Sitong Luo, PhD, Associate Professor, Researcher, Doctoral advisor. Her research focuses on behavioral and implementation sciences.

Education

· 2014.09 - 2019.03 Ph.D., Epidemiology, University of California Los Angeles (Advisor: Dr. Roger Detels)

· 2011.09 - 2014.01 M. Sc., Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Peking Union Medical College/China CDC (Advisor: Dr. Zunyou Wu)

· 2007.09 - 2011.07 Bachelor, Business Administration, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine

Professional experience

· 2023.12 - present Associate Professor, Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University

· 2021.08 - 2023.11 Assistant Professor, Vanke School of Public Health, Tsinghua University

· 2019.05 - 2021.05 Postdoctoral Fellow, Centre for Health Behaviours Research, JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Supervisor: Dr. Joseph TF Lau)

Research interests

1. Behaviors of preventing and controlling infectious diseases (HIV/AIDS, vaccine-preventable diseases, emerging infectious diseases)

2. Behaviors of preventing and managing chronic diseases

3. Health-related organizational behaviors

4. Health policy implementation and evaluation

(Job opportunity: My lab is hiring Postdoctoral Fellows and Research Assistants. Researchers who have similar research interests are welcomed to contact me by E-mail.)

Leading projects (partially)

1. Prevention and Control of Emerging and Major Infectious Diseases-National Science and Technology Major Project (2025.12-2028.11)

2. General Project, National Natural Science Foundation of China (2025.01-2028.12).

3. Young Scientists Fund, National Natural Science Foundation of China (2025.01-2028.12).

4. Beijing Nova Program (2025.06-2028.06)

5. Key Project, Beijing Municipal Natural Science Foundation (2024.10-2027.09)

6. Capital’s Funds for Health Improvement and Research (2024.01-2026.12)

7. I also led several projects funded by the National Health Commission of China, National Administration of Disease Prevention and Control of China, China CDC, Vital Strategies, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and PAX Sapiens.

Teaching

1. Health Behaviors and Health Education (in English)

2. Health Behaviors: Theory, Research, and Practice (in Chinese)

3. Research Methods in Public Health

4. Public Health

Global Academic Services (Partially)

1. Member of Technical Advisory Group on Behavioural Sciences for Better Health, World Health Organization (2024-2026)

2. Asia Pacific Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, Associate Editor

3. Global Transitions, Young Editorial Board Member

4. Frontiers in Public Health, Community Reviewer

5. Member of International Society of Behavioral Medicine, Member of International AIDS Society

Academic award

1. 2021 Early Career Award, International Society of Behavioral Medicine

2. 2019 First Prize of Oral Presentation, The Third Belt and Road Initiative Global Health International Congress, Xi’an, China.

3. 2014-2019 Fellowship, U.S. NIH Fogarty AIDS International Training and Research Program

4. 2013 Excellent Paper Award, Chinese Association of STD/AIDS Prevention and Control

5. 2008 National Scholarship, Ministry of Education, China

Publications (updated by Dec. 2025)

2020 - present

1. Wang C, Zhang L, Xu B, Fu X, Fu L, Li B, Ju W, Li Q, Luo S^*. Vaccination Recommendation Patterns and Associated Factors Among Children with Special Health Care Needs: A Cross-Sectional Study in District-Level Immunization Services in China. Vaccines. 2025 Nov 7;13(11):1145. doi: 10.3390/vaccines13111145.

2. Zhang Y, Wang S, Qin Z, Ruan C, Xiong Y, Li Q, Zheng J, Huang S, Zhou J, Ma Y, Ma F, Luo S^*. The Association Between Parental Migration and Tobacco Use Among Adolescents in Western China: The Moderation Role of Tobacco Sales Near Schools and Mediation Role of Loneliness. Int J Behav Med. 2025 Sep 23. doi: 10.1007/s12529-025-10394-7.

3. Zhang Y, Xu Y, Wang S, Zheng J, Li Q, Shi X, Zeng X, Liu R, Wang X, Wright K, Kalbag E, Meng P, Huang S, Zhou J, Ruan C, Xiao L, Luo S^*. Evaluation of compliance with smoke-free regulations in a multi-ethnic city in Western China: a mixed-methods study. Tob Control. 2025 Mar 20:tc-2024-059077. doi: 10.1136/tc-2024-059077.

4. Y Zhang, Q Li, S Xu, R Chen, D Qu, Luo S^*.. Concurrence of Health Risk Behaviors and the Protective Role of Self-Compassion Among University Students with Bullying Victimization in China. Mindfulness 16, 1075–1087 (2025).

