We are pleased to announce that Eric A. Lauer has recently earned his Ph.D. in Epidemiology from the School of Public Health at Rugters University. Eric graduated from the program in October after successfully defended his dissertation entitled Teasing Apart the Complex Relationship Between Psychological Distress, Mental Health Conditions, Social Factors, and Disability in the United States.
Eric’s dissertation focused on examining mental health and disabilities using population studies in the United States. Within his dissertation, conducted three studies using National Health Interview Survey data that found:
- People experiencing psychological distress or activity limitations due to mental health conditions are more likely to report that they have many different types of disabilities;
- The likelihood of reporting a disability increased across a gradient of mental health issues from people who experience psychological distress without a diagnosed mental health condition, mental health conditions without experiencing psychological distress, and both psychological distress and mental health conditions;
- As people experience more psychological distress and adverse mental health, they are more likely to report cognitive disabilities and to experience adverse social determinants of health such as poverty.
Dr. Lauer joined the IOD as Project Research Specialist in 2011. Eric has worked on multiple federally funded (CDC/NIDILRR) grants focusing on disability, health, statistics and employment using state and national data sources. Eric is currently a Project Director at the IOD.
