Yang Jae Lee, MD
Psychiatry ResidentCards
Contact Info
NRTP - PGY-3 Residents
128 Mill River St
New Haven, CT 06511
United States
About
Titles
Psychiatry Resident
Biography
Dr. Yang Jae Lee graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Magna Cum Laude double majoring in International Area Studies: Development and Biology from Washington University in St. Louis. In 2015, he developed a deep interest in the Busoga region of Uganda, where he conducted a research project on traditional medicines. Concurrently, he authored a journalism project for which he was awarded the Mark of Excellence Award from the Society of Professional Journalists for producing the best journalism nationally among students in his category.
He continued engaging with the Busoga region, initiating several collaborative projects with academicians, local government, and community members on various public health interventions and development initiatives. In 2018, he founded the 501(c)3 organization Empower Through Health, where he serves as the Executive Director and Chairperson. Empower Through Health is a non-profit organization that provides medical care to a catchment area of 70,000 people and psychiatric care to a catchment area of over 400,000 people. Alongside their medical and research endeavors, they created equitable educational opportunities for both Ugandan and American pre-doctoral students, while also aspiring to establish a leading global mental health hub.
Since arriving at Yale, he has concentrated on two primary research objectives: diminishing the stigma associated with mental illness; and, cultivating robust systems of care through working with existing community structures to provide effective mental healthcare in rural areas of low-income countries. Through addressing these crucial issues, he aims to make a meaningful contribution towards enhancing the overall well-being of marginalized communities.
Education & Training
- Resident Physician
- Yale University (2025)
- MD
- Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine (2021)
- AB
- Washington University in St. Louis, International and Area Studies: Development & Biology (2016)
Research
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Publications Timeline
Robert Rosenheck, MD
Theddeus Iheanacho, MBBS, DTM&H
Publications
2024
Community perspectives to inform the development of a radio program to destigmatize mental illness in rural Uganda: a qualitative study
Lee YJ, Fickling B, Goode M, et al. Community perspectives to inform the development of a radio program to destigmatize mental illness in rural Uganda: a qualitative study. Journal of Global Health Reports. 2024;8:e2024019. doi:10.29392/001c.120280Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCommunity perspectives to inform the development of a radio program to destigmatize mental illness in rural Uganda: a qualitative study
Lee Y, Fickling B, Goode M, Gallaher A, Kazungu R, Coffin P, Abdel-Megid M, Isabirye F, Ssekalo I, Ashaba S, Rosenheck R, Tsai A. Community perspectives to inform the development of a radio program to destigmatize mental illness in rural Uganda: a qualitative study. Journal Of Global Health Reports 2024, 8 DOI: 10.29392/001c.120280.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMental illness stigmaCommunity health workersMental illnessIllness stigmaHealth workersRural UgandaDecrease mental illness stigmaReduce mental illness stigmaHealthcare seeking behaviorDestigmatize mental illnessOne-on-oneFocus group discussionsProgram acceptabilityScalable interventionsFramework methodResults ParticipantsBusoga regionProgram interventionsSub-themesFocus groupsQualitative studySeeking behaviorSeeking treatmentIndividual recoveryCommunity supportDifferences in mental illness stigma by disorder and gender: Population-based vignette randomized experiment in rural Uganda
Lee YJ, Christ R, Mbabazi R, Dabagia J, Prendergast A, et al. (2024) Differences in mental illness stigma by disorder and gender: Population-based vignette randomized experiment in rural Uganda. PLOS Mental Health 1(1): e0000069. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmen.0000069Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDifferences in mental illness stigma by disorder and gender: Population-based vignette randomized experiment in rural Uganda
Lee Y, Christ R, Mbabazi R, Dabagia J, Prendergast A, Wykoff J, Dasari S, Safai D, Nakaweesi S, Aturinde S, Galvin M, Akena D, Ashaba S, Waiswa P, Rosenheck R, Tsai A. Differences in mental illness stigma by disorder and gender: Population-based vignette randomized experiment in rural Uganda. 2024, 1: e0000069. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmen.0000069.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsMental illness stigmaIllness stigmaAnxiety disordersMental disordersLevels of mental illness stigmaRural UgandaImprove population mental healthAnti-stigma initiativesLevel of stigmaPopulation mental healthGeneralized anxiety disorderDSM-5 criteriaAlcohol use disorderEmpirical p-valuesVignette studyMental illnessPairwise mean comparisonsDistricts of UgandaPopulation-basedMental healthDepressive disorderGender combinationsUse disorderSecondary analysisStudy participants
