Tracy A. Battaglia MD, MPH
Adjunct Professor
Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Medicine
General Internal Medicine

MD, Boston University School of Medicine
MPH, Boston University School of Public Health
BA, Boston University

Pronouns: she/her/hers



Dr. Battaglia is a primary care clinician-investigator internationally recognized for her collaborative, innovative approaches to addressing health disparities among women historically marginalized. As director of the Women’s Health Unit and Women’s Health Interdisciplinary Research Center, associate chief of research for GIM and co-director of community engagement for the BU Clinical Translational Science Institute (CTSI), she has led the development of foundational infrastructure to support community-engaged methods in translational science. Her own research focuses on engaging with community to increase access to care for at-risk women, including ground-breaking work on the role of oncology patient navigators. Through her participation on several National Cancer Institute cooperative groups, she contributed to the 2012 Commission on Cancer Accreditation Standard requiring navigation services in cancer centers. As founding chair of the National Navigation Roundtable, she partners across sectors for sustainable navigation workforce. She currently leads a city-wide NIH study connecting multiple hospitals to reduce breast cancer disparities in Boston and contributed to two BU CTSI funding cycle renewals as well as Boston Medical Center’s participation in the HEALing Communities Study, an $89m award from the National Institute of Drug Abuse to evaluate community-driven approaches to reduce opioid deaths in Massachusetts communities.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility

My diagnosis of Stage IV Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at the time of my acceptance into Boston University School of Medicine was the first time I recognized my White privilege. As I embarked on my clinical training at Boston Medical Center, the largest safety net medical center in New England, I quickly learned that my experience as a cancer patient was unlike that of the patients I was providing care. It was this early experience that led me to a career that intentionally addressed health inequity through direct clinical care, health services innovations, community-engaged research approaches and capacity-building training programs to support others to advance health equity. For the next twenty years, I focused on using community engaged research approaches to form relationships with community partners to co-create solutions to ensure women from historically marginalized communities had access to timely, quality care. Through this work, I made major contributions to the evidence-base for oncology patient navigation, one of few interventions proven to reduce disparities in cancer care for women, while mentoring dozens of trainees toward independent careers in health equity research. Fast forward twenty years later. My diagnosis of HER2+ Stage 1 Breast Cancer allowed me once again to experience the stark reality of my White, now professional privilege. This experience, followed closely by the start of the COVID pandemic, was a catalyst for my firm commitment to creating an inclusive learning and practice environment. Every aspect of my academic work is built around the belief that addressing root causes of health inequity requires fundamentally changing the way we deliver care, including investing in long term authentic relationships across sectors, sharing power and resources, adapting policies and procedures, and redefining how we measure success. My current activities all align to make small, yet incremental change toward inclusivity, acceptance and impact.

Professor
Boston University School of Public Health
Community Health Sciences


Associate Director for Clinical Sciences
Boston University
BU-BMC Cancer Center


Director
Boston University
Center for Excellence in Women’s Health


Member
Boston University
Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research


Associate Director
Boston Medical Center
Belkin Breast Center


Director
Boston University
Clinical and Translational Science Institute
Community Engagement Core

Director
Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Women’s Health Interdisciplinary Research Center




The Boston University Clinical and Transitional Science Institute
04/15/2020 - 03/31/2025 (Sub-Project Level Key Person)
PI: Megan H. Bair-Merritt, MD, MSCE
NIH/National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
5UL1TR001430-09

Boston University Mentorship and Training in Cancer Health Disparities (MATCH)
08/01/2015 - 07/31/2019 (PI)
Susan G. Komen for the Cure


Boston University Women's Health Unit: Patient Navigation and Clinical Intervention Research to Eliminate Breast Cancer Health Disparities
08/05/2010 - 07/31/2015 (PI)
Susan G. Komen for the Cure


Patient Navigation in the SafetyNet: CONNECTeDD-Community Health Educator
09/08/2011 - 05/31/2013 (Subcontract PI)
Boston Medical Center Corporation NIH NCI
3U10CA139519-02S1

Comparative Effectiveness of Health Insurance Reform on Outcomes After Abnormal Cancer Screening
09/20/2009 - 06/30/2012 (PI)
NIH/National Inst on Minority Health and Health Disparities
5RC1MD004582-02

MB-CCOP Supplement #2
09/09/2011 - 05/31/2012 (Subcontract PI)
Boston Medical Center Corporation NIH NCI
3U10CA139519-02S2

Effect of Risk Perception on Breast and Colorectal Cancer Screening in Multiethnic Population
07/01/2003 - 06/30/2007 (PI)
American Cancer Society


The Oncology Equity Alliance at Boston Medical Center
07/01/2022 - 06/30/2027 (PI)
Merck Company Foundation


Translating Research Into Practice: A Regional Collaborative to Reduce Disparities in Breast Canc…
09/01/2017 - 05/31/2023 (Multi-PI)
PI: Tracy A. Battaglia MD, MPH
NATIONAL CENTER FOR ADVANCING TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCES
5U01TR002070-02