5. Huang S, Ruan C, Jiang Y, Song Y, Zhang Y, Qin Z, Shi X, Zhang M, Zhou J, Chen D, Xiao Y, Wang L, Tian L, Peng R, Peng Z, Luo S^*. Attitudes Toward General Vaccination Mediate the Association Between Influenza Vaccination History and Pneumococcal Vaccination Intention Among Older Adults in China. Vaccines. 2024 Dec 29;13(1):20. doi: 10.3390/vaccines13010020.

6. Zhou J, Xu Y, Li Q, Zhang Y, Huang S, Sun J, Zheng J, Li Y, Xiao Y, Ma W, He L, Ren X, Dai Z, Xue H, Cheng F, Liang W, Luo S^*. Understanding Awareness, Utilization, and the Awareness-Utilization Gap of HIV PrEP and nPEP Among Young MSM in China. AIDS Behav. 2025 Apr;29(4):1327-1339. doi: 10.1007/s10461-024-04606-6.

7. Luo, S., & Wang, N. Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Prevention and Control in China: Statistics, Challenges, and the Road Ahead. Infectious Diseases & Immunity. 2024,04(04)：149-151.

8. Zhang W, Qi X, Han B, Fu L, Wang B, Wu K, Hong Z, Yang L, He J, Zhang Y, Sun Y, Chen Y, Liu S, He L, Lv F, Qian J, Luo S*, Meng X*, Zou H*. Efforts made, challenges faced, and recommendations provided by stakeholders involved in mpox prevention and control in China: a qualitative study. Public Health. 2024 Nov;236:115-124.

9. Huang S, Zhou J, Li Q,…, Luo S^*. Media Literacy and Its Potential Influence on Mpox-related Perceptions and Prevention Intentions in China During the 2022 Multi-country Outbreak of Mpox. Health Communication. 2024 Sep 12:1-11.

10. Li Q, Zhang Y, Huang S,…, Luo S^*. Depressive symptoms and its multifaceted associated factors among young men who have sex with men facing the dual threats of COVID-19 and mpox in China. J Affect Disord. 2024 Jul 16;363:39-46.

11. Luo S*, Jiao K., Zhang Y et al. Behavioral intention of receiving monkeypox vaccination and undergoing monkeypox testing and the associated factors among young men who have sex with men in China: Large cross-sectional study. JMIR Public Health and Surveillance. 2024 Mar; 10:e47165.

12. Xu Y, Jiao K, Zhang Y,…, Luo S^*. Behavioral intentions of self-isolation and informing close contacts after developing mpox-related symptoms among young men who have sex with men in China. J Med Virol. 2024 Feb;96(2):e29470.

13. Zhang W^#, Qi X^#, Yang L^#, Meng X^#, Xu G^#, Luo S^#, et al. Mpox patients' experience from infection to treatment and implications for prevention and control: A multicenter qualitative study in China. J Med Virol. 2024 Jan;96(1):e29338.

14. Sun, J., Li, Q., Zhang, Y,…, Ma, F. ^*, Xiao, L.^*, & Luo, S.^*. A mix-methods concept testing study of short videos for the national anti-cigarette gift giving campaign in China. Global Transitions, 2024, 6, 1-9.

15. Jiao K, Xu Y, Huang S,…, Luo S^*. Mpox risk perception and associated factors among Chinese young men who have sex with men: Results from a large cross-sectional survey. J Med Virol. 2023 Aug;95(8):e29057.

16. Luo S, Zhang Y, Wang P, et al. The moderating role of resilience in the association between workload and depressive symptoms among radiology residents in China: results from a nationwide cross-sectional study. Eur Radiol. 2023 Aug 11.

17. Xin M^#, Luo S^#, Wang S, et al. The Roles of Information Valence, Media Literacy and Perceived Information Quality on the Association Between Frequent Social Media Exposure and COVID-19 Vaccination Intention. Am J Health Promot. 2023 Feb;37(2):189-199.

18. Gao J,..., Luo S^*, Liang W^*, Xu L^*. Monkeypox outbreaks in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: Network and clustering analyses of global risks and modified SEIR prediction of epidemic trends. Front Public Health. 2023 Jan 24;11:1052946.

19. Luo S, Qin P, Jiang H et al. Older People Living with HIV Were Less Physically Active Than Their Uninfected Counterparts in China: A Matched-Sample Mediation Analysis. AIDS Behav. 2022 Jul;26(7):2435-2445.

