Ashwin Kotwal, MD

Associate Professor

Dr. Kotwal is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Geriatrics at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine. He completed undergraduate training in Anthropology at Northwestern University, and his medical and biostatistics training at University of Chicago. He went on to complete his Internal Medicine residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and an integrated clinical fellowship in Geriatrics and Palliative Care at UCSF.

Dr. Kotwal co-leads the Social Connections and Aging lab at UCSF which focuses on the health effects of loneliness and social isolation among older adults, and how interventions which enhance social connection can improve quality of life and health care access. The lab also serves as a hub for the Northern California Coalition for Social Connection which facilitates collaboration among community organizations addressing loneliness and social isolation. His work is grounded in his clinical practice at the San Francisco VA Medical Center where he attends on the geriatrics and palliative care services. Recent research has investigated experiences of loneliness and social isolation among older adults with cognitive impairment and serious illness, as well as the long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on social well-being. Dr. Kotwal uses a variety of research approaches to achieve his goals, including advanced epidemiologic methods, qualitative and community-engaged research, and implementation sciences.

Dr. Kotwal is funded by multiple grants through the National Institute on Aging and the Centers for Disease Control. In addition, he is a Co-Investigator on the NIA-funded National Social life Health and Aging Project and serves on the scientific leadership council for the Foundation for Social Connection. He is Associate Director of the UCSF Division of Geriatrics NIH-funded T32 Aging Research Fellowship and has a strong interest in mentorship. In addition, he is a core faculty member of UCSF S.O.L.V.E. Tech, a cross-UC campus initiative dedicated to partnering with digital health companies to advance equity for older adults in all phases of the technology development process.

Education
Fellowship, 2019 - Geriatrics & Palliative Medicine, University of California, San Francisco
Residency, 2017 - Internal Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital
MD, 2014 - Medicine, University of Chicago
MS, 2013 - Biostatistics, University of Chicago
BA, 2009 - Anthropology, Northwestern University
Honors and Awards
  • Early Career Investigator Award, American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, 2024
  • Outstanding Junior Investigator of the Year Award, American Geriatrics Society, 2024
  • Deep Explore & Inquiry Curriculum Mentor of the Year Award, UCSF Medical School, 2023
  • Deep Explore & Inquiry Curriculum Mentor of the Year Award, UCSF Medical School, 2022
  • Best Abstract, Epidemiology Section, American Geriatrics Society Annual Meeting, 2020
  • New Investigator Award, American Geriatrics Society Health in Aging Foundation, 2020
  • 2020 Editor's Choice Award, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2020
  • Annals of Internal Medicine Top Reviewer, 2019
  • Catherine Dobson Prize for Best Oral Presentation in Clinical or Social Science, University of Chicago, 2014
  • Department of Medicine Award, University of Chicago, 2014
  • Medical Student Training in Aging Research (MSTAR) Award, American Federation for Aging Research, 2010
  • Oswald Werner Prize for Distinguished Honors Thesis in Anthropology, Northwestern University, 2009
  • Phi Beta Kappa, Northwestern University, 2009
Websites
Publications

  1. Lam K, Cenzer I, Ankuda CK, Levy CR, Smith AK, Covinsky KE, Kotwal AA. Social Participation Among Older Adults Before and After Long-Term Care Facility Entry. JAMA internal medicine 2025. PMID: 40758370


  2. Iveniuk J, Piedra LM, Kotwal A, Wilder J, Hawkley L. How Race, Gender, and Cohort Shape Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Americans. Journal of applied gerontology : the official journal of the Southern Gerontological Society 2025. PMID: 40717038


  3. Kotwal AA, Fuller S, Hough K, Singh N, Tha SH, Myers J, Hill D, Zevin R, Meier DE, Perissinotto CM. Recent Innovations in Peer Programs for Socially Isolated Older Adults: Implications for Public Health Emergency Preparedness. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2025. PMID: 40699191


  4. Zimmerman SC, Chen R, Thoma M, Pacca L, Hebert J, Riley A, Kim MH, Pederson A, Yang Y, Buto P, Brenowitz WD, Glymour MM, Kotwal A, Torres JM. The Association of Alzheimer's Disease Genetic Risk with Social Connectedness in Middle- And Older-Ages. American journal of epidemiology 2025. PMID: 40512627


  5. Kotwal AA, Cudjoe TKM. Loneliness and Social Isolation in the Care of the Older Adult. Clinics in geriatric medicine 2025. PMID: 40653348


