Koichiro Shiba
Profiles

Koichiro Shiba, PhD

Assistant Professor, Epidemiology - Boston University School of Public Health

617-358-3632
Talbot (T Bldg) - T420E
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Biography

My overarching research goal is using rigorous causal inference thinking and methods to improve evidence on social determinants of health and health disparities. Rather than merely applying complex methods, my motto is to harness their full potential by identifying and applying the methods to the unique challenges in social epidemiologic studies where they truly shine.

I lead a multitude of projects spanning a broad spectrum of methodological issues, including but not limited to: analyzing time-varying treatments to derive different, policy-relevant insights, and identifying when conventional single-point exposure analysis may be misleading; the use of machine learning methods for robust effect estimation and assessing high-dimensional heterogeneous exposure effects, capturing the intersectionality; the consideration of causal estimands and selection bias in trauma studies with sample attrition; novel approaches to characterize and operationalize neighborhood characteristics; and a novel causal inference method to simulate the impacts of realistic hypothetical interventions on health disparities.

In addition to these methodological focuses, I have worked on several key substantive areas that address urgent public health concerns. First, I study the effects of stressful experiences and traumatic events (such as climate change, disasters, child adversity, pandemics, and global financial crises) on population health, with a particular focus on older adult populations. Second, I investigate the roles of social relationships, social engagement (e.g., volunteering), and related exposures such as loneliness and social isolation) in promoting the health of older adults and fostering resilience. I have also explored how internet-based social interactions can influence population health. Third, I study the impacts of positive psychological factors (for instance, purpose in life, Ikigai) on health. My research further delves into inequalities in and determinants of multidimensional well-being (i.e., human flourishing), which extends beyond traditional physical and mental health outcomes and include other key domains of human well-being such as purpose in life and social well-being. In essence, my objective for this line of research is to study health in its fullest sense, defined by the World Health Organization as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”

Education

  • Harvard School of Public Health, PhD Field of Study: Population Sciences
  • University of Tokyo, MPH Field of Study: Public Health
  • University of Tokyo, BA Field of Study: Health Science

Websites

Publications

  • Published on 5/30/2025

    Ritchie-Dunham JL, Yancey G, Managi S, Bartel C, Bonhag R, Padgett N, Shiba K, Johnson BR, VanderWeele TJ. Demographic Variation in Social Support and Intimate Friend Across 22 Countries: A Cross-National Analysis. Int J Appl Posit Psychol. 2025; 10(2):37. PMID: 40453540.

     Read At: PubMed
  • Published on 5/5/2025

    Macchia L, Okafor CN, Breedlove T, Shiba K, Piper A, Johnson B, VanderWeele TJ. Demographic variation in pain across 22 countries. Commun Med (Lond). 2025 May 05; 5(1):154. PMID: 40325153.

     Read At: PubMed
  • Published on 5/1/2025

    Rakesh D, Shiba K, Lamont M, Lund C, Pickett KE, VanderWeele TJ, Patel V. Economic Inequality and Mental Health: Causality, Mechanisms, and Interventions. Annu Rev Clin Psychol. 2025 May; 21(1):353-377. PMID: 40333273.

     Read At: PubMed
  • Published on 5/1/2025

    Nakamura JS, Shiba K, Shi B, Leong RS, VanderWeele TJ, Kim ES. How is volunteering associated with reduced mortality? A mediator-wide approach. Health Psychol. 2025 May; 44(5):518-527. PMID: 40232787.

     Read At: PubMed
  • Published on 4/30/2025

    Padgett RN, Bradshaw M, Chen Y, Cowden RG, Jang SJ, Kim ES, Shiba K, Johnson BR, VanderWeele TJ. Analytic methodology for demographic variation analyses for wave 1 of the global flourishing study. BMC Glob Public Health. 2025 Apr 30; 3(1):28. PMID: 40307901.

     Read At: PubMed
  • Published on 4/30/2025

    Kim ES, Bradshaw M, Noah Padgett R, Chen Y, Shiba K, Ritchie-Dunham JL, Case BW, Johnson BR, VanderWeele TJ. Identifying childhood correlates of adult purpose and meaning across 22 countries (Global Flourishing Study). Npj Ment Health Res. 2025 Apr 30; 4(1):14. PMID: 40307581.

     Read At: PubMed
  • Published on 4/30/2025

    Chen Y, Kubzansky LD, Kim ES, Koga H, Shiba K, Padgett RN, Wilkinson R, Johnson BR, VanderWeele TJ. When the glass is half full: early life experiences and adult optimism in 22 countries. Npj Ment Health Res. 2025 Apr 30; 4(1):12. PMID: 40307504.

     Read At: PubMed
  • Published on 4/30/2025

    Padgett RN, Bradshaw M, Chen Y, Cowden RG, Jang SJ, Kim ES, Shiba K, Johnson BR, VanderWeele TJ. Analytic methodology for childhood predictor analyses for wave 1 of the Global Flourishing Study. BMC Glob Public Health. 2025 Apr 30; 3(1):29. PMID: 40307919.

     Read At: PubMed
  • Published on 4/30/2025

    Cowden RG, Chen ZJ, Wilkinson R, Weziak-Bialowolska D, Breedlove T, Gundersen C, Shiba K, Padgett RN, Johnson BR, VanderWeele TJ. A cross-national analysis of sociodemographic variation in suffering across 22 countries. Commun Med (Lond). 2025 Apr 30; 5(1):144. PMID: 40307360.

     Read At: PubMed
  • Published on 4/30/2025

    Nakamura JS, Weziak-Bialowolska D, Woodberry RD, Kubzansky LD, Shiba K, Padgett RN, Johnson BR, VanderWeele TJ. Demographic variation in charitable giving and helping across 22 countries in the Global Flourishing Study. Sci Rep. 2025 Apr 30; 15(1):14802. PMID: 40307329.

     Read At: PubMed

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