2025
Estimating the Effects of Hypothetical Ambient PM2.5 Interventions on the Risk of Dementia Using the Parametric g-Formula in the UK Biobank Cohort
Lin C, Liu R, Sutton C, DeWan A, Forastiere L, Chen K. Estimating the Effects of Hypothetical Ambient PM2.5 Interventions on the Risk of Dementia Using the Parametric g-Formula in the UK Biobank Cohort. Environmental Health Perspectives 2025, 133: 047007. PMID: 40062909, PMCID: PMC12010936, DOI: 10.1289/ehp14723.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRisk of dementiaParametric g-formulaUK Biobank cohortG-formulaBiobank cohortLate lifeFree of dementiaUK Biobank participantsModifiable risk factorsParticulate matterAerodynamic diameter <Annual average standardBiobank participantsHypothetical interventionAmbient particulate matterNo interventionDementiaRisk differenceInterventionRisk factorsHealth benefitsPotential health benefitsCohortRiskParticipantsFloods and cause-specific mortality in the United States applying a triply robust approach
Chu L, Warren J, Spatz E, Lowe S, Lu Y, Ma X, Ross J, Krumholz H, Chen K. Floods and cause-specific mortality in the United States applying a triply robust approach. Nature Communications 2025, 16: 2853. PMID: 40122917, PMCID: PMC11930965, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-58236-0.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCDC's National Center for Health StatisticsNational Center for Health StatisticsCause-specific mortality ratesCenter for Health StatisticsCause-specific mortalityHealth impacts of floodingExcess all-cause deathsLong-term health risksFlood daysLong-term associationDeath recordsHealth StatisticsConfounder adjustmentExternal causesStorm Events DatabaseAll-cause deathHealth impactsImpact of floodsPropensity scorePost‐flood yearMortality rateMyocardial infarctionPost-floodContiguous U.S.Respiratory diseaseEffect of Air Pollution Reductions on Mortality During the COVID-19 Lockdowns in Early 2020.
Chen K, Ma Y, Marb A, Nobile F, Dubrow R, Stafoggia M, Breitner S, Kinney P. Effect of Air Pollution Reductions on Mortality During the COVID-19 Lockdowns in Early 2020. Research Report 2025, 2025: 1-47. PMID: 40551404, PMCID: PMC12185919.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAir pollution changesAir pollutionPollution changesShort-term exposure to PM<sub>2.5</sub>Air qualityExposure to PM<sub>2.5</sub>Natural-causeMeteorological normalization techniqueFine particulate matterDaily air pollutionImprove air qualityAir pollutant emissionsAir pollution reductionEmission control strategiesSouthern ItalyQuantify changesAir pollution-mortality relationshipPollution-mortality relationshipCOVID-19 lockdownShort-term exposureNOParticulate matterMeteorological impactsNitrogen dioxidePollution reductionLong-term drought and risk of infant mortality in Africa: A cross-sectional study
Wang P, Rogne T, Warren J, Asare E, Akum R, Toure N, Ross J, Chen K. Long-term drought and risk of infant mortality in Africa: A cross-sectional study. PLOS Medicine 2025, 22: e1004516. PMID: 39888958, PMCID: PMC11785314, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1004516.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRisk of infant mortalityInfant mortality riskCross-sectional studyInfant mortalityMortality riskIncreased risk of infant mortalityIncreased risk of neonatal mortalityIncreased riskRisk of neonatal mortalityHealth Surveys ProgramPost-neonatal mortalityCox regression modelsStatistically significant associationChild healthGlobal burdenNon-casesNeonatal mortalitySignificant associationImpact mortalityNon-exposureSurvival periodRegression modelsPregnancyMortalityHealth
2024
Long-term exposure to wildland fire smoke PM2.5 and mortality in the contiguous United States
Ma Y, Zang E, Liu Y, Wei J, Lu Y, Krumholz H, Bell M, Chen K. Long-term exposure to wildland fire smoke PM2.5 and mortality in the contiguous United States. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2024, 121: e2403960121. PMID: 39316057, PMCID: PMC11459178, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2403960121.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsWildland firesContiguous United StatesNonaccidental mortalityExposure to ambient fine particlesSmoke PM<sWildland fire smokeMoving average concentrationsAmbient fine particlesLong-term exposureAverage concentrationSmoke PMHealth risksFine particlesFire smokeTemporal confoundingHealth effectsKidney disease mortalityChronic kidney disease mortalityPublic health actionFireMortality rateUnited StatesDisease mortalityHealth actionsMortality outcomesLandscape Fire Air Pollution as a Mediator in Drought and Childhood Stunting Pathway in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Li J, Wang P, Sutton C, Harker R, Xue T, Chen K. Landscape Fire Air Pollution as a Mediator in Drought and Childhood Stunting Pathway in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Environmental Science And Technology 2024, 58: 16728-16737. PMID: 39259849, DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c04307.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAir pollutionEnhance climate resilienceIncreased air pollutionIncreasing drought conditionsMiddle-income countriesHealth risksWildfireClimate resilienceChildhood stuntingRisk of childhood stuntingPollutionStandardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration IndexMixed-effects regressionDrought conditionsDroughtChild healthStunting riskPersonalized interventionsMiddle-incomeLandscapeIncreased riskMediation analysisStuntingLMICsFireHigh ambient temperature in pregnancy and risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: an observational study
