Shows
Money TalesGirls Can do Anything Boys Can do, with Sue Bevan BaggottThis Money Tales episode is all about how the messages we learn in our youth and the experiences we have with money as we’re growing up shape and orient our relationship to money. Our guest this week is Sue Bevan Baggott. Growing up with home haircuts and hand-sewn clothes, Sue learned early the value of frugality. But it was her and her husband’s decision to live on one salary while investing the other that laid the groundwork for Sue to transition from corporate executive to purpose-driven angel investor working to close the gender gap in startup funding.
2025-02-2032 minMoney TalesGirls Can do Anything Boys Can do, with Sue Bevan BaggottThis Money Tales episode is all about how the messages we learn in our youth and the experiences we have with money as we’re growing up shape and orient our relationship to money. Our guest this week is Sue Bevan Baggott. Growing up with home haircuts and hand-sewn clothes, Sue learned early the value of frugality. But it was her and her husband’s decision to live on one salary while investing the other that laid the groundwork for Sue to transition from corporate executive to purpose-driven angel investor working to close the gender gap in startup funding.
2025-02-2032 min
Making Change with your MoneyDo Good While Doing Well: An Interview With Marcia Dawood and Sue Bevan Baggott, Angel InvestorsIn this special episode, I interview two guests: Marcia Dawood and Sue Bevan Baggott.Marcia is the author of the new book Do Good While Doing Well, a TEDx speaker, host of the Angel Next Door podcast and an early stage investor who serves on the SEC's Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee. She's a venture partner with Mindshift Capital and the chair emeritus of the Angel Capital Association, a global professional society for angel investors. She's also an associate producer on the award-winning documentary Show Her the Money.Sue is Founder of Power Within C...2024-10-0652 min
Thrive LouD with Lou DiamondMarcia Dawood + Sue Bevan Baggott - "Do Good While Doing Well"In this captivating episode, Lou connects with two powerhouse women revolutionizing the investment landscape: Marcia Dawood and Sue Bevan Baggott. Marcia, an early-stage investor, venture partner, author, podcaster, and speaker, joins forces with Sue, a human-centered executive advisor passionate about accelerating life-improving innovation. They delve into their shared mission of supporting purpose-driven startups that aim to solve some of the world's largest challenges. Tune in as Marcia and Sue discuss the ins and outs of angel investing, the significance of backing social impact ventures, and how anyone can become an investor re...2024-09-1027 min
SERious EPIS3E9: Feedback loops? Feedback spirals? Disentangling what we know about time-varying exposures.This episode is focused on Chapter 25 of Modern Epidemiology 4th edition, Causal Inference with Time Varying Exposures. In this episode, Matt and Hailey talk about how we should think about exposures that change over time. We discuss the concept of feedback loops- scenarios where the exposure affects outcome which affects a later time point of exposure and then that exposure affects a later outcome. We think about whether biologic (mechanistic) conceptualizations of feedback loop the same as the epidemiologic notion presented in the chapter. We then follow the chapter to continue our discussion about how time varying exposures change our...2023-10-3140 minSERious EPIS3E8: Maybe censoring is the least of your worries?Recording from across the globe, in Melbourne, Australia, Dr. Margarita Moreno-Betancur joins us for an episode on Chapter 22 in Modern Epidemiology (4th edition) on Time-to-Event Analyses. This is a chapter focused on the methods we use when the timing of the occurrence of the event is of central importance. Dr. Moreno-Betancur answers all our questions about these types of analyses, including: the importance of the time scale, defining the origin (time zero), censoring vs. truncation. We also ask Dr. Moreno-Betancur to weigh-in on a hot take about whether the Cox Proportional Hazard model is overused in the health sciences literature.2023-09-3042 min
Epidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 41 – Eating DisordersEating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating, are very common and some of the most complicated psychiatric disorders to address. It is estimated that almost 1 in 10 Americans will experience an eating disorder at some point in their lifetime. Girls and women are more likely to experience an eating disorder as are people of color, but people of all genders and races can be affected. There is evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the problem of eating disorders. In this episode of Epi Counts, hosts Bryan James and Ghassan Hamra speak with Ariel Beccia, a...2023-09-1349 minSERious EPIS3E7: Are time to event analyses the Space Mountain of epidemiology?In this episode Matt and Hailey discuss Chapter 22 of the 4th edition of Modern Epidemiology. This is a chapter focused on time to event analyses including core concepts related to time scales, censoring, and understanding rates. We discuss the issues and challenges related to time to event analyses and analytic approaches in this setting including Kaplan Meier, Cox Proportional Hazards, and other types of fancy models that are frequently taught in advanced epi courses (e.g., Weibull, Accelerated Failure Time) but infrequently used in the real-world. The chapter ends with a brief discussion of competing risks. It’s clear that Mat...2023-08-3148 minSERious EPIS3E6: Stratification with Rich MacLehose: Should you have Bert or Ernie pick you up from surgery?In this episode we discuss Chapter 18 in the Modern Epidemiology (4th Ed) textbook focused on stratification and standardization with Dr. Rich MacLehose. We invited the illustrious Dr. MacLehose to be the guest for this chapter because it is one of the most important in the book, linking the theoretical concepts discussed in the early chapters with the advanced analytic techniques discussed in subsequent chapters. In this episode we cover topics such as standardization, stratification, pooling, the use and interpretation of relative and absolute effect estimates, and p-values to evaluate effect heterogeneity.2023-07-3047 minEpidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchSER 2023 Live Podcast Recording: Busting Epi MythsThe SER 2023 conference in Portland, Oregon was the site of the first ever live recording of the Epidemiology Counts podcast with an audience! Host Bryan James was joined by the hosts of the SERious Epi podcast, Matt Fox and Hailey Banack to lead a fun discussion on busting epidemiology myths in front of a room of raucous epidemiologists. Six awesome guests joined the panel to bust a myth of their choosing, which ranged from scientific, to historical, to personal: Kerry Keyes, Peter Tennant, Lindsey Russo, Ari Nandi, Marcia Pescador-Jiminez, and Lisa Bodnar. The energy in the room was high...2023-07-111h 10SERious EPIS3E5: Should I memorize the Mantel Haenszel formula?This is an episode focused on ME4 Chapter 18 (Stratification and Standardization). This is a pretty formula-heavy chapter and I’m sure all of our listeners are tuning in to hear Matt’s voice read them to you: “The sum of M1i times T0i….”. So sorry to disappoint, but instead, we focused this issue on big picture conceptual issues discussed in the chapter. Matt and Hailey talk about the importance of stratification, compare pooling and standardization, discuss Mantel Haenszel and maximum likelihood estimation, and then finish the episode talking about homogeneity and heterogeneity.2023-06-3041 minSERious EPIS3E4. Selecting people or selecting data: exploring different aspects of selection biasIn this episode we feature a super expert on all things related to selection bias, Dr. Chanelle Howe. There are a lot of confusing issues related to selection bias: how it’s defined, how it relates to collider stratification bias, whether it’s a threat to internal or external validity (or both!). Chanelle helps us understand many of the nuances related to selection bias and provides helpful resources for readers interested in learning more about the topic. Is a lack of exchangeability related to confounding bias or selection? How can DAGs help us decipher the difference between confounding bias and sele...2023-05-3041 minSERious EPIS3E3. How do we deal with the people who never made it into our study?In this episode, Matt and Hailey discuss all things selection bias. This chapter on selection bias and generalizability is the shortest of the bias chapters in the Modern Epidemiology textbook. Does that mean it’s the simplest? Listen to this episode and decide for yourself!2023-05-0237 min
