Katherine Wen, PhD

Katherine Wen received her PhD in Policy Analysis and Management from Cornell University and Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Bowdoin College. Before coming to Vanderbilt, she was a postdoctoral research associate at Brown University School of Public Health.

Dr. Wen studies the impact of public policies on health outcomes and health care utilization, with a focus on infectious disease and the health of older adults. Her current research examines vaccination mandates for residents and health care workers in nursing homes as well as vaccination take up among Medicare beneficiaries. Additionally, she has addressed questions related to paid sick leave, prescription opioid supply reduction strategies and public health insurance expansions.

Her research has appeared in the Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, Health Affairs, American Journal of Preventive Medicine, and Medical Care, among others and has been covered by news outlets such as the Atlantic, New York Times, Washington Post, and Vox.