Jennifer Runkle

Jennifer Runkle is a Senior Professor at Appalachian State University. Her research integrates environmental science, epidemiology, and psychiatry to examine the impacts of climate change on public health, with a focus on mental and maternal health. Her recent work investigates the effects of extreme heat and compound climate events on emergency department visits for depression, suicidal ideation, and substance misuse in vulnerable populations, including youth with ADHD and maternal groups. She also studies healthcare access disparities, such as maternity care deserts in rural North Carolina, and the mental health consequences of disasters like Hurricane Helene. Her publications appear in The Lancet Regional Health – Americas and PLOS Mental Health.