  6. Suen AO, Kotwal A. Social Isolation and Mortality in COPD-Reply. JAMA internal medicine 2025. PMID: 40257761


  7. Kotwal AA, Perissinotto C. Loneliness and Social Isolation in the Care of the Seriously Ill Older Adult. Clinics in geriatric medicine 2025. PMID: 40653343


  8. Holt-Lunstad J, Cudjoe TKM, Dumitriu D, Ellison NB, Kotwal AA, Pantell MS, Perissinotto CM, Smith ML. The need for scientific leadership and collaboration to enhance social connection: A call to action. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 2025. PMID: 40317757


  9. Stellefson ML, Wang MQ, Boyd IM, Flora SM, Campbell OK, Hoth KF, Witt LJ, Kotwal AA, Suen AO, Buhr RG, Iyer AS. Subjective Cognitive Decline in COPD - A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Journal of general internal medicine 2025. PMID: 40064819


  10. Holt-Lunstad J, Proctor AS, Perissinotto C, Cheng A, Cudjoe TKM, Kotwal AA, Morley T. Healthcare providers' perceived importance and barriers to addressing social connection in medical settings. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 2025. PMID: 40016928


  11. Suen AO, Iyer AS, Cenzer I, Singer JP, Smith A, Sudore RL, Kotwal A. Social Isolation and Mortality in Adults With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. JAMA internal medicine 2025. PMID: 39495506


  12. Cudjoe TKM, Kotwal AA. Can Machine Learning Help Us Understand Social Connection and Its Impact on Health? JAMA network open 2024. PMID: 39714846


  13. Richards TA, Oman D, DiMartino A, Kotwal AA. A Technology-Based Intervention Impacts Quality of Life for Low-Income Older Adults by Reducing Loneliness and Improving Healthcare Self-Efficacy and Self-Rated Health. Journal of applied gerontology : the official journal of the Southern Gerontological Society 2024. PMID: 39383498


  14. Duchowny KA, Smith AK, Cenzer I, Brown C, Noppert G, Yaffe K, Byers AL, Perissinotto C, Kotwal AA. The prevalence of lifetime trauma and association with physical and psychosocial health among adults at the end of life. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2024. PMID: 39353852


  15. Hough KA, Tha SH, Perissinotto CM, Burnes P, Kotwal AA. A proactive phone intervention for older adults to address loneliness identified by a health plan. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 2024. PMID: 39315941


  16. Iyer AS, Wells RD, Bechthold AC, Armstrong M, O'Beirne R, Byun JY, Coffee-Dunning J, Odom JN, Buhr RG, Suen AO, Kotwal AA, Witt LJ, Brown CJ, Dransfield MT, Bakitas MA. Identifying priority challenges of older adults with COPD: A multiphase intervention refinement study. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2024. PMID: 39215557


  17. Suen AO, Bischoff K, Iyer AS, Radhakrishnan K, Fenton C, Singer JP, Sudore RL, Kotwal A, Farrand E. Differences in Healthcare and Palliative Care Utilization at the End of Life: a Comparison Study Between Lung Cancer, COPD, and IPF. Chest 2024. PMID: 39186972


  18. Kotwal AA, Cenzer I, Hunt LJ, Ankuda C, Torres JM, Smith AK, Aldridge M, Harrison KL. Psychosocial distress among spouses of persons with dementia before and after their partner's death. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2024. PMID: 38822746


  19. Li L, Kang J, Nguyen B, Ho M, Li AT, Shih JJ, Kotwal A, Yeh J, Karliner L, Jeung R, Smith A. "Hate has chipped away at my sense of security": A survey study of the impacts of anti-Asian hate on the health of older Asians. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2024. PMID: 38801317


  20. Suen AO, Cenzer I, Iyer AS, Witt LJ, Smith AK, Kotwal A. The National Prevalence of Supplemental Oxygen Use in Persons with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Comparison of Claims-based and Self-reported Supplemental Oxygen Use. Annals of the American Thoracic Society 2024. PMID: 38330174


  21. Kotwal AA, Allison TA, Halim M, Garrett SB, Perissinotto CM, Ritchie CS, Smith AK, Harrison KL. "Relationships, Very Quickly, Turn to Nothing": Loneliness, Social Isolation, and Adaptation to Changing Social Lives Among Persons Living With Dementia and Care Partners. The Gerontologist 2024. PMID: 38499400


