Category Archives: Epidemiology

Opportunistic Salpingectomy: How is this Not Totally a Thing?

By | September 18, 2019
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The name doesn’t exactly help. But before we discuss rebranding, a brief introduction to the concept . . . Salpingectomy refers to surgical removal of one (unilateral) or both (bilateral) fallopian tubes. It is thus a surgical option for female sterilization—but also drastically reduces a woman’s risk of ovarian cancer. This is huge. Ovarian cancer… Read More: Opportunistic Salpingectomy: How is this Not Totally a Thing? »

The Social Determinants of Addiction

By | February 15, 2018
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Opioid use is a serious concern that the executive branch of the United States government recently declared a public health emergency. Based on data from the Department of Health and Human Services, in 2016, 2.1 million people misused prescription opioids for the first time, and 42,249 people died from overdosing on opioids. Also in 2016, 170,000… Read More: The Social Determinants of Addiction »

In the fight against the opioid epidemic, states should update their needle and syringe access laws

By | February 7, 2018
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During my time as a community pharmacist in Maryland, I often encountered individuals who would approach the pharmacy in search of syringes. Although they would try to disguise their intentions by stating that they needed it for someone else or for an animal, it was apparent why they were there; they were going to use… Read More: In the fight against the opioid epidemic, states should update… »

Addressing addiction at the local level

By | November 9, 2017
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As the City of Worcester Commissioner of Health and Human Services, I have developed city-wide initiatives and worked on policy change to address three primary health issues prevalent in our community, those being addiction, mental health, and homelessness, which all tend to occur hand in hand. Addiction is the largest public health and public safety… Read More: Addressing addiction at the local level »

Survey says: Most women don’t know about breast cancer overdiagnosis and overtreatment

By | October 4, 2017
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October is here, so along with the fall foliage, prepare yourself for a deluge of pink ribbons, umbrellas, bumper stickers, and billboards: it’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Started as a well-intentioned campaign to raise awareness about breast cancer and fundraise for breast cancer research, some have said that the movement commodifies a deadly disease at… Read More: Survey says: Most women don’t know about breast cancer overdiagnosis… »

Using claims to measure disease prevalence

By | August 24, 2017
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Bias in claims data with respect to disease status is a problem for health services researchers, because we often rely on administrative claims (billing data) to measure disease status for large cohorts. Misclassification bias may alter the prevalence of given conditions–which is especially problematic for epidemiology and comparative effectiveness research. It may even alter the… Read More: Using claims to measure disease prevalence »

Patterns of Opioid Use and Risk of Opioid Overdose

By | July 5, 2017
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Opiate overdose is now the leading cause of accidental death in the United States, killing more than 50,000 people in 2015. About 20,000 of those deaths were attributed to the use of prescription opiate medications. As a physician, I want to alleviate my patients’ pain, but I have also taken an oath to do my… Read More: Patterns of Opioid Use and Risk of Opioid Overdose »

The Childhood Roots of Health Inequity: Part 4 – Dr. Jennifer Manly

By | April 27, 2017
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This post is the final one in our 4-part series focusing on presentations that were delivered at a special panel session at APHA16 on the childhood roots of health inequity [part 1, part 2, part 3]. Our fourth presenter, Dr. Jennifer Manly, is Associate Professor of Neuropsychology in Neurology at the Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center and the… Read More: The Childhood Roots of Health Inequity: Part 4 – Dr.… »