Making Change with your MoneyEmpowering Positive Impact through Innovation & Connection: an interview with Sue Bevan Baggott of Power Within ConsultingSue Bevan Baggott is an executive coach, angel investor, speaker and board member, who is skilled at uncovering deep human insights and making non-obvious connections that lead to impactful innovations and results.Sue shared that she is the oldest of three sisters, and grew up in a home that stressed the importance of education. She was always interested in math and science, and initially thought she would study to be a veterinarian or a doctor. Once she was in college, however, she decided to study engineering, which she saw as a path to financial security....2023-04-2253 minEpidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 40 – Disasters & Risk AssessmentThe recent train derailment in East Palestine (apologies for host Bryan James’ mispronunciation in the Intro), Ohio raised major concerns over the release of harmful chemicals such as vinyl chloride into the environment. The town was evacuated for 5 days until authorities deemed that it was safe to return, though many lingering questions remained as to the safety of the air and water after such a disaster. This train derailment raised questions as to how experts assess the risk to exposed persons after a major disaster—both quickly assessing the immediate threat to residents, as well as observing long term heal...2023-04-0552 minSERious EPIS3E2: Should we try to ensure misclassification is non-differential? Discussing measurement error with Dr. Patrick BradshawIn this episode we have a conversation with Patrick Bradshaw about issues related to measurement error, misclassification, and information bias. We ask him to help define and clarify the differences between these concepts. We chat about dependent and differential forms of misclassification and how helpful DAGs can be for identifying these sources of bias. Patrick helps to explain the problem with the over-reliance on non-differential bias producing a bias toward the null and concerns about being “anchored to the null” in epidemiologic analyses. This episode will also serve to provide you with the most up-to-date information from Patrick on his reco...2023-03-3043 min
Women at Halftime Podcast208.The Human Side of Innovation and Branding with Sue Bevan BaggottWhen approaching innovation and branding, understand who you serve first. Don’t focus on the solution first. According to Harvard Business Review, statistics tell us that over 70% of innovation fails. With a background as a global innovator, Sue Bevan Baggot learned this quickly as she looked to begin her career at Proctor and Gamble. She was drawn to the company because of their focus on innovative ways of improving people's businesses. Sue worked on helping clients uncover the insights they needed to help them set business or innovation strategies. She discovered that the secret to success is motivation, the co...2023-03-2144 minSERious EPIS3E1: Are we measuring what we think we’re measuring?In the season three premiere Matt and Hailey discuss Chapter 13 in Modern Epidemiology, 4th edition. For the third season of the SERious Epi podcast, we are going to continue our close-reading of the newest version of the Modern Epi textbook. This chapter is focused on measurement error and misclassification. In this episode we discuss issues related to the mis-measurement of exposure, outcome, and covariates. We also debate whether misclassification is just an analytic issue (i.e., putting people into the wrong categories) or an analytic + conceptual issue (i.e., putting people into the wrong categories and having an incorrect definition for...2023-03-1541 minEpidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 39 – Alzheimer’s Disease and DementiaIn this episode of Epi Counts, host Bryan James talks to Maria Glymour, the incoming chair of the Department of Epidemiology at Boston University School of Public Health, about their shared area of research: the epidemiology of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. In this conversation, they discuss the latest on how scientists are attempting to define Alzheimer’s disease biologically as a distinct concept from the dementia syndrome, as well as the controversies surrounding such a definition. They cover what the evidence says about what we can do to prevent dementia, and what aspects of Alzheimer’s and dementia make t...2023-02-091h 05
Women on a Mission with Sue Revell#078: Looking back on "I'd Never Felt Like An Imposter" with Sherry BevanWhat’s the difference between self doubt and full blown imposter syndrome, and why does it matter? If you’ve ever experienced thoughts or feelings that make you feel like a fraud, you’ll know how much even a little self-doubt can hold you back. And when you’ve got a big mission to fulfil, the last thing you need is your mental monkeys running amok, asking who DO you think you are to do this! In last week’s interview (#077) I talked to leadership consultant and coach, Sherry Bevan, about her mission to get more women i...2023-01-2422 min
Women on a Mission with Sue Revell#078: Looking back on "I'd Never Felt Like An Imposter" with Sherry BevanWhat’s the difference between self doubt and full blown imposter syndrome, and why does it matter? If you’ve ever experienced thoughts or feelings that make you feel like a fraud, you’ll know how much even a little self-doubt can hold you back. And when you’ve got a big mission to fulfil, the last thing you need is your mental monkeys running amok, asking who DO you think you are to do this! In last week’s interview (#077) I talked to leadership consultant and coach, Sherry Bevan, about her mission to get more women i...2023-01-2422 min
Women on a Mission with Sue Revell#077: I'd Never Felt Like An Imposter with Sherry BevanWhat makes a true action taker? For Sherry Bevan, it’s her passion for making a difference, the way she can’t NOT take action when something needs fixing and her unwavering mission to get women to rule the world. And in this interview you’ll hear something else. Something that really stands out at a time where it’s suggested that over 70% of us have felt like an imposter – and that’s where Sherry reflects on her career and shares how it has never really occurred to her that she wouldn’t be able to do the roles she’s...2023-01-1555 min
Women on a Mission with Sue Revell#077: I'd Never Felt Like An Imposter with Sherry BevanWhat makes a true action taker? For Sherry Bevan, it’s her passion for making a difference, the way she can’t NOT take action when something needs fixing and her unwavering mission to get women to rule the world. And in this interview you’ll hear something else. Something that really stands out at a time where it’s suggested that over 70% of us have felt like an imposter – and that’s where Sherry reflects on her career and shares how it has never really occurred to her that she wouldn’t be able to do the roles she’s...2023-01-1555 minEpidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 38 – Occupational EpidemiologyOccupational Epidemiology is one of the oldest and most salient areas in Epidemiology. People need to work, so understanding the aspects of the work environment that contribute to health is vital to public health. Exposures are often not confined to the workplace, meaning knowledge generated has wider importance. For example, occupational cohort studies of the health effects of asbestos and diesel exhaust have led to determinations of carcinogenicity by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. The knowledge generated about asbestos ultimately lead to banning its use broadly.
