d.pedersonDuncan Pederson,  MD, MPH, studies how societies impact the mental health of their citizens. HIs work focuses on Latin America, where large numbers of urban poor, ethnic minorities and indigenous peoples are exposed to social discrimination and political upheavals, poor environmental conditions, poverty, and income inequality. This results in substantial health conditions and a high prevalence of mental and social disorders. His research is currently centered primarily on the long-term impact of political violence wars amongst the indigenous populations of the Peruvian Highlands, primarily in relation to trauma-related disorders, collective suffering and local forms of distress.