A University lab investigates the connection between state policies, local conditions, and health and mortality in the United States.
In the Policy, Place, and Population Health (P3H) Lab at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, sociology doctoral candidate Yue Sun G’19, G’24 presents research for her dissertation that examines the relationship among states’ environmental policies, counties’ economic conditions and air pollution, and cardiovascular disease mortality. In performing this research, Sun analyzed data from 3,101 counties in the 48 contiguous states to estimate the impact these factors have on people’s risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.
During a lively discussion among faculty mentors and fellow graduate students, several potential issues are raised: the influence of neighboring states’ policies, other forms of pollution, cigarette taxes, Canadian wildfire smoke and whether personal income plays a role. “I hope the questions were helpful,” says Jennifer Karas Montez, University Professor of sociology, Gerald B. Cramer Faculty Scholar in Aging Studies and director of the Center for Aging and Policy Studies. “This dissertation is going to be super interesting when it’s done.” Read the full article, here.