In this episode, we discuss the field’s history an...2023-01-1249 minSERious EPIS2E16: There’s a 95% probability you’ll enjoy learning about sample size and precision with Dr. Jon HuangIn this episode of Season 2 of SERious Epidemiology, Hailey and Matt connect with Dr. Jon Huang for a discussion on precision and study size. We wade into whether or not we should use p-values. We discuss whether the debates on p-values are real or just on Twitter and whether they should be used in observational epi or just in trials. We ask whether p-values do more harm than good in observational studies or whether the harm is really around null hypothesis significance testing. We talk about misconceptions about p-values. And Jon tells us how he’s going to win a gol...2022-12-1556 minSERious EPIS2E15: As random as it getsIn this episode of Season 2 of SERious Epidemiology, Hailey and Matt finally start talking about random error. We explore the deep philosophical (as deep as we are capable of) meaning behind randomness and whether the universe is a random (and hey, while we are at it, is there even free will) and how we think about random error. We talk about p-hacking and p-curves and anything p really. And we talk about precision and accuracy in epidemiologic research. And Hailey aces Matt’s quiz.2022-10-3143 min
Homegrown Solutions for a Patchwork World - The Skills, Talents, and Mindsets of ChangemakersChangemaker Sue Bevan Baggott on Empowering Positive ImpactMy conversation with Sue Bevan Baggott was so empowering! Sue has a wide range of rich experiences from building a safer community for domestic violence survivors and supporting people with mental illness challenges to corporate innovation and angel investing. Sue’s life has helped her recognize the importance of channeling time, talents, and financial resources toward the positive changes she wants to see in her community and the world. Sue shared her story with us on … Changemaker Sue Bevan Baggott on Empowering Positive Impact Read More »2022-09-1730 minSERious EPIS2E14: Confounding will never go away – with Maya MathurIn this episode of Season 2 of SERious Epidemiology, Hailey and Matt connect with Dr. Maya Mathur for a discussion on confounding. We talk about different ways of thinking about confounding and we discuss how different sources of bias can come together. We talk about overadjustment bias, a topic we all feel needs more attention. We discuss e-values, and have Dr. Mathur explain their practical utility and also how complicated they are to interpret. And we discuss bias analysis for meta-analyses.
Article mentioned in this episode:
Schisterman EF, Cole SR, Platt RW. Overadjustment bias and unnecessary adjustment in epidemiologic studies. Epidemiology. 2009 J...2022-08-2750 minSERious EPIS2E13: Confounding: Ten thousand arrows going into a bunch of squiggly thingsIn this episode of Season 2 of SERious Epidemiology, Hailey and Matt discuss confounding and whether confounding is hogging the spotlight in epi methods and epi teaching. We debate the value of all the different terms for confounding in the world of epi and beyond and struggle to define them all. We talk about different definitions for confounding and we differentiate between confounders and confounding. We talk about the 10% change in estimate of effect approach and its limitations and we talk about different strategies for confounder control. And Hailey coins the term “DAGmatist”.
We reference the paper below:
VanderWeele, T.J. and...2022-08-2249 minEpidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 37 – Epidemiology vs. Population Health: Two sides of the same coin?Population Health Sciences and Epidemiology are thought about as different from one another by some, and largely overlapping by others. Depending on who you talk to, either view might spark an argument. In this crossover episode, I get the chance to chat with Aresha Martinez-Cardoso, Darrell Hudson, and Michael Esposito, hosts of the IAPHS podcast. We may or may not actually answer the question: what’s the difference between these two fields anyway?
2022-08-1149 minEpidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 36 – Trans HealthTrans health is a growing area in public health. This is largely due to the growing number of individuals who feel comfortable expressing gender identities that do not confirm to binary male and female categories. The 2015 summary of the US transgender survey reported around 27,000 respondents, over 4 times as many as the previous 2008-2009 survey. Respondents also reported greater acceptance among family, friends, and colleagues, with over 50% of respondents describing them as ‘supportive.’ More notable in the survey was the volume of hardships experienced by transgender community members. Nearly any adverse health outcome or condition is experienced in greater proportion in t...2022-07-0857 minSERious EPIS2E12: How great are case-control studies with Ellie MatthayIn this episode of Season 2 of SERious Epidemiology, (recorded back when we were getting COVID booster shots) Hailey and Matt connect with Dr. Ellie Matthay for a discussion on Chapter 8 on case-control studies. We finally answer whether it is spelled with a – or not (and Hailey and Ellie disagree with Matt about semicolons). We discuss how cohort studies and case control studies differ and overlap. We talk about whether case control studies are more biased than cohort studies. And Hailey reveals her dreams for releasing Modern Epidemiology: the Audiobook (with possible singing).2022-07-0552 minEpidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 35 – The Microbiome: our gut, our healthDid you know trillions of microorganisms such as bacteria, virus, and fungi are living inside of your body right now? The microbiome can be described as the community of microbes that reside in a particular part the human body. The past two decades has seen an exponential increase in the number of publications related to the microbiome and how it affects human health. There is growing evidence that the microbiome, in all its complexity, can impact health and disease. Some of the diseases that have been linked to the microbiome may be surprising!
