Kristina Zierold

Kristina Zierold
Associate Professor

Scientist (C), UWIRC Microbiome Center , School of Medicine
Scientist (C), Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS) , General Clinical Research Center
Associate Professor (P), Environmental Health Sciences , School of Public Health
Scientist (C), Civitan International Research Center , Academic Joint Departments

Overview

Dr. Zierold is an Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences. She received a BS in Chemical Engineering (1994) from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and an MS in Chemical Engineering (1996) from Vanderbilt University. Dr. Zierold earned her PhD in Public Health (specializing in Environmental/Occupational Health Sciences and Epidemiology) form the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2001. After finishing her PhD, Dr. Zierold was an Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Officer with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2001-2003). The EIS is an elite team of doctoral level scientists who work on the frontlines of public health to investigate disease outbreaks, clusters, occupational and environmental hazards, and to respond to natural disasters, emergencies, and public health problems throughout the world. It is a two-year program.

Selected Publications

Academic Article

Year	Title	Altmetric
2022	Heavy Metal(loid) Body Burden in Environmentally Exposed Children With and Without Internalizing Behavior Problems. Exposure and Health. 14:903-914. 2022
2022	Exposure to coal ash and depression in children aged 6–14 years old. Environmental Research. 214. 2022
2022	Indoor coal ash and school and social competency among children aged 6–14 years. Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology. 2022
2022	Proximity to coal-fired power plants and neurobehavioral symptoms in children. Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology. 32:124-134. 2022
2021	Manganese body burden in children is associated with reduced visual motor and attention skills. Neurotoxicology and Teratology. 88. 2021
2021	Nail Samples of Children Living near Coal Ash Storage Facilities Suggest Fly Ash Exposure and Elevated Concentrations of Metal(loid)s 2021
2021	Travelling to polluted cities: A systematic review on the harm of air pollution on international travellers' health. Journal of Travel Medicine. 28. 2021
2020	A review on fly ash from coal-fired power plants: Chemical composition, regulations, and health evidence. Reviews on Environmental Health. 35:401-418. 2020
2020	Associations of the Behavioral Assessment and Research System (BARS) neurobehavioral outcomes with attention problems in children living near coal ash storage sites. NeuroToxicology. 81:11-17. 2020
2020	Protocol for measuring indoor exposure to coal fly ash and heavy metals, and neurobehavioural symptoms in children aged 6 to 14 years old. BMJ Open. 10:e038960. 2020
2020	Health symptoms among adults living near a coal-burning power plant 2020
2020	National secular trends in ambient air volatile organic compound levels and biomarkers of exposure in the United States. Environmental Research. 182. 2020
2020	Sex differences in the association between exposure to indoor particulate matter and cognitive control among children (age 6–14 years) living near coal-fired power plants. Neurotoxicology and Teratology. 78. 2020
2019	Recruitment strategies and challenges: Lessons learned from a coal ash and children's health study. Research in Nursing and Health. 42:446-457. 2019
2019	Respiratory health in adults residing near a coal-burning power plant with coal ash storage facilities: A cross-sectional epidemiological study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 16. 2019
2019	Seasonal variations, source apportionment, and health risk assessment of heavy metals in pm2.5 in Ningbo, China. Aerosol and Air Quality Research. 19:2083-2092. 2019
2019	The search for environmental justice: The story of north Birmingham. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 16. 2019
2018	Elevated Blood Lead Levels by Length of Time From Resettlement to Health Screening in Kentucky Refugee Children. American Journal of Public Health. 108:270-276. 2018
2017	Youth doing dangerous tasks: Supervision matters. American Journal of Industrial Medicine. 60:789-797. 2017
2017	Health of Children Living Near Coal Ash. Global Pediatric Health. 4. 2017
2016	Exposure-Reducing Behaviors Among Residents Living Near a Coal Ash Storage Site. Health Education and Behavior. 43:559-567. 2016
