Dr. Rainier (Rain) Masa is an associate professor at the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Social Work. He joined the SSW faculty in 2016. He is the research director at the Global Social Development Innovations Center, a research fellow at the Centre for Social Development in Africa at the University of Johannesburg, and an affiliated investigator with the Philippine Health Initiative Research Service and Training at Brown University. He is also a faculty affiliate of the UNC African Studies Center and a member of the UNC Center for AIDS Research. He is a past recipient of the Matthew O. Howard Excellence in Doctoral Mentoring and the Dean’s Recognition of Teaching Excellence awards. Dr. Masa’s research focuses on the socioeconomic aspects of health in low-resource communities. His work addresses the intersection of economic security, stigma, and HIV among adolescents and young adults. His current research examines how multiple forms of economic insecurity and stigma affect risk for HIV transmission, uptake of HIV prevention services, and progression along the HIV care continuum, particularly among key populations.
Contact
Degrees and Licenses
Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Chapel HillMSW, Washington University in St. Louis
BA, University of Santo Tomas (Manila, Philippines)
Primary Program
Global Social Development InnovationsCertifications
Safe ZoneHaven
Research and Professional Interests
Economic SecurityHIV Prevention and Treatment
Intersectional Stigma
Positive Youth Development
Health Equity
Principal Investigator
A Feasibility Study of Umwini, an Asset-Based Intervention for Young People Living with HIV in ZambiaIntersectional Stigma and Resilience among Young Latino Sexual Minority Men to Improve HIV Testing and PrEP Use
Co-Investigator
Siyakha Youth Assets and Employability Project (South Africa)Recent Publications
Masa, R. & Chowa, G. (2020). Household food insecurity and educational outcomes in school-going adolescents in Ghana. Public Health Nutrition. doi.org/10.1017/S1368980020001974
Masa, R., Bates, C., & Chowa, G. (2020). Direct and indirect associations of food insecurity, adolescent-parent relationship, and adolescent future orientation. Journal of Family Issues. doi.org/10.1177/0192513X20942807
Masa, R., Khan, Z., & Chowa, G. (2020). Youth food insecurity in Ghana and South Africa: Prevalence, socioeconomic correlates, and moderation effect of gender. Children and Youth Services Review, 116. doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105180
Masa, R., Baca-Atlas, S., & Hangoma, P. (2021). Walking and perceived lack of safety: Correlates and association with health outcomes for people living with HIV in rural Zambia. Journal of Transport and Health, 22, 101140. doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2021.101140
Masa, R. & Sharma, A. (2021). Invariance of the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale across different groups of adolescents and young adults. Food and Nutrition Bulletin. doi.org/10.1177/03795721211019634
Masa, R., Shangani, S., & Operario, D. (2021). Socioeconomic status and psychosocial resources mediate racial/ethnic differences in psychological health among gay and bisexual men: A longitudinal analysis using structural equation modeling. American Journal of Men’s Health. doi.org/10.1177/15579883211001197
Courses
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SOWO 510 Foundations for Evidence-Based Practice and Program Evaluation |
Spring 2017-2018, 2020 MSW |
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SOWO 530 Foundations of Social Welfare and Social Work |
Fall 2015-2016, 2018-2019 MSW |
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SOWO 793 Asset Development Practice and Policy |
Spring 2016, 2019 MSW, CMPP |
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SOWO 834 Advanced Policy Practice |
Spring 2018, Fall 2018-2020 MSW, CMPP |
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SOWO 835 Poverty Policy |
Spring 2014-2020 MSW, CMPP |
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SOWO 910 Research Methods in Social Intervention |
Doctoral Program |