  23. Kotwal AA, Hunt LJ, Smith AK. A Tale of 2 Palliative Care Trials: Developing Sustainable and Transferable Models. JAMA 2024. PMID: 38227043


  24. Cenzer I, Boscardin J, Kotwal AA, Miller MJ. Comparison of health and retirement study participants with and without linkage to Medicare claims. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2024. PMID: 38206864


  25. Torres JM, Flores Romero KR, Kotwal AA, Chen R, Hill-Jarrett T, Mitchell UA, Glymour MM. Spouses of individuals living with mild cognitive impairment or dementia in the United States: A descriptive, population-based study. Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association 2023. PMID: 38041823


  26. Choi KW, Waite LJ, Finch LE, Kotwal AA. Social Isolation and Worsening Health Behaviors Among Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic. The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences 2023. PMID: 37591797


  27. Tang VL, Cenzer I, Keny C, John Boscardin W, Covinsky K, Finlayson E, Kotwal A. Social Strain is associated with Functional Decline in Older Adults after Surgery. Journal of general internal medicine 2023. PMID: 37946019


  28. Hough K, Kotwal AA, Boyd C, Tha SH, Perissinotto C. What Are "Social Prescriptions" and How Should They Be Integrated Into Care Plans? AMA journal of ethics 2023. PMID: 38085581


  29. Calton BA, Nouri S, Davila C, Kotwal A, Zapata C, Bischoff KE. Strategies to Make Telemedicine a Friend, Not a Foe, in the Provision of Accessible and Equitable Cancer Care. Cancers 2023. PMID: 37958296


  30. Pomeroy ML, Cudjoe TKM, Cuellar AE, Ihara ES, Ornstein KA, Bollens-Lund E, Kotwal AA, Gimm GW. Association of Social Isolation With Hospitalization and Nursing Home Entry Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults. JAMA internal medicine 2023. PMID: 37486647


  31. Nyarko-Odoom A, Kotwal A, Lisha NE, Yank V, Huang AJ. Social strain and conflict among older community-dwelling adults serving as caregivers: Findings from a national sample. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2023. PMID: 37578382


  32. Hsu KY, Cenzer I, Harrison KL, Ritchie CS, Waite L, Kotwal A. In sickness and in health: Loneliness, depression, and the role of marital quality among spouses of persons with dementia. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2023. PMID: 37539784


  33. Newmark RL, Allison TA, Smith AK, Perissinotto CM, Tha SH, Kotwal AA. The Role of Digital Technologies in Facilitating Psychosocial Resilience to Sudden Social Isolation Among Older Adults: Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of applied gerontology : the official journal of the Southern Gerontological Society 2023. PMID: 37536316


  34. Ritchie CS, Kotwal AA. Loneliness and Social Isolation in Palliative Care: A Call to Action. Journal of palliative medicine 2023. PMID: 37579234


  35. Portacolone E, Nguyen TT, Bowers BJ, Johnson JK, Kotwal AA, Stone RI, Keiser S, Tran T, Rivera E, Martinez P, Yang Y, Torres JM, Covinsky KE. Perceptions of the Role of Living Alone in Providing Services to Patients With Cognitive Impairment. JAMA network open 2023. PMID: 37594759


  36. Mindo-Panusis D, Sudore RL, Cenzer I, Smith AK, Kotwal AA. Disparities in advance care planning among older US immigrants. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2023. PMID: 37431769


  37. Kuang K, Huisingh-Scheetz M, Miller MJ, Waite L, Kotwal AA. The association of gait speed and self-reported difficulty walking with social isolation: A nationally-representative study. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2023. PMID: 37000466


  38. Aronson L, Kotwal A. Understanding Pandemic Experiences Among America's Elders. Health affairs (Project Hope) 2022. PMID: 36469814


  39. Kotwal AA, Cenzer IS, Yaffe K, Perissinotto C, Smith AK. End-of-life health care use among socially isolated and cognitively impaired older adults. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2022. PMID: 36420540


  40. Rudy ET, McNamara KC, Parker A, Kotwal AA, Perissinotto CM. Loneliness Among Older Adults. Health affairs (Project Hope) 2022. PMID: 36190881


  41. Fuller SM, Kotwal AA, Tha SH, Hill D, Perissinotto C, Myers JJ. Key Elements and Mechanisms of a Peer-Support Intervention to Reduce Loneliness and Isolation among Low-Income Older Adults: A Qualitative Implementation Science Study. Journal of applied gerontology : the official journal of the Southern Gerontological Society 2022. PMID: 36053132


