SSM ECRs featuring… Dr Daniel Tzu-Hsuan Chen!
Dr Daniel Tzu-Hsuan Chen is PhD researcher based in the Public Health Policy and Evaluation Unit, Imperial College London.
Dr Daniel Tzu-Hsuan Chen
Imperial College London
PhD student
SSM member since: 2021
SSM participation: 2020 ASM, 2021 ASM, ECR workshop 2021
Topics of interest: Health behaviours, social epidemiology, tobacco control
What inspired you to pursue a career in public health?
My passion for a public health career began when I was receiving clinical training as a physiotherapist in Taiwan. After pursuing a MSc degree in Physiotherapy, my research interest expanded from preventive treatments in clinical settings to a broader focus on population-level interventions to reduce non-communicable diseases primarily related to health risks and behaviours. I thought this shift is a great window of opportunity to grow from being a health care provider to a public health policy informer.
What excites you about working in research now?
The interdisciplinary nature of the field is what excites me the most. Working with epidemiologists, sociologists, and primary care providers from a variety of backgrounds to improve public health systems and treatment has been the most fulfilling experience for me.
What area of social medicine/public health are you interested in?
I’m primarily interested in the socio-epidemiology of risky behaviours and the use of health data to inform practice and policy. Specifically, research on the underlying mechanisms of socioeconomic inequality in health behaviours such as smoking, as well as policy interventions aimed at reducing smoking inequality and promoting health behaviours among underrepresented populations.
Can you tell us a bit about a project you’re working on now?
My current work focuses on the evaluation of socio-demographic risk factors related to dual and poly-tobacco product use (the concurrent use of two or more tobacco products) and other health risk behaviours, such as substance abuse related to dual and poly-tobacco use in low- and middle-income countries. This work involves data collection on national-wide surveillance and working with implementing agencies (e.g., National Statistics Office, Ministries of Health, or universities) on analysis, advocacy and dissemination of research results.
What do you hope this will lead to?
I believe that understanding the mechanism leading to poly-tobacco/substance use will provide researchers and policymakers with the tools to better identify populations vulnerable to smoking and health inequality, and to develop effective interventions that target such populations to reduce disparities and the prevalence of non-communicable diseases.
To find out more about his work, get in touch with Daniel via email
SSM ECR features is a new blog series that celebrates early career researchers. Each month we meet a member we admire, learn more about their work and find out what and who inspires them. To find out more visit socsocmed.org.uk/blog or email ecr.ssm@gmail.com.