Catherine Karr is a pediatric environmental medicine specialist and environmental epidemiologist. She has a primary appointment in the Department of Pediatrics, Joint in Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, and Adjunct in Epidemiology. Her research areas include environmental contaminants and pediatric respiratory health including asthma, health of farmworker children, and global children's environmental health. Much of her research utilizes community engaged research approaches. She shares leadership of a large pregnancy cohort as part of the NIH Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program. She is affiliated with the Pacific Northwest Center for Agricultural Safety and Health and Interdisciplinary Center for Exposures, Disease, Genetics and the Environment (EDGE). She has a general pediatric practice at the UW Pediatric Clinic at Roosevelt and also provides specialty pediatric environmental medicine consultation at this site and the Harborview Medical Center. As Director of the NW Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit (PEHSU), she sets the direction for outreach and education as well as responding to queries from health care providers, government officials and families regarding health risks associated with environmental exposures.
Professor
Research Interests
Pediatric environmental health. Air pollution. Asthma. Pesticides. Global children's environmental health. Farmworker health. Community engaged research
Teaching Interests
Clinical and public health trainees interested in environmental determinants of child health
ENVH 417
Projects
This community based participatory study tests the effectiveness of combining a community healthworker asthma education program with portable home indoor air cleaners in order to improve indoor airand health of farm worker children with asthma
Projects
This collaboration with Blacksmith Institute and partner organizations in Vietnam is assessing lead poisoning among children in a lead battery recycling village and effectiveness of a clean up and education campaign.
Projects
This collaboration with global health researchers is examining cookstove air pollution exposures and health impacts in a vulnerable population.
In the news
Researchers explore a pesticide link to asthma in farmworkers' children.
September 10, 2018 | WUNC: North Carolina Public Radio | Featured: Catherine Karr | ViewDoes Yakima Valley agriculture trigger asthma?
July 13, 2018 | Yakima Herald | Featured: Catherine Karr | ViewDairy farms battle environmentalists over manure.
June 8, 2018 | King5 News | Featured: Catherine Karr | ViewCatherine Karr: improving paediatric respiratory health.
May 29, 2018 | The Lancet | Featured: Catherine Karr | ViewEffort to combat lead in Washington is 'not adequately resourced.'
May 4, 2018 | KIRO7-TV | Featured: Catherine Karr | ViewFor farmworkers' kids, country air means dust, pesticides and asthma.
April 25, 2018 | OPB.org | Featured: Catherine Karr | ViewEducation
PhD (University of Washington), MD (University of Washington), MS (University of Washington)
More Information
Contact information
Email
Tel
206-616-4355
Institution
University of Washington
Tel alt
206-221-8671
Fax
206-543-8123
PO Box
354695
Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences
4225 Roosevelt Way NE, Suite 100
Seattle
WA
98105
Program title
Northwest Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit
Program url
http://deohs.washington.edu/pehsu/
Program title
Pacific Northwest Center for Agricultural Safety & Health
Program url
http://deohs.washington.edu/pnash
Program title
Center for Ecogenetics and Environmental Health
Program url
http://deohs.washington.edu/edge/