Social Epidemiology Explained: Meaning, Impact, and Jobs

Written by Coursera Staff • Updated on

A subfield of epidemiology, social epidemiology studies how social factors impact population health. Learn more about this important public health career inside.

[Featured Image] Public health official taking the blood pressure of an elderly woman in her home.

Key takeaways:

Social epidemiology examines the interactions between social inequalities and health that lead to adverse outcomes.

  • Social epidemiology is concerned with understanding the social causes of diseases and identifying the communities most affected by them to mitigate their impact on at-risk populations.

  • The research conducted by social epidemiologists has the potential to inform the development of public policy and support communities most affected by the political and economic decisions that significantly impact many aspects of our lives.

  • You can find work in the research-oriented field of public health, specifically in social epidemiology, by seeking roles such as biostatistician, regional disease intervention specialist, epidemiology investigator, communicable disease specialist, or social epidemiologist. 

Explore social epidemiology, its impact, and the jobs you can expect to encounter in the field. If you’re ready to build skills for a career in social epidemiology, enroll in the Epidemiology for Public Health Specialization, where you can design and critique epidemiological research. In as little as four weeks, you’ll have the opportunity to develop skills in clinical research, biostatistics, data analysis, and more. 

What is social epidemiology?

Social epidemiology is a branch of epidemiology that studies the impact social conditions have on population health outcomes. 

Much as the broader field of epidemiology is concerned with tracing the origins of diseases and how to contain or stop their spread, social epidemiology is concerned with understanding the social causes of diseases and identifying the communities most impacted by them in order to remedy their impact on at-risk communities. Common risk factors that social epidemiologists study include such social determinants of health outcomes as residential segregation, income inequality, and ethnicity. 

While other forms of health research, such as virology, study disease from a purely biological perspective, social epidemiology considers how social inequalities and health interact to produce adverse outcomes.

What is a social epidemic? Explore social epidemics examples

Depending on your field, as a social epidemiologist, you may work with social epidemics, which are behavior-based non-communicable diseases. For example, you may examine the social causes of obesity, suicide, violence, or opioid addiction. 

How does social epidemiology help social change? 

Social epidemiology increases our understanding of how social factors can impact the health outcomes of both the general public and the communities that comprise it. As a result, the research conducted by social epidemiologists has the potential to guide the development of public policy and help the communities most impacted by the political and economic policy decisions that impact many of our lives. At the same time, social epidemiology is increasingly being used to better understand ways to expand health and medical care services to those communities most in need. By successfully implementing health interventions within at-risk communities, social epidemiology has the potential to provide help at both the community and individual levels.

Social epidemiology jobs 

Social epidemiology encompasses many of the same jobs as the field at large but with a greater emphasis on the social factors contributing to health disparities. As a result, when you’re job hunting for a social epidemiologist position, don’t be surprised to see many of the same titles as you might see when looking at more general epidemiology positions. 

Some of the job titles you can expect to encounter when searching for a job within social epidemiology include: 

  • Social epidemiologist

  • Biostatistician

  • Regional disease intervention specialist

  • Epidemiology investigator 

  • Communicable disease specialist

Read more: Epidemiologist Salary: What You Can Earn and How to Qualify

If you’re considering a career in public health, subscribe to our LinkedIn newsletter, Career Chat, to learn more about trends in the field. You can also explore the following free digital resources to guide you.

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