Education
PhD Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, 2010
MPH Epidemiology, International Health, University of Michigan, 1998
BA International Affairs, George Washington University, 1995
Contact
Department of Epidemiology
Hans Rosling Center for Population Health, 870
Seattle, WA 98195
Bio
Dr. Hajat is a social and environmental epidemiologist who studies upstream and macro level determinants of health and health disparities. Her research examines how stressors in the social and physical environment disproportionately impact the health of disadvantaged populations. She has an interest in applying causal inference methods to her research and works to engage communities to answer questions that are most important to them. She is a faculty affiliate at the Center for Studies on Demography and Ecology, the West Coast Poverty Center, the Center for Exposures, Diseases, Genomics, and Environment, and the Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies. Prior to academia she worked in public health practice for several years.
Research Areas
Research Interests
Dr. Hajat’s current environment health research focuses on environmental health disparities and environmental justice and include an intervention study to examine the effectiveness of low-cost box fans and filters in improving indoor air and reducing asthma symptoms among children. Using community based participatory research methods, this study partners with community organizations in the Duwamish Valley to empower local communities towards action. Dr. Hajat is also interested in other environmental factors such as greenspace and focuses primarily on chronic conditions over the life course. In addition, she has a line of research that examines the health impacts of precarious employment. Her team has produced much of the US-based evidence showing that poor quality employment is detrimental to worker’s health. Lastly, she is interested in biomarkers that are impacted by social and environmental stressors; this line of research aims to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms by which social stressors cause disease.
Recent Publications (PubMed)
(2026 Jul 15)
J Racial Ethn Health Disparities
Bonsu P, Hamilton DT, Hajat A, Hurvitz P, Mui Y, Wolfson JA, Pollack Porter KM, Crawford K, Adekoya H, Hirsch JA, Jones-Smith JC
(2026 Jul)
Alzheimers Dement 22(7): e71648
Hicken MT, DeAngelis R, Rigby D, Burnside L, Adar S, Burgard S, Davis BA, Donnelly R, Finlay JM, Hajat A, Lee J, Perry BL, Thorpe LE, Umberson D
(2026 Jun 28)
Am J Ind Med
Haight JR, Fulton-Kehoe D, Hajat A, Kaufman JD, Franklin GM
(2026 Sep)
Prev Med 210(): 108621
Schleimer JP, Hajat A, Joseph G, Sun M, Rivara F, Rowhani-Rahbar A
(2026 Jun 1)
Epidemiology
Eisenberg-Guyot J, Prins SJ, Minh A, Hajat A, Renson A
Show complete publication list
In the News
The Washington Post, 02/02/2023
The Washington Post, 11/30/2022
Crosscut, 11/02/2020
Crosscut, 09/21/2020
The Hill, 07/11/2020
The Seattle Times, 03/31/2020
The Verge, 03/19/2020
My Northwest, 10/02/2019