20. Luo S, She R, Lau MMC, Lau JTF^*. Would Illness Representations of COVID-19 and COVID-19 Fears During Clinic Visits Promote or Reduce Behavioral Intention to Seek Medical Consultations for Flu Symptoms? A Random Telephone Survey in Hong Kong, China. Front Public Health. 2022 Jun 10;10:903290.

21. Xin M^#, Luo S^#, She R, et al. The Impact of Social Media Exposure and Interpersonal Discussion on Intention of COVID-19 Vaccination among Nurses. Vaccines. 2021 Oct 19;9(10):1204.

22. Luo S, Xin M, Wang S, et al. Behavioural intention of receiving COVID-19 vaccination, social media exposures and peer discussions in China. Epidemiol Infect. 2021 Apr 23;149:e158.

23. Luo S, Wang Z, Lau JT^*. The General Public's Support Toward Governmental Provision of Free/Subsidized HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis to At-Risk Chinese People: A Population-Based Study. Sex Transm Dis. 2021 Mar 1;48(3):189-194.

24. Dai Z, He Q, Duan Z, He S, Liu F, & Luo S^*. (2021). A survey of barriers to expanding HIV testing among male students who have sex with men in Chengdu. Chinese Journal of AIDS & STD, 12, 1374-1378.

25. Luo S, Yang X, Wang Z, et al. Negative attitudes toward aging mediated the association between HIV status and depression among older people in mainland china. J Affect Disord. 2020 Dec 1;277:1005-1012.

26. Xin M^#, Luo S^#, She R, et al. Negative cognitive and psychological correlates of mandatory quarantine during the initial COVID-19 outbreak in China. Am Psychol. 2020 Jul-Aug;75(5):607-617.

27. Yu Y, Luo S, Mo PK, et al. Prosociality and Social Responsibility Were Associated With Intention of COVID-19 Vaccination Among University Students in China. Int J Health Policy Manag. 2022 Aug 1;11(8):1562-1569.

28. She R, Luo S, Lau MM, Lau JTF^*. The mechanisms between illness representations of COVID-19 and behavioral intention to visit hospitals for scheduled medical consultations in a Chinese general population. J Health Psychol. 2022 Jul;27(8):1846-1860.

29. Mo PK, Luo S, Wang S, et al. Intention to Receive the COVID-19 Vaccination in China: Application of the Diffusion of Innovations Theory and the Moderating Role of Openness to Experience. Vaccines. 2021 Feb 5;9(2):129.

30. Xu L, Zhou C, Luo S, et al. Modernising infectious disease surveillance and an early-warning system: The need for China's action. Lancet Reg Health West Pac. 2022 Jun 6;23:100485.

31. Yu Y, Ma YL, Luo S, et al. Prevalence and factors of influenza vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic among university students in China. Vaccine. 2022 May 26;40(24):3298-3304.

32. Mo PKH, Yu Y, Luo S, et al. Dualistic Determinants of COVID-19 Vaccination Intention among University Students in China: From Perceived Personal Benefits to External Reasons of Perceived Social Benefits, Collectivism, and National Pride. Vaccines. 2021 Nov 15;9(11):1323.

33. Yu Y, She R, Luo S, et al.Factors Influencing Depression and Mental Distress Related to COVID-19 Among University Students in China: Online Cross-sectional Mediation Study. JMIR Ment Health. 2021 Feb 22;8(2):e22705.

34. Zhou M, Zeng Y, Xi Y, Luo S, et al. School-based Hygiene Intervention to Prevent HelicObacter Pylori infection among childrEn (SHIP HOPE): protocol for a cluster-randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open. 2022 Dec 20;12(12):e064207.

35. Yu Y, Ling RHY, Ip TKM, Luo S, Lau JTF^*. Factors of COVID-19 Vaccination among Hong Kong Chinese Men Who Have Sex with Men during Months 5-8 since the Vaccine Rollout-General Factors and Factors Specific to This Population. Vaccines. 2022 Oct 20;10(10):1763.

36. Lau J^*, Yu Y, Xin M, She R, Luo S, et al. COVID-19 University Student Research Group. Adoption of Preventive Measures During the Very Early Phase of the COVID-19 Outbreak in China: National Cross-sectional Survey Study. JMIR Public Health Surveill. 2021 Oct 7;7(10):e26840.

