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Judith Lichtman, PhD, MPH

Department Chair and Susan Dwight Bliss Professor of Epidemiology (Chronic Diseases); Director, Humanities, Arts, and Public Health Practice at Yale (HAPPY) Initiative; Co-director, Center for Neuroepidemiology and Clinical Neurological Research

Contact Information

Judith Lichtman, PhD, MPH

Office Location

Mailing Address

  • Chronic Disease Epidemiology

    PO Box 208034, 60 College Street

    New Haven, CT 06520-8034

    United States

Research Summary

Dr. Lichtman’s primary research interests are the epidemiology of heart disease and stroke. She has extensive experience examining vascular disease outcomes using large administrative databases. Dr. Lichtman has also developed a national, longitudinal, 14-year database from Medicare data to examine disease trends, patterns of care, and outcomes among elderly patients with heart disease and stroke. She is also Principal Investigator for several studies examining heart disease in young women, and Co-Principal Investigator for an on-going large prospective study of young heart attack survivors. Her research examines biological, social, and environmental factors that influence the presentation and outcomes of young women with heart disease.

Extensive Research Description

Dr. Lichtman’s primary research interests are the epidemiology of heart disease and stroke. As part of an initiative to achieve the disease objectives listed in the Healthy People 2010, the National Conference on CVD Prevention identified the need for better data to look at national trends across the population, and in subgroups defined by race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and geography. Despite this initiative, the United States lacks a cohesive, informative surveillance system that provides insights into national patterns of vascular care, revealing national trends over time, and tracking long-term patient outcomes. To help address this gap, Dr. Lichtman has created a national, longitudinal, 14-year database from Medicare data to examine disease trends, patterns of care, and outcomes among elderly patients with heart disease and stroke. She is also Principal Investigator for several studies examining heart disease in young women. Despite perceptions that young women are protected from heart disease, it is one of the leading causes of death for this group. Her research examines biological, social, and environmental factors that influence the presentation and outcomes of young women with heart disease.

Dr. Lichtman has served on several national committees related to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disorders including the AHA Patient Education System Task Force, the AHA Peer Review Evaluation Design Task Force, the AHA Stroke and Epidemiology Councils, and the AHA Quality of Care and Outcomes Research Expert Panel. She has been a member of the Program Committee for the American Heart Association Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention, and currently serves as the co-chair for a National American Heart Association Writing Committee and a recently appointed member of the American Stroke Association Advisory Committee.

  • Prospective Registry for the Predisposing Factors, Care, and Outcomes of Myocardial Infarction in Young Women
  • Determinants of Disparities in the Care and Outcomes for Young Women with Acute Myocardial Infarction
  • Cardiovascular Disease Trends in the Elderly
  • Care and Outcomes for Elderly ACS/PCI Medicare Beneficiaries
  • Stroke Hospitalization in the Elderly with Medicare FFS
  • Impact of Aging on Stroke Care: A National Perspective
  • Process-Outcome Links in the National Stroke Project.

Coauthors

Research Interests

Epidemiology; Heart Diseases; Quality of Health Care; Research; Stroke

Public Health Interests

Aging; Cardiovascular Diseases; Community Health; Women's Health; Health Equity, Disparities, Social Determinants and Justice

Selected Publications

Clinical Trials

ConditionsStudy Title
Diseases of the Cardiovascular System; Mental Health & Behavioral ResearchAn Intervention to Reduce Readmission Rates in Young Women with Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI)