Kai Chen, PhD
Cards
About
Titles
Associate Professor of Epidemiology (Environmental Health Sciences)
Co-Faculty Director, Yale Center on Climate Change and Health; Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global HealthBiography
Dr. Chen received his Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Engineering in 2016 from Nanjing University in China. During 2014-2015, he served as a Visiting Scholar at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. Prior to joining the Yale School of Public Health faculty in July 2019, he was an Alexander von Humboldt Postdoc Fellow at Helmholtz Zentrum München-German Center for Environmental Health.
Dr. Chen’s research focuses on the intersection of climate change, air pollution, and human health. His work involves applying multidisciplinary approaches in climate and air pollution sciences, exposure assessment, and environmental epidemiology to investigate how climate change may impact human health. Much of this work has been done in China, Europe, and the U.S.
Appointments
Environmental Health Sciences
Associate Professor on TermPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
- Climate Change and Health
- Climate, Health, and Environment Nexus (CHEN) Lab
- Environmental Health Sciences
- Public Health Modeling
- Wu Tsai Institute
- Yale School of Public Health
Education & Training
- Humboldt Postdoc Fellow
- Helmholtz Zentrum München (2019)
- PhD
- Nanjing University, Environmental Science and Engineering (2016)
- BSc
- Nanjing University, Environmental Sciences (2011)
Research
Publications
Simulating desegregation through affordable housing development: An environmental health impact assessment of Connecticut zoning law
Prasanth S, Oloyede N, Zhang X, Chen K, Carrión D. Simulating desegregation through affordable housing development: An environmental health impact assessment of Connecticut zoning law. Health & Place 2024, 88: 103277. PMID: 38781859, PMCID: PMC11190844, DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2024.103277.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchNon-Hispanic white residentsEnvironmental health equityAmbient environmental exposuresHealth impact assessmentExposure-response functionsEnvironmental health impact assessmentHealth equityHealth inequalitiesNon-HispanicRate of deathExcess deathsWhite residentsEstimated deathsMortality impactLow-income residentsDesegregation policiesEnvironmental exposuresResidential segregationHousing targetsResidentsHousing developmentDeathSimulated movementHealthImpact assessmentAir 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 characteristicsChinaMatterAssociation of exposure to extreme rainfall events with cause-specific mortality in North Carolina, US
Chan K, Ban J, Ma Y, Chen K. Association of exposure to extreme rainfall events with cause-specific mortality in North Carolina, US. Environmental Research Letters 2024, 19: 044006. DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/ad2dd2.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCause-specific mortalityExtreme rainfall eventsDaily total precipitationRainfall eventsCounty-level mortality dataNorth Carolina countiesTime-series studyRisk of mortalityDaily rainfall measurementsNon-accidental diseasesNorth CarolinaMortality dataRespiratory mortalityExternal mortalityMortality riskRainfall measurementsTotal precipitationNon-accidentalRace groupsMeta-analysisCardiovascular diseaseRainfallStudy periodTwo-stage analysisNorthShort-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 ItalyImpact of population aging on future temperature-related mortality at different global warming levels
Chen K, de Schrijver E, Sivaraj S, Sera F, Scovronick N, Jiang L, Roye D, Lavigne E, Kyselý J, Urban A, Schneider A, Huber V, Madureira J, Mistry M, Cvijanovic I, Gasparrini A, Vicedo-Cabrera A. Impact of population aging on future temperature-related mortality at different global warming levels. Nature Communications 2024, 15: 1796. PMID: 38413648, PMCID: PMC10899213, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45901-z.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPublished research on the human health implications of climate change between 2012 and 2021: cross sectional study
