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Sae Hwang Han
Assistant Professor
Department of Human Development and Family Sciencessaehwang.han@utexas.edu
Phone: 512-471-5606
Office Location
SEA
Postal Address
108 E DEAN KEETON ST
AUSTIN, TX 78712-
Education
Ph.D., M.S., University of Massachusetts Boston
M.A., Yonsei University, Republic of Korea
B.S., Yonsei University, Republic of KoreaAcademic Positions
2019 – Present Assistant Professor, Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, UT Austin
2019 – Present Faculty Research Associate, Population Research Center, UT AustinResearch Interests
The overarching objective of Han's research is to contribute to the scientific literature on social relationships and health in middle and later adulthood. Han's current research interests center around examining health consequences of social and productive engagement in middle and later adulthood, with a particular focus on examining how various forms of helping behaviors (e.g., formal volunteering, informal helping, or caregiving) influence behavioral and neurobiological mechanisms underlying health. Another stream of his research focuses on examining dyadic processes underlying coupled individuals’ health behaviors and health outcomes in mid- and late-life, demonstrating how individuals draw from one’s own and partners’ social relationships for the betterment of their health. Han’s research employs longitudinal data from national surveys, such as the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS).
Diversity & Inclusion
Ever since coming to the U.S. for my graduate studies in 2013, I have been extremely fortunate to have been in a series of welcoming environments to learn and grow. I am thus committed to fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment for learning and conducting research through my teaching and mentoring here at UT Austin. In my research I join my colleague gerontologists at UT in conducting research that highlights the many contributions older adults make for their families and the society, thereby helping to fight the stigma associated with old age and ageism. I conduct research that is based on national, representative samples from the U.S. and abroad, focusing on diverse cultural, historical, and socioeconomic contexts to help us better understand the heterogeneity in the aging process. I am especially focused on producing high-impact research with policy implications that would promote healthy and graceful aging among disadvantaged populations.
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Select Publications
Han, S. H., Kim, K., & Burr, J. A. (2021). Take a sad song and make it better: Spousal activity limitations, caregiving, and depressive symptoms among couples. Social Science & Medicine. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114081
Han, S. H. (2021). Health consequences of retirement due to non-health reasons and poor health. Social Science & Medicine, 273, 113767. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.113767
Han, S. H., Kim, K., & Burr, J. A. (2021). Activity limitations and depressive symptoms among older couples: The role of spousal care. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 76, 360-369. doi:10.1093/geronb/gbz161
Han, S. H., Roberts, J. S., Mutchler, J. E, Burr, J. A. (2020). Volunteering, polygenic risk for Alzheimer's disease, and cognitive functioning among older adults. Social Science & Medicine, 253, 112970. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.112970
Han, S. H., Kim, K., & Burr, J. A. (2020). Stress-buffering effects of volunteering on daily well-being: Evidence from the National Study of Daily Experiences. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 75, 1731-1740. doi:10.1093/geronb/gbz052
Han, S. H., Wu, B., & Burr, J. A. (2020). Edentulism, dental care service use, and trajectories of cognitive functioning among older adults. Journal of Aging and Health, 32, 744-752. doi: 10.1177/0898264319851654
Han, S. H., Kim, K., & Burr, J. A. (2019). Social support and preventive healthcare behaviors among couples in later life. The Gerontologist, 59, 1162-1170. doi:10.1093/geront/gny144
Han, S. H., Kim, K., & Burr, J. A. (2019). Friendship and depression among couples in later life: The moderating effects of marital quality. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 74, 222-231. doi:10.1093/geronb/gbx046
Han S. H., Kim, K., & Burr, J. A. (2018). Stress-buffering effects of volunteering on salivary cortisol: Results from a daily diary study. Social Science and Medicine, 201, 120-126. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.02.011
Han, S. H., Tavares, J. L., Evans, M., Saczynski, J., & Burr, J. A. (2017). Social activities, incident cardiovascular disease, and mortality: Health behaviors mediation. Journal of Aging and Health, 29, 268-288. doi:10.1177/0898264316635565
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