Scholarly Interests

Aging and the Life Course, Family, Medical Sociology, Quantitative Methods, Social Psychology

Academic Profile

Professor Moorman's primary research interest is in older persons' physical health and psychological well-being. In her earliest research, she wrote about the bereavement experience of older widows and widowers, as well as older persons' romantic relationships before and after widowhood. In a second, continuing line of research, she has noted that the empirical literature has insufficiently addressed the social and psychological aspects of end-of-life medical decision-making. She has written several papers examining the ways in which older adults' values, attitudes, beliefs, and personal relationships shape their propensity to complete advance directives and to communicate their treatment preferences to others. A third, newer line of research concerns older adults' experiences as recipients of caregiving.

Courses Typically Taught

SC078 - Sociology of Health and Illness
SC096 - Aging and Society
SC516 - Survey Methodology
SC704 - Topics in Multivariate Statistics

Selected Publications

Moorman, Sara M. and Cameron Macdonald. Forthcoming. “Medically Complex Home Care and Caregiver Strain.” The Gerontologist. Advance access for institutional subscribers.

Moorman, Sara M., Deborah Carr, Bernard J. Hammes, and Karin T. Kirchhoff. 2012. "An Assessment of Social Diffusion in the Respecting Choices at an Advance Care Planning Program." Death Studies. 36(4): 301-22. Read the abstract.

Moorman, Sara M. 2011. "The Importance of Feeling Understood in Marital Conversations about End-of-Life Health Care." Journal of Social and Personal Relationships 28(1): 100-16. Read the abstract.

Moorman, Sara M. 2011. "Older Adults' Preferences for Independent or Delegated End-of-Life Medical Decision-Making." Journal of Aging and Health 23(1): 135-57. Read the abstract.