Our name indicates our signature research themes: Demography and Population Health. Although these themes are closely related – many of our faculty publish in both areas – they comprise distinct areas of research.
Demography
As a field of study, Demography focuses on the causes and consequences of population change, including the dynamics of population growth and decline and the distribution of population members within and across national boundaries. Critical to understanding population change are the demographic variables: fertility, mortality, and migration. CDPH Research Associates contribute to the understanding of population change through their research in the following areas:
- Age, period, and cohort differences
- Family demography
- Fertility
- Immigrant adaptation
- Mortality differentials and multiple causes of death
- Statistical demography
Population Health
As its name implies, the field of Population Health addresses health outcomes within a population, with a specific focus on the distribution of health outcomes across population subgroups. Research in Population Health encompasses identifying inequities in the distribution of health determinants and health outcomes and formulating and testing of policies and interventions to promote a more universal distribution of positive health outcomes. CDPH Research Associates contribute to the field of Population Health through their research in the following areas:
- Aging and health
- Health and the environment
- Health and well-being among infants, children, and youth
- Sexual and reproductive health
- Stress processes