Sarah A. Burgard

Sarah A. Burgard is a Professor of Epidemiology and Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. She holds additional affiliations as a Research Associate Professor at the Population Studies Center. Her career spans both public health and social sciences, focusing on how systemic inequality affects population health.

• Current faculty positions: Professor (Epidemiology), Associate Professor (Sociology)
• Prior role: Robert Wood Johnson Health and Society Scholar (2003-2005)
• Dual appointment in Social Sciences and Public Health

Research Interests: Analyzes how stratification systems (race, gender, socioeconomic status) shape health outcomes globally. Key areas include:

• Occupational health disparities (job insecurity, 'bad jobs')
• Comparative studies across South Africa, Brazil, and China
• Sleep health inequalities and social determinants
• Cross-national maternal/child health disparities
• Life course impacts of economic recessions

Scientific Contributions demonstrate chronological evolution from:

• Early work on reproductive health in post-apartheid contexts (2004-2006)
• Middle career focus on job loss impacts (2007-2012)
• Recent emphasis on aging, mental health, and structural inequities (2015-2025)
• Geospatial analysis of health disparities (2015 onwards)

Scientific Recognition: Recipient of the prestigious Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health and Society Scholarship. Her work appears in top journals like Social Science & Medicine, Journal of Health and Social Behavior, and Demography.

Methodological Expertise: Combines quantitative longitudinal analyses with mixed-methods approaches, often employing:

• National surveillance systems
• Life course epidemiology
• Cross-sectional comparative studies
• Geospatial hotspot analyses
• Qualitative insights from fieldwork