Andrea N. Polonijo, PhD, MPH
Pronounced: An-dree-uh Po-loan-yo
I am an Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Merced. My research examines how social factors—including income, education, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity—shape health behaviors and outcomes.
My current funded projects focus on the social determinants of vaccination among California’s farmworkers, the role of stigma as a fundamental cause of disease among sexual and gender minority populations, and socioeconomic inequalities in childhood vaccination in Denmark .
My work is published in leading journals, including AIDS and Behavior, Journal of Adolescent Health, Journal of Health and Social Behavior, LGBT Health, Preventive Medicine, Social Science & Medicine, Transgender Health, and Vaccine. I also engage with the media, community stakeholders, and the broader public on issues related to health disparities and vaccine uptake.
I hold a PhD in Sociology from the University of British Columbia and an MPH in Health Promotion from the University of Toronto. I also completed a Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine.
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