On this episode, we...2022-06-0856 minSERious EPIS2E11: Case Control StudiesIn this episode of Season 2 of SERious Epidemiology, Hailey and Matt get into the humble case control study. We discuss the ins and outs of this much maligned study design that has so flummoxed so many in epidemiology. We ask the hard questions about the best way sample in a case control study, whether we spend too much or not enough time on it in our teaching, whether a case control study always has to be nested within some hypothetical cohort, whether the design is inherently more biased than cohort studies (spoiler: no, but…), why some people refer to cases and...2022-06-0644 minSERious EPIS2E10: The Return of the Cohort StudiesIn this episode of Season 2 of SERious Epidemiology, Hailey and Matt get some real world experience with cohort studies in a conversation with Dr. Vasan Ramachandran, PI of the Framingham Heart Study (FHS). FHS is a very well-known cohort study and the model that many of us have in mind when we think of cohort studies. We get a bit of history on FHS and Hailey and I have a chance to ask the questions we have struggled with around cohort studies including the role of representativeness. And, spoiler alert, we learn that FHS did not invent the term “risk fa...2022-04-1853 minSERious EPIS2E9: The Cohort Studies BrouhahaIn this episode of Season 2 of SERious Epidemiology, Hailey and Matt get into cohort studies. We spend a lot of time confessing our limitations, both personally, and as a field, in assigning person time. We talk about the end of the large cohort study and the challenges in determining when to consider a person as exposed. We talk about issues of immortal person time and whether it is technically acceptable to include those who already have the outcome in a cohort study.2022-03-2847 min
Workplace ForwardAngel Investor, Sue Bevan Baggott on How (Human) Connection Drives InnovationInnovation is central to the long-term success of any business. But what can we do as leaders to promote innovation on our teams? What role does human connection play in facilitating new ideas? Sue Bevan Baggott is the Founder of Power Within Consulting, a firm dedicated to helping clients connect with the deep human insights required to build a successful business. She is also an angel investor, startup advisor and board member on a mission to drive positive change in the entrepreneurial ecosystem through connection and innovation. On this episode of Workplace Forward, Sue...2022-03-0234 minEpidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 34 – Omicron & transition to endemic COVID-19The most recent stage of the COVID-19 pandemic has been defined by the surge of the Omicron variant, a version of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that is highly contagious yet seemingly not as likely to result in severe infection. Cases are now declining in most parts of the country—but yet the rate of infection is still as high as it has ever been pre-Omicron [editor’s note: host erroneously left out “pre-Omicron” in Intro to podcast]. So what is next? Is the risk now low enough to relax mask mandates and resume some sense of “normalcy”? Or should we expect more...2022-02-251h 16SERious EPIS2E8: Measures of Effect with Katie LeskoIn this episode of Season 2 of SERious Epidemiology, Hailey and Matt connect with Dr. Katie Lesko for a discussion on Chapter 5 on measures of association and measures of effect. We confess our challenge with working with person time. We talk about the importance of a well specified time zero. We talk about why epidemiology is complicated by free will. We ponder what the counterfactual model looks like with time to event models. We talk about the challenges of real world data vs idealized studies. We discuss the challenges of interpreting effect measure modification. And we learn that Katie was a ro...2022-02-2558 minEpidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 33 – Social Media, Youth Mental HealthSocial media is a major part of many people’s day to day lives, including children. Social media can connect young people to other people, groups, imagery, and ideas in a way that was never imaginable two decades ago. This can be exciting but also potentially harmful to vulnerable youth with developing minds. In October of 2021, a former facebook data scientist testified to congress that their internal research showed potential harms the social media platform can inflict on youth mental health, including increasing depression, suicidal thoughts and encouraging eating disorders, especially among girls. However, there are certainly potential benefits to so...2022-02-0151 minSERious EPIS2E7: The donut episode: Measures of associationIn this episode of Season 2 of SERious Epidemiology, Hailey and Matt record, then re-record due to a technical error (ooops!) a discussion on Chapter 5 on measures of association and measures of effect. We say whether we prefer risks or rates. We talk about the counterfactual, causal contrasts, valid inferences and good comparison groups. We use the phrase “living your best epi life”. And we define the difference between associations and effects. We answer whether smoking cessation programs increase the risk of being hit by a drunk driver (and if so, whether that’s causal). There is a mystery related to a myst...2022-01-3153 minSERious EPIS2E6: Chapter 4 – The building blocks of epi with Dr. Liz StuartIn this episode of Season 2 of SERious Epidemiology, Hailey and Matt go back to chapter 4 of Modern Epidemiology but this time with Dr. Liz Stuart (who may not have trained as an epidemiologist but definitely thinks like an epidemiologist) who has so many insights on what seem like simple concepts. We also get into some of the differences in the way biostatisticians and epidemiologist think about these ideas. And she helps us with some of the disagreements Hailey and I had in the previous episode.2022-01-1947 minSERious EPIS2E5: Chapter 4 – The great open vs closed population debateIn this episode of Season 2 of SERious Epidemiology, Hailey and Matt dig into chapter 4 of Modern Epidemiology. We focused on the some of the basic building blocks of epidemiology, rates, proportions and prevalence. We found lots to discuss about defining and open and closed populations and the differences (or similarities?) between populations and cohorts. And we debate whether or not this is the “eat your vegetables” chapter. And Matt displays his ignorance of Olympic sports.2022-01-0653 minEpidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 32 – Built environment: Green SpaceIn the second episode on how the built environment of our cities and towns affects our health, we discuss how living near green spaces and natural environments can provide health benefits. The feeling of serenity while immersed in nature and vegetation is a near universal human experience; modern researchers are collecting evidence that it may be protective against health outcomes such as adverse mental health, cardiovascular disease, and mortality. Green spaces can decrease stress, promote physical and social activity, and mitigate air pollution and noise. We discuss how researchers are taking advantage of modern technology and databases to measure greenness...2021-12-2056 minSERious EPIS2E4: More on causal inference with Dr. Jay KaufmanIn this episode of Season 2 of SERious Epidemiology, Hailey and Matt go back to Chapters 2 and 3 of Modern Epidemiology but this time with guest Dr. Jay Kaufman of McGill University. We focused on the causal inference revolution and how our thinking on some of the issues in the chapter have changed over time as we learn more about these topics.2021-12-0250 minEpidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 31 – Sports InjurySports is life. Fans have a deep devotion to their preferred teams from their alma maters or home towns. Fans spend shocking amounts of time discussing things like player stats and predictions of final game scores. The players are expected to be at the top of their game at all times. Regardless of the sport, players demand a lot from their bodies. The safety of players is paramount, and findings ways to minimize injury risk is key. Epidemiologists can be key players in helping identify ways to minimize risk of injury. Understanding what aspects of training are more relevant to...2021-11-2853 minSERious EPIS2E3. More on causal inference and scientific reasoningIn this episode of Season 2 of SERious Epidemiology, Hailey and Matt try to finish off Chapter 3 of Modern Epidemiology given they couldn’t get it all into one episode as originally promised. We talked about potential outcomes, sufficient causes models and DAGs (very hard to do in audio only). We focus on the assumptions for causal inference. And we make a pitch for a Modern Epidemiology Audio Book…read by James Earl Jones.2021-10-2845 minEpidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 30 – The Built Environment: walking and bikingOur health is very much shaped by the structure of the spaces around us, what we often refer to as our built environment. The concept of the built environment was developed for fields of urban planning and architecture, and includes any aspects of our spaces that influence human activity, from density of homes and buildings, access to transportation options and community spaces, and the streets and sidewalks, or the lack thereof. The built environment is also highly relevant to public health. The structure of spaces around us will impact whether or not we elect to commute by automobile, public transit...2021-10-2659 minEpidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 29 – Residential Segregation & RedliningHealth in America is closely tied to where we live. Higher rates of preventable health conditions are concentrated in high-poverty