I’m Jihye Baek, a PhD Candidate in Social Work at the Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis.

My research explores social isolation and loneliness in later life through a socio-ecological lens. I believe these are not simply personal struggles but pressing societal issues that demand attention at multiple levels, especially at housing and neighborhood contexts. Drawing from my professional experiences in community-engaged research projects and social work practice, I approach social connection in later life with a commitment to bridging research and the lived realities of older adults. 

My dissertation investigates how housing and neighborhood contexts influence social isolation and loneliness among older adults. Using NHATS data guided by a socio-ecological framework, I explore how place-based factors, ranging from housing type to neighborhood cohesion, shape pathways to social isolation and loneliness in later life.

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