37. Chen G, Lin C, Chen Y, Li L, Luo S, ..,Wu Z^*. Job Satisfaction Among Methadone Maintenance Treatment Clinic Service Providers in Jiangsu, China: A Cross-sectional Survey. J Addict Med. 2020 Jan/Feb;14(1):12-17.

38. Sun Y, He L, Gao Y, …, Luo S, Zou H^*. Barriers and Facilitators to, and Experience of, Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in China: A Mixed-Methods Study. Arch Sex Behav. 2023 Jul;52(5):2065-2081.

39. Wayengera M, Kyobe-Bosa H, Muttamba W, Olu OO, Gueye AS, Ndembi N, Kamara N, Folayan MO, Kirenga B, Luo S, Li Q, Ihekweazu C. Mpox Epidemics: A Call to Restore Humanity's Lost Herd Immunity to Orthopoxviruses. Viruses. 2025 Sep 18;17(9):1257. doi: 10.3390/v17091257.

40. Zhang H, Kong Y, Chen H, Luo S, Fan P, Li Z. The cost-effectiveness analysis of single-tablet efavirenz-based regimen among HIV-1 infected adults in China. Front Public Health. 2025 May 8;13:1429461. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1429461.

41. Xiao Y, Ji G, Xu Z, Chen R, Luo S, Li Q, Wang A, Liu A. The association between HIV infection and perimenopausal syndrome: A matched cross-sectional study of women living with HIV/ AIDS and their uninfected counterparts in rural areas of Anhui, China. Glob Health Med. 2024 Oct 31;6(5):339-344.

2015-2019年

42. Luo S, Lin C, Feng N, Wu Z, Li L. Stigma towards people who use drugs: A case vignette study in methadone maintenance treatment clinics in China. Int J Drug Policy. 2019 Sep;71:73-77.

43. Luo S, Lin C, Ji G, Li L. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms Among People Living with HIV/AIDS in Rural China. AIDS Behav. 2017 Nov;21(11):3202-3208.

44. Luo, S. (2019). Barriers to expanding HIV testing among male students who have sex with men in Chengdu, China. University of California, Los Angeles. Doctoral Thesis. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8vr1z7mx (Doctoral Advisor: Roger Detels).

45. Luo S, Han L, Lu H, Dou Z, Tao Q, Khoshnood K, Wu Z, Xu J. Evaluating the Impact of Test-and-Treat on the HIV Epidemic among MSM in China Using a Mathematical Model. PLoS One. 2015 Jun 3;10(6):e0126893.

46. Li L, Luo S, Lan CW, Lin C, Tuan LA, Feng N, Tuan NA. Alcohol Use, HIV Treatment Adherence, and Sexual Risk Among People with a History of Injecting Drug Use in Vietnam. AIDS Behav. 2017 Nov;21(Suppl 2):167-173.

47. Li L, Luo S, Rogers B, Lee SJ, Tuan NA. HIV Disclosure and Unprotected Sex Among Vietnamese Men with a History of Drug Use. AIDS Behav. 2017 Sep;21(9):2634-2640.

48. Li L, Wu Z, Liang LJ, Lin C, Luo S, Cao X, Hsieh J, Rou K. An intervention trial targeting methadone maintenance treatment providers to improve clients' treatment retention in China. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2019 Jan 1;194:143-150.

49. Hsieh J, Li L, Lin C, Luo S, Ji G. Spousal role and caregiver burden in HIV affected families in Anhui Province, China. AIDS Care. 2017 Oct;29(10):1270-1274.

50. Li L, Comulada WS, Lin C, Hsieh J, Luo S, Wu Z. Factors related to client satisfaction with methadone maintenance treatment in China. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2017 Jun;77:201-206.

2010-2014

51. Luo S, Xu J, Mi G, ... & Wu Z^*. (2013). A Qualitative study on the sources and risk factors of HIV infection among 19 recently infected MSM. Chin J AIDS&STD, 19(9): 644 – 647

52. Luo S, Li Y, Han L, Xu J, … & Wu Z^*. (2013). Analysis of variation in pre-HAART CD4+ T-cell count for HIV-positive MSM in China: an interval adjusted method. Chin J AIDS&STD, 19(11), 780-784.

53. Bai X, Luo S, Wang X, ... & Wu Z^*. (2013). Change of risky sexual behaviors among men who have sex with men before and after recent identification of HIV diagnosis. Chin J Epidemiol, 35(5), 489-493

54. He M, Zeng G, Zhao J, Guo D, Luo S, & He M^*. (2011). The relationship between mental health and social support of college student. Chinese Primary Health Care, 25(12):102-104.