Research

Aging and the Life Course

Our theme on aging over the life course is attentive to the dynamic linkages between early life exposures and how their effects unfold as people age.

Current Projects:

• Wisconsin Longitudinal Study 2020 and Beyond (PI Fletcher)
• Wisconsin Longitudinal Study – Initial Lifetime’s Impact on Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (WLS-ILIAD Study) (PIs Asthana/Herd)
• Robust Mendelian Randomization Methods to Identify Causal Risk Factors for Alzheimer’s Disease (PI Kang)

Biodemography

Biodemography integrates biological and social demographic processes to better understand their interplay in health and aging outcomes, with a special focus on including combining genetic and social measures and theories as well as understanding the determinants and impacts of the human microbiome on health.

More information on our work on biodemography and the UW Initiative in Social Genomics can be found here.

Current Projects:

• Applying Biodemography Methods to Advance our Understanding of Socioeconomic Risk Factors for Alzheimer’s Disease (PI Fletcher)
• A Novel Longitudinal Study of the Association between the Gut Microbiome and Aging (PI Tang)

Determinants of Disparities of Aging Trajectories

Determinants of Disparities of Aging Trajectories seeks to understand disparities in levels, variation, and trajectories of health outcomes between groups based on race/ethnicity, sex, urban/rural, socioeconomic and other dimensions.

Current Project:

• Educational and Early Life Predictors of Mild Cognitive Impairment: New Evidence about Mediators and Moderators from High School & Beyond

Health Economics and Health Services Research

Health Economics and Health Services Research takes advantage of the broad and deep expertise across multiple departments at the University to produce innovative work that increases our understanding of how health insurance, health care systems and technologies, health behaviors and related processes and choices jointly shape outcomes of aging.

CDHA also hosts a research group on this topic. Information on members and events can be found here.

Impacts of Place on Aging Processes

Impacts of Place on Aging Processes seeks to increase our understanding on how histories of geographic, policy, and environmental exposures together shape health and aging trajectories.

Current Projects:

• Research Epigenetics, Weathering, Aging, and Residential Disadvantage (REWARD) (PIs Malecki and Engelman)
• The Importance of Place of Birth in Determining Old Age Cognitive Health (PIs Fletcher and Palloni)
• The Importance of Place in Determining the Health and Mortality at Older Ages (PIs Fletcher and Palloni)
• Understanding the Importance of Place of Birth on Alzheimer’s Disease Outcomes in the US and UK (PI Fletcher)

CDHA also hosts a research group on this topic. Information on members and events can be found here.