Kai Chen, PhD
Associate Professor of Epidemiology (Environmental Health Sciences)Cards
About
Research
Overview
Public Health Interests
Epidemiology Methods; Environmental Health; Global Health; Infectious Diseases; Climate Change; COVID-19; Pollution
Publications
2025
Floods 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 diseaseShort-term exposure to ambient nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter and cause-specific mortality: A causal modeling approach in four regions
Marb A, Ma Y, Nobile F, Dubrow R, Kinney P, Stafoggia M, Chen K, Peters A, Breitner S. Short-term exposure to ambient nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter and cause-specific mortality: A causal modeling approach in four regions. Environmental Pollution 2025, 372: 126059. PMID: 40089139, DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2025.126059.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchParticulate matterAir pollutionDaily NO<sub>2</sub> anShort-term air pollution exposureNitrogen dioxideDaily air pollution dataExposure to NO<sub>2</sub>Effects of air pollutionShort-term exposure to NO<sub>2</sub> anFine particulate matterTwo-pollutant modelsExposure to ambient nitrogen dioxideAmbient air pollutionAmbient particulate matterAir pollution dataAir pollution exposureCause-specific mortality ratesAmbient nitrogen dioxideRural populationCause-specific mortalityRespiratory mortality ratesMortality rateCause-specific deathCardiovascular mortality ratesPollution exposureShort‐Term Associations Between Ambient Ozone and Acute Myocardial Infarction Onset Among Younger Patients: Results From the VIRGO Study
Zhang S, Chu L, Lu Y, Wei J, Dubrow R, Chaudhry S, Spatz E, Krumholz H, Chen K. Short‐Term Associations Between Ambient Ozone and Acute Myocardial Infarction Onset Among Younger Patients: Results From the VIRGO Study. GeoHealth 2025, 9: e2024gh001234. PMID: 39968338, PMCID: PMC11833228, DOI: 10.1029/2024gh001234.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAcute myocardial infarction subtypeShort-term associationsAcute myocardial infarctionAcute myocardial infarction onsetAMI riskEffect modificationAssociated with increased AMI riskParticipant's home addressNon-Hispanic blacksNon-ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarctionNon-Hispanic whitesCase-crossover designType 1 AMIConditional logistic regressionIncreased AMI riskMyocardial infarction onsetType 2 AMIAcute myocardial infarction patientsST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarctionLifestyle factorsSociodemographic statusHome addressUS hospitalsStratified analysisSpatiotemporal deep learning approachEnvironMental Health: A Framework for an Emerging Field at the Intersection of the Environment and Mental Health Crises
Ratjen L, Goddard E, Gilcher E, Nguyen B, Kelley M, Feldman H, Akalaonu K, Nyhan K, Backhaus A, Lascurain M, Wyrtzen N, Smith S, Prabhu M, Lowe S, Chen K, Zimmerman J, Anastas P. EnvironMental Health: A Framework for an Emerging Field at the Intersection of the Environment and Mental Health Crises. GeoHealth 2025, 9: e2024gh001254. PMID: 39958831, PMCID: PMC11826329, DOI: 10.1029/2024gh001254.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCognitive healthReview of reviewsMental health conditionsMental health crisisAttention-deficit/hyperactivity disorderBehavioral healthMental healthHealth conditionsHealthPublic healthEconomic burdenWell-beingNeuropsychological healthHealth crisisSocial factorsContextual needsAttention-deficit/hyperactivityEnvironmental factorsGreen spacesHealthcareDementiaFunding strategiesConceptual frameworkFundingBurdenLong-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 modelsPregnancyMortalityHealthThe Pathogenetic Link Between Ozone Pollution and Cardiovascular Disease
Schneider A, Chen K, Breitner S. The Pathogenetic Link Between Ozone Pollution and Cardiovascular Disease. Journal Of The American College Of Cardiology 2025, 85: 622-624. PMID: 39846937, DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2024.12.011.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2024
Ambient Temperature and Stroke Risk Among Adults Aged 18-64 Years A Case-Crossover Study
Chu L, Wang R, Gross C, Chen K, Ma X. Ambient Temperature and Stroke Risk Among Adults Aged 18-64 Years A Case-Crossover Study. Journal Of The American College Of Cardiology 2024, 84: 2327-2331. PMID: 39453364, DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2024.08.058.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchLong-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 analysisStuntingLMICsFireFloods and cause-specific mortality in the United States during 2001-2020
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 during 2001-2020. ISEE Conference Abstracts 2024, 2024 DOI: 10.1289/isee.2024.1705.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
News
News
- March 04, 2025Source: Yale Daily News
Yale forum celebrates ten years of Center on Climate Change and Health
- January 22, 2025
In California Wildfires, Climate and Health Collide
- November 28, 2024Source: ABC News
Sites of 2026 FIFA World Cup pose heat stress threats for players at various North American locations
- November 18, 2024Source: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Long-term impact of wildfire smoke pollution
Get In Touch
Contacts
Email
Academic Office Number
Mailing Address
Environmental Health Sciences
60 College Street, PO Box 208034
New Haven, CT 06520-8034
United States
Locations
60 College Street
Academic Office
Fl 8th, Rm 824
New Haven, CT 06510