My main research focus has been to examine the motivations and meanings of the caregiver role and the interpersonal dynamics within the caregiving dyad. My expertise is in qualitative, survey, and intervention research methods, which I have applied to understanding the social and cultural factors associated with adult development and aging in Latino families.
My research is community-based, interdisciplinary, and rooted in principles of health equity. As such, my research studies have involved primary data collection in underserved communities, and I have over 15 years of experience working with underserved populations.
One of my long term research goals is to link individual health and well-being to family health and well-being by identifying the effects of the family environment and social relationships on the aging trajectories of racial/ethnic minority adults.
In the next 5-10 years, I expect to focus on the epigenetic links between social support, culture, and age. My goal is to identify the causal mechanisms of social environments that contribute to premature aging.
OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
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