Research

My research has significantly advanced our understanding of health disparities within heterogeneous groups of older immigrants. Early in my career, my publications emphasized the importance of individual-level social determinants, such as limited English proficiency and low levels of cultural adaptation, in amplifying adverse health outcomes. These include increased social isolation, cognitive impairment, and reduced healthcare utilization among immigrant populations.

I have also delved into nuanced subgroup differences, particularly among Asian Americans. Utilizing an intersectional framework, my research has explored the interplay between education, acculturation, and gender on cognitive function in older Korean immigrants. My findings indicate that low levels of education and acculturation were substantial risk factors for cognitive impairment, but notably, these were significant only among women. This research was honored with the Gerontological Society of America Minority Issues in Student Poster Award.

Collectively, my work has challenged the prevailing notion that immigrants constitute a uniformly low-risk demographic. It also carries meaningful implications for the tailoring of healthcare policies and intervention programs that respond to the specific needs of each subgroup.

Another arm of my past research involves the integration of a broader socio-ecological perspective into the study of attitudes toward aging, which has expanded the earlier scholarly focus limited to individual-level factors. The findings highlight the importance of an individual’s social environment as a critical source of shaping self-perceptions of aging (SPA). For example, I showed that older adults who perceive their neighborhoods as highly socially cohesive had more positive SPAs, offering some of the first insights into how personal reflections on aging can be embedded in one’s living environment. 

At the same time, my research has established the significance of positive aging perceptions in influencing health outcomes and behaviors in later life. The results demonstrated that aging attitudes are not only associated with cognitive health but also the active use of technology among older adults, thereby broadening its effects on mortality and disease to include psychosocial functioning.

The association between neighborhood social stressors and elevated risks for age-related diseases and mortality is increasingly gaining attention, particularly as the global population of older adults expands and shows a preference for aging in place within their communities. Yet, the underlying biological mechanisms that drive health disparities at the neighborhood level is not fully understood. Epigenetics may function as a key molecular pathway to adverse health outcomes among residents of high-stress neighborhoods.

This project examined the association of neighborhood psychosocial stressors (i.e., neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation, low social cohesion, and disorder) with epigenetic aging based on DNA methylation levels across diverse sub-populations. Furthermore, this research will identify individual-level social stress that could explain these disparities. 

This project will advance our understanding of the biological underpinnings through which exogenous neighborhood stressors get under the skin to create and maintain health disparities in later life. 

Extreme weather events, exacerbated by climate change, pose an escalating public health concern—especially for middle-aged and older adults who are often at a higher risk for health complications. Despite this, comprehensive research elucidating the social and environmental determinants of their vulnerability and resilience remains scant.

One of my studies highlights the disproportionate exposure risks to extreme weather events, including heatwaves, floods, and wildfires, among individuals with chronic conditions, those living alone, and residents in rural or unsafe neighborhoods. These same groups also reported higher rates of mental and physical health issues, and this prevalence extended to females and those living in unstable housing conditions. Interestingly, residing in socially cohesive neighborhoods emerged as a resilience factor, associated with lower mental and physical health risks.

Another study specifically examined the impact of extreme heat exposure and found that black individuals and residents of impoverished neighborhoods experienced accelerated cognitive decline, a trend not observed among whites, Hispanics, or residents in affluent neighborhoods.

These studies collectively underscore the heightened vulnerability to climate-induced risks among socioeconomically disadvantaged populations. They also accentuate the importance of local contextual factors in shaping both vulnerability and resilience. Through this body of work, I aim to contribute actionable insights for developing targeted climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies that bolster resilience among older populations and foster more supportive communities.