Jaime Madrigano

@JMadrigano on Twitter

Adjunct Policy Researcher

Off Site Office

Education

Sc.D. in epidemiology and environmental health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; M.P.H., Rutgers University; B.E. in environmental engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology

One Page Bio

Media Resources

This researcher is available for interviews.

To arrange an interview, contact the RAND Office of Media Relations at (310) 451-6913, or email media@rand.org.

More Experts

Overview

Jaime Madrigano (she/her) is an adjunct policy researcher at the RAND Corporation and an associate professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her research focuses on environmental and social determinants of health, including environmental pollution, extreme weather and disasters, and the built environment, with an emphasis on environmental justice.

Madrigano has particular expertise in using epidemiologic methods to inform policy and her research has been cited in multi-agency climate and health preparedness efforts within New York City. She has worked with local health departments and community-based stakeholders to conduct health and environmental needs assessments and leads a study to assess whether community resilience mitigates the health impacts of natural disasters. Madrigano is also interested in how people perceive risk as it relates to climate change, public health, and health care decisionmaking, and has conducted research on public health risk perception and communication.

Prior to joining RAND, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Columbia University's Earth Institute and was an assistant professor at Rutgers University. Madrigano received her Sc.D. in epidemiology and environmental health from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Research Focus

Recent Projects

Mapping Environmental Racism: The Enduring Legacy of Redlining on Environmental Health
NOLA HEAT-MAP: New Orleans Home, Environment, and Ambient Temperature: Measurements and Analysis for Preparedness

Selected Publications

Madrigano, J., Osorio, J.C., Bautista, E., Chavez, R., Chaisson, C.F., Meza, E., Shih, R.A. and Chari, R., "Fugitive chemicals and environmental justice: a model for environmental monitoring following climate-related disasters," Environmental Justice, 11(3), 2018

Madrigano, J., Lane, K., Petrovic, N., Ahmed, M., Blum, M., & Matte, T., "Awareness, risk perception, and protective behaviors for extreme heat and climate change in New York City," International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(7), 2018

Madrigano J, Ito K, Johnson S, Kinney PL, Matte T, "A Case-Only Study of Vulnerability to Heat Wave-Related Mortality in New York City (2000-2011)," Environmental Health Perspectives, 123(7), 2015

Madrigano J, McCormick S, Kinney PL, "The Two Ways of Assessing Heat-Related Mortality and Vulnerability," American Journal of Public Health, 105(11), 2015

Madrigano J, Kloog I, Goldberg R, Coull BA, Mittleman MA, Schwartz J, "Long-term exposure to PM2.5 and incidence of acute myocardial infarction," Environmental Health Perspectives, 121(2), 2013

Recent Media Appearances

Interviews: Arizona Republic; Healthy Living Healthy Planet Radio; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; New York Times; WGBH, Boston

Commentary

Racial Discrimination

Mapping Environmental Racism: Q&A with Jaime Madrigano and Benjamin Preston
Environmental policy experts Jaime Madrigano and Benjamin Preston are leading an effort to highlight how discriminatory policies have shaped environmental health disparities. Their goal: create an interactive map of the United States to motivate environmental policy that advances antiracism.
Sep 7, 2021
Infrastructure

Promoting Social Equity in Infrastructure Planning and Delivery
The American Jobs Plan and the American Families Plan propose to address racial inequities through significant infrastructure, workforce, education, and child care investments. Multiple barriers may need to be addressed for the funds to reach their intended destination.
Jun 17, 2021
Inside Sources
Global Climate Change

What Can the Coronavirus Teach Us About Preparing for a Heat Wave?
The occurrence of a heat wave during the pandemic may be the clearest example of an overlapping disaster in the near term, but we'll likely see more and more overlapping disasters brought about by a changing climate.
Jun 8, 2020
The National Interest
India

Where Are India's Heat Hotspots?
Poverty, poor sanitation, a precarious water and electricity supply, and limited access to health care make India vulnerable to heat waves. Rural and urban districts could improve their preparedness by developing and targeting local adaptation strategies.
May 17, 2017
The RAND Blog
Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy

After the March for Science: What Now?
Politicized rhetoric may imply otherwise, but scientific expertise and civic participation are not at odds with each other. As the scientific community decides how to respond to shifting political attitudes about science, it's time to focus on a long-term strategy for science policy in the United States.
Apr 26, 2017
United Press International
Public Health Preparedness

Wildfires Getting More Destructive
The potential for smoke to harm air quality and cause health problems was especially acute in 2015 because a record number of wildfires broke out in the United States. Pre-wildfire season preparedness could go a long way toward protecting public health.
Dec 28, 2015
Orange County Register
Global Climate Change