neighborhoods that are more likely to be home to a higher proportion of Americans of color. Despite modern anti-discrimination laws that make people legally free to move wherever they like, the reality is that our cities and communities remain largely racially segregated. This segregation is not a result of chance, but rather the direct result of business practices and government housing policy that date back to almost a century ago. One notorious example is redlining, in which services such as...2021-10-051h 02SERious EPIS2E2: A discussion on causal inference and scientific reasoningIn this episode of Season 2 of SERious Epidemiology, Hailey and Matt take on Chapters 2 and 3 of Modern Epidemiology… at least that was the plan, we really only got to chapter 2 so we’ll be back again in our next episode for Chapter 3. But in this episode we focused on some key insights around replicability and reproducibility. And camp color wars. You’ll have to listen to understand.2021-09-2900 minEpidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 28 – Breakthrough COVID-19 & DeltaThe arrival of COVID-19 vaccines that are highly effective against infection and severe disease in late 2020 appeared to be the silver bullet that would end the pandemic and bring life back to the way it was in pre-pandemic times. But the emergence of the highly infectious Delta variant of the virus, coupled with large portions of the eligible public remaining unvaccinated, has dampened much of this initial hope and led to what is being called the Fourth Wave of the pandemic. The surge in infections and hospitalizations in this latest wave is primarily in the unvaccinated; however, many vaccinated persons...2021-09-091h 03SERious EPIS2E1: Modern Epidemiology: An interview with Dr. Kenneth RothmanWe are going in a new direction for Season 2 of SERious Epidemiology. This season Hailey and Matt are focusing exclusively on the new fourth edition of the textbook Modern Epidemiology. The textbook has played such an important role in the training of epidemiologists since the first edition was released and has taken on an even larger role within the field as more editions have come out. We will work through each chapter and talk about what key insights we got from them and we will talk to guests about their experiences with the text. In this first episode of the...2021-09-0732 minEpidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 27 – Perinatal EpidemiologyWhat happens in pregnancy and the early stages of infancy can have a profound impact on child and adolescent development, and may even affect the health of individuals as adults. A growing understanding of which events may be most harmful for a growing fetus or newborn can lead to improvements in the health of babies, but it can also create quite a bit of fear and anxiety in expecting mothers and new parents. How do new parents sift through the many “dos and don’ts” that are thrown at them during pregnancy? What does the evidence base actually support? In previo...2021-06-1758 minEpidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 26 – OptimismCan a positive outlook on life actually have a direct effect on our health? Optimism appears to be linked to better health and the ability to cope with and bounce back from disease and surgery, while pessimistic people are more likely to develop hypertension, heart disease and die prematurely than their optimistic peers. So what is behind these relationships? Can we really just will good health into existence by just thinking about it? Or are optimistic persons more likely to engage in healthy behaviors? Or could a skeptic (those pessimists!) argue that healthier people can just afford to be more...2021-05-2749 minSERious EPI1.20 Season 1 Finale: Will we ever have to stop wearing sweatpants to work? Lessons from a year of pandemic podcasting.Join Matt Fox and Hailey Banack for our final episode of the first season of SERious Epidemiology, a season which happened to take place entirely during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has raised countless public health issues for us all to consider from virus testing to health disparities to safe classrooms to vaccine distribution. For the first time (maybe ever), nearly everyone knows what epidemiology is, and we are all hopefully done with having to explain that we are not a group of skin doctors (“we study epidemics… not the epidermis”). In this episode we discuss a few pandemic-related issues partic...2021-05-0138 minSERious EPI1.19 SERious Epi Journal Club – BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19 Vaccine in a Nationwide Mass Vaccination SettingIn this journal club episode, Dr. Matt Fox and Dr. Hailey Banack discuss a paper recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine by Dagan et al. on the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Listen in for a real-world example of the concept of emulating a target trial and a discussion of how an epidemiologic study can be described as truly beautiful.
Reference:
Dagan N, Barda N, Kepten E, Miron O, Perchik S, Katz MA, Hernán MA, Lipsitch M, Reis B, Balicer RD. BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19 Vaccine in a Nationwide Mass Vaccination Setting. N Engl J Med. 2021 Feb 24:NEJMoa2101765. d...2021-04-1528 minSERious EPI1.18 Lifecourse epidemiology: a melting pot of bias?The topic of this episode is lifecourse epidemiology, defined by Dr. Paola Gilsanz as the biological, behavioural and social processes that influence an individual’s health outcomes throughout their life. Join us as we discuss models commonly used in lifecourse epidemiology, such as the early life critical period model, accumulation model, and pathway model. Is lifecourse epidemiology different than social epidemiology? Is all epidemiology lifecourse epidemiology because we study individuals at some point in their lifetime? Dr. Gilsanz answers these questions for us and also highlights the importance of using different data sources depending on your question of interest and th...2021-04-0136 minSERious EPI1.17 Do external validity and transportability confuse the daylights out of you?Ask yourself these true or false questions:
Generalizability and transportability and external validity are all the same thing
Generalizability is a secondary concern to internal validity
We spend too much time in epi training programs teaching internal validity and not enough teaching external validity
Worrying about external validity is largely and academic exercise that doesn’t really have much in the way of real-world impact.
In this episode of SERious Epi we discuss these questions and more with Dr. Megha Mehrotra. While internal and external validity are familiar to nearly all epidemiologists, the concept of transportability is less familiar. Listen in...2021-03-1545 minSERious EPI1.16 Finding the Perfect Match Requires Common Support: Matching with Dr. Anusha VableMatching is something we learn about in our intro to epidemiology classes and yet we probably spend little time thinking about it after that, we just do it. But when should we match and when does it help us and when does it hurt us? What do we need to consider before we match? Dr. Anusha Vable joins us to help us understand matching in detail.
For those of you looking to do more reading around matching see:
Ho, D., Imai, K., King, G., & Stuart, E. (2007). Matching as Nonparametric Preprocessing for Reducing Model Dependence in Parametric Causal Inference. Political Analysis, 15(3), 199...2021-03-0144 minEpidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 25 – Racialized PolicingBy nearly any metric, Black and brown Americans are disproportionately policed, arrested, convicted, and incarcerated compared to white Americans. One in 3 Black boys born in America in 2001 can expect to go to prison in their lifetime. Furthermore, Black Americans are more likely to be physically injured and killed at the hands of the police—a reality that manifested in the dramatic response to the killing of George Floyd and other high profile cases, leading to Black Lives Matter protests around the nation and the world. Racialized policing is rooted in our country’s history and legacy of systemic racism, and has...2021-02-2459 minSERious EPI1.15 The pool is big enough for all of us: Representativeness with Dr. Jonathan JacksonPerhaps the biggest challenge we all face in epidemiologic research is recruitment of study participants. And recruiting a diverse population for our studies that allows for broad generalizability and transportability of effect estimates is something we haven’t done a good enough job of and as a consequence, our work has suffered. While we may think of this as not a methods issue, Dr. Jonathan Jackson helps us understand why representativeness affects or work and how we can do better.2021-02-1544 minSERious EPI1.14. It’s always a competition: Competing Risks with Dr. Bryan LauDo you, like us, understand that competing risks are important to account for and yet are not 100% sure exactly what they are and when they matter? Do you stay up at night wondering if competing risks regressions are necessary for valid inference in your study? If so, this episode is for you. Dr. Bryan Lau gives us the details on this important method.
After listening to this podcast, if you’re interested in learning more about some of the topics we discussed, here are links for you to check out:
Koller MT, Raatz H, Steyerberg EW, Wolbers M. Competing risks an...2021-02-0143 minSERious EPI1.13. It’s all about the instruments: with Sonja SwansonWhat are instrumental variables? Should I be using them in my research? And if so, how do I do that? In this episode of SERious Epidemiology, we talk with Dr. Sonja Swanson about what instrumental variables are and what’s so great (and not so great) about them.
