I am an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Population Health Science and Policy at the Center for Child Health Services Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

I am a health economist who studies how social and policy contexts shape the health and wellbeing of children and families. My current work focuses on:

• The effects of family and social support policies on child and family health

• Determinants and consequences of pediatric vaccine uptake

• Spatial modeling and applications of artificial intelligence in public health

• Access to public health insurance and its impact on maternal and child health

Recent Publications:

Assessing MMR vaccination coverage gaps in US children with digital participatory surveillance, Eric Zhou, John S. Brownstein, Benjamin Rader. (2026) Nature Health 1, 138–144 

Selected Media coverage: The Atlantic, ABC News, Boston Globe

Parental Factors Associated with Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccination for US Children Under 5, Eric Zhou, Jonathan Cantor, Autumn Gertz, Brian Elbel, John S Brownstein, Benjamin Rader. (2025) American Journal of Public Health, 115(3), 369-373.

Selected Media coverage: NBC News, CNN News, Scientific American

Gentrification and Childhood Obesity: Evidence from New York City Public School Students in Public Housing, Eric Zhou, Amy Ellen Schwartz, Brian Elbel. (2023). Obesity (Silver Spring), 1-8.

Analysis of School-Level Vaccination Rates by Race, Ethnicity, and Geography in New York City, Elbel, Brian, Eric Zhou, David C. Lee, Willy Chen, Sophia E. Day, Kevin J. Konty, and Amy Ellen Schwartz. (2022). JAMA network open 5, no. 9

Working papers:

Eric Zhou. State Prekindergarten Expansion, Child Health Care Utilization, and Cognitive Development. Presented at ASHEcon 2025. [Under Review]

Eric Zhou, Brian Elbel, Amy Ellen Schwartz. The Impact of COVID-19 Vaccines on the Health and Educational Outcomes of Public School Students in New York City.

Eric Zhou, Brian Elbel, Sophia Day, Kira Argenio, Amy Ellen Schwartz. Factors Associated With COVID-19 Primary and Booster Vaccine Uptake Among New York City Public School Students. [Under Review]

Eric Zhou, Brian Elbel, Sophia Day, Kira Argenio, Amy Ellen Schwartz. Factors Associated With COVID-19 Primary and Booster Vaccine Uptake Among New York City Public School Students. [Under Review]

Working in progress:

Eric Zhou, Ellerie Weber. The Effect of Postpartum Continuous Coverage Policy on Maternal and Infant Health and Wellbeing.

Eric Zhou, Catherine Maclean. The Effect of Universal Prek-Kindergarten Expansion on Child Maltreatment