Whitney Denary, MPH

Whitney Denary (she/her/hers) is a fifth-year PhD Candidate and social epidemiologist who studies how social and environmental conditions shape chronic disease. Her research examines how housing influences chronic disease, food security, and mental health. Her work draws on causal inference, longitudinal mixed-methods cohort research, and community-engaged approaches to examine both population-level patterns and the everyday processes through which social conditions shape health.

Her research has focused on two interconnected areas: (1) housing affordability and chronic disease, including the effects of rental assistance on diabetes-related health outcomes, and (2) climate-related disasters and prolonged housing displacement. Across these areas, she examines how access to stable housing, food, healthcare, and other resources shapes people's ability to manage chronic conditions. Her work also considers how structural and social conditions, including economic insecurity, displacement, and community resources, contribute to health inequities.

Denary is particularly interested in research that combines rigorous epidemiologic methods with qualitative approaches to understand the mechanisms underlying observed health disparities. Her work seeks to generate evidence that can inform policies and interventions addressing unequal access to safe, affordable, and secure housing that shapes chronic disease management and outcomes.