After listening to this podcast, if you’re interested in learning more about some of the topics we discussed, here are links for you to check out:
Greenland S. An introduction to instrumental variables for epidemiologists. Int J Epidemiol. 2018;47(1):358.
Swanson SA, Labrecque J, Hernán MA. Causal null hypotheses of sustained treatment strat...2021-01-1549 minSERious EPI1.12. Epidemiology podcast crossoverIn honor of the Society for Epidemiologic Research 2020 Meeting, the hosts of four epidemiology podcasts came together to record the first ever “crossover event” to talk about their experiences recording our shows and what podcasting can bring to the table for the field of epidemiology. Join the hosts of Epidemiology Counts (Bryan James), SERiousEPi (Matt Fox, Hailey Banack), Casual Inference (Lucy D’Agostino McGowan), and Shiny Epi People (Lisa Bodnar) as they engage in a fun and informative (we hope!) conversation of the burgeoning field of epidemiology podcasting, emceed by Geetika Kalloo. The audio podcast will be released on some of our...2021-01-0152 minEpidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 24 – “Epidemiology podcast crossover”In honor of the Society for Epidemiologic Research 2020 Meeting, the hosts of four epidemiology podcasts came together to record the first ever “crossover event” to talk about their experiences recording our shows and what podcasting can bring to the table for the field of epidemiology. Join the hosts of Epidemiology Counts (Bryan James), SERiousEPi (Matt Fox, Hailey Banack), Casual Inference (Lucy D’Agostino McGowan), and Shiny Epi People (Lisa Bodnar) as they engage in a fun and informative (we hope!) conversation of the burgeoning field of epidemiology podcasting, emceed by Geetika Kalloo. The audio podcast will be released on some of our...2020-12-1452 minSERious EPI1.11. The need for theory in epidemiology – with Dr. Nancy KriegerEpisode Title: The need for theory in epidemiology with Dr. Nancy Krieger
This episode features an interview with Dr. Nancy Krieger, Professor of Social Epidemiology at the T.H. Chan School of Public Health and author of Epidemiology and the People’s Health: Theory and Context. Dr. Krieger discusses the importance of using conceptual frameworks to improve people’s health and the role of population-level determinants of health (including social determinants) in population health research. We discuss a range of topics, including the differences between biomedical and analytics driven approaches to population health research and theory driven research, as well as th...2020-12-1440 minSERious EPI1.10. Quasi-experimental Studies – A Love Story: With Tarik BenmarhniaWhat puts the quasi in quasi-experimental designs? What makes a quasi-experimental study different than a “real” experiment? Ever wondered about the difference between regression discontinuity, difference-in-differences, and synthetic control methods? Dr. Tarik Benmarnhia joins us on this episode of SERious Epidemiology to talk us through a range of quasi-experimental designs. He makes a strong case for why we should integrate these designs in a variety of settings in epidemiology ranging from public health policy to clinical epidemiology
After listening to this podcast, if you are interested in learning more about quasi-experimental designs, you can check out some of the resources belo...2020-12-0151 minSERious EPI1.9. When Epidemiologists and Variables Collide: with Elizabeth Rose MayedaIn most introductory epidemiology courses, students are taught about three categories of bias: confounding, information bias, and selection bias. On this episode of the podcast, we talk to Dr. Elizabeth Rose Mayeda about where collider stratification bias fits in to the framework of biases in epidemiology. Is collider stratification bias the same as selection bias? Why is collider bias so hard to understand, conceptually and empirically? Does collider stratification bias even matter? Listen in for some great conversation explaining these topics and others.
After listening to this podcast, if you are interested in learning more about selection bias and collider...2020-11-1543 minEpidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 23 – “Coronavirus – Testing”COVID-19 is surging as the United States heads into winter, with 100,000 new cases reported in a single day for the first time on the day of this podcast recording. The presence of this virus is a constant in our lives and our communities, and more and more of us have been tested for the coronavirus or are considering it. But how do you know when to get tested, which test to get, and how to interpret the results? With so much discussion of false negatives and false positives and the correct timing of testing, even the savviest of us can...2020-11-071h 16Epidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 22 – “Maternal Mortality”Maternal mortality is a key indicator of population health. While the leading causes of maternal death vary from place to place, most of these deaths are preventable; accordingly, most wealthy countries have reported steady declines in mortality rates over time. However, recent reports from the US suggest that maternal mortality is on the rise, prompting an abundance of concern (and media coverage) about the quality of maternal healthcare in the US. What’s behind these numbers? Is the US really in crisis? More generally, how do we make pregnancy and childbirth safer for women? In this episode, host Bryan James is...2020-11-0357 minSERious EPI1.8. The Discipline Olympics: Epidemiology vs. Public Health with Dr. Laura RosellaGiven the COVID-19 pandemic there is an urgent need for us to better understand how scientific evidence generated in epidemiologic research gets translated into information that can be used to create public health policy. In this episode of SERious Epidemiology, we talk with Dr. Laura Rosella about data driven public health, the role of epidemiology in public health, and more broadly, the importance of knowledge translation for epidemiologists.
After listening to this podcast, if you are interested in learning more about the intersection of epidemiology and public health some resources are included below:
How’s my flattening: A centralized data an...2020-11-0151 minSERious EPI1.7. The Bread and Butter of Bayes with Ghassan HamraIn this episode we interview Dr. Ghassan Hamra and talk about all things Bayesian. If you’re like us, you have likely been trained in traditional, frequentist approaches to statistics and have always wondered what the big deal is about Bayesian approaches. Well, have no fear, Dr. Hamra is here to explain it all. In this episode we cover a range of topics introducing Bayesian analyses, including how Bayesian and frequentist statistics differ, the concept of integrating a prior into your analyses, and whether Bayesian statistics are really a “subjective” approach (**spoiler alert: they’re not).
After listening to this podcast...2020-10-1546 minSERious EPI1.6. Questioning the Questions with Maria GlymourWhy is it so important to ask good study questions? Why is it so hard to develop good study questions? Do all study questions need to be directly relevant for public health policy? In this episode of SERious Epidemiology, we talk with Dr. Maria Glymour about what it means to ask a good study question and how we can get better at asking questions that will make a meaningful contribution to public health.
After listening to this podcast, if you’re interested in learning more about some of the topics we discussed, here are links for you to check out:
Dav...2020-10-0144 minEpidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 21 – “Climate Change”Hurricane and fire seasons are affecting communities across the US and globally. Over 5 million acres have burned in the Western US. Smoke from these fires reached all the way to New York and Washington DC. Natural disasters are made worse by climate change, but climate change is more than just disasters. Climate change can affect our health in a range of different ways. In this episode, host Bryan James is joined by Anna Pollack to understand how climate change affects health, along with epidemiologist and climate change expert, Dr. Brooke Anderson, Associate Professor at Colorado State University.2020-09-2842 minSERious EPI1.5. Putting the Social Back in Social Epidemiology with Dr. Whitney RobinsonIs all epidemiology social epidemiology? If I am someone who studies cancer, or obesity, or infectious disease, or any other branch of epidemiology, should I be considering topics related to social epidemiology in my own work? In this episode of SERious Epidemiology, Dr. Whitney Robinson joins us to explain key concepts in social epidemiology.
