Biosocial Approaches to Understanding Health Inequities

Biosocial research provides an important avenue of inquiry for understanding the pathways through which the social environment intersects with biological processes to shape differential outcomes of health and well-being. A diverse array of biosocial approaches exist, including biodemography, defined as the integration of biological insights and data into the study of core demographic processes. This workgroup focuses on biosocial approaches to the study of human health across multiple levels analyses - from individual, interpersonal, and population - to understand and document inequitable conditions shaping health. Our group explores health disparities and inequities across a number of social categories including along social categories of race/ethnicity, gender, nativity, sexual orientation and gender identity, and social class/status, and an array of intersectional statuses. 

The incorporation of biological data into social and demographic research opens up exciting new possibilities and presents difficult challenges; our working group aims to confront both the opportunities and the obstacles with the following objectives:

• Create a space to foster curiosity in scholars new to the area and continue to develop skills and knowledge among established scholars in the field
• Develop our understanding of how and why biological measures can be integrated into social science research, including demography, population studies, and related disciplines
• Engage critically with biological and biomedical approaches to population health disparities research
• Confront the implications of this area of research in refutation of biological essentialism and foreground anti-racist and anti-sexist approaches

This group is organized by PRC Faculty Lauren Gaydosh and Bridget Goosby. Faculty members across departments including Human Development, Psychology, Population Health, and Sociology have committed to participate. We encourage participation from across the PRC, UT-Austin, and other institutions. We welcome participants from all disciplinary backgrounds and a wide range of knowledge of biosocial and biodemographic approaches (including curious skeptics). The working group will focus on a variety of activities, including discussion of scientific advances, development of research projects and manuscripts, presentation by guests and experts, and exploration of new data availability.

The group meets 1-2 times per month, in a venue in keeping with our commitment to safety and public health. If you are interested in joining the group, please fill out this form.

Biosocial Health Group Members