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Health Equity

Globally, nationally, and locally in New Haven, the marginalized, stigmatized, and less powerful segments of the population unequally bear the burden of poor health. Social Behavioral Science researchers work to narrow these gaps both through the development of interventions and through formative research that can help us to better understand the social production of health inequalities. Here in New Haven, we work with residents of the city’s most disadvantaged neighborhoods in order to improve living conditions and health outcomes (Ickovics, Duffany). Beyond New Haven, we also work to address social determinants of health disparities. Our research examines the effects of racism and stigma on health (Dovidio, Keene, Levy, Lowe, Nuñez-Smith, Pachankis, Wang), the ways in which neighborhoods shape health (Keene, Ickovics, Lowe, Ransome, Foster, Kershaw), and the role of housing as a social determinant of health (Keene). Globally, we work to ameliorate disparities in chronic diseases (Pérez-Escamilla), substance use (Ransome, Edelman, Foster), mental health (Hagaman, Lowe), child development (Hagaman), and sexual health (Miller, Kershaw, Ransome). Finally, through the Equity Research and Innovation Center (ERIC) we develop evidence-based models to narrow health and healthcare inequalities, with a particular focus on racial and ethnic minority populations.

Faculty of Interest

  • Assistant Professor of Public Health (Social and Behavioral Sciences); Director of Research and Evaluation, Community Alliance for Research and Engagement (CARE); Co-director, Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center

  • Samuel and Liselotte Herman Professor of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Yale School of Public Health; Dean of Faculty, Yale-NUS College; Director, Program on Climate Change and Urban Health; Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health

    Research Interests
    • Chronic Disease
    • Community Health Services
    • Epidemiology
    • Obesity
    • Pregnancy
    • Prenatal Care
    • Urban Health
  • Associate Professor of Public Health (Social and Behavioral Sciences)

    Research Interests
    • Housing
    • Social Justice
    • Qualitative Research
    • Racism
    • Health Equity
  • Department Chair and Susan Dwight Bliss Professor of Public Health (Social and Behavioral Sciences); Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health

    Research Interests
    • Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
    • Epidemiology
    • HIV
    • India
    • Public Health
    • Sexually Transmitted Diseases
    • Global Health
    • Maternal-Fetal Relations
    • Risk Reduction Behavior
  • Professor of Public Health (Social and Behavioral Sciences) and Psychology; Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health

    Research Interests
    • Aging
    • Environment and Public Health
    • Mental Health
    • Psychological Phenomena
    • Social Change
    • Social Justice
    • Social Sciences
    • Psychiatry and Psychology
    • Health Equity
  • Associate Professor of Public Health (Social and Behavioral Sciences), Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Associate Clinical Professor of Nursing; Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health

    Research Interests
    • Anxiety Disorders
    • Mental Disorders
    • Disasters
    • Genetics, Behavioral
    • Mental Health Services
    • Psychological Phenomena
    • Psychology, Clinical
    • Rwanda
    • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
    • Mood Disorders
    • Substance-Related Disorders
    • Stress Disorders, Traumatic, Acute
    • Resilience, Psychological
    • Disaster Victims
    • Psychiatry and Psychology
    • Psychological Trauma
    • Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders
    • Exposure to Violence
    • Gender-Based Violence
  • Professor in the Practice (Social and Behavioral Sciences); Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health

    Research Interests
    • HIV
    • Human Rights
  • Associate Dean for Health Equity Research and C.N.H. Long Professor of Internal Medicine (General Medicine), of Epidemiology (Chronic Disease) and of Public Health (Social And Behavioral Sciences) & Professor of Internal Medicine (General Medicine); Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health; Founding Director, Equity Research and Innovation Center (ERIC), Yale School of Medicine; Director, Center for Research Engagement (CRE); Director, Center for Community Engagement and Health Equity; Deputy Director for Health Equity Research and Workforce Development, Yale Center for Clinical Investigation (YCCI); Director, Pozen-Commonwealth Fund Fellowship in Health Equity Leadership

    Research Interests
    • Chronic Disease
    • Health Services Research
    • Internal Medicine
    • Social Justice
    • Socioeconomic Factors
    • Global Health
    • Women's Health
    • Caribbean Region
    • Vulnerable Populations
    • Minority Health
    • Healthcare Disparities
    • Community-Based Participatory Research
    • Social Discrimination
    • Social Determinants of Health
    • Patient Reported Outcome Measures
    • Global Burden of Disease
    • Population Health
    • COVID-19
  • Associate Professor of Public Health (Social and Behavioral Sciences); Director, The SASH Lab, Yale School of Public Health; Co-Director of Yale AIDS Prevention Training Program (T32), Yale School of Public Health; Associate Director, Justice, Community Capacity, Equity (JuCCE) Core, Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS, Yale University

  • David R. Kessler, M.D. '55 Professor of Public Health (Social and Behavioral Sciences), Professor of Psychology and Professor of Psychiatry; Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health

    Research Interests
    • Anxiety
    • Behavioral Sciences
    • Depression
    • Mental Health
    • Social Behavior
    • Social Change
    • Social Conditions
    • Social Sciences
    • Behavioral Research
    • Social Stigma
    • Sexual and Gender Minorities