Environmental Impacts on Human Health

Environments play major roles in influencing our health.

Faculty address the health effects of multiple adverse environmental exposures (e.g., noise, air and water pollution, aeroallergens, radon), climate change, and natural disasters. Others focus on the effects of the built environment on health behaviors and outcomes (e.g., asthma, cancer, cardiometabolic risk factors and diseases, food insecurity, mental health).

Collaborating across disciplines and leveraging the university’s diverse strengths, our researchers are developing prevention and resilience solutions and translating evidence-informed policies, programs, and practices to communities.

We focus on health disparities and inequities, with sensitivity to how impacts stem from and are experienced in social environments. These impacts are often more severe for those with fewer resources, particularly in communities of color and marginalized groups and in low-income settings and populations.

We integrate the expertise of faculty from multiple disciplines and fields, including public health, kinesiology, nutrition, and human development and family sciences.

Publications

Recent environmental impacts on human health publications

(This is not an exhaustive list. Visit individual faculty profiles for more extensive lists of their publications.)

2026

Adjorlolo, P.K., Attey-Yeboah, P., Molitor, J., Coker, E.S., Aheto, J.M., Amegah, A.K. (2026) Spatial variability in the association of ambient PM2.5 exposure with acute respiratory infection among children in Sub-Saharan Africa. Environmental Research

Winsor, G.L., Cook, J., Edwards, K., Gill, E., Petersen, C., Garlock, E.S., Griffiths, E., Ames, S.A., Erdman, L.M., Becker, A.H., Denburg, J.A., Patrick, D., Doiron, D., Jones, M., Dai, V., Al-Mamaar, K., Kwan, A., Lee, B., Mercada Mendoza, L., Sbihi, H., Azeez, R.M., Dai, D., Qiam, Y.C., He, S., Parks, J.G., Reyna, M., Bode, L., Duan, Q., Eiwegger, T., Goldenberg, A.J., Lotoski, L., McNagny, K., Surette, M.R., Takaro, T.K., Hystad, P., et al. (2026) Exposomics for childhood asthma medRxiv

Buqammaz, M., Almatrouk, J, Kile, M.L., Kincl, L. (2026) Policies and Interventions in Middle Eastern and North African Countries to Mitigate Heat Stress Experienced by Outdoor Workers: A Scoping Literature Review Current Environmental Health Reports 13

Gause, E.L., Kuriyama, A.S., Kirwa, K., Spangler, K.R., Hystad, P., Wellenius, G.A., Wise, L.A., Wesselink, A.K. (2026) Using wearable devices to measure personal heat exposure in a preconception cohort Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology

Rothenberg, S.E., Johnson, E.S., LaDu, J., Mary, L.S., Adams, J., Rice, K., Jackson, B.P., Tanguay, R.L., Truong, L. (2026) Zebrafish parental co-exposure to environmentally relevant levels of inorganic arsenic + methylmercury impacts neurobehavior in parents and progeny Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology 123

News and stories

Recent environmental impacts on human health news and stories.

10 Questions With… Veronica Irvin, endowed professor with the College of Health
Associate Professor Veronica Irvin discusses her behavioral science research at Oregon State University, including breast cancer screening, environmental health, well water safety, and supporting underserved communities.
Doctoral student presents climate and gender equity research at APHA 2025
Doctoral student Memuna Aslam presented research on climate-driven health disparities and women’s political empowerment at the 2025 APHA Annual Meeting.
From baker to environmental health researcher
Public Health PhD student Madalyn Nones researches climate disaster resilience, focusing on drought impacts. Learn how she's helping communities adapt worldwide.
Outdoor air pollution linked to higher incidence of breast cancer
Women in high-pollution areas face significantly higher breast cancer risk, College of Health research shows. A 10ppb increase in nitrogen dioxide from vehicle emissions equals 3% higher incidence—9,500 preventable U.S. cases yearly.
Veronica Irvin co-authors major study on air pollution and breast cancer
The study is the largest of its kind in the U.S. — and the world — to look at how air pollution may be connected to breast cancer. Using data from five large research studies, the team found that certain pollutants, such as nitrogen dioxide, were linked to a small increase in breast cancer overall.
Innovation, solutions and impact
The College of Health at Oregon State University is accelerating research innovation with a strategic focus on interdisciplinary collaboration, AI applications, and translating discoveries into real-world health solutions that benefit communities most in need.