Epidemiology Commons^™

Cost-Effectiveness Of Alternative Strategies For Annual Influenza Vaccination Among Children Aged 6 Months To 14 Years In Four Provinces In China, Lei Zhou, Sujian Situ, Zijian Feng, Charisma Y. Atkins, Isaac Chun-Hai Fung, Zhen Xu, Ting Huang, Shixiong Hu, Xianjun Wang

Epidemiology: Faculty Publications (2002-2018)

Background: To support policy making, we developed an initial model to assess the cost-effectiveness of potential strategies to increase influenza vaccination rates among children in China.

Methods: We studied on children aged 6 months to 14 years in four provinces (Shandong, Henan, Hunan, and Sichuan), with a health care system perspective. We used data from 2005/6 to 2010/11, excluding 2009/10. Costs are reported in 2010 U.S. dollars.

Results: In comparison with no vaccination, the mean (range) of Medically Attended Cases averted by the current self-payment policy for the two age groups (6 to 59 months and 60 …

Epidemiology News, Georgia Southern University

Biostatistics, Epidemiology & Environmental Health Sciences: News & Publications (2011-2018)

• Chinese Social Media Reactions

Relationship Between Altitude And Lithium In Groundwater In The United States Of America: Results Of A 1992–2003 Study, Rebekah S. Huber, Namkug Kim, Carl E. Renshaw, Perry F. Renshaw, Douglas Kondo

Dartmouth Scholarship

Therapeutic dosages of lithium are known to reduce suicide rates, which has led to investigations of confounding environmental risk factors for suicide such as lithium in groundwater. It has been speculated that this might play a role in the potential relationship between suicide and altitude. A recent study in Austria involving geospatial analysis of lithium in groundwater and suicide found lower levels of lithium at higher altitudes. Since there is no reason to suspect this correlation is universal given variation in geology, the current study set out to investigate the relationship between altitude and lithium in groundwater in the United …

The Relationship Between Area Poverty Rate And Site-Specific Cancer Incidence In The United States, Francis P. Boscoe, Christopher J. Johnson, Recinda L. Sherman, David G. Stinchcomb, Ge Lin, Kevin A. Henry

Epidemiology & Biostatistics Faculty Scholarship

BACKGROUND

The relationship between socioeconomic status and cancer incidence in the United States has not traditionally been a focus of population-based cancer surveillance systems.

METHODS

Nearly 3 million tumors diagnosed between 2005 and 2009 from 16 states plus Los Angeles were assigned into 1 of 4 groupings based on the poverty rate of the residential census tract at time of diagnosis. The sex-specific risk ratio of the highest-to-lowest poverty category was measured using Poisson regression, adjusting for age and race, for 39 cancer sites.

RESULTS

For all sites combined, there was a negligible association between cancer incidence and poverty; however, …

Hpv-Associated Lung Cancers: An International Pooled Analysis, C. Ragin, D. Gibbs, C. Koriyama, J. Koshiol, J. Sykes, S. W. Hee, J. Yokota, A. Zaravinos, E. Taioli

Journal Articles

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the etiologic risk factor for cervical cancer. Some studies have suggested an association with a subset of lung tumors, but the etiologic link has not been firmly established. We performed an international pooled analysis of cross-sectional studies (27 datasets, n = 3249 patients) to evaluate HPV DNA prevalence in lung cancer and to investigate viral presence according to clinical and demographic characteristics. HPV16/18 were the most commonly detected, but with substantial variation in viral prevalence between geographic regions. The highest prevalence of HPV16/18 was observed in South and Central America, followed by Asia, North America and …

Estimating Population Treatment Effects From A Survey Sub-Sample, Kara E. Rudolph, Ivan Diaz, Michael Rosenblum, Elizabeth A. Stuart

Johns Hopkins University, Dept. of Biostatistics Working Papers

We consider the problem of estimating an average treatment effect for a target population from a survey sub-sample. Our motivating example is generalizing a treatment effect estimated in a sub-sample of the National Comorbidity Survey Replication Adolescent Supplement to the population of U.S. adolescents. To address this problem, we evaluate easy-to-implement methods that account for both non-random treatment assignment and a non-random two-stage selection mechanism. We compare the performance of a Horvitz-Thompson estimator using inverse probability weighting (IPW) and two double robust estimators in a variety of scenarios. We demonstrate that the two double robust estimators generally outperform IPW in …

Analysis Of Schizophrenia Data Using A Nonlinear Threshold Index Logistic Model., Zhenyu Jiang, Chengan Du, Assen Jablensky, Hua Liang, Zudi Lu, Yang Ma, Kok Lay Teo

