Social epidemiology is the study of how the social world influences -- and in many cases defines -- the fundamental determinants of health. This link was substantiated in the first edition of Social Epidemiology, and the generation of research that followed has fundamentally changed the way we understand epidemiology and public health.

This much-awaited second edition elevates the field again, first by codifying the last decade of research, then by extending it to examine how public policies impact health. The new edition includes:

· 11 fully updated chapters, including entries on the links between health and discrimination, income inequality, social networks, and emotion
· Four all-new chapters on the role of policies in shaping health, including how to translate evidence into action with multi-level interventions
· Updated references, detailing the best research over the last two decades

The result is a bold, brilliant text that will serve the new world of epidemiology in which scientists both observe health and design interventions to improve it. Social Epidemiology again sets an intellectual agenda and provides an essential foundation for those interested in social determinants of health around the world.