Oral

In seeking to eliminate health disparities, public health researchers and practitioners must confront a myriad of transdisciplinary issues and domains encompassing biological, behavioral, environmental, policy, and technological complexities. Evidence-based interventions must also cut across theory-based and practice-based systems, addressing a broad spectrum of factors that contribute to social injustice and inequity, ranging from the socio-biologic and behavioral to legalistic and policy. Too often, however, these relationships are either not explicitly recognized or are viewed as separate and distinct scientific morphologies. For example, while both criminologists and public health professionals study aberrant behavior and its root causes, fragmented theories and solutions often skirt or ignore the scientific overlap between the two disciplines, limiting innovation at a time when violence prevention has emerged as a national public health and health policy priority. As a transdisciplinary paradigm, Epidemiological Criminology can serve as a bridging framework between the theoretical and practical models of public health and criminal justice; extending applications and innovative solutions developed at the intersection of the two disciplines through data integration, methodology and phenomenology. This year’s APHA theme is the public health imperative of social justice. The purposes of this invited session will be to discuss the diversity of factors contributing to the disproportionate health and social justice disparities’ burden of disease and mortality and to explore potential transdisciplinary Epidemiological Criminology answers to the challenges confronting the nation and scientific community.

Session Objectives: 1. To identify the various dimensions associated with the disproportionate burden of disease and mortality; 2. To advance an analytical model of Epidemiological Criminology as a basis for innovative and targeted solutions promoting social justice; 3. To explore transdisciplinary practice and policy solutions to health disparities at the intersection of epidemiology and criminology and their applications within local communities.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH)