Robert S. Kahn, MD, MPH
Title
Research Section Director, Division of General and Community Pediatrics; General Pediatrician
Appointment
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Email
robert.kahn@cchmc.org
Phone
513-636-4369
Fax
513-636-4402
Bio
Robert S. Kahn, MD, MPH, is a general pediatrician and child health researcher. Dr. Kahn's work has focused on the intersection of poverty, women's health and child health, in research funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). More recently, the research has included a focus on genetic susceptibility to common pediatric conditions such as asthma and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). In particular, the research examines how genetic susceptibility may influence the effects of risks presented by the physical and social environment.
Dr. Kahn attended Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. At Children's Hospital in Boston, he completed his residency in pediatrics and a fellowship in primary care research. At the same time, he obtained a Masters in Public Health at Harvard School of Public Health. He was initially appointed Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of General Pediatrics at Boston Medical Center. Currently he is an Associate Professor in the Division of General and Community Pediatrics at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.
Credentials
BA: Psychology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 1986.
MD: Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, 1992.
Residency: Pediatrics, Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 1995.
Fellowship: Primary Care Research, Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 1997.
MPH: Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 1997.
Certification: Pediatrics, 1995, 2002.
Awards and Honors
- Best Doctors in America, 2008
- Rochester Child Health Congress, Young Leader in Maternal and Child Health, 1999
- Kaufman Prize in Medicine, Vanderbilt University, 1992
- Alpha Omega Alpha, Vanderbilt University, 1992
- Summa cum laude, Princeton University, 1986
- Phi Beta Kappa, Princeton University, 1986
Research
Parental health as a mediator of poverty's effects on children.
Social and economic disparities in children's health.
Interaction of genes and environment in common childhood diseases.
Research Grants and Contracts
Childhood Asthma in an Era of Genomics, Robert Wood Johnson Generalist Faculty Scholars Award, 7/01/04 - 6/30/08, Principal Investigator.
National Children's Study Vanguard Center, NIH/HH, HHSN 275200603416C/403321, 11/01/05 - 10/30/10, Subcontract Co-Investigator.
Environmental Exposures, NOS Genes, and Exhaled Nitric Oxide in Pediatric Asthma, NIH/NHLBI, 1R21HL083145-01A1, 7/15/06 – 6/30/08, Co-Investigator.
Low Level Tobacco Exposure and Infant Wheeze, Flight Attendants Medical Research Institute, 7/01/07 – 6/30/10, Co-Investigator.
Completed Grants
Epithelial Genes in Allergic Inflammation, NIAID, 1 U19 AI070235-01, 9/15/06 - 7/1/07, Co-Investigator.
Poverty, Maternal Health, and Disparities in Child Outcomes, NICHD 1 K23 HD40362-01, 5/01/01 - 4/30/07, Principal Investigator.
Parental Resources and Child Wellbeing, NICHD, R01- HD41141, 5/01/06 - 8/31/06, Subcontract Principal Investigator.
Publications, Most Recent
Phelan K, Khoury J, Atherton H, Kahn RS. Maternal depression, Child Behavior, and Injury.Inj Prev (in press).
Whitaker RC, Orzol SM, Kahn RS. The Co-occurrence of Smoking and a Major Depressive Episode among Mothers 15 Months after Delivery.Prev Med (in press).
Froehlich TE, Lanphear BP, Epstein JN, Barbaresi WJ, Katusic SK, Kahn RS. Prevalence, Recognition, and Treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in a National Sample of U.S. Children.Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2007; 161: 857 – 864.
Froehlich TE, Lanphear BP, Dietrich KN, Cory-Slechta DA, Wang N, Kahn RS. Interactive effects of a DRD4 polymorphism, lead, and sex on executive functions. Biol Psych 2007; 62(3): 243-249.
Kahn JA, Lan D, Kahn RS. Sociodemographic Factors Associated With High-Risk Human Papillomavirus Infection.Obstet Gynecol 2007;110(1): 87-95.
Wilson S, Kahn RS, Khoury J, Lanphear BP. The Role of Air Nicotine in Explaining Racial Differences in Cotinine Among Tobacco-Exposed Children.Chest, 2007; 131: 856 - 862.
Braun J, Kahn RS, Froehlich T, Auinger P, Lanphear BP. Exposures to environmental toxicants and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in US children.Env Health Persp 2006;114:1904-1901.
Witt WP, Fortuna L, Wu E, Kahn RS, Winickoff JP, Pirraglia PA, Ferris TG, Kuhlthau K. Children's use of motor vehicle restraints: Maternal psychological distress, maternal motor vehicle restraint practices, and sociodemographics.Amb Pediatrics. 2006;6:145-151.
Whitaker RC, Orzol SE, Kahn RS. Maternal mental health, substance use, and domestic violence in the year after delivery and subsequent behavior problems in children at age 3 years.Arch Gen Psych 2006;63:551-560.
Ferris TG, Kuhlthau K, Ausiello J, Perrin J, Kahn RS. Are minority children the last to benefit from a new technology? Technology diffusion and inhaled corticosteroids for asthma.Med Care 2006;44:81-86.
Kahn RS, Wilson K, Wise PH. Intergenerational health disparities: Socioeconomic status, women's health, and child behavior problems. Public Health Reports 2005;120:399-408.
Wilson S, Kahn RS, Lanphear BP. Racial differences in exposure to environmental tobacco smoke among children.Environmental Health Perspectives 2005;113:362-367.
Smith LA, Hatcher JL, Wertheimer R, Kahn RS. Rethinking race / ethnicity, income, and childhood asthma: racial / ethnic disparities concentrated among the very poor.Public Health Reports 2005;120:109-116.
Kahn RS, Brandt D, Whitaker RC. Combined effect of mothers' and fathers' mental health symptoms on children's behavioral and emotional well-being.Arch Ped Adol Med 2004;158:721-729.
Burdette HL, Whitaker RC, Harvey-Berino J, Kahn RS. Depressive symptoms in low-income mothers and emotional and social functioning in their preschool children.Amb Peds 2003; 3:288-294.
Kahn RS. Postpartum care no match for postpartum health needs(Letter). BMJ 2003.
Goodman E, Huang B, Wade TJ, Kahn RS. A multi-level analysis of the relation of socioeconomic status to adolescent depressive symptoms: Does school context matter?J Pediatrics 2003; 143:451-456.
Burdette H, Whitaker RC, Kahn RS, Harvey Berino J. Association of maternal obesity and depressive symptoms with television-viewing time in low-income preschool children.Arch Peds Adol Med, 2003; 157: 894-899.
Kahn RS, Khoury J, Nichols W, Lanphear BP. Role of dopamine transporter genotype and maternal prenatal smoking in childhood hyperactivity-impulsivity and oppositional behaviors.J Pediatrics 2003;143:104-110.
Abstracts, Most Recent
Wilson S, Kahn RS, Khoury J, Lanphear B. Racial differences in environmental tobacco smoke metabolism among children with asthma.Pediatric Academic Society Meeting, May 2004.
Kahn RS, Brandt D, Whitaker RC. Combined effect of maternal and paternal mental health symptoms on child behavioral and emotional wellbeing. Pediatric Academic Society Meeting, May 2004.
Kahn RS, Khoury J, Nichols W, Lanphear BP. Role of prenatal smoking and the dopamine transporter polymorphism in childhood hyperactivity-impulsivity and oppositional behaviors.Platform, Pediatric Academic Society Meeting, May 2003.
Editorial Boards
- Public Health Reports
- Ambulatory Pediatrics
Presentations, Most Recent
"Mapping Social and Genetic Influences on Common Childhood Conditions: Early Work in Asthma and ADHD," National Office of Public Health Genomics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, 11/17/06.
"Integrating Genetic Susceptibility and Environmental Influences in Child Health Research," Pediatric Grand Rounds, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, 9/14/06.
"Gene-Environment Influences in Common Pediatric Conditions," Pediatric Environmental Health course lecture, University of Cincinnati Department of Environmental Health, Cincinnati, OH, 5/8/06.
"Integrating Genetic Susceptibility and Environmental Influences in Pediatric Research," Environmental Health Scholars Meeting, Reston, VA, 12/2/05.
"Integrating Genetics into Studies of Child Health and Development," Department of Sociology Seminar, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 12/1/05.
"ADHD – Genes, Environment, and Diagnostic Approaches," Symposium speaker, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Annual Meeting, 10/20/04.
"Maternal Smoking and Depression: Is There a Link?" Keynote Address, Assuring Smoke-Free Homes Conference, Cincinnati, OH, 10/27/03.
"Generalism and Gene-Environment Interaction: A Look at ADHD," Grand Rounds, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, 7/01/03.
"Gene-Environment Interaction in Common Pediatric Conditions: First Looks at ADHD and Asthma," Human Populations Research Core Workshop, Center for Environmental Genetics, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 6/30/03.
Professional Organization Memberships
- American Academy of Pediatrics, Resident Section, 1992-1997
- American Public Health Association, 1996-1997
- Working Group on Early Life and Adolescent Health Policy, Harvard University, 1995-1997
- Ambulatory Pediatric Association, 1996 to present
- American Academy of Pediatrics, Research Network on Economic Inequality and Child Health, 2001 to 2003
