Faculty and Staff Profile

Ye Luo

Educational Background

Ph.D. Sociology
Tulane University 1999

M.S. Information Management
Peking University 1991

M.A. Sociology
Tulane University 1994

B.S. Information Science
Peking University 1988

Courses Taught

Introduction to Sociology (undergraduate)
Methods of Social Research I (undergraduate)
Methods of Social Research II (undergraduate)
Population Issues and Methods (undergraduate/graduate)
Social Science Data Analysis (undergraduate)
Survey Designs for Applied Social Research (graduate)
Quantitative Research Methods I (graduate)
Quantitative Research Methods II/Advanced Research Methods (graduate)
Resources and Data Management Issues in Survey Research (graduate)

Profile

Dr. Luo is a professor in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice at Clemson University. Dr. Luo is also a research associate at Clemson University's Institute for Engaged Aging. Her recent research primarily focuses on three interrelated areas: social determinants of health, social dynamics of aging, and sexual behavior and sexual health. Her research examines the relationship between socioeconomic status and health over the life course, and whether these relationships can be generalized to different populations and different societies. Dr. Luo’s research has examined the effects of life transitions, such as marriage, divorce, parenting, (un)employment, retirement, grandparenting and changing living arrangements, and negative life events, such as elder mistreatment, discrimination, sexual assault, domestic violence, and feelings of loneliness, affect health and well-being. She is particularly interested in how social services and social support at individual, community and societal levels modify these relationships. Her recent research has focused on neighborhood environments, loneliness, nutrition and food insecurity, physical and emotional health, and cognitive functioning.

Research Interests

Social Demography, Social Gerontology, Life Course and Health, Food Insecurity, Work and Family, Chinese Societies, Quantitative Methods

Research Publications

Research Publications since 2011 (* indicates graduate/undergraduate student coauthors)

Luo, Ye, Patricia Carbajales-Dale, Miao Li, William Haller, and Yu-Bo Wang. 2025. "Proximity to COVID-19 vaccination sites and vaccine uptake: The role of gender and vaccine distrust." Frontiers in Public Health 13: 1569280.

Luo, Ye, Dandan Zhao, Xi Pan, and Lingling Zhang. 2025. “Household environments and cognitive decline among middle-aged and older adults in China: Exploring gender, age, and residential variations.” The International Journal of Aging and Human Development 101(2): 189-209.

Luo, Ye., Jessica Liberman*, and Savannah R. Burke*. 2025. “Social statuses, perceived everyday discrimination and health and well-being before and after COVID-19 pandemic.” Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities 12: 929-942.

Zhao, Dandan*, Ye Luo, Karen A. Kemper, Lingling Zhang, and Xi Pan. 2024. “Household environments and functional decline among middle-aged and older adults in China: Variations by gender, age, and residence.” Research on Aging 46(9-10): 451-467.

Mobley, Catherine, Ye Luo, Mariela Fernandez, and Leslie Hossfeld. (2024). “Social determinants of health and college food insecurity.” Nutrients 16(9): 1391.

Rossi, Maria Merecedes*, Dale Layfield, Joseph L. Donaldson, Ye Luo, and Paula Agudelo. (2024). “Assessing online readiness for a professional master’s degree program in agricultural education.” Journal of Agricultural Education, 65(1), 140-156.

Li, Miao and Ye Luo. 2023. “Physical disability, psychological resilience, and COVID-related changes in depressive symptoms among U.S. older adults.” Journals of Gerontology Social Sciences 78(7):1246-1256.

Li, Miao and Ye Luo. 2023. “Race and depressive symptoms among U.S. older adults in the COVID pandemic: A competitive mediation model.” Innovation in Aging 7(2), igad003.

Luo, Ye. 2023. “Own health, spousal health and transitions in loneliness among middle-aged and older adults in China.” Ageing and Society, 43 (7), 1576-1602.

Lu, Kevin, Xiaomo Xiong, Sam Li, Jing Yuan, Ye Luo, and Daniela B Friedman. 2023. "Trends in prevalence, health disparities, and early detection of dementia: A 10-year nationally representative serial cross-sectional and cohort study." Frontiers in Public Health 10:5086.

Koob, Caitlin*, Ye Luo, Catherine Mobley, Samuel Baxter, Sarah Griffin, Cassius Hossfeld*, and Leslie Hossfeld. 2023. "Food insecurity and stress among rural residents in South Carolina: The moderating influences of household characteristics, neighborhood social environment and food environment." Journal of Community Health 48(3):367-380.

Pan, Xi, Ye Luo, Dandan Zhao*, and Lingling Zhang. 2022." Associations among drinking water quality, dyslipidemia, and cognitive function for older adults in China: evidence from CHARLS." BMC Geriatrics 22:683.

Ingram, Lucy Annang, Cheryl Dye, Heather Boger, Ye Luo, and Tara Hayes. 2022. "A qualitative study of health care access among African American older adults in a socio-demographically under-resourced region during the COVID-19 pandemic." Frontiers in Public Health 10.

