Benjamin A. Shaw, Ph.D., M.P.H. Assistant Professor Social Behavior and Community Health Address: Department of Health Policy, Management, & Behavior School of Public Health One University Place Rensselaer, NY, 12144-3456 Phone:  (518) 402-0325 Fax: (518) 402-0414 E-mail: bashaw@albany.edu

HOW DID YOU BEGIN YOUR CAREER IN PUBLIC HEALTH?

“I first learned about the field of public health after completing my undergraduate education. I majored in psychology because I was very interested in studying how people think and behave. In public health, I found a way to apply these interests to something with tremendous societal importance: promoting health and preventing illness in populations.”

WHY ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT PUBLIC HEALTH?

“To me, this is such an engaging and rewarding field of work because public health has a role in almost all aspects of everyday life. The ubiquity of public health serves as a constant reminder of both our public health accomplishments, as well as the ongoing need for understanding and addressing persistent and emerging public health problems.”

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU TO DO OUTSTANDING RESEARCH IN YOUR FIELD?

“Because the aging of our population is a relatively recent phenomenon, our current understanding of how to promote healthy aging is still underdeveloped. I am motivated by the thought that my own research on social determinants of healthy aging will contribute to improving this understanding, and will ultimately lead to improvements in health during the latter half of the life course.”

Education:

• B.A., Colgate University, 1993
• M.P.H., University of Michigan, Health Behavior and Health Education, 1998
• Ph.D., University of Michigan, Health Behavior and Health Education, 2002

Other Professional Appointments:

Faculty Associate, Center for Social and Demographic Analysis, University at Albany, 2002-present.

Faculty Associate, Prevention Research Center, University at Albany, 2002-present.

Research interests:

Social and psychosocial epidemiology of aging; describing and predicting late life trajectories of health and health behavior; early life influences on late life health.

Current research focus:

Dr. Shaw's current research focuses primarily on health behavior change during old age. He is currently conducting preliminary analyses for a study which aims to examine how older adults' patterns of physical activity, substance use, and health care utilization change with increasing age. An additional goal of this study is to examine how the health lifestyles of older adults in the US compare to those of elderly Japanese.

Dr. Shaw is also currently involved in a study of racial, ethnic, and cultural differences in quality of life during old age, as well as a study of the relationships between social support, psychological resources, and the physical and mental health of older adults.

Finally, Dr. Shaw is currently completing work on two studies: one examining the link between early-life social conditions and health status in later life, and the other examining the potential role of neighbors in helping older adults avoid the onset and progression of health problems.

Teaching:

• HPM 520: Fundamentals of Research Design
• HPM 525: Social and Behavioral Aspects of Public Health
• HPM 623: Stress, Social Support Systems, and Health
• HPM 647: Program Evaluation

Selected Publications and Presentations:

Shaw, B.A., Krause, N., Liang, J., Bennett, J. (2007). Tracking changes in social relations throughout late life. In press at Journals of Gerontology; Social Sciences.

Shaw, B.A., Gallant, M.P., Riley-Jacome, M., & Spokane, L. (2006). Sources of support for diabetes self-care in urban and rural underserved communities. Journal of Community Health, 31, 393-412.

Shaw, B.A. (2006). Lack of emotional support from parents early in life and alcohol abuse later in life. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 63, 49-72.

Shaw, B.A. (2005). Anticipated support from neighbors and physical functioning among older adults. Research on Aging, 27, 503-525.

Liang, J., Shaw, B.A., Krause, N., Bennett, J.M., Kobayashi, E., Fukaya, T., & Sugihara, Y. (2005). How does self-assessed health change with age? A study of older adults in Japan. Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 60B, S224-S232.

Shaw, B.A. & Janevic, M. (2004). Associations between anticipated support, physical functioning, and education level among a nationally-representative sample of older adults. Journal of Aging and Health, 16, 539-561.