After listening to this podcast, if you are interested in learning more about social epidemiology or some of the resources mentioned are included below:
Kaufman, J.S. & Oakes, M. Methods in Social Epidemiology, 2nd edition.
https://www.amazon.com/Methods-Social-Epidemiology-Public-Biostatistics/dp/111850559X
Link, Bruce G., and...2020-09-1540 minSERious EPI1.4. Statisticalize your intervention soup: A journal club episode discussing Hernan and Taubman’s “Does obesity shorten life?”In this journal club episode, we discuss one of our top 10 favourite epidemiology papers: “Does obesity shorten life? The importance of well-defined interventions to answer causal questions” by Miguel Hernán and Sarah Taubman. We talk about the consistency assumption in causal inference, why we think measurement error needs to be added to the list of assumptions for causal inference, and invent a new word (“statisticalize”) to dismiss the notion that fancy methods can always solve our problems.
References:
Hernán MA, Taubman SL. Does obesity shorten life? The importance of well-defined interventions to answer causal questions. Int J Obes. 2008;32:s8-s14.
Co...2020-09-0152 minEpidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 20 – “Sleep”Sleep is essential for wellbeing and overall health. We spend up to a third of our lives asleep and the general state of “sleep health” is an important question throughout our lifespan. The CDC has estimated that 1 in 3 American Adults do not achieve the recommendation of at least 7 hours of sleep each night for adults aged 18–60 years. Inadequate sleep has been associated with an increased risk of developing chronic conditions such as cancer, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and dementia. Bryan James and Rachael Stolzenberg-Solomon host a discussion with Neil Caporaso, a Senior Investigator in the Occupational and Envir...2020-08-261h 01SERious EPI1.3. The Countercultural Counterfactual Episode with Dr. Daniel WestreichCausal inference and the potential outcomes model are now both commonly taught in graduate programs in epidemiology. However, I think we can all agree that counterfactual thinking can be a bit mind-bending at times and it is really easy to get lost deep in the weeds when trying to think through the potential for unobserved comparison groups or outcomes. In this episode of SERious Epi, we speak to Dr. Daniel Westreich about counterfactuals, the difference between causal inference and causal effect estimation, and assumptions required to estimate causal effects from observational data.
After listening to this podcast, if you’re int...2020-08-1752 minSERious EPIBonus Episode 1.2.5: “Making Causal Inference More Social and (Social) Epidemiology More Causal” with Dr. Onyebuchi Arah and Dr. John W. JacksonAt SER 2019, the Cassel lecture was delivered by Miguel Hernán and Sandro Galea on the topic of reconciling social epidemiology and causal inference. Their talk was turned into a paper in the American Journal of Epidemiology, and in March 2020, was published along with a series of responses by Drs. Enrique Schisterman, Whitney Robinson and Zinzi Bailey, Tyler VanderWeele, and John Jackson and Onyebuchi Arah. In this SERious Epi bonus journal club episode, we had conversation with Dr. John Jackson and Dr. Onyebuchi Arah about their commentary and had the opportunity to ask their thoughts on the other topics published in...2020-08-0356 minEpidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 19 – “Cell Phones”Cell phones outnumber people globally and they have become an important conduit through which we interact with our world, both personally and professionally. Day or night, it’s rare that our cell phone is not by our side, and yet it’s likely that you’ve been told to do precisely the opposite, due to concerns that cell phones might increase your risk of developing cancer. These concerns are partly grounded in the decisions of health authorities, including the classification of the electromagnetic fields emitted by cell phones as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IA...2020-07-3050 minSERious EPI1.2. The Time is Not on Your Side Episode with Dr. Ellie MurrayHave you ever wondered why it is so important to consider the concept of time in epidemiologic analyses? And, more importantly, what strategies exist to appropriately account for time and time-varying variables? Time dependent confounding? In the first-ever episode of SERious Epidemiology, Dr. Eleanor Murray will be discussing the concept of time in epidemiologic research and explaining different types of time-related bias.
After listening to this podcast, if you’re interested in learning more about time or checking out any of the resources mentioned on this podcast, links are included below:
Young, J.G., Vatsa, R., Murray, E.J. et al...2020-07-1551 minSERious EPI1.1. SERious EPI – IntroductionDo you want to know more about novel methods in epidemiology but don’t have the time read a bunch of papers on the topic? Do you want to keep current on the latest developments but can’t go back to school for another degree? Do you just want the big picture understanding so you can follow along? SERious EPI is a new podcast from the Society for Epidemiologic Research hosted by Hailey Banack and Matt Fox. The podcast will include interviews with leading epidemiology researcher who are experts on cutting edge and novel methods. Interviews will focus on why thes...2020-06-2610 minEpidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 18 – “Coronavirus Q&A”Our infectious disease epidemiology experts, Justin Lessler from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Michael Mina from the Harvard School of Public Heath, are back for a special Q&A episode of the podcast! Host Bryan James relays a compilation of your fantastic questions to the experts leading to a very insightful conversation on how to navigate the “new normal” of life during the time of COVID-19 as the lockdowns end and the US begins to reopen. We address questions related to the safety of daycare and school reopening, summer camps, swimming pools, travel, and other activities. We also...2020-06-1858 minEpidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 17 – “Coronavirus – Reopening the US”Drs. Justin Lessler from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Michael Mina from the Harvard School of Public Heath are back for a fourth episode to discuss the coronavirus pandemic with host Bryan James. Between our first podcast in early February 2020 and this recording, the pandemic has grown from 11 cases of COVID-19 in the US to over 1.3 million known cases and 84 thousand deaths in the US. After 2 months of shelter-in-place lockdown measures throughout most of the country, many states and cities are beginning to reopen their economies, raising concerns of a second wave of the pandemic. This discussion...2020-05-181h 20Epidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 16 – “Depression and Anxiety”Depression and anxiety disorders remain among the most common and destabilizing health conditions worldwide. As the COVID-19 epidemic progresses, mental health has emerged as a principal concern, given the increase in social isolation, trauma exposure, and grief and bereavement, among other exposures. Today, Bryan James hosts a discussion with we talk with Katheleen Merikangas, Senior Investigator and Chief of the Genetic Epidemiology Research Branch in the Intramural Research Program at the National Institution on Mental Health, and Kerry Keyes Associate Professor from the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, for a discussion of depression and anxiety – what these co...2020-04-301h 00Epidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 15 – “Coronavirus (Update)”The coronavirus outbreak is now a global pandemic and the US is ground zero for the COVID-19 crisis. Drs. Justin Lessler from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Michael Mina from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Heath are back to discuss the latest developments with host Bryan James. They address whether social distancing is helping to “flatten the curve” and why we have turned to more drastic measures such as work-from-home orders and school closings to really drop “the hammer” on the spread of the virus, as well as where we are at with a testing...2020-03-3156 minEpidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 14 – “Infertility”Infertility is increasingly common, and it is likely you know someone who has experienced infertility or may have experienced this yourself. Given that this is a very stressful time for couples and that treatments can be very expensive, couples often try everything they can to improve their fertility. There is a lot of advice out there for what you should and should not be doing to improve fertility. But what does the actual science say? What are the things proven to help couples get pregnant? What should be avoided? What about supplements? At what point should you see a doctor...2020-03-271h 09Epidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts - Episode 13 - "Coronavirus (Follow-up)"Twenty days after releasing episode 12 "Coronavirus", host Bryan James follows up with two experts in infectious disease epidemiology, Dr. Justin Lessler, Associate Professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and Dr. Michael Mina, Assistant professor of Epidemiology and Immunology at Harvard School of Public Heath, and a physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