Luo, Ye, Catherine Mobley, Leslie Hossfeld, Caitlin Koob*, Cassius Hossfeld*, Samuel L. K. Baxter, and Sarah F. Griffin. 2022. "The association between food insecurity and making hunger-coping trade-offs during the COVID-19 pandemic: The role of sources of food and easiness in food access." Nutrients 14:4616.

Zhang, Lingling, Ye Luo, Yao Zhang, Xi Pan, Dandan Zhao*, and Qing Wang. 2022. “Green space, air pollution, weather and cognitive function in middle and old age in China.” Frontiers in Public Health 10: 871104.

Pan, Xi, Ye Luo and Nicholas Joseph Bishop. 2022. “Cognitive function among noncustodial grandparents in China and the United States: A cross-national perspective.” The International Journal of Aging and Human Development. 95(1):18-41.

Luo, Ye, Lingling Zhang and Xi Pan. 2019. “Neighborhood environments and cognitive decline among middle-aged and older people in China.” Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 74(7), e60-e71.

Luo, Ye, Xi Pan, and Zhenmei Zhang. 2019. “Productive activities and cognitive decline among older adults in China: Evidence from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study.” Social Science & Medicine, 229: 96-105.

Liu, Jing*, Ye Luo, William Haller, Brenda Vander Mey, and Ellen Granberg. 2018. “Neighborhood environments and self-rated health in Mainland China, Japan and South Korea.” PLoS ONE, 13(9), e0204910.

Pan, Xi, Ye Luo, and Amy Roberts. 2018. “Secondhand smoke and women’s cognitive function in China.” American Journal of Epidemiology, 187(5): 911-918. (Published with an invited commentary and author’s response)

Pan, Xi, Ye Luo, and Amy Roberts. 2018. “Respond to ‘Secondhand smoke and cognitive decline’” American Journal of Epidemiology, 187(5): 922-923.

Luo, Ye. 2016. “Gender and job satisfaction in urban China: The role of individual, family, and job characteristics.” Social Indicators Research, 125(1): 289-309.

Yates, Adam*, Ye Luo, Catherine Mobley, and Erin Shealy*. 2015. “Changes in public and private environmentally responsible behaviors by gender: Findings from the 1994 and 2010 General Social Survey.” Sociological Inquiry, 85: 503–531.

Shakona, Maloud Y.*, Kenneth Backman, Sheila Backman, William Norman, Ye Luo, and Lauren Duffy. 2015. “Understanding the traveling behavior of Muslims in the United States.” International Journal of Culture, Tourism, and Hospitality Research 9(1): 22-35.

Luo, Ye, Zhenmei Zhang, and Danan Gu. 2015. “Education and mortality among older adults in China.” Social Science & Medicine 127 (Special Issue): 134-142.

Zhang, Zhenmei, Danan Gu, and Ye Luo. 2014. “Coresidence with elderly parents in contemporary China: The role of filial piety, reciprocity, socioeconomic resources, and parental needs.” Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology 29(3): 259-276.

Luo, Ye and Linda J. Waite. 2014. “Loneliness and mortality among older adults in China.” Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences 69(4): 633-645.

Nie, Lulu*, Ye Luo, William M. Wentworth, and Douglas K. Sturkie. 2014. “Gender, family, socioeconomic status, and work values in China.” American International Journal of Social Science 3(2): 53-64.

Luo, Ye, Tracey A. LaPierre, Mary Elizabeth Hughes, and Linda J. Waite. 2012. “Grandparents providing care to grandchildren: A population-based study of continuity and change.” Journal of Family Issues 33(9): 1143-1167.

Luo, Ye, Louise Hawkley, Linda Waite, and John Cacioppo. 2012. “Loneliness, health, and mortality in old age: A national longitudinal study.” Social Science & Medicine 74(6): 907-914.

Luo, Ye, Jun Xu*, Ellen Granberg, and William M. Wentworth. 2012. “A longitudinal study of social status, perceived discrimination, and physical and emotional health among older adults.” Research on Aging 34(3): 275-301.

Konetzka, R. Tamara and Ye Luo. 2011. “Explaining laps in long-term care insurance markets.” Health Economics 20(10): 1169-1183.

Luo, Ye and Linda Waite. 2011. “Mistreatment and psychological well-being among older adults: Exploring the role of psychosocial resources and deficits.” Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences 66B(2): S217-S229.

Honors and Awards

Honors and Awards since 2011

2022 Clemson University Research, Scholarship and Artistic Achievement Award
2021 Nominated for Clemson CBSHS’s Excellence in Graduate Student Advising/Mentoring award
2020 Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society full membership
2020 GSA Fellow awarded by Gerontological Society of America
2016 Highly Commended Paper in the 2016 Emerald Literati Network Awards for Excellence