Initiative History
SDHI was launched by Portland State University in 2012 as an interdisciplinary effort between Social Work, Public Health, and Sociology. Christina Nicolaidis, MD, MPH was hired to lead the Initiative, and joined PSU’s School of Social Work as Professor and Senior Scholar in Social Determinants of Health. In an effort to bridge the two institutions, she has maintained her appointment at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), where she continues to practice internal medicine.
The SDH Initiative includes a large number of existing faculty members and community partners working to address SDH. Together, this group is poised to make Portland a nationally recognized hub for research, education, and action to address SDH and improve health equity. To learn more about our members' work or how to become a member, visit our Scholars & Members page linked below.
In 2018, SDHI identified an inner-core of highly engaged members known as our SDHI Scholars. Initiative Scholars are members who have demonstrated scholarship in the area of SDH, and are actively involved in Initiative activities. Being a part of this group gives Scholars access to peer mentorship and community, admin support, research dissemination, our Scholar Repository, and more.