As health care reform becomes a thorny issue with the announcement of premium increases, and as the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community watches the presidential campaign with baited breath on many issues, a sociologist is available to discuss matters affecting the community, as well as health care.

Eric R. Wright is the chair of the Department of Sociology and professor of sociology and public health at Georgia State University in Atlanta.

His direct contact information is in the box above for reporters registered with the Newswise system. Media needing further assistance can contact Jeremy Craig at [email protected].

Wright is involved in research addressing youth homelessness (including LGBT youth homelessness), as well as research seeking to understand and tackle health problems and disparities in and other vulnerable communities, including LGBT persons.

As a medical sociologist, his research also looks at social and public policy responses to mental health and illness, substance abuse and addictions, sexual health, and HIV/STI (sexually transmitted infection) prevention.

A member of the Second Century Initiative at Georgia State, he is also an adjunct professor in the Department of Behavioral Science in the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University.

For more information about Wright, including a link to his curriculum vitae with a full list of his research, visit http://sociology.gsu.edu/profile/eric-wright/. For other assistance with faculty experts, contact Jeremy Craig, Public Relations Coordinator, at [email protected] or 404-413-1374.

You can also visit the Georgia State University News Hub at http://news.gsu.edu for a list of featured faculty experts on a wide range of topics.