Category: Key Publications
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Scoping review of the societal impacts of compound climate events
Caroline A. Fehlman, Sophia C. Ryan, Kristen G. Lysne, Quinn M. Rundgren, Taylin J. Spurlock, Rustyn O. Orbison, Jennifer D. Runkle & Margaret M. Sugg As climate change increases the frequency and intensity of compound climate events (CCEs), understanding their societal impacts becomes crucial for effective adaptation and policy-making. This scoping review identifies 28 studies…
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Structural influences on psychiatric emergency department visits among racial and ethnic minority youth in North Carolina: A neighborhood-level analysis
Margaret M. Sugg, Sophia C. Ryan, Sarah E. Ulrich, Jennifer D. Runkle, Martie P. Thompson Mental health continues to be a growing crisis for children, adolescents, and young adults. Yet, increasing trends in subgroups are not uniform, and key differences exist across geographic, racial, and age groups. Few studies examine structural factors like economic and…
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Temperature extremes and maternal health: differential risks of severe maternal morbidity during heatwaves and coldwaves in North Carolina
Sarah E. Ulrich, Maggie M. Sugg, Manan Roy & Jennifer D. Runkle Climate change is increasingly recognized as a significant public health threat, particularly for vulnerable populations such as pregnant women. This study examines the association between heatwave and coldwave exposure and the risk of severe maternal morbidity (SMM) at delivery in North Carolina from…
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Emergency department use for environmentally sensitive conditions among American Indian children exposed to air pollution and heat
Charlie Reed, Katie Tiger, Max Cawley, Margaret M Sugg, and J D Runkle Air pollution and extreme heat events (EHEs) are intensifying with climate change, yet their health effects remain understudied in rural and Indigenous communities. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), a federally recognized tribe in the southern Appalachian Mountains, is uniquely vulnerable due to its rural geography,…
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Mapping maternity care deserts: Driving distance and health outcomes in North Carolina
Margaret Sugg, MA, PhD, Shishir Shakya, PhD, Sarah Ulrich, MA, Jennifer Schroeder Tyson, MPH, CPDM, Jennifer Runkle, MPH, PhD This study evaluated the association between maternal care deserts (MCDs)—defined by accessibility measures such as travel time and distance to obstetric and gynecological care—and maternal and infant health outcomes in North Carolina from 2016 to 2021.
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A small area analysis of acute exposure to temperatures and mental health in North Carolina
Sophia C Ryan, Luke Wertis, Margaret M. Sugg & Jennifer D. Runkle Increasing evidence suggests that temperatures adversely impact mental and behavioral disorders (MBD). This study explores the effects of temperature on mental health outcomes using data on over 5.9 million MBD-related emergency department (ED) visits across three geographical regions of North Carolina (i.e., Mountains,…
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Spatial clustering of adolescent substance use during heatwaves and coldwaves in North Carolina: a Bernoulli SaTScan analysis
Caleb Blackburn, Margaret M. Sugg, Sophia Ryan & Jennifer D. Runkle Extreme temperature events, such as heatwaves and coldwaves, are increasingly recognized as significant environmental factors influencing adolescent substance use, yet their geographic variability remains underexplored. This study identified distinct spatial clusters of substance use-related emergency department visits among North Carolina youth during these temperature…
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Spatial Analysis of Flood Risk, Neighborhood Characteristics, and Chronic Health Conditions in North Carolina
S. E. Ulrich, M. M. Sugg, S. M. Hatcher, J. D. Runkle Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of floods in North Carolina, tragically demonstrated by Hurricane Helene, which caused a rare 1-in-1000-year flood throughout the state’s western region. A community’s ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from floods depends heavily…