Women's Health Network at BMC
05/01/2018 - 06/30/2022 (Subcontract PI)
PI: Tracy A. Battaglia MD, MPH
Massachusetts Dept. of Public Health / DPH HHS CDC NCBDDD


AVON Breast Health Initiative at Boston Medical Center
07/01/2017 - 12/31/2019 (PI)
Avon Foundation


Eliminating Patient Identified Social Barriers to Cancer Care
10/01/2013 - 09/30/2019 (PI)
Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)


Medical Legal Partnership to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities 2nd Resubmission
07/01/2013 - 06/30/2019 (PI)
American Cancer Society


AVON Breast Health Initiative at Boston Medical Center
07/01/2016 - 06/30/2018 (PI)
Avon Foundation

Avon Foundation Safety Net Hospital Funding Initiative
07/01/2015 - 06/30/2017 (PI)
Avon Foundation

Connecting Community to Research: Building Skills to Partner in Research
06/01/2015 - 05/31/2017 (PI)
PCORI

The Avon Breast Health Initiative at Boston Medical Center
07/01/2014 - 06/30/2016 (PI)
Avon Foundation

Showing 10 of 22 results. Show All Results

Title


Yr Title Project-Sub Proj Pubs
2021 Translating Research Into Practice: A Regional Collaborative to Reduce Disparities in Breast Cancer Care 5U01TR002070-05 1
2020 Translating Research Into Practice: A Regional Collaborative to Reduce Disparities in Breast Cancer Care 5U01TR002070-04 1
2019 Translating Research Into Practice: A Regional Collaborative to Reduce Disparities in Breast Cancer Care 5U01TR002070-03 1
2018 Translating Research Into Practice: A Regional Collaborative to Reduce Disparities in Breast Cancer Care 5U01TR002070-02 1
2017 Translating Research Into Practice: A Regional Collaborative to Reduce Disparities in Breast Cancer Care 1U01TR002070-01 1

Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Faculty can login to make corrections and additions.

iCite Analysis       Copy PMIDs To Clipboard

  1. Brédy GS, Schemm JA, Battaglia TA, Murray Horwitz ME. Pre-pregnancy, Pregnancy, and Postpartum Health and Social Concerns of Haitian Immigrants. J Immigr Minor Health. 2025 Apr 24. PMID: 40268849
     
  2. Barocas JA, Aldridge A, Adkins KF, Barbosa C, Battaglia TA, Bush J, Castry M, Corry G, Clarke T, El-Bassel N, Figueroa W, Freedman DA, Freisthler B, Gibbons B, Gibson EB, Glasgow L, Harlow K, Huerta TR, Hunt T, Johnson R, Larimore E, Linas BP, Luckey JM, Montoya I, Murphy SM, Oga E, Onuoha E, Orme S, Ryan D, Schackman BR, Seiber EE, Singer M, Speer D, Starbird L, Tin Y, Villani J, Walsh SL, Watson C, Zarkin GA, McCollister K. An economic analysis of community costs incurred to implement the communities that HEAL intervention to reduce opioid overdose deaths in four states. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2025 Jul 01; 272:112671.View Related Profiles. PMID: 40311556
     
  3. Gilbert L, Chahine R, Chandler R, Feaster DJ, Kim E, Aldridge A, Bagley S, Balvanz P, Fernandez S, Rock P, Vickers-Smith RA, Villani J, Battaglia T, Brown J, Bush H, Chase RP, Collins T, D'Costa L, Damato-MacPherson C, David JL, Defiore-Hyrmer J, Freeman PR, Glasgow L, Hammerslag LR, Hotchkiss J, Hunt T, Hussain S, Kamanu V, Knott C, Knudsen HK, LaRochelle M, Laudate A, Lyons M, McMullan J, Nakayima J, Schackman BR, Slavova S, Tan S, Vandergrift N, Walters ST, Westgate PM, Wu E, Young AM, Zarkin GA, Freisthler B, Oga E, Samet JH, Walsh SL, Winhusen J, Jackson R, El-Bassel N. The effectiveness of the communities that HEAL intervention on reducing non-fatal opioid overdoses: A prespecified secondary analysis of a waitlist cluster control randomized controlled trial. Int J Drug Policy. 2025 Jun; 140:104798.View Related Profiles. PMID: 40220509
     
  4. Rajabiun S, Cabral HJ, Chen CA, Lloyd-Travaglini C, Dugas JN, Amburgey D, Fitzgerald M, Lemon SC, Haas JS, Freund KM, Battaglia T. Cost and activity analysis for a citywide patient navigation intervention to engage underserved patients in breast cancer treatment: Findings from the Translating Research Into Practice study. Cancer. 2025 Jan 01; 131(1):e35671.View Related Profiles. PMID: 39748471; PMCID: PMC11695749; DOI: 10.1002/cncr.35671;
     