  42. Kotwal AA, Batio S, Wolf MS, Covinsky KE, Yoshino Benavente J, Perissinotto CM, O'Conor RM. Persistent loneliness due to COVID-19 over 18?months of the pandemic: a prospective cohort study. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2022. PMID: 36054661


  44. Waite LJ, Iveniuk J, Kotwal A. Takes Two to Tango: Cognitive Impairment and Sexual Activity in Older Individuals and Dyads. The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences 2021. PMID: 34460903


  45. Ankuda CK, Kotwal A, Reckrey J, Harrison KL, Ornstein KA. The Experience of Homebound Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic. TO REMOVE 2022. PMID: 35167063


  46. Kotwal AA, Cenzer IS, Waite LJ, Smith AK, Perissinotto CM, Hawkley LC. A single question assessment of loneliness in older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: A nationally-representative study. TO REMOVE 2022. PMID: 35141875


  47. Waite LJ, Hawkley L, Kotwal AA, O'Muircheartaigh C, Schumm LP, Wroblewski K. Analyzing Birth Cohorts With the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project. TO REMOVE 2021. PMID: 34918157


  48. Waite LJ, Duvoisin R, Kotwal AA. Social Health in the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project. TO REMOVE 2021. PMID: 34918156


  49. Kotwal AA, Steinman MA, Cenzer I, Smith AK. Use of High-risk Medications Among Lonely Older Adults: Results From a Nationally Representative Sample. JAMA internal medicine 2021. PMID: 34309620


  50. Kotwal AA, Barnes DE, Volow AM, Li BH, Boscardin WJ, Sudore RL. Engaging Diverse Older Adults With Cognitive Impairment and Caregivers in Advance Care Planning: A Pilot Study of the Interactive PREPARE Website. Alzheimer disease and associated disorders 2021. PMID: 34310443


  51. Kotwal AA, Fuller SM, Myers JJ, Hill D, Tha SH, Smith AK, Perissinotto C. A Peer Intervention Reduces Loneliness and Improves Social Well-Being in Low-Income Older Adults: A Mixed-Methods Study. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2021. PMID: 34449870


  52. Hawkley LC, Finch LE, Kotwal AA, Waite LJ. Can remote social contact replace in-person contact to protect mental health among older adults? Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2021. PMID: 34337740


  53. Kotwal AA, Cenzer IS, Waite LJ, Covinsky KE, Perissinotto CM, Boscardin WJ, Hawkley LC, Dale W, Smith AK. The epidemiology of social isolation and loneliness among older adults during the last years of life. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2021. PMID: 34247388


  54. Yang EZ, Kotwal AA, Lisha NE, Wong JS, Huang AJ. Formal and informal social participation and elder mistreatment in a national sample of older adults. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2021. PMID: 34105769


  55. Aliberti MJR, Kotwal AA, Smith AK, Lee SJ, Banda S, Boscardin WJ. Pre-estimating subsets: A new approach for unavailable predictors in prognostic modeling. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2021. PMID: 34002370


  56. Harrison KL, Kotwal AA, Smith AK. Palliative Care for Patients With Noncancer Illnesses. JAMA 2020. PMID: 33048142


  57. Kotwal AA, Holt-Lunstad J, Newmark RL, Cenzer I, Smith AK, Covinsky KE, Escueta DP, Lee JM, Perissinotto CM. Social Isolation and Loneliness Among San Francisco Bay Area Older Adults During the COVID-19 Shelter-in-Place Orders. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2020. PMID: 32965024


  58. Kotwal AA, Walter LC. Cancer Screening in Older Adults: Individualized Decision-Making and Communication Strategies. The Medical clinics of North America 2020. PMID: 33099456


  59. Nouri SS, Ritchie C, Volow A, Li B, McSpadden S, Dearman K, Kotwal A, Sudore RL. A Toolkit for Community-Based, Medicaid-Funded Case Managers to Introduce Advance Care Planning to Frail, Older Adults: A Pilot Study. Journal of palliative medicine 2020. PMID: 32865472


  61. Cudjoe TKM, Kotwal AA. "Social distancing" amidst a crisis in social isolation and loneliness. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2020. PMID: 32359072