GW Biostatistics Center

Genetic information, such as single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data, has been widely recognized as useful in prediction of disease risk. However, how to model the genetic data that is often categorical in disease class prediction is complex and challenging. In this paper, we propose a novel class of nonlinear threshold index logistic models to deal with the complex, nonlinear effects of categorical/discrete SNP covariates for Schizophrenia class prediction. A maximum likelihood methodology is suggested to estimate the unknown parameters in the models. Simulation studies demonstrate that the proposed methodology works viably well for moderate-size samples. The suggested approach is therefore …

Mediation Analysis Of Gestational Age, Congenital Heart Defects, And Infant Birth-Weight, Adane Wogu, Christopher Loffredo, Ionut Bebu, George Luta

GW Biostatistics Center

Background

In this study we assessed the mediation role of the gestational age on the effect of the infant’s congenital heart defects (CHD) on birth-weight.

Methods

We used secondary data from the Baltimore-Washington Infant Study (1981–1989). Mediation analysis was employed to investigate whether gestational age acted as a mediator of the association between CHD and reduced birth-weight. We estimated the mediated effect, the mediation proportion, and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) using several methods.

Results

There were 3362 CHD cases and 3564 controls in the dataset with mean birth-weight of 3071 (SD = 729) and 3353 (SD = 603) …

Engagement With Care, Substance Use, And Adherence To Therapy In Hiv/Aids, Patrice K. Nicholas, Suzanne Willard, Clinton J. Thompson, Carol Dawson-Rose, Inge B. Corless, +20 Additional Authors

GW Biostatistics Center

Engagement with care for those living with HIV is aimed at establishing a strong relationship between patients and their health care provider and is often associated with greater adherence to therapy and treatment (Flickinger, Saha, Moore, and Beach, 2013). Substance use behaviors are linked with lower rates of engagement with care and medication adherence (Horvath, Carrico, Simoni, Boyer, Amico, and Petroli, 2013). This study is a secondary data analysis using a cross-sectional design from a larger randomized controlled trial (n = 775) that investigated the efficacy of a self-care symptom management manual for participants living with HIV. Participants were …

Short And Long-Term Lifestyle Coaching Approaches Used To Address Diverse Participant Barriers To Weight Loss And Physical Activity Adherence, Elizabeth M. Venditti, Judith Wylie-Rosett, Linda M. Delahanty, Lisa L. Mele, Mary A. Hoskin, Sharon Edelstein

GW Biostatistics Center

Background

Individual barriers to weight loss and physical activity goals in the Diabetes Prevention Program, a randomized trial with 3.2 years average treatment duration, have not been previously reported. Evaluating barriers and the lifestyle coaching approaches used to improve adherence in a large, diverse participant cohort can inform dissemination efforts.

Methods

Lifestyle coaches documented barriers and approaches after each session (mean session attendance = 50.3 +/- 21.8). Subjects were 1076 intensive lifestyle participants (mean age = 50.6 years; mean BMI = 33.9 kg/m2; 68% female, 48% non-Caucasian). Barriers and approaches used to improve adherence were ranked by the percentage of …

Cardiometabolic Risk Assessments By Body Mass Index Z-Score Or Waist-To-Height Ratio In A Multiethnic Sample Of Sixth-Graders, Henry S. Kahn, Laure El Ghormli, Russell Jago, Gary D. Foster, Robert G. Mcmurray, John B. Buse, Diane D. Stadler, Roberto P. Trevino, Tom Baranowski, Healthy Study Group

GW Biostatistics Center

Convention defines pediatric adiposity by the body mass index -score (BMIz) referenced to normative growth charts. Waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) does not depend on sex-and-age references. In the HEALTHY Study enrollment sample, we compared BMIz with WHtR for ability to identify adverse cardiometabolic risk. Among 5,482 sixth-grade students from 42 middle schools, we estimated explanatory variations (R²) and standardized beta coefficients of BMIz or WHtR for cardiometabolic risk factors: insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), lipids, blood pressures, and glucose. For each risk outcome variable, we prepared adjusted regression models for four subpopulations stratified by sex and high versus lower fatness. …

Community Colleges And Public Health: An Integral Part Of The Continuum Of Education For Public Health, Richard Riegelman, Cynthia Wilson

Epidemiology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Hiv Testing Implementation In Two Urban Cities: Practice, Policy, And Perceived Barriers., Camden J Hallmark, Jennifer Skillicorn, Thomas P Giordano, Jessica A Davila, Marlene Mcneese, Nestor Rocha, Avemaria Smith, Stacey Cooper, Amanda D. Castel

Epidemiology Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Although funding has supported the scale up of routine, opt-out HIV testing in the US, variance in implementation mechanisms and barriers in high-burden jurisdictions remains unknown.

