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NORC at the University Chicago

Melissa Howe

Senior Research Scientist
The Bridge at NORC
Melissa studies elder mistreatment and has experience working with older adult populations.

Melissa is a sociologist and senior research scientist in The Bridge at NORC. She has extensive experience leading research on the health and well-being of older adults, ranging from nationally representative longitudinal surveys to community-based participatory research (CBPR). Her work integrates rigorous quantitative analysis with community-informed qualitative insights to address complex health-related issues, including elder abuse, financial exploitation, and the needs and experiences of caregivers supporting individuals with cognitive decline.

Melissa is the analytic project director of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP). She previously served as an investigator on an NIA-funded national study of Latino caregivers and an NIJ-funded national study of elder mistreatment. She also led the Reconceptualizing Positive Aging to Support Older Latinos study, a CBPR study examining Latino older adults’ perspectives on positive aging, and co-led a follow-up effort to adapt health education curricula based on study findings to better meet the needs of Latino communities. In addition, she has collaborated with AARP and the Federal Trade Commission to improve public awareness of elder financial exploitation and serves on the board of directors of a community-based organization serving older adults.

Melissa’s methodological expertise includes survey design, longitudinal data collection, qualitative and cognitive interviewing, focus groups, mixed-methods research, and stakeholder-engaged approaches to data collection, interpretation, and dissemination.

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Expertise

Education

PhD

University of Chicago

MPhil

University of Cambridge

BA

University of California San Diego

Project Contributions

Reconceptualizing Positive Aging to Support Older Latinos

Concept mapping and community-based participatory research

Client:

Mather Institute

National Social Life, Health & Aging Project

A pioneering nationally representative study of the intersection between social and intimate relationships and healthy aging

Client:

National Institute on Aging

National Social Life, Health & Aging COVID-19 Study

Assessing how resilience or vulnerabilities might affect older adults

Client:

National Institute on Aging

Latino Aging Caregiver Network Study

Exploring informal caregiving experiences and networks of Latino families affected by dementia

Client:

National Institute on Aging

Elder Abuse Survivor Equity (EASE) Study

A national survey to understand different forms of elder abuse to better protect older Americans

Client:

National Institute of Justice

Publications

Research Library & Findings