing and implementing a novel graduate program to develop     transdisciplinary leaders in urban sustainability"  Ecosphere.  DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3901

 

Selected publications:

• Dying at Home: A Guide for Family Caregivers. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1991. Revised 2nd edition, New York: Bantam Press, 1995. Revised 3-rd edition, Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, Fall 1999
• The Identification and Reporting of Abuse: A Training Manual for Nursing Home Aides.  Michigan Department of Public Health, 1988
• Briller, S. & Sankar, A.  2014. “Engaging Opportunities in Urban Revitalization: Practicing Detroit Anthropology”. Annals of Anthropological Practice: Anthropology and Engaged Practice New Vision for the Discipline within Higher Education. NAPA
• Luborsky, M, & Sankar, A. 2006. Improving aging and public health research: Qualitative and mixed methods, In, Leslie Curry, Renée Shield, and Terrie Wetle (Editors) " Applying Qualitative and Mixed Methods in Aging and in Health Disparities Research: Theoretical and Practical Considerations. Washington, DC: American Public Health Association. Pp 27-39
• Sankar, A. “Spinsters and Domestic Nuns”, Gendering Hong Kong, 2004. Eds. A. Kit-wa Chan & Wong Wai- Ling, London: Oxford University Press; 363-397
• Sankar, A. “Images of Home Death and the Elderly Patient; Romantic vs. Real,” (reprinted in) Perspectives: Introduction to Social Work,  C. Lowery (Ed.), Bellevue, LA: CourseWise Pub., 1999
• Sankar, A., and Gubrium, J.  "Qualitative Research: A Critical Appraisal,"  In Qualitative Research in Gerontology, edited by J. Gubrium and A. Sankar. 1-11,  Beverly Hills: Sage, 1994
• "La Communicazione Tra: Familia ei Sanitari Mell'assistenza Domiciliare ae Morenti,"  In Bioetica e Antropologia Medica, edited by S. Spinsanti, 241-256.  Rome: La Nuova Italia Scientifica, 1991
• "Gerontological Research in China: The Role for Anthropological Inquiry," In Anthropology and Aging: Comprehensive Reviews, edited by R. Rubinstein, 173-199.  Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic, 1990
• "Patients, Physicians and Context: Medical Care in the Home,"  In Knowledge and Practice in Medicine: Social, Cultural and Historical Approaches, edited by M. Lock, D. Gordon, 155-179.  Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic, 1988
• "The Living Dead: Cultural Constructions of the Oldest Old,"  In Modern Pioneers: An Interdisciplinary View of The Aged, edited by P. Silverman, 345-356.  Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1987
• "Sisters and Brothers, Lovers and Enemies: Marriage Resistance in Rural Kwangtung,"  In Anthropology and Homosexual Behavior, edited by E. Blackwood, 69-83.  New York: Haworth, 1986.  (reprinted from Journal off Homosexuality 11(3/4):69-81, 1985
• "It's Just Old Age: Old Age as a Diagnosis in Chinese and Western Medicine,"  In Age and Anthropological Theory, edited by D. Kertzer and J. Keith, 250-281.  Ithaca: Cornell, 1984. 
• "Spinster Sisterhoods: Jing Yih Sifu: Spinster-Domestic-Nun,"  In Lives: Chinese Working Women, edited by J. Salaff and M. Sheridan, 51-71.  Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1984. 
• "Conquest of Solitude: Singlehood and Old Age in Traditional Chinese Society," In Dimensions of Anthropology of Aging, edited by C. Fry, 65-85.  New York: Wiley, 1981. 
• Briller, S, & Sankar, A., (Eds.) Generations “Secular Ritual and Aging”, Fall 2011
• Sankar, A. & Abel, E. (Eds.) Research on Aging (Special Issue on Qualitative Research). 17 (1), 1995
• Gubrium, J. and Sankar, A.  (Eds.) Qualitative Research in Gerontology. Newbury Park, CA: Sage, 1994
• Gubrium, J., and Sankar, A.  (Eds.). The Home Care Experience.  Newbury Park, CA: Sage, 1990. 
• Nevedal, A., Neufeld, S., Luborsky, M. Sankar, A. (in press)."Older and Younger African Americans' Story Schemas and Experiences of Living With HIV/AIDS," Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology
• Nevedal, A. and Sankar, A. 2015 "The significance of sexuality and intimacy in the lives of  older African Americans with HIV/AIDS". The Gerontologist Doi:10.1093/geront/gnu160
• Beach, MC. Roter, D., Korthuis, P.T., Epstein, R., Sharp, V. Ratanawongsa, N., Cohn,  J., Eggly, S., Sankar, A., Moore, R.D., Saha, S., 2013. “A Multi-Center Study of Physician Mindfulness and Healthcare Quality”. Annals of Family Medicine. 11(5): 421–428. doi: 10.1370/afm.1507 
• Luborsky, M., Sankar, A. “Reflections from MAQ Editors 2006-2012, and Introduction to a Special Focus Section Medical Anthropology Quarterly, New Series, Vol. 26,No. 4  pp. 449-452
• Sankar, A., Neufeld, S., Berry, R. Luborsky M. 2011, “African American Rationales for HAART Adherence, AIDS Patient Care and STDs, 25(9): 547-555
