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Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Social & Behavioral Sciences: In Conversation with the Yale School of Public Health Department Chair
"I think for our department what binds us, and what creates our identity and culture is principles of equity and justice," says Trace Kershaw, Chair of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department. "The way we study, the way we form the department itself is grounded in those principles. Once you focus on things like equity and justice, it’s hard not to make that a focus in every aspect of what you do."
Kershaw discusses how the department elevates student voices and ideas. "We really look at this department as shared with the students," he says.
He also describes the impact the department has made on the world, from U.S. Supreme Court cases improving the rights and well-being of LGBTQ individuals, to local housing laws, to student-created NGOs.
Our Research
Social and behavioral factors influence all states of health and disease. The Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS) conducts innovative research on social and behavioral determinants of health using quantitative and qualitative methods and a social justice approach to improving health among under-served populations. Using state-of-the-art technologies, SBS faculty, researchers and students conduct rigorous observational studies and create multilevel interventions. This research is strengthened by the department's ties with the Psychiatry, Psychology, Sociology and Anthropology departments, as well as the Law School. Below are the SBS areas of strength with a description of relevant faculty, research projects and centers.
Areas of Interest
Faculty Affiliated Centers and Labs
- Empower Neighborhoods and Relationships to Improve Community Health (ENRICH)ENRICH explores the impact of people and environments on individuals and communities, and in collaboration with communities, develops programs to improve community health.
- Becoming Breastfeeding Friendly (BBF): A Guide to Global Scale UpThis evidence-informed initiative is designed to help countries identify the strength of their breastfeeding-friendly environment and to improve breastfeeding policies and programs.
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS (CIRA)CIRA provides HIV-related resources, skills, services, training, and professional networking opportunities to HIV researchers and practitioners who can contribute to advances in HIV prevention and treatment.
- Center for Methods in Implementation and Prevention Science (CMIPS)CMIPS develops and disseminates innovative methodologic approaches to address implementation gaps and improve public health worldwide.
- Community Alliance for Research and Engagement (CARE)CARE promotes the prevention of chronic diseases by focusing on social, environmental, and behavioral risk factors.
- Yale LGBTQ Mental Health InitiativeThis initiative provides a home for scholars and scholarship devoted to understanding and improving the mental health of LGBTQ populations in the US and around the world.
- Housing and Health LabThe lab explores how housing access affects health and well-being amidst the affordable housing crisis and aims to inform policies to improve housing access and reduce health inequalities.
- Social Gerontology and Health LabThe lab is researching how partner disability and suffering affect older adult caregivers' health and seeks ways to minimize the negative consequences of caregiving.
- Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center (PRC)The PRC works with community partners to develop and implement community-based approaches to prevent and control chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
- Yale Institute for Global Health (YIGH)YIGH serves as the focal point for research, education, and engagement with global partners to improve the health of individuals and populations worldwide.