The following links are resources referenced by Dr. Lessler and Dr. Mina on the episode:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: www.cdc.gov
World Health Organization: www.who.int
Real time numbers on confirmed cases and deaths: https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/op...2020-02-2736 minEpidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 12 – “Coronavirus”The novel coronavirus outbreak originating in Wuhan, China has sickened tens of thousands of people and the number of cases is growing as of this recording. The World Health Organization has declared a global health emergency and countries around the world have enacted travel restrictions and public health measures to contain the outbreak. The situation is changing rapidly and the public is understandably concerned. We recorded this podcast to provide the most timely information on what is known about the novel coronavirus outbreak including: How infectious is the virus? How deadly? How does it compare to other recent outbreaks such...2020-02-051h 04Epidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 11 “Screentime”Screen time has been blamed for health issues ranging from sleep disturbances, to depression, and obesity. But how much do we actually know about how media use affects health? Are some people more at risk than others? What role does the content of what we watch play in these health outcomes? Can screen time be beneficial? In this episode, host Bryan James is joined by Anna Pollack to explore this topic, along with media time expert Dr. Jenny Radesky, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Michigan.2020-01-301h 06Epidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 10 “Exercise”As the new year approaches, many people (epidemiologists included!) will resolve to begin exercising more. Making a renewed commitment to exercise is among the most common New Year’s resolutions. Although almost everyone knows they should be exercising, there is a lot of confusion about how much exercise we really need to stay healthy. Does the amount or type of exercise you need depend on whether you’re exercising to lose weight or exercising to stay healthy? Should you be adding a fitness tracker to your gift list? Are you ever ‘too old’ to lift weights? In this episode, new host Bry...2019-12-1953 minEpidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 9 “Opioids”We are in the midst of an opioid overdose epidemic. More American lives have been lost to drug overdoses than were lost either at the height of the AIDS epidemic, or during the Vietnam war. There has been a lot of recent debate about what has caused this epidemic, and to what extent is the pharmaceutical industry at the root of this problem. Yet a lot of questions remain about this issue. Why do we say we are in the midst of an epidemic, and how has this epidemic evolved? How has the opioid overdose epidemic affected US life expectancy...2019-11-221h 03Epidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 8 “Gun Violence”Gun violence is endemic in the United States. It’s become a politically polarized topic and the discourse, which tends to focus on mass shootings, is replete with misinformation. Key questions underlying this debate are inherently epidemiological and population research can help separate fact from fiction. For example, what does the data tell us about trends in gun ownership and gun violence in the United States? To what extent are gun deaths attributable to mass shootings and murders versus gun suicides? What policy levers regulate gun ownership and use, and what do we know (and not know) about their impacts? In...2019-10-2455 minEpidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 7 “Vaping”While cigarette smoking has declined in the US, vaping has increased dramatically—especially among younger Americans. While vaping may be less harmful to human health than combustible tobacco products like cigarettes, it still contains highly addictive nicotine and other potentially harmful but not well-understood chemicals. And yet many of us don’t really know exactly what vaping is and how it differs from cigarette smoking. Should vaping be seen as a less harmful alternative to cigarettes for smokers, or a gateway to nicotine and other addictions for teens and current non-smokers? How is vaping regulated and does this need to chang...2019-09-271h 01Epidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 6 “Influenza”Did you get your flu shot? Employers and other institutions that have a stake in our health, wellbeing and productivity have decided the flu shot is a worthwhile investment. However, many people seem ambivalent about the flu shot. What is behind these different perspectives? In the 6th episode, Matt Fox and Jennifer Ahern interview Dr. Arthur Reingold on the topic of influenza and the flu vaccine. In this episode we uncover some of the details behind the flu as a disease, its transmission, and learn about the flu vaccine to help everyone make better informed decisions for themselves and their...2019-08-2948 minEpidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 5 “Consequential Epidemiology”How do we know what’s really making us sick? And how to do we make it better? If we read the newspaper, we might think it’s whether we follow a low fat diet, whether we took the stairs those two flights to our office instead of jumping on the elevator, and ditching cigarettes once and for all. But our guests today, Sandro Galea and Katherine Keyes, will argue that those decisions are all part of a broader picture of what drives health, and that intervening upstream of diet and cigarettes has a greater potential to affect the health of pop...2019-07-2551 minEpidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 4 “Sweeteners”Did you know there are 39 grams of sugar in a standard can of soda? That’s approximately equal to consuming 10 sugar cubes in one sitting! In the fourth episode, Matt Fox and Hailey Banack interview Dr. Barry Popkin on the topic of sugar sweetened beverages. In this episode we highlight the links between sugar sweetened beverages and obesity and discuss some ideas for public health policy to limit consumption of sugar sweetened beverages.2019-05-3153 minEpidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 3 “Plastics and Public Health”In the third episode, Matt Fox and Anna Pollack interview Leonardo Trasande, MD, MPP, professor at NYU Langone Health, on plastics. In this episode, we answer that nagging question as you microwave your lunch - should we microwave our food in plastic? Do plastics in consumer products reflect a health risk? If so, how could we change our habits to minimize that risk?2019-05-0247 minEpidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 2 “Community Immunity”In the second episode, Matt Fox, Justin Lessler and Jennifer Ahern discuss the concept of herd immunity or community immunity. What is it? What has it accomplished? How do we know it works? What happens when we lose it? Interviews with Walter Orenstein, Elizabeth Halloran and Saad Omer, enrich the discussion by bringing historical, technical and social perspectives to understanding of this important phenomenon.2019-03-2253 minEpidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic ResearchEpidemiology Counts – Episode 1 “Why should I trust that new health study?”Welcome to Epidemiology Counts from the Society for Epidemiologic Research! Each episode delves into a particular disease or health condition or something that we are exposed to in our daily lives that may affect our health, and bring you a look at what we currently know and don't know about each of these conditions or potential causes of disease.
In this inaugural episode, Matt Fox, Hailey Banack, and Bryan James give a big picture look at why you should believe anything epidemiologists do and how you can digest all the health information you hear in a way that makes sense...2019-01-101h 07