Climate Change and Health News and Research

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Climate change intensifies global health risks, Lancet Countdown report warns

The 2026 Report of the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change finds that many of the health risks and harms of climate change grew faster in the decade since the Paris Agreement was introduced (2016–2025) than in the decade before it (2006–2015).

27 Oct 2026

Reddit discussions could help improve public health messaging on heat

Two years ago, Robbie M. Parks, an environmental health scientist at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, and Nathaniel Matthews-Trigg, director of climate and disaster resilience at Americares, founded an online community on Reddit, r/heat_prep, where members share information and advice about coping with extreme temperatures.

24 Oct 2026

LGBTQ+ college students facing discrimination report higher mental health risks

LGBTQ+ college students who experience discrimination are significantly more likely to experience depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and avoid needed health care, according to a new national study by Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Boston University School of Public Health and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute.

23 Oct 2026

Scientists expand global climate scenarios to include public health

About a decade ago, a group of climate scientists described five scenarios for the future. Called the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs), these scenarios suggest how socioeconomic development could evolve in worlds with differing challenges to climate adaptation and mitigation.

15 Oct 2026

Extended Medicaid coverage increases postpartum care for high-risk women

Extending Medicaid coverage to 12 months after childbirth increased postpartum health care utilization among women with pregnancy complications such as diabetes and hypertension, according to a new study at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

13 Oct 2026

Overweight dementia patients likely to live longer than normal weight peers

People who are overweight or obese when they are diagnosed with dementia are likely to live longer than those in a normal weight range, according to a new study by Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and NYU School of Global Public Health.

6 Oct 2026

Overnight cooling fails to protect older adults from daytime heat

Cooling a home overnight may not be enough to protect older adults from the physiological effects of repeated daytime indoor overheating during a multi-day heatwave, according to new research from the University of Ottawa.

30 Sep 2026

Autistic people face a fourteen-year deficit in life expectancy

People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the United States face a 14-year deficit in life expectancy, according to a new study by researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and University of Colorado Anschutz.

10 Sep 2026

New computational tool identifies hidden genes driving asthma

Researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, in collaboration with investigators at the University of Chicago, have developed a new computational framework that helps scientists identify genes that play central roles in diseases such as asthma but are often overlooked by existing genetic analysis methods.

11 Aug 2026

Alcohol use during pregnancy increased in the United States from 2011 through 2024

Prenatal alcohol exposure-a contributor to adverse pregnancy outcomes and the leading preventable cause of neurodevelopmental disability worldwide-has increased in the United States over the past decade.

27 Jul 2026

Study links household drinking water to long-term lithium exposure

Lithium in drinking water is a widespread and persistent source of human exposure across Tribal communities in the Western United States, according to a new study from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

24 Jul 2026

Moderate alcohol consumption linked to premature death and chronic illness

Even what many Americans consider moderate drinking is linked to an increased risk of death, disability, and chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease, according to a new study published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.

9 Jun 2026

Postpartum diabetes monitoring remains low among many new mothers

Few women with postpartum-onset diabetes meet recommended A1C monitoring guidelines, highlighting a need to improve routine diabetes care-particularly among Black women-according to new research at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

8 May 2026

Study highlights gaps in opioid use disorder care during pregnancy

Opioid use disorder during pregnancy remains a critical yet under-addressed public health issue in the U.S., according to a new study at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

23 Apr 2026

Steroid hormones, BMI and stress influence puberty timing in girls

Higher levels of key steroid hormones-combined with elevated stress and body mass index (BMI)-are associated with earlier onset of puberty in girls, according to a new study at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

13 Apr 2026

Europe faces growing health threats from fossil fuel reliance

Europe's dependence on fossil fuels is not only making the continent economically and politically vulnerable, it also has dramatic consequences for the population's health.

10 Apr 2026

Study links financial strain to faster cognitive aging

Worse financial well-being in midlife and older age -and especially declines over time-are associated with lower memory scores and faster cognitive decline, reports a new study at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

18 Mar 2026

New data platform transforms prediction and understanding of Alzheimer’s disease

A powerful new real-world data platform could transform how scientists predict and understand Alzheimer's disease and Alzheimer's disease related dementias (AD/ADRD), reports a new study at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and collaborators at the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, the School of Nursing as well as the University of Miami and University of Chicago.

18 Mar 2026

Climate change drives dengue outbreaks through extreme weather events

Diseases historically absent from the United States have been showing up in Florida, Texas, California and other U.S. states in recent years.

17 Mar 2026

Continuous Medicaid coverage lowered postpartum uninsurance, but disparities remain

Postpartum uninsurance declined among Black women in non-expansion states during the COVID-19 continuous Medicaid coverage policy, but racial gaps persisted, according to a new study at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

17 Mar 2026