Director, Pittsburgh Mind-Body Center Director, Cardiovascular Behavioral Medicine Research Training Program Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry Professor of Epidemiology and Psychology  Email: matthewska@upmc.edu Phone: 412-648-7158 Fax: 412-648-7160 Assistant:Mollie Bandy, 412-648-9088 Research Program Dr. Matthews’s work is focused on the psychosocial factors involved in the etiology of cardiovascular diseases, with a special emphasis on changing risk at developmental transitions. She currently is conducting research on the influence of menopause on women’s health; development of behavioral risk factors in adolescence and young adulthood; the role of  stress-induced physiological responses in the etiology of heart disease and hypertension; sleep quality as a possible risk factor for cardiovascular disease; and the pathways connecting sociodemographic factors and poor health.

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Leadership Positions and Honors Member, Institute of Medicine Recipient of the President’s Award from the American Psychosomatic Society, the Distinguished Scientific Award for Applications of Psychology from the American Psychological Association, the Distinguished Scientist Award from the Society of Behavioral Medicine, and the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Texas at Austin Member, Board of External Advisors, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Former Chair, Center for Scientific Review Advisory Committee, National Institutes of Health Member, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Research Program on Socioeconomic Status and Health, 1997-present Associate Editor, American Psychologist; Former Editor, Health Psychology Former President of American Psychosomatic Society and of Division 38, Health Psychology of the American Psychological Association Representative Publications Matthews KA, Räikkönnen K, Sutton-Tyrrell K, Kuller LH. Optimistic attitudes protect against progression of carotid atherosclerosis in healthy middle-aged women. Psychosom Med 66:640-644, 2004.  Matthews KA, Salomon K, Kenyon K, Zhou F. Unfair treatment, discrimination, and ambulatory blood pressure in black and white adolescents. Health Psychol 24:258-265, 2005. Matthews KA, Sowers MF, Derby C, Stein E, Miracle-McMahill H, Crawford S. Ethnic differences in cardiovascular risk factor burden among middle-aged women: Study of women’s health across the nation.  Am Heart J 149:1066-1073, 2005. Chen E, Martin AD, Matthews KA. Understanding health disparities: The role of race and socioeconomic status in children’s health. Am J Public Health 96:702-708, 2006. "Socioeconomic Status and Health" ~ June 4, 2008 (Summer Institute)

Revised 7/9/2009  LA/tc/gp