Jason Purnell

Jason Purnell is an Associate Professor at the Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis. He leads the Health Equity Works initiative, focusing on translating research into collaborative community action to address health disparities in St. Louis. His work spans socioeconomic and sociocultural factors influencing health outcomes, with affiliations to the Prevention Research Center, Center for Public Health Systems Science, Institute for Public Health, and Center for Social Development.

• PhD, Ohio State University

Research Interests: Purnell investigates how socioeconomic and sociocultural factors shape health behaviors and outcomes. His expertise includes mobilizing community action to address social determinants of health, health equity, and policy translation for population health improvement. He specializes in school health, economic opportunity, early childhood development, and housing equity.

Article Trends: His publications emphasize health equity, urban health disparities, and policy interventions for structural inequalities. Key sub-fields include racial segregation, community development, health policy, and applied psychology in public health contexts.

Community Leadership: Purnell serves on the boards of St. Louis University High School and the American Youth Foundation. As a licensed psychologist in Missouri, he previously directed community engagement at United Way of Greater St. Louis. He also co-led initiatives like the Healthy Schools Toolkit and the report Segregation in St. Louis: Dismantling the Divide.