Center for Social Dynamics and Community Health

Mission

The Center for Social Dynamics and Community Health (CSDCH) applies systems science and mixed methods approaches to better understand the mechanisms underlying community health issues. By studying the complex contexts of health behaviors and the dynamic interactions of individuals with their social and physical environments, researchers at the CSDCH seek to identify and inform multi-level public health intervention opportunities. CSDCH faculty include Christina Mair, Jessica Burke, Robert Coulter, Jamie Sidani and Kar-Hai Chu.

Meet current students

Beth Hoffman, using systems science and social media data

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Doctoral student Beth Hoffman (BCHS '19 '23) uses system science methods to analyze social media data related to health topics such as vaping and vaccination. Her master's thesis examining anti-vaccine sentiment on Facebook through social network analyses was featured by multiple media outlets including CNN, Newsweek, and NBC's WPXI.  

Jessica Frankeberger, modeling social-ecological contributions to postpartum opioid use

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In her dissertation work, doctoral student Jessica Frankeberger (BCHS '23) will use spatial analysis and modeling approaches to understand the social-ecological contexts that contribute to opioid use and related problems among postpartum women.  

2018 Modeling Social Dynamics and Health Behavior Conference

Find out more about the one-day Modeling Social Dynamics and Health Behavior Conference on using computational approaches in social and behavioral research which took place on Friday, October 26, 2018. And, get an overview of the pre-conference Behavior Modeling Workshop - FRED (a Framework for Reconstructing Epidemiological Dynamics).

These events were jointly sponsored by the Clinical and Translational Science Institute, the Center for Social Dynamics and Community Health, and the Public Health Dynamics Laboratory

Contact

Christina Mair
Director
6136 Public Health 
Email: cmair@pitt.edu
Phone: 412-624-3613

Kar Hai Chu
Deputy Director
6130 Public Health 
Email: chuk@pitt.edu
Phone: 412-383-4636