Dr. Hawley's primary research is in decision making related to cancer prevention and control, particularly among racial/ethnic minority and underserved populations. She has a specific focus on understanding the role of patient preferences and patient-physician communication in use of screening and treatment services and in reducing health disparities. Dr. Hawley's current research projects focus on understanding breast cancer treatment decision making among racial/ethnic minority women, and in evaluating the impact of a preference-tailored decision aid for increasing colon cancer screening in diverse primary care patients