Jennifer A. Ailshire

Dr. Jennifer Ailshire’s research addresses questions that lie at the intersections of social stratification, urban sociology and the sociology of health and aging. In particular, her research focuses on the importance of the neighborhood environment and social relationships in determining health over the life course. A consistent theme throughout her work is an interest in gender, socioeconomic, racial and ethnic inequality in health.

Current projects include research on social factors associated with poor sleep; neighborhood determinants of racial and ethnic disparities in obesity; associations between the neighborhood environment and disability, social participation and cognition among older adults; unequal exposure to particulate air pollution and consequences for cognitive function, inflammation, and lung function; and the social, psychosocial, and health correlates of exceptional longevity among U.S. adults.

Ph.D., Sociology (Demography), University of Michigan
B.A., Sociology, Arizona State University