Sam Swift, PhD, MPH, an assistant professor at The University of New Mexico College of Population Health (COPH), is conducting research that examines how poverty and social policies impact chronic disease outcomes. With a background as an emergency medical technician in Albuquerque, Swift observed the effects of social and economic factors on health firsthand before turning to epidemiology.
Swift’s research focuses on social determinants of health, including economic stability, education access and quality, healthcare access and quality, social and community context, and neighborhood environment. His team collects data to show how economic hardship can influence long-term health outcomes for many New Mexicans.
In November 2025, The Lancet published two studies from Swift’s team. One study investigated the link between accumulating debt during early and middle adulthood and premature mortality. The other examined the association between extended periods spent in poverty and higher rates of early death. Both studies used longitudinal data from 5,000 Americans tracked from their twenties into their fifties and sixties.
“Life expectancy is much lower in the United States than in other wealthy nations, and that midlife mortality is a major contributor,” said Swift. He added that these findings highlight important implications for understanding poverty’s impact on health at a national level.
“We know that in the U.S., wealth is health, and that wealth inequality is increasing in the United States,” Swift said. “Debt is particularly interesting to study as a determinant of health because it represents social agreements and the types of resources people have access to.”
Swift also co-authored a recent publication with COPH colleagues showing that states with policies guaranteeing paid sick leave experience reduced cardiovascular disease mortality rates.
Additionally, he has contributed research to the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL), which follows Hispanic/Latino individuals across the U.S., examining nutritional factors related to chronic diseases such as kidney disease, hypertension, and cardiovascular conditions.
“Our work in the HCHS/SOL study demonstrated the importance nutritional determinants chronic disease in the nation’s largest cohorts of Hispanic and Latino Americans, which are results that have impact for communities here in New Mexico,” Swift said.
Swift teaches epidemiology courses at UNM COPH using his practical experiences to help students address local public health challenges affecting underserved populations. He emphasizes applying analytical techniques to solve these issues through evidence-based methods.
“Epidemiology identifies the person, place and time of a disease, and then attempts to identify causes of that disease,” he explained.
Swift believes research rooted in both personal experience and rigorous methodology can drive policy changes aimed at reducing health disparities across New Mexico.
“Epidemiology is for everyone,” he said.
