Aging Trajectories & Disparities Across the Life Course
Longitudinal studies enable the exploration of research questions regarding the dynamic linkages between early life exposures and a variety of longevity and health outcomes. By drawing on population-based representative samples as well as targeted recruitment of under-studied populations, these studies offer insight into aggregate patterns of aging as well as variation and disparities in levels and trajectories of health across groups based on race/ethnicity, nativity, sex/gender, geography, socioeconomic status, and other demographic dimensions.
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.
Demography of Dementia & Cognition
The cognitive decline at older ages — and thus possibilities for prevention and amelioration — are increasingly understood to develop throughout the life course. Yet, the influence of the early life period on dementia risk, as well as adult behaviors that can offset that risk, remains poorly understood. There is a lack of longitudinal studies with richly characterized full life course measures of genetic, cognitive, geographic, socioeconomic, educational and behavioral factors. Rooted in life course epidemiology, this project aims to help clarify biological and behavioral processes that operate across the life course to influence dementia risk. Key to this framework is the critical influence of early life. Findings from this study could have important public policy and public health implications by providing evidence as to how, especially, early life socioeconomic conditions and adult modifiable behaviors can alter the risk for AD/ADRD.
Health Economics & 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.
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.