METHODS: We conducted a survey of health care organizations in Washington, DC and Houston/Harris County to determine number of HIV tests completed in 2011, policy and practices associated with HIV testing, funding mechanisms, and reported barriers to testing in each jurisdiction and to compare results between jurisdictions.

RESULTS: In 2012, 43 Houston and 35 DC HIV-testing organizations participated in the survey. Participants represented 85% of Department of Health-supported testers in DC and 90% …

A Life Span Approach To The Relationship Between Cholesterol, Late Onset Alzheimer’S Disease, And Cognitive Functioning Among Older Adults, Brian Downer

Theses and Dissertations--Gerontology

There is evidence that cholesterol presents an important risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but the direction of this relationship is modified by age. High cholesterol during midlife and low cholesterol during late life are both associated with an increased risk for AD. This dissertation research engaged a life span approach to study the relationship between cholesterol, AD and cognitive functioning among older adults. The purpose of this research was to determine if trajectories of cholesterol from midlife through late life differ according to AD status and if these trajectories are associated with cognitive functioning during old age.

This research …

Cancer Trends And Risk Factors In Cyprus, Evi A. Farazi

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

Cyprus, a European Union member state, is a small island in the Mediterranean with a population approaching 900,000 people. Cancer is the second leading cause of death; more therapeutic options for any patient with the disease are available in a central oncology centre in the capital of the island (Nicosia) and fewer therapeutic options (e.g. chemotherapy and hormone therapy only) in a few other public hospitals. Palliative care is offered in several hospices and hospitals, although the field needs improvement. With regards to screening, a national breast cancer screening programme has been in place countrywide since 2007 and is offered …

Community Awareness Of Intestinal Parasites And The Prevalence Of Infection Among Community Members Of Rural Abaye Deneba Area, Ethiopia, Liza Nyantekyi, Mengistu Legesse, Girmay Medhin, Abebe Animut, Konjit Tadesse, Chanda Macias, Abraham Degarege, Berhanu Erko

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

OBJECTIVE: To assess the knowledge of Abaye Deneba community members regarding intestinal parasites and prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections.

METHODS: Knowledge about intestinal parasites was assessed by administering a questionnaire to 345 randomly selected household heads. Parasitological stool examination of 491 randomly selected individuals was done using the formol ether concentration technique.

RESULTS: Knowledge of the Abaye Deneba community about parasitic diseases such as schistosomiasis, amoebiasis, ascariasis and taeniasis was very low. However, 204 (59.3%) members correctly responded that the cause of giardiasis is related to contaminated water and 176 (51.2%) knew how to prevent it. In some cases, respondents …

Hepatitis B, C Virus And Hiv Co-Infection Among Reported Female Cases In South Carolina, 2004 - 2011: An Epidemiological Analysis Of Pregnancy Outcomes, Afiba Manza-Azele Agovi

Theses and Dissertations

HIV, hepatitis B and C virus (HBV, HCV) are three of the most common blood-borne infections and they continue to be a major public health problem in the United States (US) and globally. It is not well understood if maternal infection with either HBV or HCV has an adverse impact on pregnancy outcomes as findings from previous studies have provided some mixed results. The overall goal of this study was to assess the risk of preterm birth, low birth weight (LBW), small for gestational age (SGA) and admission into neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for babies born to HBV- and …

Breast Cancer Susceptibility : An Education Intervention And Genetic Epidemiology Study, Nur Zeinomar

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Background: Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer (aside from non-melanoma skin cancers) and the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women in the United States. Our studies aimed to assess the effectiveness of a breast cancer educational intervention and to investigate genetic influences on the risk of post-menopausal breast cancer. The overarching theme and public health relevance of this dissertation was that our findings provided leads for breast cancer prevention.

Predictors Of Attrition Among Participants In A Worksite Wellness Program, Yvonne A. Johnston

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Objectives: The purpose of this secondary data analysis was to examine "stage of change" as a predictor of attrition among participants in a worksite wellness program. A Conceptual Model of Attrition was developed to examine health screening, health risk appraisal (HRA), and demographic predictors of attrition as well.

Influenza Hospitalizations In New York State 2007-2013 : Impact Of Vaccine And Antiviral Treatment Effectiveness In Reducing Severity Of Illness, Mary Dundas

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Background: Underlying medical conditions are known risk factors for increased severity of infectious diseases, including influenza. Although most studies on disease severity, underlying medical conditions, and prevention/treatment effectiveness occurred during the pandemic 2009-2010 season, data is also available for seasons when influenza virus B and influenza virus A subtypes pH1N1, seasonal H1N1, and H3N2 were circulating.