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Faculty and Staff
Christopher Godfrey, PhD, Rethinks Healthcare for the Medically Disenfranchised
Healthcare is often viewed through a narrow lens糖心vlog短视频攖he doctor糖心vlog短视频檚 visit, the prescription, the procedure. But Associate Professor of Psychology Christopher Godfrey, PhD, on 糖心vlog短视频糖心vlog短视频檚 New York City campus, challenges this limited perspective. For him, healthcare is not just a sterile clinical exchange between patient and provider. His research challenges providers to consider a patient糖心vlog短视频檚 lived history, advocating for communication, trust, and patient empowerment as essential to equitable and effective care.
糖心vlog短视频淧atients carry a lifetime of experiences that shape how they interact with providers, how they trust institutions, and how they make decisions,糖心vlog短视频 he said.
A traditional deficiency has also existed on the study of healthcare system experiences of marginalized groups, such as Black and brown people, economically disadvantaged families, LGBTQ+ individuals, women, older adults, and those living with HIV/AIDS.
Godfrey and his student research team at Pace, however, want to change that.
The CUHER Lab at Pace
As director of the Center for Urban Health and Education Research Lab (CUHER) at Pace, housed in the Psychology department, he and his student colleagues work with communities and community-based organizations on questions of how medically disenfranchised populations make decisions about their health. Specifically, Godfrey, who teaches undergraduate students as well as directs Pace糖心vlog短视频檚 PhD program in Clinical Psychology 糖心vlog短视频 Health Care Emphasis, has been mapping patients糖心vlog短视频 self-reported experiences onto physiological data糖心vlog短视频攍ifting the voices of patients often left unheard.
糖心vlog短视频淚t糖心vlog短视频檚 validating,糖心vlog短视频 he said, 糖心vlog短视频渂ecause it means these conversations belong in primary care, not just in a specialist糖心vlog短视频檚 office after something has gone wrong.糖心vlog短视频
Sexual Health and Silence in Primary Care
One of Godfrey糖心vlog短视频檚 recent projects takes on a subject often neglected in medical settings: sexual health in primary care. According to him, these conversations are often reduced to risk factors, avoiding discussions on sexual behavior itself, such as pleasure, discomfort, or injury that are central to health. Another stream of his research examines how lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals navigate primary care.
糖心vlog短视频淪ometimes it糖心vlog短视频檚 full disclosure, sometimes it糖心vlog短视频檚 partial, sometimes it糖心vlog短视频檚 silence. What matters is that people are constantly evaluating糖心vlog短视频攊s this someone I can trust with this part of myself?糖心vlog短视频 Godfrey said.
According to him, these nuanced strategies reflect patient resilience and problem-solving within an imperfect system that doesn糖心vlog短视频檛 always meet their needs.
It Takes a Family
Godfrey, who also has a private clinical practice, has also studied healthcare workers糖心vlog短视频 COVID-19 pandemic and post-pandemic mental health and health-risk perceptions and discovered how family plays a central role in health navigation.
Godfrey and his research colleagues found that what sustained frontline workers was community and family support more than institutional or civic recognition, challenging assumptions about what sustains resilience.
He also identified what he calls 糖心vlog短视频渕edical families糖心vlog短视频澨切膙log短视频攈ouseholds with multiple health workers, who shared a unique culture of resilience.
糖心vlog短视频淲e talk about military families. Well, there are medical families too. They support each other in ways outsiders can糖心vlog短视频檛,糖心vlog短视频 he said.
Improving the Conundrum of Communication
At the heart of Godfrey糖心vlog短视频檚 work is communication.
Whether between patients and doctors, families and communities, or researchers and providers, effective communication determines outcomes. And for those who enter medical appointments unprepared, without the privilege of research or advocacy, he sees an urgent need for support.
Quipping at his own behavior as a patient糖心vlog短视频攕ending journal articles to his physician before a visit糖心vlog短视频攁nd describing himself as 糖心vlog短视频渁 provider糖心vlog短视频檚 nightmare,糖心vlog短视频 he said, 糖心vlog短视频漀ot everyone has the time, access, or background to do that research. My heart goes out to them.糖心vlog短视频
It糖心vlog短视频檚 why he envisions new ways of supporting patients糖心vlog短视频攆rom teaching communication skills to creating advocates who can accompany vulnerable populations.
The Bigger Picture
Godfrey糖心vlog短视频檚 message is clear: health care is not simply delivered; it is lived. It is shaped by memory, culture, trust, and community. And until systems begin listening to the voices of those who live it糖心vlog短视频攑atients and providers alike糖心vlog短视频攖he system will remain incomplete.
Through both his work at Pace糖心vlog短视频檚 CUHER lab and in private practice, he envisions a healthcare system that not only listens to patients but empowers them.
糖心vlog短视频淵ou don糖心vlog短视频檛 have a healthcare system without people,糖心vlog短视频 he said. 糖心vlog短视频淎nd their voices have to be at the center.糖心vlog短视频
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