Associate Professor
Education and Training
Postdoc, 2012 - Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, University of California, San Francisco
2009 - Global Tobacco Control Leadership Program, Johns Hopkins University
Ph.D., 2009 - Huaxi School of Public Health/ Health Economics, Sichuan University, China
B.A, 2003 - Huaxi School of Public Health/ Public Health, Sichuan University, China
Biography
Dr. Yao is an associate professor in the Institute for Health and Aging at the University of California, San Francisco. Her research focuses on the economic impact of cannabis use and tobacco product use including cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and secondhand smoke exposure. Dr. Yao has a broad background in public health, with specific training and expertise in health economics research and secondary data analysis on economic aspects of tobacco and cannabis use. Her research has also been addressing health disparity by focusing on vulnerable populations including adolescents, racial/ethnic minorities, people living in rural areas, people in low socioeconomic status, and pregnant women. In addition, Dr. Yao has extensive experience developing econometric models using both longitudinal and cross-sectional data.
Research Interests
July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2027 - Ending Tobacco Use and Smoke Exposures among Asian Americans , Co-Principal Investigator . Sponsor: Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program, Sponsor Award ID: T34CF8144
July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025 - Cannabis vaping and the risk of respiratory symptoms for U.S. youth and young adults , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: UCSF Resource Allocation Program, Sponsor Award ID: unknown
September 2, 2019 - August 31, 2024 - The impact of price on the demand for marijuana and cigarettes , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: California Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program, Sponsor Award ID: T30IR0897
September 1, 2018 - August 31, 2024 - Integrated Health, Behavioral and Economic Research on Current and Emerging Tobacco Products , Co-Investigator on Project 5 . Sponsor: U.S. Food and Drug Administration/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NIH, Sponsor Award ID: U54HL147127
July 1, 2018 - June 30, 2023 - Economic impact of Proposition 56 on Low-Income Californians , Co-Investigator . Sponsor: California Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program, Sponsor Award ID: 579770
August 1, 2017 - July 31, 2020 - The Economic Impact of the California Tobacco 21 Law , Co-Investigator . Sponsor: California Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program, Sponsor Award ID: 26IR-0007
August 1, 2017 - July 31, 2019 - The impact of price on the demand for electronic cigarettes , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: California Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program, Sponsor Award ID: 26IR-0008
January 1, 2017 - December 31, 2017 - Own-price and cross-price elasticity of demand for tobacco products in the U.S. , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: UCSF Resource Allocation Program, Sponsor Award ID: unknown
Publications
Differential Responsiveness to Cigarette Prices by U.S. Adults Who Do and Do Not Use Cannabis.
Publication Year
2026
Price-Responsiveness of Cigarette Smoking Behaviors Across Income Groups in the United States.
Publication Year
2025
Cigarette purchasing behaviors and financial burden of cigarette spending after a major tobacco tax increase in California: A descriptive analysis of household panel data.
Publication Year
2025