Matthew Freeman
Professor
Faculty, Environmental Health
Jointly Appointed, Epidemiology
Jointly Appointed, Global Health

Please see additional information here: www.FreemanResearchGroup.org
The work of the Freeman Research Group is focused on assessing the role of the lived environmental on health of marginalized populations in low-income settings. We are interested in designing theory-informed interventions of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) technologies and behaviors, and quantifying impacts through rigorous experimental and quasi-experimental methodologies; understanding drivers of behavior change and program sustainability; and utilizing implementation science frameworks to assess fidelity and context. Specifically, we are interested in the complementary role WASH can play in mitigating the burden of neglected tropical diseases and the intersection of WASH and nutrition. Our work asks policy relevant health and development questions inclose collaboration with myriad state and non-governmental stakeholders, including CARE, WaterAid, Catholic Relief Services, Save the Children, UNICEF and others.
Dr. Freeman has published over 125 peer-reviewed publications. He serves on the global STH Advisory Committee and contracts and advises the WHO on issues related to handwashing and hygiene, trachoma control, and STH control and WASH. He co-directs Emory's program in Global Environmental Health. In 2016, Dr. Freeman received the Association of Schools and Programs in Public Health Early Career Research Award. In 2018, he received the Environmental Health Department Excellence in Teaching Award.
Contact Information
Rollins School of Public Health ,
Atlanta , GA 30322
1518 Clifton Road, NE, Claudia Nance Rollins Bldg., 2027
Phone: (404) 712-8767
Fax: (404) 727-8744
Email: matthew.freeman@emory.edu
Areas of Interest
- Diarrheal and Enteric Diseases
- Environmental Health
- Epidemiology
- Global Health
- Implementation Science
- Infectious Disease
- Neglected Tropical Diseases
- Safe Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
Education
- PhD 2011, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
- MPH 2005, Emory University
- BA 2000, Wesleyan University
Courses Taught
- EH 501: Intro.to Environmental Health
- GH 560: Monitor &Eval Int'l Hlth Progs
- GH 560: Monitor &Eval Int'l Hlth Progs
- GH 560: Monitor &Eval Int'l Hlth Progs
- GH 560: Monitor &Eval Int'l Hlth Progs
- GH 560: Monitor &Eval Int'l Hlth Progs
- EH 590R: Environmental Health Seminar
Affiliations & Activities
Full publications list: Google Scholar & PubMed
Publications
- Hodges M, Belle JH, Carlton EJ, Liang S, Li H, Luo W, Freeman MC, Liu Y, Gao Y, Hess JH, Remais JV, 2014, Climate change blunts progress reducing infectious disease attributable to unsafe water and sanitation in China., Nature Climate Change, ,
- Stocks ME, Ogden S, Haddad D, Addiss DG, McGuire C*, Freeman MC , 2014, Effect of water, sanitation, and hygiene on the prevention of trachoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis, PLoS Medicine, 11, e1001605
- Gass K, Addiss DG, Freeman MC , 2014, Exploring the relationship between access to water, sanitation and hygiene and soil-transmitted helminth infection: A demonstration of two recursive partitioning tools., PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases , 8, 6
- Freeman MC, Stocks M, Cumming O, Jeandron A, Higgins JPT, Wolf J, Prüss-Ustün A, Bonjour S, Hunter PR, Fewtrell L, Curtis V., 2014, Hygiene and health: systematic review of handwashing practices worldwide and update of health effects., Tropical Medicine and International Health , 19, 8
- Strunz EC, Addiss DG, Stocks ME, Ogden S, Utzinger J, Freeman MC , 2014, Water, sanitation, hygiene, and soil-transmitted helminth infection: A systematic review and meta-analysis, PLoS Medicine, 11, e1001620
- Garn J, Greene LE, Dreibelbis R, Saboori S, Rheingans R, Freeman MC. , 2013, cluster-randomized trial assessing the impact of school water, sanitation, and hygiene improvements on pupil enrollment and gender parity in enrollment, Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development, ,
- Freeman MC, Ogden S, et al. , 2013, Integration of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene for the Prevention and Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases: A Rationale for Inter-Sectoral Collaboration. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002439, PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 7(9) e2439 ,
- Erhard L, DeGabriele J, Naughton, D, Freeman MC, 2013, Policy and provision of WASH in schools for children with disabilities: A case study in Malawi and Uganda. Global Public Health, Global Health, 8(9),
- Freeman MC, Clasen T, Brooker S, Akoko D, Rheingans R., 2013, The impact of a school-based hygiene, water quality, and sanitation intervention on soil-transmitted helminth reinfection: a cluster-randomized trial., American Journal of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene, ,
- Freeman MC, Clasen T, Dreibelbis R, Greene LE, Saboori S, Brumback B, Muga R, Rheingans R. , 2013, The impact of a school-based water supply and treatment, hygiene, and sanitation programme on pupil diarrhoea: A cluster-randomized trial. , Epidemiology and Infection, ,
- Freeman MC, Greene L, Dreibelbis R, Saboori S, Muga R, Rheingans R, 2012, A cluster-randomized trial to assess the impact of a school-based water, sanitation, and hygiene program on pupil absenteeism, enrollment, and test scores., Tropical Medicine and International Health, 17, 380-391
- Freeman MC & Clasen T, 2011, Assessing the impact of a school-based safe water intervention on household adoption of point-of-use water treatment practices in Southern India, American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 84, 370-8
- Freeman MC, Trinies V, Mak G, Boisson S, Clasen T., , Promoting Household Water Treatment Through Women’s Self Help Groups in Rural India: Assessing Impact on Drinking Water Quality and Equity., PLoS ONE, 7(9), e44068