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Health and Social Behavior Lab
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This behavioral science and social epidemiology lab investigates how social inequalities affect health.
AboutAbout the lab
Uncovering health disparities through the workings of society
The lab studies how social structures and relationships between people affect health-related behaviors and health itself.
The lab combines theories and methods from behavioral science, psychology, sociology, economics, and epidemiology.
The lab focuses in particular on eliminating the health disparities caused by social inequalities, and is committed to communicating evidence-based findings.
Its interests range from the everyday level, such as communication between patients and healthcare providers, to the societal level, such as health and medical policy.
Key terms
- Social epidemiology
- A field of epidemiology that examines how social factors such as income, education, and relationships affect people's health
- Cohort study
- A study that follows a group of people over a long period to examine how differences in lifestyle or environment relate to later health and disease
- Stigma
- Prejudice or negative labeling toward conditions such as illness. It can also make it harder for the affected person to continue treatment
NewsLab news
A study on regional disparities in step counts by the Associate Professor and colleagues was published in The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific
A doctoral student received the Excellent Presentation Award at the 28th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Japan Association of Exercise Epidemiology
ResearchResearch themes
The lab aims to clarify the mechanisms linking social structures and social relationships to individual health and behavior, and to evaluate policies that address the social determinants of health. Working across the humanities and the health sciences, it conducts collaborative research in Japan and abroad.
*Illustrative imageSocial Inequalities and Health Disparities
The lab's central theme is social epidemiological research that examines how socioeconomic inequalities in income, education, and employment lead to health disparities, and the mechanisms behind them. In collaboration with the Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Faculty of Economics, the lab conducts J-STAR, a large-scale panel survey of older adults, to examine from multiple angles how social relationships affect health.
*Illustrative imagePhysical Activity and Health
The lab studies the relationship between physical activity and health from the perspectives of prevention, education, and policy. It evaluates and tests ways to support active lifestyles, ranging from large-scale campaigns and urban planning to education for individuals.
*Illustrative imageExploring the Onset of Disease Through Social and Genetic Factors
In cohort studies of populations such as pregnant women and older adults, the lab examines the relationship between social factors and health. Recently, it has also begun to include genetic factors, aiming to clarify the interaction between genetics and the social environment in the onset of disease.
*Illustrative imageChronic Disease and Stigma
The lab studies stigma as a psychosocial factor that makes it harder for patients with type 2 diabetes to continue treatment. It uses mixed methods that combine quantitative and qualitative analysis.
MembersFaculty
The lab's members include faculty, project researchers, visiting researchers, administrative assistants, academic specialist staff, and students in the doctoral program and the professional master's program (SPH).As of 2026
- ProfessorHideki HashimotoPublications ↗
- Associate ProfessorMasamitsu KamadaPublications ↗
- Associate ProfessorKeiko MurakamiPublications ↗
- LecturerAsuka KatoPublications ↗
- Assistant ProfessorAyumi HashimotoPublications ↗
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “Street views in Tokyo 2” Syced / CC0 (cropped)
- Social Inequalities and Health Disparities: “Elderly Woman with Umbrella - Near Ueno Park - Tokyo - Japan ( )” Adam Jones from Kelowna, BC, Canada / CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped)
- Physical Activity and Health: “Sidewalk view in Tokyo” Another Believer / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Exploring the Onset of Disease Through Social and Genetic Factors: “20251019 Replica DNA double helix model Berlin 03” Flocci Nivis / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Chronic Disease and Stigma: “Blausen 0307 Diabetes PrimingInsulinPen” BruceBlaus. When using this image in external sources it can be cited as: Blausen.com staff (2014). "Medical gallery of Blausen Medical 2014". WikiJournal of Medicine 1 (2). DOI:10.15347/wjm/2014.010. ISSN . / CC BY 3.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Medical Ethics Lab): “HippocraticOath” 作者不詳 / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Social and Preventive Epidemiology Lab): “Teishoku - traditional Japanese set meal at New Chitose Airport (97)” Savannah Rivka / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Mental Health Lab): “Bench in park” Nirmal Bhagwani / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Biostatistics Lab): “Tabuleiros de Galton (antes e depois)” Exhibit made by Estes Objethos Atelier, photo by Rodrigo Tetsuo Argenton / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
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