Staff Profile

Teaching Areas & Research Interests

• Women's Health
• Mental Health
• Sexual health
• Sexual minorities

Academic & Professional Experience

Dr. Polly Ma is an Assistant Professor at the School of Nursing and Health Sciences of Hong Kong Metropolitan University, and her research focuses on women's health, sexual well-being, mental health and body image. She earned her PhD from the School of Nursing of Hong Kong Polytechnic University, where she investigated the stigma experienced by female sex workers. Dr. Ma has received additional certification training in sexuality education and sexuality counseling from the University of Michigan. She is dedicated to addressing health inequities and enhancing the well-being of vulnerable populations. Dr. Ma collaborates with gender and sexual minorities, people who use drugs, and is interested in utilizing mindfulness and self-compassion to improve mental health outcomes for individuals with stigmatized identities. Furthermore, Dr. Ma has worked in partnership with cancer patients, aiming to bolster their mental health and resilience.

Selected Publications

Journal Articles

• Ma, Y., Luk, B. H. K., Zhang, W., Cham, C. Y. C., & Ma, H.(Corresponding author) (2025). Understanding the perspectives of police officers regarding men who use drugs and drug rehabilitation in China: a qualitative study. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 1-10.
• Ma, H., Zhao, T., Ma, Y., Yuen, J. W. M., Ka Yan, H., Yung, J. Y., ... & Christensen, M. (2023). Family caregivers' lived experience of caring for hospitalised patients with cancer during the COVID‐19 lockdown: A descriptive phenomenological study. Journal of Clinical Nursing.
• Ma, H., Ma, Y., Chiu, J. S. Y., & Christensen, M. (2023). Psychological experience of home‐quarantined older women with COVID‐19 in Hong Kong: A qualitative study. International Journal of Older People Nursing, e12559.
• Ma, H., Zhao, T., Wan, C., Liu, F., & Christensen, M. (2023). 'And I thought having a cancer diagnosis was hard': A descriptive phenomenological study of family caregiver experiences navigating the pre-hospital system during COVID-19. European Journal of Oncology Nursing, 62, 102255.
• Ma, H., Ma, Y., Ge, S., Wang, S., Zhao, I. Y., & Christensen, M. (2022). Intrapersonal and interpersonal level factors influencing self-care practices among Hong Kong individuals with COVID-19–a qualitative study. Frontiers in Public Health, 2897.
• Lin, J., Chen, T., He, J., Chung, R. C., Ma, H., & Tsang, H. W. H. (2022). Impacts of acupressure treatment on depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis. World Journal of Psychiatry, 12(1), 169.
• Ma, H., Lin, J., He, J., Lo, D. H. T., & Tsang, H. W. (2021). Effectiveness of TES and rTMS for the Treatment of Insomnia: Meta-Analysis and Meta-Regression of Randomized Sham-Controlled Trials. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12, 744475.
• Ma, H., & Loke, A. Y. (2021). Nurses' attitudes toward female sex workers: A qualitative study. Nursing ethics, 28(4), 563-574.
• Ma, H., & Loke, A. Y. (2020). Knowledge of, attitudes towards, and willingness to care for sex workers: Differences between general and mental health nursing students. Journal of Professional Nursing, 36(4), 264-277.
• Ma, H., & Loke, A. Y. (2020). A scoping review of an HIV/AIDS-related stigma-reduction intervention for professionals and students from health-related disciplines. International Journal of Sexual Health, 32(2), 94-129.
• Ma, H., & Loke, A. Y. (2019). A qualitative study into female sex workers' experience of stigma in the health care setting in Hong Kong. International journal for equity in health, 18(1), 1-14.
• Ma, P. H., Chan, Z. C., & Loke, A. Y. (2019). Conflicting identities between sex workers and motherhood: A systematic review. Women & health, 59(5), 534-557.
• Ma, P. H., Chan, Z. C., & Loke, A. Y. (2019). Self-stigma reduction interventions for people living with HIV/AIDS and their families: a systematic review. AIDS and Behavior, 23, 707-741.
• Ma, P. H., Chan, Z. C., & Loke, A. Y. (2018). A systematic review of the attitudes of different stakeholders towards prostitution and their implications. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 15, 231-241.
• Ma, P. H., Chan, Z. C., & Loke, A. Y. (2017). The socio-ecological model approach to understanding barriers and facilitators to the accessing of health services by sex workers: a systematic review. AIDS and Behavior, 21, 2412-2438.

Further Information

Link to Google Scholar page

Modified Date: 22 Mar, 2025
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