eran bendavid

Eran Bendavid, MD, MS

  • Associate Professor, Medicine
  • Associate Professor, Health Policy
  • Senior Fellow, by courtesy, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies
  • Senior Fellow, Woods Institute for the Environment

Encina Commons, Room 102,
615 Crothers Way,
Stanford, CA 94305-6019

(650) 723-0984 (voice)
(650) 723-1919 (fax)

Biography

My academic focus is on global health, health policy, infectious diseases, environmental changes, and population health. Our research primarily addresses how health policies and environmental changes affect health outcomes worldwide, with a special emphasis on population living in impoverished conditions.

Our recent publications in journals like Nature, Lancet, and JAMA Pediatrics include studies on the impact of tropical cyclones on population health and the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 infectivity in children. These works are part of my broader effort to understand the health consequences of environmental and policy changes.

Collaborating with trainees and leading academics in global health, our group's research interests also involve analyzing the relationship between health aid policies and their effects on child health and family planning in sub-Saharan Africa. My research typically aims to inform policy decisions and deepen the understanding of complex health dynamics.

Current projects focus on the health and social effects of pollution and natural hazards, as well as the extended implications of war on health, particularly among children and women.

Specific projects we have ongoing include:

  • What do global warming and demographic shifts imply for the population exposure to extreme heat and extreme cold events?

  • What are the implications of tropical cyclones (hurricanes) on delivery of basic health services such as vaccinations in low-income contexts?

  • What effect do malaria control programs have on child mortality?

  • What is the evidence that foreign aid for health is good diplomacy?

  • How can we compare health inequalities across countries? Is health in the U.S. uniquely unequal? 

     

In The News

An illustration of a tropical cyclone
News

Finding New Ways to Adapt to Growing Weather Threats

Research by Eran Bendavid and colleagues reveals a steady increase in the number of people at risk from tropical cyclones and the number of days per year these potentially catastrophic storms threaten health and livelihoods. The findings could help relief agencies, development banks, and other organizations plan more effective strategies for mitigating extreme weather impacts.
cover link Finding New Ways to Adapt to Growing Weather Threats
African cloth
News

U.S. Policy on Global Aid Curtailed Family Planning Services in Africa

A new study finds that the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance policy, formerly known as the Mexico City Policy, reduced the provision and use of contraceptives, as well as community health volunteer services, in African countries.
cover link U.S. Policy on Global Aid Curtailed Family Planning Services in Africa
San Francisco Wildfires -- Getty Images
News

California Emergency Department Visits During Wildfire Smoke Events

Eran Bendavid and his Stanford colleagues examine how often Californians visit emergency departments (ED) and found that, surprisingly, people tend to avoid the hospital on the smokiest days.
cover link California Emergency Department Visits During Wildfire Smoke Events