  63. Kotwal AA, Lee SJ, Dale W, Boscardin WJ, Waite LJ, Smith AK. Integration of an Objective Cognitive Assessment Into a Prognostic Index for 5-Year Mortality Prediction. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2020. PMID: 32356919


  65. Kotwal AA, Walter LC, Lee SJ, Dale W. Are We Choosing Wisely? Older Adults' Cancer Screening Intentions and Recalled Discussions with Physicians About Stopping. Journal of general internal medicine 2019. PMID: 31147981


  66. Kotwal AA, Abdoler E, Diaz-Ramirez LG, Kelley AS, Ornstein KA, Boscardin WJ, Smith AK. 'Til Death Do Us Part: End-of-Life Experiences of Married Couples in a Nationally Representative Survey. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2018. PMID: 30251423


  67. Dale W, Kotwal AA, Shega JW, Schumm LP, Kern DW, Pinto JM, Pudelek KM, Waite LJ, McClintock MK. Cognitive Function and its Risk Factors Among Older US Adults Living at Home. Volume 32 of Issue 3. Alzheimer disease and associated disorders 2018. PMID: 29334499


  68. Kotwal AA, Schonberg MA. Cancer Screening in the Elderly: A Review of Breast, Colorectal, Lung, and Prostate Cancer Screening. Volume 23 of Issue 4. Cancer journal (Sudbury, Mass.) 2017. PMID: 28731949


  69. Kotwal AA, Kim J, Waite L, Dale W. Social Function and Cognitive Status: Results from a US Nationally Representative Survey of Older Adults. Volume 31 of Issue 8. Journal of general internal medicine 2016. PMID: 27130624


  70. Kotwal AA, Lauderdale DS, Waite LJ, Dale W. Differences between husbands and wives in colonoscopy use: Results from a national sample of married couples. Volume 88. Preventive medicine 2016. PMID: 27009632


  71. Sajid S, Dale W, Mustian K, Kotwal A, Heckler C, Porto M, Fung C, Mohile SG. Novel physical activity interventions for older patients with prostate cancer on hormone therapy: A pilot randomized study. Journal of geriatric oncology 2016. PMID: 26916611


  72. Kotwal AA, Schumm P, Kern DW, McClintock MK, Waite LJ, Shega JW, Huisingh-Scheetz MJ, Dale W. Evaluation of a Brief Survey Instrument for Assessing Subtle Differences in Cognitive Function Among Older Adults. Volume 29 of Issue 4. Alzheimer disease and associated disorders 2015. PMID: 25390883


  73. Vasilopoulos T, Kotwal A, Huisingh-Scheetz MJ, Waite LJ, McClintock MK, Dale W. Comorbidity and chronic conditions in the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project (NSHAP), Wave 2. The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences 2014. PMID: 25360017


  74. Shega JW, Sunkara PD, Kotwal A, Kern DW, Henning SL, McClintock MK, Schumm P, Waite LJ, Dale W. Measuring cognition: the Chicago Cognitive Function Measure in the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project, Wave 2. The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences 2014. PMID: 25360018


  75. Shega JW, Andrew M, Kotwal A, Lau DT, Herr K, Ersek M, Weiner DK, Chin MH, Dale W. Relationship between persistent pain and 5-year mortality: a population-based prospective cohort study. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2013. PMID: 24320761


  76. Kotwal AA, Schumm P, Mohile SG, Dale W. The influence of stress, depression, and anxiety on PSA screening rates in a nationally representative sample. Volume 50 of Issue 12. Medical care 2012. PMID: 22955835


  77. Sajid S, Kotwal AA, Dale W. Interventions to improve decision making and reduce racial and ethnic disparities in the management of prostate cancer: a systematic review. Volume 27 of Issue 8. Journal of general internal medicine 2012. PMID: 22798216


  78. Kotwal AA, Mohile SG, Dale W. Remaining Life Expectancy Measurement and PSA Screening of Older Men. Volume 3 of Issue 3. Journal of geriatric oncology 2012. PMID: 22773938


  79. Kotwal AA. Physical and psychological health of first and second generation Turkish immigrants in Germany. Volume 22 of Issue 4. American journal of human biology : the official journal of the Human Biology Council 2010. PMID: 20309991


  80. Tendulkar RD, Chellman-Jeffers M, Rybicki LA, Rim A, Kotwal A, Macklis R, Obi BB. Preoperative breast magnetic resonance imaging in early breast cancer: implications for partial breast irradiation. Cancer 2009. PMID: 19224552