Adapting to a Hotter World
Because climate change is largely irreversible, mitigation alone won't solve the problem. While mitigation will prevent even greater, future climatic changes, adaptation — efforts to adjust to climate change's effects — will prepare the world for a new set of living conditions, whatever they may be.
Oct 2, 2015
U.S. News & World Report

Publications

Journal Article
Examining the Cross-sectional Association Between Neighborhood Conditions, Discrimination, and Telomere Length in a Predominantly African American Sample
Disproportionate exposure to adverse neighborhood conditions and greater discrimination may contribute to health disparities among African Americans.
Jan 10, 2023
Journal Article
The Road to Justice40: Organizer and Policymaker Perspectives on the Historical Roots of and Solutions for Environmental Justice Inequities in U.S. Cities
This study characterizes the perceptions of organizers and policymakers regarding how communities experience the causes of environmental injustices in U.S. cities, the characteristics of policies intended to address these injustices, and lessons learned for equitably engaging communities.
Dec 28, 2022
Tool
Environmental Racism: A Tool for Exploring the Enduring Legacy of Redlining on Urban Environments
Researchers developed an online tool for visualizing the spatial relationships between the discriminatory practice of redlining and exposure to environmental hazards (e.g., pollution, waste sites).
Mar 31, 2022
Report
Translational Impacts of World Trade Center Health Program Research: A Mixed Methods Study
In this report, the authors describe the findings and recommendations of a four-year study of the World Trade Center Health Program's research portfolio and its translational impact. Recommendations are designed to help guide Program planning.
Oct 26, 2021
Tool
Citizen Science for Disasters: A Guide for Community Groups
This toolkit provides guidance to community groups on engaging with disaster citizen science to support public health preparedness.
Sep 29, 2021
Tool
Citizen Science for Disasters: A Guide for Local Health Departments
This toolkit provides guidance to local health departments on engaging with disaster citizen science to support public health preparedness.
Sep 29, 2021
Report
Assessing Health and Human Services Needs to Support an Integrated Health in All Policies Plan for Prince George's County, Maryland
This report describes a health and human services needs assessment of Prince George's County, Maryland. Findings from this report can inform Prince George's County's pursuit of a Health in All Policies approach to policymaking.
Aug 26, 2021
Report
Indonesian Fires and Haze: Measuring the Health Consequences of Smoke Exposure
Fire activity in Indonesia contributes to severe air pollution, or haze, that causes public health, environmental, and economic degradation. The authors present preliminary analysis of health consequences of fire and future research directions.
Jul 20, 2021
Report
Adapting to Adversity amid a Global Pandemic: Stakeholder Insights About Progress and Next Steps for Taking Integrative Action to Build Resilient Systems
In 2020, the global pandemic and ongoing chronic stressors caused multiple shocks in the United States. The authors describe recommendations to advance an integrative resilience research and practice agenda based on recent stakeholder experiences.
Jun 11, 2021
Report
Beyond Recovery: Transforming Puerto Rico's Water Sector in the Wake of Hurricanes Irma and Maria
The recovery plan for the water sector in Puerto Rico involves not only repairing hurricane-damaged water infrastructure and systems but also fixing the significant legacy challenges in the sector's infrastructure, operations, and governance.
Sep 30, 2020
Report
Health and Social Services in Puerto Rico Before and After Hurricane Maria: Predisaster Conditions, Hurricane Damage, and Themes for Recovery
This overview of health and social services in Puerto Rico includes 31 courses of action to better recover from health crises, build a more resilient system to future disasters, and actively promote health and well-being.
Sep 30, 2020
Report
Development and Evaluation of Candidate Standardized Patient Assessment Data Elements: Findings from the National Beta Test (Volume 1: Executive Summary)
This report, part of a series, describes patient assessment data elements developed and tested by RAND on behalf of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid services to comply with the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014.
Nov 15, 2019
Report
Development and Evaluation of Candidate Standardized Patient Assessment Data Elements: Findings from the National Beta Test (Volume 3: Sample Description)
This report, part of a series, describes patient assessment data elements developed and tested by RAND on behalf of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid services to comply with the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014.
Nov 15, 2019
Report
Development and Evaluation of Candidate Standardized Patient Assessment Data Elements: Findings from the National Beta Test (Volume 8: Observational Assessments of Cognitive Function, Mental Status, and Pain)
This report, part of a series, describes patient assessment data elements developed and tested by RAND on behalf of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid services to comply with the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014.
Nov 15, 2019
Report
Development and Evaluation of Candidate Standardized Patient Assessment Data Elements: Findings from the National Beta Test (Volume 6: Impairments and Special Services, Treatments, and Interventions)
This report, part of a series, describes patient assessment data elements developed and tested by RAND on behalf of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid services to comply with the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014.
Nov 15, 2019
Report