• Sankar, A. Nevedal, A, Berry, R., Neufeld, S., Luborsky, M. 2011.“What do we know about older adults and HIV? a review of social and behavioral literature" AIDS Care 2011;  NIHMS326167 " has been loaded into PubMed Central. 3rd most downloaded AIDS Care article in 2012
• Beach MC, Saha S, Korthuis PT, Sharp V, Cohn J, Wilson I, Eggly S, Cooper LA, Roter D, Sankar A, Moore RD. Patient-provider communication differs for black compared to white HIV-Infected patients. AIDS and Behavior, 2011. DOI: 10.1007/s10461-009-9664-i. 
• Kinsman H, Roter D, Berkenblit G, Saha S, Korthuis PT, Wilson I, Eggly S, Sankar A, Sharp V, Cohn J, Moore RD, Beach MC.  "We'll do this together:"The Role of the First Person Plural in Fostering Partnership in Patient-Physician Relationships. 2010. Journal of General Internal Medicine Volume 25, Number 7, 682-687, DOI: 10.1007/s11606-010-1310-4
• Sankar, A, Nevedal, D, Neufeld, S, Luborsky, M. 2007. What is a Missed Dose? Implications for Construct Validity and Patient Adherence. AIDS Care. 18(5): 1-7
• Rohn, E. J., Sankar, A., Hoelscher, D. C., Luborsky, M., & Parise, M. H. 2006. How Do Social-Psychological Concerns Impede the Delivery of Care to People with HIV? Issues for Dental Education. Journal of Dental Education, 70(10), 1038-1042
• Sankar, A., Golin, C., Simoni, J., Luborsky, M., Pearson, C. 2006, “How Qualitative Methods Contribute to Understanding Combination Anti-retroviral Therapy Adherence” Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome 43 Supplement 1:S54-S68, December 1, 2006
• Sankar, A, Wunderlich, T, Neufeld, S., Luborsky, M. 2006.  Sero-positive African American Beliefs About Alcohol and Impact on Antiretroviral Adherence. AIDS & Behavior 10(4): 1-9
• Sankar, A. and Luborsky, M. “Developing a Community-based definition of needs for persons living with chronic HIV,” Human Organization 2003; 62(2):153-165. 
• Sankar, A., Luborsky, M., Schuman, P. Roberts, G. “Adherence Discourse Among HIV+ African American Women Taking High Acting Anti-Retroviral Therapy,” AIDS Care 2002;14(2): 203-218
• Bray, T. and Sankar, A.  “Exploring community issues through the university museum; The exhibit Facing HIV/AIDS: Reality and Response,”  Museum Anthropology  24(3): 3-10, 2001
• Sankar, A. and Luborsky, M., Songwantha, P., Rawbuhemba, T.. “Comparative social Structural and meaning perspectives of living with HIV in late life,” Research on Aging. 20(6): 885-912, 1998
• Brown D., and Sankar A., “HIV/AIDS and aging in minority populations,” Research on Aging.  20(6): 865-885, 1998
• Trix, F. and Sankar, A., “Going Beyond the Polls: Women’s Voices in the Hill/Thomas Hearings,” American Anthropologist. 100 (1): 22-30, 1998
• Abel, E. and Sankar, A., “It s Not  What You Do When You Don’t Have Data or Can’t Do Statistics: Qualitative Research in Aging,” Research on Aging 17(1): 3-8, 1995
• Sankar, A. Culture, Research, and Policy," The Gerontologist 33(4):437-439, 1993
• Luborsky, M., and Sankar, A.  "Extending the Critical Gerontology Perspective: Cultural Dimensions, Introduction," The Gerontologist 33(4):440-445, Reprinted in Aging for the Twenty-First Century. Jill Quadagno and Debra Street, Editors. New York: St. Martin's Press. 1996.]
• "Images of Death and the Elderly Patient: Romantic Versus the Real," Generations17(2):59-65, 1993
• "Ritual and Dying: A Cultural Analysis of Social Support for Caregivers," The Gerontologist , 31(1):43-51, 1991
• "Gerontological Research in China:  The Role of Anthropological Inquiry,"  Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology 4(3):199-224, 1989.  [Reprinted in Anthropology and Aging. Comprehensive Reviews as Gerontological Research in China, edited by R. Rubinstein, 173-199.  Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic, 1990.] 
• Sankar, A., Newcomer, R., and Wood, J.  "Prospective Payment: Systemic Effects on Community Care for the Elderly," Home Health Care Services Quarterly 7(2):93-117, 1986
• "Out of the Clinic into the Home: Control and Patient-Physician Communication," Social Science and Medicine 22(9):973-982, 1986
• Newcomer, R., Sankar, A., and Wood J.  "Medicare Prospective Payment: Anticipated Effect on Hospitals, Other Community Agencies, and Families,"Journal of Health Politics, Policy, and Law 10(2):275-283, 1985
• Sankar, A., and Becker, S.  "The Home as a Site for Teaching Gerontology and Chronic Illness," Journal of Medical Education 60(4):308-313, 1985
• "Sisters and Brothers, Lovers and Enemies: Marriage Resistance in Southern Kwaungtung," Journal of Homosexuality 11(3/4):69-81, 1985. 
• Cultural Alternatives for the Vulnerable Elderly: The Case of China Past and Present," Studies in Third World Societies 23, 27-57, 1983
• Female Domestic Service in Hong Kong,” Michigan Papers in Anthropology 3:87-99, 1978
• “Care across the Lifespan and Through History,” The Gerontologist Vol. 41, No. 6 (December), pp. 837-841, 2001