  5. Murray Horwitz ME, Dugas JN, McCloskey L, So-Armah K, Yarrington CD, Buitron de la Vega P, Benjamin EJ, Battaglia TA. Associations between Health-Related Social Needs and Postpartum Linkage to Care. Am J Prev Med. 2025 Apr; 68(4):707-716.View Related Profiles. PMID: 39716509; PMCID: PMC11925669; DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2024.12.013;
     
  6. Richman IB, Battaglia TA. Evaluating Supplemental Breast Cancer Screening With Simulation Modeling. JAMA Intern Med. 2024 Oct 01; 184(10):1232-1233. PMID: 39186297
     
  7. Sprague Martinez L, Sharma N, John J, Battaglia TA, Linas BP, Clark CR, Hudson LB, Lobb R, Betz G, Ojala O'Neill SO, Lima A, Doty R, Rahman S, Bassett IV. Publisher Correction: Long COVID impacts: the voices and views of diverse Black and Latinx residents in Massachusetts. BMC Public Health. 2024 Sep 12; 24(1):2483.View Related Profiles. PMID: 39267034; PMCID: PMC11391767; DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-19890-z;
     
  8. Gunn CM, Kressin NR, Battaglia TA, Schonberg MA, Paasche-Orlow MK, Tosteson ANA. Testing a Breast Cancer Screening Decision aid Designed for Health Literacy Accessibility. J Gen Intern Med. 2024 Dec; 39(16):3360-3362.View Related Profiles. PMID: 39261341; PMCID: PMC11618255; DOI: 10.1007/s11606-024-09022-z;
     
  9. Sprague Martinez L, Sharma N, John J, Battaglia TA, Linas BP, Clark CR, Hudson LB, Lobb R, Betz G, Ojala O'Neill SO, Lima A, Doty R, Rahman S, Bassett IV. Long COVID impacts: the voices and views of diverse Black and Latinx residents in Massachusetts. BMC Public Health. 2024 Aug 21; 24(1):2265.View Related Profiles. PMID: 39169314; PMCID: PMC11337633; DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-19567-7;
     
  10. Lemon SC, LeClair AM, Christenson E, Amburgey D, FitzGerald M, Cabral H, Lloyd-Travaglini C, Clark CR, Wang FQ, Ross J, Ohrenberger E, Haas JS, Freund KN, Battaglia TA. Implementation of social needs screening for minoritized patients newly diagnosed with breast cancer: a mixed methods evaluation in a pragmatic patient navigation trial. BMC Health Serv Res. 2024 Jul 09; 24(1):783.View Related Profiles. PMID: 38982469; PMCID: PMC11234663; DOI: 10.1186/s12913-024-11213-7;
     
Showing 10 of 145 results. Show More

This graph shows the total number of publications by year, by first, middle/unknown, or last author.

Bar chart showing 144 publications over 23 distinct years, with a maximum of 15 publications in 2022

YearPublications
20001
20032
20041
20061
20073
20083
20093
20107
201112
201211
20136
201412
20156
20165
20174
20185
20194
20208
20219
202215
202311
202411
20254

CTSI Translational Science Symposium - Dr. Tracy Battaglia, MD, MPH Presentation

Navigating the Black-White Divide in Breast Cancer Deaths

U.S. News & World Report 10/13/2022

Patient Navigators Key in Closing Equity Gaps in Cancer Treatment

Health City 8/4/2022

Breast Cancer Survival Should Not Be Black or White

HealthCity 10/26/2020

Coronavirus Thank-you Notes from the BU Community

BU Today 4/22/2020

Lost In The Maze

Nature Medicine 10/7/2018

2018 Boston University Medical Group : Clinical Excellence Award
2018 Boston University Medical Campus : Health Equity Award
2014 Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center: Most Valuable Player Award
2013 National Cancer Institute: Physician Gold Award
2012 Society for General Internal Medicine Annual Conference, Orlando, FL: Best Cancer Research Poster Presentation
2010 Department of Medicine, Boston University Medical Campus: Evans Junior Faculty Merit Award
2010 Boston University Department of Technology: Ignition Award
2009 American Cancer Society, Triumph Magazine: Feature volunteer Summer 09
2008 American Cancer Society, New England Division: Researcher Spotlight
2006 AAMC: Early Career Women Faculty Professional Development Seminar
2005 Lifetime Television: Champion for Change
1995 Alpha Omega Alpha:
1993 American Cancer Society: Medical Student Fellowship
1992 Phi Beta Kappa, Alpha Epsilon Delta, Golden Key National Honor Society:
In addition to these self-described keywords below, a list of MeSH based concepts is available here.

Cancer prevention
Community based participatory research
Health disparities
Women's health
Health Equity
Community engaged research
Breast Cancer
Patient Navigation
Disparity, Health Care

Available to Mentor as: (Review Mentor Role Definitions):
  • Advisor
  • Career Mentor
  • Co-Mentor or Peer Mentor
  • Diversity Mentor
  • Research / Scholarly Mentor
Contact for Mentoring:
  • Email (see 'Contact Info')

801 Massachusetts Ave Crosstown Center
Boston MA 02118
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