Rogne T, Wang R, Wang P, Deziel N, Metayer C, Wiemels J, Chen K, Warren J, Ma X. High ambient temperature in pregnancy and risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: an observational study. The Lancet Planetary Health 2024, 8: e506-e514. PMID: 38969477, PMCID: PMC11260908, DOI: 10.1016/s2542-5196(24)00121-9.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRisk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemiaChildhood acute lymphoblastic leukemiaAcute lymphoblastic leukemiaLymphoblastic leukemiaLatino childrenNon-Latino white childrenAssociated with risk of adverse pregnancy outcomesCalifornia Cancer RegistryRisk of acute lymphoblastic leukemiaCalifornia birth recordsRisk of adverse pregnancy outcomesPre-pregnancy periodAssociated with riskBayesian meta-regressionNational Institutes of HealthCancer RegistryCases of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemiaNational Center for Advancing Translational SciencesAdverse pregnancy outcomesAcute lymphoblastic leukemia casesInstitutes of HealthInvestigation of mechanistic pathwaysBirth recordsGestational weeks 8Pre-pregnancyAir pollution changes due to COVID-19 lockdowns and attributable mortality changes in four countries
Ma Y, Nobile F, Marb A, Dubrow R, Kinney P, Peters A, Stafoggia M, Breitner S, Chen K. Air pollution changes due to COVID-19 lockdowns and attributable mortality changes in four countries. Environment International 2024, 187: 108668. PMID: 38640613, DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108668.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMeteorological normalization techniqueAir pollution changesFine particulate matterImprove air qualityEmission control strategiesCentral-southern ItalyPollution changesParticulate matterRegion-specific estimatesAir qualityMeteorological impactsAir pollutionPollutionCOVID-19 lockdownModeling approachAirCaliforniaMortality changesConcentrationJiangsuEmissionTime trendsLocal characteristicsChinaMatterShort-Term Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter and Nitrogen Dioxide and Mortality in 4 Countries
Ma Y, Nobile F, Marb A, Dubrow R, Stafoggia M, Breitner S, Kinney P, Chen K. Short-Term Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter and Nitrogen Dioxide and Mortality in 4 Countries. JAMA Network Open 2024, 7: e2354607. PMID: 38427355, PMCID: PMC10907920, DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.54607.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsShort-term exposure to air pollutionExposure to air pollutionFine particulate matterCross-sectional studyAir pollutionFixed-effects modelParticulate matterShort-term exposure to PM2.5Short-term exposure to fine particulate matterNO2 concentrationsExposure to fine particulate matterMortality rateNitrogen dioxideSignificant effect modificationDaily PM2.5 concentrationsTime-varying confoundersExposure to PM2.5Health outcomesEstimate associationsMortality dataEffect modificationPM2.5 concentrationsMain OutcomesDay-to-dayCentral-southern Italy
2023
Floods and Diarrhea Risk in Young Children in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Wang P, Asare E, Pitzer V, Dubrow R, Chen K. Floods and Diarrhea Risk in Young Children in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. JAMA Pediatrics 2023, 177: 1206-1214. PMID: 37782513, PMCID: PMC10546297, DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2023.3964.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMiddle-income countriesDiarrhea riskOdds ratioMAIN OUTCOMEMixed-effects logistic regression modelRisk of diarrheaCross-sectional studyHigher odds ratioPrevalence of diarrheaLogistic regression modelsHealth survey programUnexposed childrenEffect modificationChild healthDiarrhea prevalenceSurvey clustersSignificant associationHygiene practicesFourth weekWeeksStrong associationRandom interceptYoung childrenChildrenDiarrheaLong-Term Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter and Academic Performance Among Children in North Carolina
Lam P, Zang E, Chen D, Liu R, Chen K. Long-Term Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter and Academic Performance Among Children in North Carolina. JAMA Network Open 2023, 6: e2340928. PMID: 37906198, PMCID: PMC10618843, DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.40928.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchRacial/ethnic disparities in PM2.5-attributable cardiovascular mortality burden in the United States
Ma Y, Zang E, Opara I, Lu Y, Krumholz H, Chen K. Racial/ethnic disparities in PM2.5-attributable cardiovascular mortality burden in the United States. Nature Human Behaviour 2023, 7: 2074-2083. PMID: 37653149, PMCID: PMC10901568, DOI: 10.1038/s41562-023-01694-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsNon-Hispanic White peopleCVD deathMortality burdenNon-Hispanic black peopleCardiovascular disease mortality ratesDisease mortality ratesNon-Hispanic blacksRace/ethnicityMortality rateLong-term exposureWhite peopleEthnic disparitiesHealth benefitsHispanic peopleSignificant differencesBurdenDeathUS countiesEthnic groupsAbsolute disparityAssociationExposureEthnic minoritiesDisparitiesAmbient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrationsFuture temperature-related excess mortality under climate change and population aging scenarios in Canada
