Sarah C. Walters

Education

BA, Miami University (Oxford, OH)

MPH, University of Michigan

DrPH, City University of New York (CUNY) School of Public Health and Health Policy

Biography

Dr. Sarah Walters is an Assistant Professor of Public Health at Eastern Connecticut State University and an environmental epidemiologist with more than 16 years of applied public health experience. Prior to joining academia, she served as a Senior Research and Evaluation Specialist at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, where she led and supported large-scale public health initiatives addressing urban health disparities, housing inequities, environmental justice and emergency preparedness.  Her applied epidemiologic work included response efforts during severe weather events, including Superstorm Sandy, as well as multiple infectious disease outbreaks in New York City, including measles, H1N1 influenza, and COVID-19.

Dr. Walters’ expertise lies in environmental justice and the health impacts of climate change, with a particular focus on vulnerable and marginalized populations. She brings extensive real-world research and policy experience into the classroom, emphasizing project-based and experiential learning approaches that empower students to apply epidemiologic methods, engage in systems thinking, and develop the confidence to advocate for health equity and climate justice.

Research Interests

• Health impacts of climate change and extreme weather events
• Environmental exposures and health disparities
• Air pollution and asthma-related morbidity among children
• Housing, environmental justice, and health equity

Teaching interests

• Epidemiology
• Quantitative research methods
• Social and environmental determinants of health

Publications

Gouse I, Walters S, Miller-Archie S, Singh T, Lim S. Evaluation of New York/New York III Permanent Supportive Housing Program. Evaluation and Program Planning, 2023. 

Gouse I, Walters S, Miller-Archie S, Singh T, Lim S. The role of housing characteristics in racial and ethnic disparities in SARS-CoV-2 antibody seropositivity among New York adults: A population representative study. Prev Med. 2022; 164: 1-19.

Miller-Archie SA, Walters S, Bocour A, Moore MS, Wiewel E, Singh T, Lim S. The Impact of Supportive Housing on Liver-Related Outcomes Among Persons with Hepatitis C Virus Infection. The Journal of Infectious Diseases. 2022; 226 (suppl 3): S363-S367. 

Walters S, et al. Disparities among Children with Asthma in New York City. New York City Epi Data Brief. 2021; 126, 1-3.

Lim S, Miller-Archie SA, Singh TP, Wu WY, Walters S, Gould LH. Supportive Housing and Its Relationship with Diabetes Diagnosis and Management Among Homeless Persons in New York City. Am J Epi. 2019; 188(6): 1120-29.

Miller-Archie SA, Walters S, Singh T, Lim SW. Impact of supportive housing on substance use – related health care utilization among homeless persons who are active substance users. Annals of Epi. 2019; 32: 1-6

Lim S, Singh TP, Hall G, Walters S, Gould LH. Impact of New York City supportive housing program on housing stability and preventable health care among homeless families. Health Serv Res. 2018

Hall G, Walters S, Gould LH, Lim SW. Housing versus treatment first for supportive housing participants with substance use disorders: a comparison of housing and public service use outcomes – 2018. Substance Abuse. 2018. 

Hall GS, Walters S, Wimer C, et al. Workers not paid for sick leave after implementation of the New York City Paid Sick Leave Law. J Urban Health. 2018, 95(1): 134-40

Lim SW, Chan PY, Walters S, Culp G, Huynh M, Gould LH. Impact of residential displacement of healthcare access and mental health among original residents of gentrifying neighborhoods in New York City. PLoS One. 2017; 12(12).

Leggio S, Huang D, Singh T, Harris TG, Walters S, Lim S, Levanon Seligson A. A Tenant Well-Being in New York/New York III Supportive Housing. New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 2016. 

Wheeler K, Lane K, Walters S, Matte T. Heat Illness and Deaths – New York City, 2000-2011. CDC MMWR. 2013, 62(31): 617-621

Myers C, Walters S, Perez-Rivera B. Preventing and Treating Childhood Asthma in New York City. NYC 2012, 11(4): 1-4

Kheirbek I, Wheeler K, Walters S, et al. Air Pollution and the Health of New Yorkers. The Impact of Fine Particles and Ozone.

Kheirbek I, Wheeler K, Walters S, et al. PM2.5 and Ozone Health Impacts and Disparities in New York City: Sensitivity to Spatial and Temporal Resolution. Air Qual Atmos Health Environ; 212: 1-14.