The University of Hong Kong 
Prof Tarani Chandola
Head, Department of Sociology
chandola@hku.hk
3917 2066
Biography
Tarani is a Professor of Medical Sociology. He is the head of the department of Sociology and the director of the Methods Hub and Social Science Research Centre in the Faculty of the Social Sciences at the University of Hong Kong. He joined the Department of Sociology in August 2021 and was formerly the Head of Department of Social Statistics at the University of Manchester. He is a member of the ESRC Strategic Advisory Network Strategic Advisory Network and a fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences. He was formerly the editor-in-chief of the journal Sociology, the flagship journal of the British Sociological Association, and is currently an international advisory board member of the journal Sociology of Health & Illness. He was a panel member of the Sociology Unit of Assessment for the 2021 Research Excellence Framework, UK. He obtained his DPhil in Sociology from Nuffield College, University of Oxford in 1998.
His research is primarily on the social determinants of health, focusing on health inequalities and psychosocial factors, and the analysis of longitudinal cohort studies. His major research contributions have been on understanding the role of chronic stress related biomarkers in relation to psychosocial stressors such as poor working conditions. He is currently researching HPA-axis biomarkers associated with social isolation, loneliness and (resilience to) chronic pain.
Courses taught
Research interests
Sociology of Health and Illness/Medical Sociology
Health inequalities
Ageing and social gerontology
Psychosocial factors
Work and Health
Social Science research methods
Quantitative research methods
Current research
Social determinants of health and wellbeing
Living and working conditions in the context of disability and ageing
Selected publications
Books:
2023 Wahrendorf M, Chandola T, Descatha A. (eds) Handbook of Life Course Occupational Health, Springer.
2022 Chandola T, Booker C. Archival & Secondary Data Analysis. The SAGE Quantitative Kit. SAGE.
Journal articles:
2023 Chatzi G, Whittaker W, Chandola T, Mason T, Soiland-Reyes C, Sutton M, Bower P. Could diabetes prevention programmes result in the widening of sociodemographic inequalities in type 2 diabetes? Comparison of survey and administrative data for England. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.
2023 Rouxel P, Chandola T. No Substitute for In-Person Interaction: Changing Modes of Social Contact during the Coronavirus Pandemic and Effects on the Mental Health of Adults in the UK. Sociology.
2022 Zhang J, Chandola T, Zhang N. Understanding the longitudinal dynamics of rural–urban mental health disparities in later life in China. Aging & Mental Health.
2022 The validity of the residuals approach to measuring resilience to adverse childhood experiences. Cahill S., Hager R., Chandola T. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health
2022 Home modifications and disability outcomes: A longitudinal study of older adults living in England. Chandola T., Rouxel P. The Lancet Regional Health – Europe
2022 Genetic Variants Associated With Resilience in Human and Animal Studies. Cahill S., Chandola T., Hager R. Frontiers in Psychiatry
2022 Adverse employment histories and allostatic load: associations over the working life. Wahrendorf M., Chandola T., Goldberg M., Zins M., Hoven H., Siegrist J. Journal of epidemiology and community health
2022 Understanding the longitudinal dynamics of rural–urban mental health disparities in later life in China. Zhang J., Chandola T., Zhang N. Aging and Mental Health
2022 Biological costs and benefits of social relationships for men and women in adulthood: The role of partner, family and friends. Rouxel P., Chandola T., Kumari M., Seeman T., Benzeval M. Sociology of Health and Illness
2021 The role of workplace accommodations in explaining the disability employment gap in the UK. Chandola T., Rouxel P. Social Science and Medicine
2021 Subjective wellbeing in rural china: How social environments influence the diurnal rhythms of affect. Sun J., Zhang N., Vanhoutte B., Wang J., Chandola T. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
2021 The longitudinal relationship between loneliness, social isolation, and frailty in older adults in England: a prospective analysis. Davies K., Maharani A., Chandola T., Todd C., Pendleton N. The Lancet Healthy Longevity
2021 The Influence of Household Pension Wealth, Partner’s Health and Spousal Employment Status on Heterogeneous Early Retirement Transitions among Women in England. Prattley J., Chandola T. Work, Employment and Society
2020 The mental health impact of COVID-19 and lockdown related stressors among adults in the UK. Chandola T., Kumari M., Booker C.L., Benzeval M.J. Psychological Medicine