Frederick Zimmerman

Frederick J. Zimmerman is a Professor of Health Policy and Management and Urban Planning at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs. His research focuses on the intersection of economics and population health, particularly addressing how poverty, inequality, and housing markets influence health outcomes. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a B.A. in Economics from the University of Notre Dame.

His work integrates economic, sociological, and psychological perspectives into a multi-level theory of health determinants. Notable contributions include developing the UCLA Center for Health Advancement’s health equity tracking measures and the Win-Win simulation model, which evaluates multi-sectoral interventions’ impacts on health, crime rates, and local finances. His research has been featured in major media outlets like the New York Times and NPR.

Key research themes include housing affordability and health, transportation and health linkages, and the opportunity costs of medical spending. Dr. Zimmerman teaches courses on statistical research methods, health determinants, and public health ethics. His recent work emphasizes structural racism’s impact on youth well-being, gentrification’s health consequences, and the role of housing policy in mitigating adverse health outcomes.

Publications span over 40 peer-reviewed articles, with a focus on policy-relevant topics such as firearm laws, minimum wage policies, and the economic implications of reallocating healthcare funds to social programs. His research underscores the need for cross-sector collaboration to address systemic health inequities.