Title: Social Epidemiology and Health Disparities

Abstract:

Social environments influencing obesity in Israel- A qualitative study among health workers focusing on three ethno-religious groups

The prevalence of overweight or obese is 60% and 30% for adults and children respectively and this burden is higher among the ethnic minorities. Cultural norms and practices are an important aspect of their lives and therefore should be incorporated in epidemiological research. This qualitative study aims to identify the cultural determinants of obesity by studying the social environments among three different ethnic populations in Israel: Ultra-orthodox Jews, Settled Muslim Arabs and the Ethiopian Jews., the latter two being ethnic minorities in the country.

Biography:

Mahasweta Mitra is a skilled public health researcher with seven years of clinical and epidemiological research experience in countries such as India, Israel, and the United States. She currently works at Acumen, LLC, a leading research and consulting firm where she manages several analytical and technical projects in biologics effectiveness and safety surveillance of vaccines, in collaboration with the Food and Drug Administration and other data partners. Her mission is to apply her epidemiological and health policy expertise to generate impact in the evolving global health landscape. Prior to joining Acumen, she was a student at the University of Michigan School of Public Health where she built a strong foundation in mixed-methods methods research in evaluating social determinants of health. She independently led a mixed-methods study assessing the social determinants of health of obesity among adolescents in Israel in collaboration with the Israel Ministry of Health, the qualitative findings of which were presented at the 2018 Michigan Public Health Forum.