Faculty & Staff

Joanna Maselko Sc.D.
Assistant Professor

Dr. Maselko is a social and psychiatric epidemiologist whose research focuses on two areas: the socioeconomic determinants of mental health in the global context and the relationship between religious engagement/spirituality and health.

Currently, Dr. Maselko is conducting research on the social determinants of mental health in international settings.  Of particular interest is the link between economic development and mental health in developing countries, especially in South Asia.  Economic development is often associated with changes that impact family and social networks and supports, which might have adverse effects on mental health.  On the other hand, increased economic opportunities are associated with improved health and well-being and Dr. Maselko hopes to elucidate the aspects of economic and social development that are salient to health.  She has conducted research on women’s empowerment in Bangladesh, socioeconomic disadvantage and suicide in Goa, India, and is currently conducting a study exploring the connections between negative life events, debt, spiritual coping and mental health in Karnataka, India.

Dr. Maselko also conducts studies on the role of individual’s changing levels of religious engagement over the lifecourse in the development of psychopathology.   She is especially interested in how gender and socioeconomic status impacts the relationship between religious engagement/spirituality and health, with a special focus on diverse religious environments.  For example, findings from this line of research suggest that denominational differences in the strength of the association between religious engagement and psychological health between men and women.  Ongoing projects explore the role of religious institutions in shaping the religion-health connection.

Dr. Maselko teaches courses on Mental Health Epidemiology and on Social Epidemiology.

Education

2004,  Harvard University, ScD in Social Epidemiology

2000,  Harvard University, SM in Health and Social Behavior

Research interests

Social Determinants of Mental Health

International Mental Health

Spirituality, Religious Engagement and Health

Women’s Health

Selected Publications

Maselko J., Buka, S. Religious Participation and Lifetime Prevalence of Psychiatric Disorder. (Accepted: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology)

Gurmankin AL., Maselko J., Bauer, M., Richman, L., Kubzansky, LD. (2007) Why do those with an anxiety disorder utilize more non-mental health care than those without? Health Psychology 2007 26(5):545-53

Prince, M., Patel, V., Saxena, S., Maj, M., Maselko J., Phillips, M., and Rahman, A. (2007) No health without mental health – a slogan with substance. The Lancet. 2007 370:859-877

Maselko J., Kubzansky L., Kawachi I., Berkman L. (2007) Religious engagement and allostatic load among high functioning elderly. Psychosomatic Medicine.  2007 69(5): 464-72.

Bates L., Maselko J., Schuler, S. (2007) Does women’s education influence the timing of marriage and childbearing in the next generation? Evidence from Bangladesh.  Studies in Family Planning, 2007 38(2): 101-112.

Maselko J., Kubzansky L., Kawachi I., Staudenmayer J., Berkman L. (2006) Religious service attendance and changes in pulmonary function in a high functioning elderly cohort.  Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 2006 32(3): 245-253.

Maselko J., Kubzansky L. (2006) Gender differences in religious practices, spiritual experiences and health: Results from the General Social Survey. Social Science and Medicine, 2006 62: 2848-2860

Richman L., Kubzansky L., Maselko J., Kawachi, I., Choo, P., Bauer, M. (2005) Positive emotions and health: going beyond the negative. Health Psychology, 2005 24(4):  422-429

Kubzansky LD., Kubzansky PE., Maselko J. (2004) Optimism and Pessimism in the Context of Health: Bipolar Opposites or Separate Constructs? Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 2004 30: 943-956