Epidemiology and Population Health

Epidemiology is the study of the distribution, determinants, and control of illness and impairment in human populations. It is the cornerstone of population health and informs policy decisions and evidence-based medicine by identifying risk factors for disease and targets for treatment and prevention. The Department of Epidemiology and Population Health (EPH) provides the analytical foundation for research conducted at the Stanford School of Medicine, offering expertise, research, and training on collecting and interpreting the scientific evidence essential to improving human health. 

The scholars within EPH conduct a wide variety of health-related research. Using observational and experimental research methods, our scholars uncover environmental, social, genetic, and behavioral factors to aid in human disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Further, the faculty train physician investigators in techniques of clinical research and are committed to advancing knowledge in epidemiology and population health through educational programs for undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate students. 

Recent News

Food as Medicine Intervetions Can Reduce Cardiovascular Risk

March 23, 2024 - EPH Professor Lisa Goldman Rosas recently presented a new study at the American Heart Association's Epidemiology and Prevention | Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Scientific Sessions 2024. The study shows that implementing a Food as Medicine program improved diet and physical activity and reduced cardiovascular risk factors among participants. After 16 weeks of free, weekly home delivery of fresh produce, study participants boosted their fruit and vegetable consumption by almost 1/2 of a serving per day and added 42 minutes to their weekly level of physical activity. A year later, participants had better blood sugar control, lower bad cholesterol levels, and improved cardiovascular health measures.


Study Estimates Nearly 70 Percent of Children Under Six in Chicago may be Exposed to Lead-Contaminated Water

March 18, 2024 - EPH Professor Mathew Kiang is the senior author of a new study published in JAMA Pediatrics that estimates that 68 percent of Chicago children under age 6 are exposed to lead in their drinking water. Kiang and fellow researchers developed AI models that made citywide estimates of the number of children under 5 living in homes with lead-contaminated drinking water and determined that Black and Hispanic children were more likely than white children to live in homes where the water contained lead. 


Melissa Bondy awarded American Society of Preventive Oncology Fraumeni Distinguished Achievement Award

March 1, 2024 - EPH Chair Dr. Melissa Bondy is the recipient of the 2024 Fraumeni Distinguished Achievement Award, the highest honor awarded by the American Society of Preventive Oncology (ASPO) . The award is given annually to an outstanding scientist in the area of preventative oncology, cancer control, and/or cancer prevention. Dr. Bondy and EPH's Dr. Ann Hsing were part of the 2017 ASPO executive committee that renamed the award after Dr. Joeseph Fraumeni in recognition of his contributions to cancer etiology and prevention.



Alexis Reeves provides input to California Committee of Reproductive Health on incorporating menopause into health policy

February 21, 2024   – EPH Postdoc Alexis Reeves recently provided input to a California Committee of Reproductive Health on incorporating menopause into the state's health policies. 


How a Stanford study revealed the success of research failures

February 20, 2024   – Steven Goodman, EPH professor and leader of the Stanford Program on Research Rigor and Reproducibility, discusses the scientific benefits of failed experiments and the importance of research reproducibility.   


In our own words: What Black History Month means to us

February 15, 2024   – EPH faculty, staff and students reflect on Black History Month and share some work focused on improving health equity in Black communities.