Munjireen Sifat, PhD, MPH
She / Her / Hers / Herself
Assistant Professor, Department of Medical Oncology, Population Health Science Division, Sidney Kimmel Medical College
Assistant Director of Community Outreach & Engagement, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center
Lecturer, Jefferson College of Population Health
She / Her / Hers / Herself
Assistant Professor, Department of Medical Oncology, Population Health Science Division, Sidney Kimmel Medical College
Assistant Director of Community Outreach & Engagement, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center
Lecturer, Jefferson College of Population Health
Research and Practice Interests
Culturally appropriate intervention development toward addressing health equity in cancer prevention and control (e.g. tobacco cessation, cancer screening in minority communities), using mHealth, and community-based research.
Education
PhD, Behavioral and Community Health, University of Maryland, College Park
MPH, Health Promotion, George Washington University
BS, Psychology, Penn State University
Publications
- The influence of sociodemographic, tobacco use, and mental health characteristics on treatment adherence among adults enrolled in a community-based tobacco cessation program
- Reaching the unheard: overcoming challenges in health research with hard-to-reach populations
- College Students’ Coping, Resilience, Well-Being, Academic Experiences, and Help-Seeking Attitudes During COVID-19
- The Development and Implementation of a Custom-Tailored Suicide Response Training for Muslim Communities
- The Association of Cultural Identification with Obesity among African Americans
Teaching
Cultural Humility & Competence
Certifications
Certificate in Global Health
Biography
Munjireen Sifat is a dedicated public health researcher committed to improving health equity, particularly among underserved populations, including immigrant and refugee communities. Munjireen holds a PhD in Behavioral and Community Health from the University of Maryland College Park, an MPH with a focus in Health Promotion from George Washington University, and a BS in Neuropsychology from Pennsylvania State University. She completed her post-doctoral training at the Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Science Center within the Health Promotion Research Center. Her research, grounded in community-based and culturally informed approaches, utilizes both quantitative and qualitative methods to address pressing health challenges.
Munjireen's current projects include developing and evaluating interventions to reduce combustible smoking among formerly unhoused individuals in Philadelphia and promoting cancer screenings among individuals facing significant barriers to accessing traditional healthcare settings. Her recent work has been published in the Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, the Journal of Migration and Health, and JMIR Formative Research. She has presented at conferences including American Public Health Association (APHA); Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT); and the Society for Behavioral Medicine (SBM). By bringing essential services and education directly to communities, Munjireen aims to empower individuals and reduce health disparities. Her work is driven by a passion for social justice and a deep understanding of the social determinants of health.