Dr. Xiaolong Hou is an Assistant Professor in the Chaudhry Nazar Muhammad (CNM) Department of Economics at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). He received his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Georgia in 2025. He specializes in health economics and applied microeconomics. His research examines how family relationships and broader social and economic conditions shape individual health and health behaviors, with a particular focus on mental health, substance use, and infectious diseases. His current research also explores women’s empowerment and household bargaining in developing countries.