Bartlett V, Doernberg H, Mooghali M, Gupta R, Wallach J, Nyhan K, Chen K, Ross J. Published research on the human health implications of climate change between 2012 and 2021: cross sectional study. BMJ Medicine 2024, 3: e000627. PMID: 38352020, PMCID: PMC10862342, DOI: 10.1136/bmjmed-2023-000627.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchHealth effects of climate changeHealth research fundingRandom sampleHealth effectsCross sectional studyPeer-reviewed researchWeb of ScienceGrey literatureHealth conditionsSectional studyInclusion criteriaRisk populationHealthHealth impactsHealth implicationsGoogle ScholarResearch articlesNational InstituteFunding sourcesPublication characteristicsResearch fundingPublished researchRiskDisproportionate focusPopulationA unified framework for assessing interaction effects among environmental exposures in epidemiologic studies: A case study on temperature, air pollution, and kidney-related conditions in New York state
Chu L, Chen K, Yang Z, Crowley S, Dubrow R. A unified framework for assessing interaction effects among environmental exposures in epidemiologic studies: A case study on temperature, air pollution, and kidney-related conditions in New York state. Environmental Research 2024, 248: 118324. PMID: 38301759, DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118324.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAir pollutionMultiplicative interaction effectsNew York StateEstimated health burdenCase-crossover designEvaluation of effect modificationBi-variate associationsAssess interaction effectsConditional logistic modelMeasures of exposureInteraction effectsEffect modificationPollutionExposure variablesHealth burdenEpidemiological studiesEnvironmental exposuresLog-linear modelLogistic modelInteraction termsQuantitative frameworkAirCase studyExposureAlert systemOzone-related acute excess mortality projected to increase in the absence of climate and air quality controls consistent with the Paris Agreement
Domingo N, Fiore A, Lamarque J, Kinney P, Jiang L, Gasparrini A, Breitner S, Lavigne E, Madureira J, Masselot P, das Neves Pereira da Silva S, Sheng Ng C, Kyselý J, Guo Y, Tong S, Kan H, Urban A, Orru H, Maasikmets M, Pascal M, Katsouyanni K, Samoli E, Scortichini M, Stafoggia M, Hashizume M, Alahmad B, Diaz M, la Cruz Valencia C, Scovronick N, Garland R, Kim H, Lee W, Tobias A, Íñiguez C, Forsberg B, Åström C, Ragettli M, Guo Y, Pan S, Colistro V, Bell M, Zanobetti A, Schwartz J, Schneider A, Vicedo-Cabrera A, Chen K. Ozone-related acute excess mortality projected to increase in the absence of climate and air quality controls consistent with the Paris Agreement. One Earth 2024, 7: 325-335. PMID: 38420618, PMCID: PMC7615682, DOI: 10.1016/j.oneear.2024.01.001.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchClimate scenariosOzone-related deathsAir quality regulationsGround-level ozoneAcute mortalityAir quality controlCMIP6 multi-model ensembleParis Climate AgreementMulti-model ensembleQuality regulationsHealth policyEmission changesAssociated with increased mortalityExcess mortalityCMIP6 simulationsClimateParis AgreementEpidemiological dataClimate AgreementDiverse geographical areasCMIP6MortalityGeographical areasEffects of air pollution on emergency room visits for mental disorders: risks and effect modification by comorbid physical disorders and personal characteristics
Yoo E, Roberts J, Chen K. Effects of air pollution on emergency room visits for mental disorders: risks and effect modification by comorbid physical disorders and personal characteristics. Environmental Research Health 2024, 2: 025001. DOI: 10.1088/2752-5309/ad1f3f.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchComorbid physical disordersMental disordersPhysical disordersPersonal characteristicsEffect modificationER visitsNegatively impact mental healthAssociated with ER visitsPotential effect modificationCase-crossover designPotential moderatorsEffects of air pollutionEmergency room visitsEmergency roomMental healthRespiratory diseaseDisordersLevels of air pollutionStratified analysisRoom visitsEffects of daily changesAir pollutionDemographic characteristicsVisitsPrimary diagnosisComprehensive evaluation framework for intervention on health effects of ambient temperature
Wang J, Wang P, Liu B, Kinney P, Huang L, Chen K. Comprehensive evaluation framework for intervention on health effects of ambient temperature. Eco-Environment & Health 2024, 3: 154-164. PMID: 38646097, PMCID: PMC11031729, DOI: 10.1016/j.eehl.2024.01.004.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchIntervention studiesHealth effectsStudy designEffectiveness of intervention studiesHealth effects of climate changeEvaluation study designIntervention effectsIntervention recommendationsEffective interventionsComprehensive evaluation frameworkEvaluation frameworkHealthInterventionCategories of indicatorsClimate changeEffects of climate changeScoresEffect of ambient temperature