Development and Evaluation of Candidate Standardized Patient Assessment Data Elements: Findings from the National Beta Test (Volume 7: Global Health, Care Preferences, and Medication Reconciliation)
This report, part of a series, describes patient assessment data elements developed and tested by RAND on behalf of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid services to comply with the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014.
Nov 15, 2019
Report
Development and Evaluation of Candidate Standardized Patient Assessment Data Elements: Findings from the National Beta Test (Volume 2: Background and Methods)
This report, part of a series, describes patient assessment data elements developed and tested by RAND on behalf of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid services to comply with the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014.
Nov 15, 2019
Report
Development and Evaluation of Candidate Standardized Patient Assessment Data Elements: Findings from the National Beta Test (Volume 4: Cognitive Function)
This report, part of a series, describes patient assessment data elements developed and tested by RAND on behalf of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid services to comply with the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014.
Nov 15, 2019
Report
Development and Evaluation of Candidate Standardized Patient Assessment Data Elements: Findings from the National Beta Test (Volume 5: Mental Status and Pain)
This report, part of a series, describes patient assessment data elements developed and tested by RAND on behalf of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid services to comply with the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014.
Nov 15, 2019
Journal Article
Enhancing Community Preparedness: An Inventory and Analysis of Disaster Citizen Science Activities
Disaster citizen science, or the use of scientific principles and methods by "non-professional" scientists or volunteers, may be a promising way to enhance public health emergency preparedness and build community resilience.
Oct 30, 2019
Journal Article
Air Pollution-Associated Changes in Biomarkers of Diabetes Risk
The study expands upon existing literature by focusing on a longitudinal population exposed to air pollution concentrations typically experienced in the United States and other countries with lower average air pollution exposure.
2019
Journal Article
Association Between Long-term Exposure to Ambient Air Pollution and Change in Quantitatively Assessed Emphysema and Lung Function
Long-term exposure to ambient air pollutants, especially O₃, was significantly associated with increasing emphysema assessed quantitatively using CT imaging and with worsening lung function.
2019
Journal Article
Fugitive Chemicals and Environmental Justice: A Model for Environmental Monitoring Following Climate-Related Disasters
Waterfront communities can use this six-step framework to proactively develop an environmental monitoring program to prepare for, recover from, and respond to chemical leaks after weather disasters.
Jul 3, 2018
Journal Article
Development and Maintenance of Standardized Cross Setting Patient Assessment Data for Post-Acute Care: Summary Report of Findings from Alpha 2 Pilot Testing
Results of the Alpha 2 feasibility test, used to help develop standardized assessment-based data elements to meet the requirements of the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation(IMPACT) Act of 2014.
Jun 7, 2018
Journal Article
Awareness, Risk Perception, and Protective Behaviors for Extreme Heat and Climate Change in New York City
This study demonstrates that non-Hispanic black individuals are more likely to lack access to air conditioning, and with the finding that people with low household incomes are more likely to lack access, may explain disparities in heat-related morbidity and mortality.
2018
Journal Article
Vulnerability to the Cardiovascular Effects of Ambient Heat in Six U.S. Cities: Results from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)
In a changing climate with extreme heat events, it is important to understand the mechanisms by which heat affects health and who is vulnerable. This knowledge will allow better targeting of assistance and interventions, which could help people adapt.
2018
Report
Injury and Illness Surveillance of U.S. Agricultural Workers: Assessment of Recommendations and Actions
This report provides the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health with an assessment of the feasibility and desirability of carrying out specific actions recommended by an independent panel regarding program relevance and impact.
Sep 25, 2017
Research Brief
Mapping Vulnerability to Heat Waves in India
Using district-level data on demographic, social, economic, health, and environmental factors, RAND researchers created the first-ever tool for measuring and mapping India's population's vulnerability to heat waves: the Heat Vulnerability Index.
Sep 15, 2017
Journal Article
Heat Wave Vulnerability Mapping for India
Indexing relative variation in heat-related vulnerability across all of India can help planners, policy makers, and disaster mitigation experts target climate adaptation efforts.
Apr 4, 2017
Report
An Agenda to Advance Integrative Resilience Research and Practice: Key Themes From a Resilience Roundtable
Presents recommendations for an integrated agenda to promote transdisciplinary resilience research and practice, drawing on proceedings from a 2016 Resilience Roundtable and a supplementary literature review.
Feb 6, 2017
Journal Article
Beyond Disaster Preparedness: Building a Resilience-Oriented Workforce for the Future
Deepening the field of resilience will require a trained and capable resilience-oriented workforce, but optimal strategies for developing such a workforce have yet to be realized.
2017
Journal Article
Preparing for Extreme Heat Events: Practices in Identifying Mortality
Deaths from heat waves are not being accurately recorded, leading to a mis-estimation. Training regarding the collection and interpretation of evidence may improve preparedness for heat events.
2016