Thursday, October 9, 2025
Dr. Kai Zhang, professor of population and community health in the UNT Health College of Public Health, recently served as a co-corresponding author of two publications addressing the
emerging environmental and social factors of the year.
Zhang, whose research focuses on exploring the health effects of environmental and social determinants (i.e., disasters, air pollution, built environment, green space) and their underlying biological mechanisms, devoted the last 20 years to this field. The CPH professor is currently investigating environmental, housing, and social determinants data by integrating geographic information systems and AI-driven approaches to epidemiological studies. Motivated to solve real-world problems with a multidisciplinary approach, the professor co-produced both sets of research in hopes of bringing awareness to new environmental discoveries.
When asked about his process behind publishing both articles consecutively, Zhang walked us through the past year.
“I have published 20 papers just this year,” Zhang said. “For these two, we [my team] came up with novel ideas and motivations to solve real world problems. Regarding the article, Beyond Wind and Rainfall: Insights into Hurricane Helene Fatalities with the National Risk Index, we began with the factors that lead to this deadly disaster, often considering if they were physical causes.”
Hurricane season, which typically spans from summer to late autumn, marks an annual period of preparation and risk mitigation for those living in coastal regions. Zhang explains that the Hurricane Helene fatalities were influenced not just by physical factors like wind and rain but by pre-existing community vulnerabilities like steep terrain and limited disaster experience.
“Our findings highlight the need to improve risk communication and invest in disaster risk reduction that addresses structural and social vulnerabilities as extreme weather events intensify.”
Although improved preparation cannot influence the occurrence of natural disasters, it can determine how communities respond. In Energy Burden and Chronic Kidney Disease: A National Study in the United States, Dr. Zhang and his team acknowledge how housing-related energy burdens were often rarely investigated.
Energy burden, the difficulty to afford basic household energy sources like heating, cooling, cooking and lighting, is an emerging social challenge in the United States. Most commonly existing during heat waves and winter storms, both regular occurrences in North Texas, Zhang felt that this emerging issue required his full attention.
Energy burdens function as a social determinant of health, and studies show that high energy burdens were significantly associated with the higher prevalence of chronic kidney disease across the U.S.
“With the release of these publications, Dr. Zhang and his team equip us with the knowledge to continue creating solutions for prepared communities,” said Shafik Dharamsi, CPH dean. “It’s important we prioritize the health and well-being of the communities we serve even in the face of disaster.”
From UNT Health Newsroom - Community by Maya McMillian