Social Epidemiology

HLTH H228 | Wednesday, 12:15-3:00

Anna West, Haverford College

How do the places we live and work shape our health? Why is life expectancy well over 80 years in some Philadelphia neighborhoods, but 64 in others? The interdisciplinary field of social epidemiology offers tools for answering these questions and many more. Social epidemiologists study the relationship between health outcomes and the social environment.  “Social” and “environment” are expansive concepts that include everything from average household income and unemployment rates to racially exclusive zoning, parks and tree canopy, proximity to industry, and social cohesion, to name but a few. Social epidemiology theory locates these neighborhood characteristics in large structural forces and local histories alike, and posits physioAnna logical mechanisms by which unequal environments (and inequality itself) impact physical and mental health. Because epidemiology is a probabilistic science, researchers must identify measurable variables that can stand in for complex social phenomena. Critical perspectives on quantification drawn from science and technology studies (STS) offer guidance as we read, assess, and discuss the policy and programmatic implications of research on health and social environments. Students will gain an appreciation for the kinds of analyses, arguments, and action that social epidemiology makes possible, as well as some of its limitations.   

The Spring 2027 section of this course is offered through Tri-Co Philly, affording a unique opportunity to integrate ways of seeing and knowing the city: students will explore Philadelphia’s neighborhoods through social epidemiological literature, mapmaking, field trips, conversations with residents and civic organizations, and structured observations of public space.