2023
Twelve-month outcomes of a destigmatizing theatrical intervention in rural Uganda
Lee Y, Christ R, Blackwell S, Rauben K, Krause A, Monnig E, Ssekalo I, Iheanacho T, Rosenheck R. Twelve-month outcomes of a destigmatizing theatrical intervention in rural Uganda. Current Psychology 2023, 43: 14676-14685. DOI: 10.1007/s12144-023-05427-x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsConceptsMental illness stigmaIllness stigmaTwelve-month outcomesLow-income settingsLong-term effectivenessMental health stigmaPrimary outcomeStudy participantsHealth stigmaRural UgandaConfidence intervalsInterventionEffect sizeMonthsOutcomesAverage improvementStigmaAcceptance ScaleParticipantsFollowBaselineWeeksTwelve-month outcomes of a destigmatizing theatrical intervention in rural Uganda
Lee, Y.J., Christ, R., Blackwell, S., Kazungu, R., Krause, A., Monnig, E., Ssekalo, I., Iheanacho, T., Rosenheck, R.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2022
Community prevalence of Helicobacter pylori and dyspepsia and efficacy of triple therapy in a rural district of eastern Uganda
Lee Y, Ssekalo I, Kazungu R, Blackwell T, Muwereza P, Wu Y, Sáenz J. Community prevalence of Helicobacter pylori and dyspepsia and efficacy of triple therapy in a rural district of eastern Uganda. Heliyon 2022, 8: e12612. PMID: 36593846, PMCID: PMC9803786, DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e12612.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsConceptsStandard triple therapyTriple therapyChronic dyspepsiaPopulation-based screeningIndependent predictorsEradication failureStudy populationSignificant medical burdenSeverity of dyspepsiaGeneral adult populationLogistic regression analysisEastern UgandaDyspepsia QuestionnaireAntigen testingClinical suspicionMedication adherenceCommunity prevalencePositive participantsMedical burdenStool samplesDyspepsiaAdult populationHelicobacter pyloriTherapyInfectionEvaluation of a pilot, community-led mental illness de-stigmatization theater intervention in rural Uganda
Lee Y, Rauben K, Liu C, Kim R, van der Velde N, Taylor C, Walsh A, Asasira M, Katongole I, Hatfield-King J, Blackwell S, Iheanacho T, Christ R, Ssekalo I. Evaluation of a pilot, community-led mental illness de-stigmatization theater intervention in rural Uganda. BMC Psychiatry 2022, 22: 794. PMID: 36526984, PMCID: PMC9756628, DOI: 10.1186/s12888-022-04441-w.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsMental illnessMental health stigmaBusoga regionHealth stigmaMental health careIll patientsMiddle-income countriesTreatment-seeking attitudesStudy's primary objectivePrimary objectiveConclusionThis studyLarger studyIllnessRural UgandaHealth careRural areasSignificant increaseDestigmatization campaignsStructured questionnaireEastern UgandaInterventionStigmaFocus groupsTreatmentMajor barrierCommunity prevalence of Helicobacter pylori and dyspepsia and efficacy of triple therapy in a rural district of eastern Uganda
Yang Jae Lee, Ibrahim Ssekalo, Rauben Kazungu, Timothy S. Blackwell, Peter Muwereza, Yuefeng Wu, José B. Sáenz, Community prevalence of Helicobacter pylori and dyspepsia and efficacy of triple therapy in a rural district of eastern Uganda, Heliyon, Volume 8, Issue 12, 2022, e12612, ISSN 2405-8440, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e12612.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2020
Exploring the factors motivating continued Lay First Responder participation in Uganda: a mixed-methods, 3-year follow-up
Delaney PG, Eisner ZJ, Blackwell TS, Ssekalo I, Kazungu R, Lee YJ, Scott JW, Raghavendran K. Exploring the factors motivating continued Lay First Responder participation in Uganda: a mixed-methods, 3-year follow-up. Emergency Medicine Journal 2020, 38: 40-46. PMID: 33127741, DOI: 10.1136/emermed-2020-210076.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and Concepts
Academic Achievements and Community Involvement
honor Diversity Leadership Fellowship
National AwardAmerican Psychiatric AssociationDetails04/19/2024honor Emerging-Generation Award
National AwardThe American Society for Clinical InvestigationDetails01/12/2024United Stateshonor Thomas P. Detre Award in Translational Neuroscience Research
Yale School of Medicine AwardDepartment of PsychiatryDetails05/12/2023honor Seymour L. Lustman Resident Research Award
Yale School of Medicine AwardDepartment of PsychiatryDetails05/12/2023honor Wrighton Leadership Fellow
Other AwardWashington University in St. LouisDetails10/16/2019United States
Links & Media
News
- June 03, 2024
Bookman, Lee, Nunes, Salahou Honored with APAF Fellowships
- May 28, 2024
Bonomi, Lee, Abdallah Honored with Lustman Award
- February 01, 2024
Understanding Environmental Influences on Disease
- January 30, 2024
ASCI Recognizes Early-career Yale Faculty and Trainees
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NRTP - PGY-3 Residents
128 Mill River St
New Haven, CT 06511
United States