Research summary
Poverty, lack of education and racism are examples of how social and economic factors can influence our health. They can also result in unequal access to health care. As Canada Research Chair in Social Relationships, Health, and Aging, Dr. Theresa Pauly is examining social influences on how we age and how long we live.
She and her research team are identifying social resources that could support older adults’ health. They are also exploring risk and protective factors that contribute to loneliness in old age and examining social risks and health resources for older adults in equity-seeking groups. She and her team are combining the analysis of longer-term health trajectories (based on longitudinal data collected over many years) with short-term self-reported and health data (based on experiential results collected over a period of days or weeks). Ultimately, their research may lead to better quality of life for people as they age.