Yeon Jin Choi
Associate Professor
Areas of Expertise
- SW625 Introduction to Social Work: Professional Behavior and Ethics
- SW731 Advanced Social Welfare Policy & Analysis
- SW750 Applied Research Methods in Social Work
Highlighted Publications
- Choi, Y. J., *Fennell, G., & Ailshire, J. A. (2025). Access to neighborhood amenities and services and 2-year nursing home placement among persons living with dementia. Innovation in Aging, 9(5), igaf011. doi:10.1093/geroni/igaf011
- Choi, Y. J., & Ailshire, J. A. (2024). Perceived neighborhood disorder, social cohesion, and depressive symptoms in spousal caregivers. Aging & Mental Health, 28(1), 54-61. doi:10.1080/13607863.2023.2212250
- Choi, Y. J. & Matz-Costa, C. (2018). Perceived neighborhood safety, social cohesion, and psychological health of older adults. The Gerontologist, 58(1), 196-206. doi:10.1093/geront/gnw187
Current Projects
- Natural Disaster Exposure and Epigenetic Aging in U.S. Older Adults (Grant No. P30ES026529; Principal Investigator)
- The Importance of the Neighborhood Environment in Determining Health and Well-being among Persons with Dementia and their Caregivers (Role: Postdoctoral Research Assistant)
- Neighborhood Adversity and Cognitive Decline and Dementia among US Older Adults (Role: Postdoctoral Research Assistant)
Student & Research Availability
- Accepting Students in Programs: Bachelors | Doctoral | Masters
- Available Student Positions: Honors Thesis | Independent Study | Other Opportunities
- Research or Interest Area Key Words: Gerontology; Social and contextual determinants of health; Aging-in-place; Age/dementia-friendly communities; Neighborhood adversity and environmental stressors; Health behaviors; Social and environmental justice; Caregiving; Long-term care; Home- and community-based services
Alma Mater
Boston College (PhD), Washington University in St. Louis (MSW), Seoul Women's University (BA)
Get to Know Yeon
Dr. Yeon Jin Choi is a social work–trained environmental gerontologist whose research focuses on understanding how neighborhood environments shape the health and well-being of older adults. Her work examines neighborhood-level stressors, such as neighborhood poverty, physical disorder, and safety concerns, and their impact on aging outcomes, while also identifying supportive features and community resources that can mitigate these adverse effects and promote aging in place.
Dr. Choi’s research further explores how broader environmental contexts influence aging, with a growing focus on extreme weather events and natural disasters. She investigates how exposure to environmental hazards across the life course contributes to disparities in cognitive, mental, and biological aging among older populations, with particular attention to vulnerable and underserved groups. Her work integrates large-scale population data with contextual environmental measures to better understand vulnerability and resilience in later life.
Through her research, Dr. Choi aims to inform interventions and policies that enhance environmental supports for older adults, particularly those at greater risk due to social and structural disadvantages. Her scholarship advances knowledge at the intersection of social work, public health, and environmental aging, with the goal of promoting healthier and more equitable aging experiences.