PENN STATE HBG
MIDDLETOWN, PA 17057
Biography
Raffy R. Luquis, Ph.D., MCHES, is a professor of biobehavioral health in the School of Behavioral Sciences and Education (BSED) at Penn State Harrisburg. He serves as the Director of BSED and the Director of Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (JEDI-B) for the Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute. Dr. Luquis earned his Ph.D. in health science at the University of Arkansas (1996), his M.S. in health education (1991), and his B.S. in science (1988) at the Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Luquis has a broad background in health education and health promotion. His primary research and teaching interests include cultural competency and multicultural health, public health education, and health promotion.
He earned the master certified health education specialist credential from the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing in 2011. He is the co-editor of the book “Cultural Competence in Health Education and Health Promotion,” published by Jossey-Bass-Wiley, and he has numerous publications and national presentations at conferences in his areas of expertise. He has served in leadership roles as part of the Society for Public Health Education, the Latino Hispanic Professional Association, the P.A. Family Support Alliance, and the Latino Hispanic American Community Center. In 2023, he was appointed to the Governor’s Advisory Commission of Latino Affairs, in which he serves as co-chair of the health, human services, and safety committee. Over the years, he has received several recognitions, including the 2025 Distinguished Fellow Award from the Society for Public Health Education.
Research Interests
- Cultural competency
- Multicultural health & health disparities
- Public health education and health promotion
Publications
Luquis, R., Rodríguez-Colon, S., Ramírez, S. I., & Lengerich, E. (2024). Assessing the feasibility of a faith-based colorectal cancer education and screening intervention for Latino men in Pennsylvania. Hispanic Health Care International, 22(4) 196-203 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/15404153231214714 (Published online: November 2023).
Lentes, J., Taylor Gehman, A., Lengerich, E., Osetek, J., Veldheer, S., Gumby, A., Luquis, R. (Co-Author, 10%), Beiler, J., & Kraschnewski, J. L. (2024). Training the Next Generation of Local Public Health Leaders: A Case Study of Community Health Organizers in Pennsylvania. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice. 1-4. DOI: 10.1097/PHH.0000000000001954 (Published online: May 2024)
Pérez, M., Smith, J., & Luquis, R. (2024). Academic burnout among graduate public health students: A pilot study. American Journal of Health Education, 1-8. DOI: 10.1080/19325037.2023.2277954. (Published online: January 2024).
Luquis, R. & Pérez, M. (2024). Assessing cultural intelligence among health education specialists. Health Education Journal, 83(1) 65-77. DOI: 10.1177/00178969231217085 (Published online: December 2023).
Luquis, R., Pérez, M., & Suarez, S. (2022). An Assessment of Cultural and Linguistic Competence in Public Health Preparation Programs. Pedagogy in Health Promotion, 8(4) 271-279. DOI: 10.1177/23733799221115104.
Luquis, R. (2021). Integrating the concept of cultural intelligence in health education and health promotion. Health Education Journal 80(7), 833-843. DOI: 10.1177/00178969211021884 (Published online: June 2021).
Teye, S., Yanosky, J. D., Cuffee, Y. L., Weng, X., Luquis, R., Farace, E., & Wang, L. (2021). Exploring persistent racial/ethnic disparities in American children aged 1-5 years despite low blood lead exposure: Results from NHANES 1999-2016. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, 94, 723-730. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-020-01616-4.
Teye, S., Yanosky, J. D., Cuffee, Y. L., Weng, X., Luquis, R., Farace, E., & Wang, L. (2020). Association between blood lead levels and blood pressure in American adults: Results from NHANES 1999-2016. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 27, 45836-45843. http://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-10381-3 (Published online: August 2020).
Luquis, R. (2019). Perceptions of chronic illnesses and preventive behaviors among Hispanic/Latino Men. Hispanic Health Care International, 17(4), 172-177. https://doi.org/10.1177/1540415319856076 (Published online: June 2019).
Luquis, R. & Kensinger, W. (2019). Applying the Health Belief Model to assess prevention services among young adults. International Journal of Health Promotion and Education, 57(1), 37-47. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14635240.2018.1549958 (Published online: December 2018)
Luquis, R. & Kensinger, W. (2017). Perceptions of Health Care and Access to Preventive Services among Young Adults. Journal of Community Health, 42(6), 1204-12.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-017-0371-2 (Published online: May 2017)
Luquis, R. & Paz, H. (2015). Attitudes about and practices of health promotion and prevention among primary care providers. Health Promotion Practice, 16(5), 745-55. doi: 10.1177/1524839914561516 (Published online: December 2014).
Luquis, R., Brelsford, G, & Pérez, M. (2015). Exploring Latino college students' sexual behaviors in relation to their sexual attitudes, religiousness, and spirituality. The Journal of Religion and Health, 54(4), 1345-1357. doi: 10.1007/s10943-014-9929-9 (Published online: August 2014).
Selected Books/Book Chapters:
Luquis, R. R. & Pérez, M. A. (Eds.) (2025). Research Handbook on Health Education, Health Promotion, and Diversity. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Luquis, R. & Pérez, M. (Eds.) (2021). Cultural Competence in Health Education and Health Promotion. (3rd ed.). Jossey Bass – Wiley.
Luquis, R., Winkeljohn Black, S., & Harrison, M. (2022). The impact of COVID-19 on the well-being of African American and Latino populations: A liberation psychology perspective. In Winkeljohn Black, S. Multicultural Psychology in America. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Pinzón-Pérez, H., Pérez, M. & Luquis R. (2016). Complementary, Alternative, and Integrative Health: Beyond the Paradigm of CAM. In Pinzón-Pérez, H. & Pérez M. (Eds.) Complementary, Alternative, and Integrative Health: A Multicultural Perspective San Francisco: Jossey Bass.
Luquis, R. & Arboleda, J. (2016). Complementary and Alternative Medicine among Hispanics/ Latinos. In Pinzón-Pérez, H. & Pérez M. (Eds.) Complementary, Alternative, and Integrative Health: A Multicultural Perspective. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.
Education
B.S.; M.S.; Ph.D. (Arkansas)