The sociobiologic integrative model (SBIM): enhancing the integration of sociobehavioral, environmental, and biomolecular knowledge in urban health and disparities research.
Disentangling the myriad determinants of disease, within the context of urban health or health disparities, requires a transdisciplinary approach. Transdisciplinary approaches draw on concepts from multiple scientific disciplines to develop a novel, integrated perspective from which to conduct scientific investigation. Most historic and contemporary conceptual models of health were derived either from the sociobehavioral sciences or the biomolecular sciences. Those models deriving from the sociobehavioral sciences generally lack detail on involved biological mechanisms whereas those derived from the biomolecular sciences largely do not consider socioenvironmental determinants. As such, advances in transdisciplinary characterizations of health in complex systems like the urban environment or health disparities may be impeded. This paper suggests a sociobiologic organizing model that encourages a multilevel, integrative perspective in the study of urban health and health disparities.
Gibbons
M Chris
MC
Johns Hopkins Urban Health Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA. mgibbons@jhsph.edu
Brock
Malcolm
M
Alberg
Anthony J
AJ
Glass
Thomas
T
LaVeist
Thomas A
TA
Baylin
Stephen
S
Levine
David
D
Fox
C Earl
CE
D015984:Causality; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics; D015340:Epidemiologic Research Design; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D017059:Models, Econometric; D035503:Sociobiology / Q000379:methods*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D012962:Sociology, Medical; D018511:Systems Integration; D014504:Urban Health