Jessica Ho

Jessica Ho
Associate Professor of Sociology and Demography
Co-Funded Faculty, Social Science Research Institute (SSRI)

Curriculum Vitae

Education

Ph.D., Demography and Sociology, University of Pennsylvania
A.M., Demography, University of Pennsylvania
B.A., Economics and Health and Societies, University of Pennsylvania, 2009

Professional Bio

I am a demographer and sociologist whose expertise lies in the study of aging, health, and mortality. My major areas of research examine: (1) why American life expectancy lags far behind other high-income countries, (2) factors contributing to widening inequalities in mortality across social groups within the United States, and (3) the causes and consequences of the contemporary American drug overdose epidemic. My work highlights the key role health behaviors and other socially patterned factors play in shaping American mortality. Some of my current projects focus on identifying how factors related to American culture, social institutions, and the organization of everyday life may explain why the United States has the lowest life expectancy of any high-income country and the consequences of the drug overdose epidemic for older adults, families, and intergenerational relationships.

Research Interests by Concentration

Demography

life expectancy, mortality, population aging, cross-national comparisons

Health and Life Course

aging, life course, health disparities

Social Inequality

education, gender, nativity, race/ethnicity
814-863-2387
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Mailroom: 203 Oswald Tower