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Prof Tarani Chandola

Head, Department of Sociology

9.07, 9/F., The Jockey Club Tower, Centennial Campus

3917 2066

HKU Scholars Hub
Personal Website
Personal Website
Prof Tarani Chandola
  • 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.




  • DPhil (Sociology): Nuffield College, University of Oxford


    MPhil (Sociology): Jesus College, University of Oxford


    MA (Sociology): Jawaharlal Nehru University


    BA (History): St Stephen’s College, Delhi University

    • 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

    • Social determinants of health and wellbeing

    • Living and working conditions in the context of disability and ageing

  • 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


    See all publications in HKU Scholars Hub →

  • SOCI4098

    1st semester

    Capstone project in media and cultural studies

    SOCI4096

    1st semester

    Capstone project in criminology

    SOCI4095

    1st semester

    Capstone project in sociology

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