2016	Communication breakdown: How working teens' perceptions of their supervisors impact safety and injury. Work. 54:3-9. 2016
2016	Safety training for working youth: Methods used versus methods wanted. Work. 54:149-157. 2016
2016	Perceptions of supervision among injured and non-injured teens working in the retail or service industry. Workplace Health and Safety. 64:152-162. 2016
2015	Teen worker safety training: Methods used, lessons taught, and time spent. New Solutions: A Journal of Environmental and Occupational Health Policy. 25:25-41. 2015
2015	Community Views About the Health and Exposure of Children Living Near a Coal Ash Storage Site. Journal of Community Health. 40:357-363. 2015
2015	Are healthcare providers asking about environmental exposures? a community-based mixed methods study. Journal of Environmental and Public Health. 2015. 2015
2014	The association between school-to-work programs and school performance. Journal of Adolescent Health. 54:221-227. 2014
2012	Attitudes of teenagers towards workplace safety training. Journal of Community Health. 37:1289-1295. 2012
2012	Working for mom and dad: Are teens more likely to get injured working in family-owned businesses?. Journal of Community Health. 37:186-194. 2012
2011	School-sponsored work programs: A first look at differences in work and injury outcomes of teens enrolled in school-to-work programs compared to other-working teens. Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 68:818-825. 2011
2011	Students enrolled in school-sponsored work programs: The effect of multiple jobs on workplace safety and school-based behaviors 2011
2007	Exposure to lead and length of time needed to make homes lead-safe for young children. American Journal of Public Health. 97:267-270. 2007
2006	Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Work-Related Injuries among Teenagers. Journal of Adolescent Health. 39:422-426. 2006
2006	Association of arsenic-contaminated drinking-water with prevalence of skin cancer in Wisconsin's Fox River Valley 2006
2006	The relationship between work permits, injury, and safety training among working teenagers. American Journal of Industrial Medicine. 49:360-366. 2006
2006	Severe injury and the need for improved safety training among working teens. American Journal of Health Behavior. 30:525-532. 2006
2006	Severe injury and the need for improved safety training among working teens.. American Journal of Health Behavior. 30:525-532. 2006
2005	A comparison of school performance and behaviors among working and nonworking high school students. Family and Community Health. 28:214-224. 2005
2004	Summer work and injury among middle school students, aged 10-14 years. Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 61:518-522. 2004
2004	Prevalence of chronic diseases in adults exposed to arsenic-contaminated drinking water. American Journal of Public Health. 94:1936-1937. 2004
2004	Trends in blood lead levels among children enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children from 1996 to 2000. American Journal of Public Health. 94:1513-1515. 2004
2002	Re-hospitalization after diagnosis of diabetes varies by gender and socioeconomic status in urban African-American and Latino young people. Pediatric Diabetes. 3:16-22. 2002

Research Overview

Dr. Zierold's research involves applying environmental and occupational health and epidemiology methods and concepts to community-based problems. She has worked with many diverse populations in community, clinical, and industrial settings. Dr. Zierold's education and training included quantitative and qualitative research methods, as well as exposure assessment and industrial hygiene techniques; therefore her research utilizes mixed-methods designs when applicable. Dr. Zierold has been principal investigator on grants funded by NIEHS, NIOSH, and foundations.

Keywords: Air pollution, coal ash, environmental epidemiology, children's environmental health, community-based research, adverse outcomes from exposure to heavy metals, work-related injury in children and adolescents

Principal Investigator On

Coal Ash and Neurobehavioral Symptoms in Children Aged 6-14 Years Old. awarded by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/NIH/DHHS

Teaching Overview

Dr. Zierold is the primary course instructor for ENH660 Fundamentals of Air and Water Pollution. She has a strong interest in working with doctoral and masters students. She has chaired or has been a committee member on 16 dissertation and thesis committees for PhD and MS students. She has worked with over 10 MPH students on their practicums or internships.