Hebbern C, Gosselin P, Chen K, Chen H, Cakmak S, MacDonald M, Chagnon J, Dion P, Martel L, Lavigne E. Future temperature-related excess mortality under climate change and population aging scenarios in Canada. Canadian Journal Of Public Health 2023, 114: 726-736. PMID: 37308698, PMCID: PMC10484859, DOI: 10.17269/s41997-023-00782-5.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPopulation aging scenariosExcess mortalityCoupled Model Inter-comparison Project 6Non-accidental mortalityDemographic changesShared Socioeconomic PathwaysNon-accidental deathsClimate change scenariosTemperature-related mortalityHealth regionsRural areasEstimate associationsCold-related mortalityAging scenariosPopulation growthMortality riskScenarios of population growthSustainable developmentChange scenariosMitigate future climate change impactsGreenhouse gas emission scenariosNet differenceClimate model ensembleEmission climate change scenarioClimate change impactsAssessment of Regional Nursing Home Preparedness for and Regulatory Responsiveness to Wildfire Risk in the Western US
Festa N, Throgmorton K, Davis-Plourde K, Dosa D, Chen K, Zang E, Kelly J, Gill T. Assessment of Regional Nursing Home Preparedness for and Regulatory Responsiveness to Wildfire Risk in the Western US. JAMA Network Open 2023, 6: e2320207. PMID: 37358851, PMCID: PMC10293909, DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.20207.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCross-sectional studyNursing homesNursing home characteristicsMean survival timeUS nursing homesGreater mean numberPrimary outcomeUS CentersExposure statusMAIN OUTCOMEElevated riskSurvival timeSurvival analysisPresence of deficienciesMore deficienciesRisk statusEmergency preparednessHome characteristicsMean numberRiskPreparedness standardsDeficiencyResponsivenessHigh percentageOutcomesAssociations between short-term exposure to PM2.5, NO2 and O3 pollution and kidney-related conditions and the role of temperature-adjustment specification: A case-crossover study in New York state
Chu L, Chen K, Di Q, Crowley S, Dubrow R. Associations between short-term exposure to PM2.5, NO2 and O3 pollution and kidney-related conditions and the role of temperature-adjustment specification: A case-crossover study in New York state. Environmental Pollution 2023, 328: 121629. PMID: 37054868, DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121629.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAssociations between short-term temperature exposure and kidney-related conditions in New York State: The influence of temperature metrics across four dimensions
Chu L, Chen K, Crowley S, Dubrow R. Associations between short-term temperature exposure and kidney-related conditions in New York State: The influence of temperature metrics across four dimensions. Environment International 2023, 173: 107783. PMID: 36841184, DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.107783.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2022
High-resolution spatiotemporal modeling of daily near-surface air temperature in Germany over the period 2000–2020
Nikolaou N, Dallavalle M, Stafoggia M, Bouwer L, Peters A, Chen K, Wolf K, Schneider A. High-resolution spatiotemporal modeling of daily near-surface air temperature in Germany over the period 2000–2020. Environmental Research 2022, 219: 115062. PMID: 36535393, DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.115062.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsLand surface temperatureSatellite-based land surface temperatureNear-surface air temperatureAir temperatureStation TSurface temperatureMulti-stage modelingTemperatureLow errorHigh resolutionSpatiotemporal coverageHigh accuracyBetter performanceSpatial variabilityWeather stationsModelingSecond stageSpatiotemporal modelingFirst stageMaximum TSpatiotemporal variabilitySubFuture temperature-related mortality considering physiological and socioeconomic adaptation: a modelling framework
Rai M, Breitner S, Wolf K, Peters A, Schneider A, Chen K. Future temperature-related mortality considering physiological and socioeconomic adaptation: a modelling framework. The Lancet Planetary Health 2022, 6: e784-e792. PMID: 36208641, DOI: 10.1016/s2542-5196(22)00195-4.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAssociations between long-term drought and diarrhea among children under five in low- and middle-income countries
Wang P, Asare E, Pitzer VE, Dubrow R, Chen K. Associations between long-term drought and diarrhea among children under five in low- and middle-income countries. Nature Communications 2022, 13: 3661. PMID: 35773263, PMCID: PMC9247069, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31291-7.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2021
Role of meteorological factors in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in the United States
Ma Y, Pei S, Shaman J, Dubrow R, Chen K. Role of meteorological factors in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in the United States. Nature Communications 2021, 12: 3602. PMID: 34127665, PMCID: PMC8203661, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23866-7.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
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