Shaw, B.A., Krause, N., Chatters, L M., Connell, C.M, & Ingersoll-Dayton, B. (2004). Emotional support from parents early in life, aging, and health. Psychology and Aging, 19, 4-12.

Krause, N., Shaw, B.A., & Cairney, J. (2004). A descriptive epidemiology of lifetime trauma and the physical health status of older adults. Psychology and Aging, 19, 637-648.

Shaw, B.A., Krause, N., Chatters, L M., Connell, C.M, & Ingersoll-Dayton, B. (2003). Social structural influences on emotional support from parents early in life and adult health status. Behavioral Medicine, 29, 68-79.

Liang, J., Shaw, B.A., Krause, N., Bennett, J.M., Blaum, C., Kobayashi, E., Fukaya, T., Sugihara, Y., & Sugisawa, H. (2003). Changes in functional status among older adults in Japan: Successful and usual aging. Psychology and Aging, 18, 684-695.

Krause, N. & Shaw, B.A. (2003). Role-specific control, personal meaning, and health in late life. Research on Aging, 25, 559-586.

Shaw, B.A. & Krause, N. (2002). The impact of salient role stress on trajectories of health in late life among survivors of a seven-year panel study: Analyses of individual growth curves. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 55, 97-116.

Shaw, B.A., & Krause, N. (2002). Exposure to physical violence during childhood, aging, and health. Journal of Aging and Health, 14, 467-494.

Krause, N. & Shaw, B.A. (2002). Welfare participation and social support in late life. Psychology and Aging, 17, 260-270.

Krause, N., Liang, J., Shaw, B.A., Sugisawa, H., Kim, H., & Sugihara, Y. (2002). Religion, death of a loved one, and hypertension among older adults in Japan. Journal of Gerontology, Social Sciences, 57B, S96-S107.

Krause, N. & Shaw, B.A. (2002). Negative interaction and changes in functional disability during late life. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 19, 339-359.

Shaw, B.A. & Krause, N. (2001). Exploring race variations in aging and personal control. Journal of Gerontology, Social Sciences, 56B, S119-S124.

Krause, N., Ellison, C.G. Shaw, B.A., Marcum, J.P, & Boardman, J.D. (2001). Church-based social support and religious coping. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 40, 637-656.

Krause, N. & Shaw, B.A. (2000). Giving social support to others, socioeconomic status, and changes in self-esteem in later life. Journal of Gerontology, Social Sciences, 55B, S323-S333.

Krause, N. & Shaw, B.A. (2000). Role-specific feelings of control and mortality. Psychology and Aging, 15, 617-626.

Grants:

Tracking Changes in Health Behaviors and Lifestyles during Late Life in the United States and Japan. B.A. Shaw, Principal Investigator. UAlbany, Center for Social and Demographic Analysis Junior Researcher Award, 11/17/06 – 9/30/07, $6,075.

Social Support from Neighbors, Aging and Health. B.A. Shaw, Principal Investigator. MIDUS Pilot Grant Program, National Institute on Aging, 10/1/03 – 6/31/05, $15,000.

Community-Based Interventions to Prevent Chronic Disease. D.S. Strogatz, Principal Investigator for Prevention Research Center; B.A. Shaw, Co-Investigator for Center and Co-Investigator for core research project (15%), A Social-Ecological Approach to Diabetes Prevention and Management: Assessing Multiple Levels of Influence. Centers for Disease Control, 10/1/02 – 9/30/04. Total Funding: $1,376,099 for Prevention Research Center ($378,385 for Research Project). Refunded for 10/1/04 – 9/30/09.

Awards:

Junior Faculty Training Award, 2006. University of Michigan Older Americans Independence Center (UM OAIC) Research Career Development Core, sponsored by the National Institute on Aging (NIA).

Thaisa A. Beach Award, 2004. University at Albany, School of Public Health. In recognition of “Outstanding, compassionate, and supportive service to students”.

Professional Service:

Editorial Board Member, Journal of Aging and Health, 2006-present