April 2023 - The Epidemiology Monitor

Epidemiology for Epidemiologists

A monthly update covering people, events, research, and key developments

Editor’s Note:

Happy Spring! This month’s issue looks at the employment picture for epidemiologists and we invite you to participate in our job seeker survey. We also hear from the Tarrant County Health Department about the public health data problem and how to fix it. Finally, the issue of firearms – both their safe storage and a look back at gun violence from our archives.

We continue to provide you with our crossword series, Notes on People, an overview of what we are reading from the public media, and upcoming events for epidemiologists. Don’t miss our summer program update! Finally, don’t miss the Job Bank offerings this month. We have some fantastic job openings advertised both here and on our website. We continue to field inquiries from employers throughout the US and beyond.

At EpiMonitor, we would love to hear perspectives, opinions, field experience, and research from epidemiologists like you. Consider submitting a piece for a future newsletter at: info@epimonitor.net.

Did you miss last month’s issue? Read it here: https://bit.ly/3oNGXxY or here: https://bit.ly/3oDYf0n

In This Issue

-9- Crossword Puzzle

-11- What We’re Reading

-13- Notes on People

-15- Near Term Epi Event Calendar

-8-

-19- Marketplace – Jobs & Events

The State of the Epidemiology Job Market

Author: Madeline Roberts, PhD, MPH

In recent months at EpiMonitor we have seen unprecedented levels of open university faculty positions. Some of the university hiring posts include job openings for 10-15 employees at one institution alone. Why is this? This month we are conducting a salary survey in an effort to better understand what some of our readers may be looking for in terms of jobs, including compensation. We also started digging into the literature. This is what we’ve found.

The Department of Labor statistics reports that job prospects for epidemiologists are slated to grow 26% from 2021 to 2023, much faster than average for all occupations. In fact, an average of 800 epidemiology openings are projected each year this decade, many of which are attributable to current epidemiologists retiring or moving to other occupations.

Which brings us to the exodus. State and local health departments were gladiators during the pandemic. And in the aftermath, it’s overwhelmingly evident that COVID-19 had a profound impact on this sector of the public health workforce in particular. A study found that by 2021, 49% of all state and local public health workers staff had left their posts. Among those age 35 and younger, a full 74% left by 2021 (compared with 43% who had been considering leaving in 2017). From 2017 to 2021, turnover was highest among those with the shortest tenure (5 years or less). For these younger workers, pay was the number one impetus for considering job separation. It would seem that, in terms of pay, government positions at the state and local levels are struggling and failing to compete. Other factors contributing to job separation included job-

related stress, burnout, and most unfortunately, public hostility toward public health workers.

The hiring and employment picture at universities differed in some, though not all, ways. The advent of Covid-19 resulted in hiring freezes at many universities, followed by a seemingly dramatic hiring uptick between 2021 to 2022. When considered together, the 20212022 hiring increase may be viewed as simply a counterbalance to the hiring freeze from the previous year. Together, the result is an approximate return to pre-pandemic hiring. Tenure track positions overall have decreased. Drilling down into the data, however, we see an uneven playing field, and a growing job market for assistant professors in STEM and health sciences.

Both within and outside of academia, the job search can be challenging and non-linear. One highly detailed, data-driven report outlined an abysmal hiring process (labyrinth?) to which even highly qualified and specialized PhD holders are subject.

And what about pay among public health physicians compared to other physician

specialties? Data from a 2022 Medscape report showed clinician public health job satisfaction among the highest of all specialists (second only to plastic surgeons), but compensation the lowest. Even among those with the highest levels of credentials, public health pay is less than compelling compared with other fields. Those of us who entered, and have remained in, public health most likely did not do so primarily for the money.

With the aforementioned growth of the epidemiology field, universities may currently - Jobs cont'd on page

have the two-fold aim of seeking both to fill positions needed during the pandemic, as well as increase staffing to meet growing needs. The number of undergraduates completing public health degrees has increased upward of 1,100% between 2001 and 2020. An undergraduate degree in public health has now eclipsed a master’s degree in public health as the most popular public health degree.

The field of public health is in a rare and raw moment as we continue to collect ourselves in the wake of the pandemic, while also aiming to prepare for future pandemics, knowing that many public health workers have left the field. Our field is recalibrating post-pandemic, and we know that the need for public health has never been greater. ■

Please participate in our job seekers survey

This month we want to hear from you. What are you looking for in your next position? What will lead you to accept one offer over another one? When do you anticipate looking for your next job? Please follow the link below and take 10 minutes to answer the questions about your next job move.

https://bit.ly/3NgssNj

The Public Health Data Problem

And what a local public health department is doing about it

Authors: Rasneet Kumar, Health Informatics Manager, Tarrant County Public Health

Cassandra Yoder, Data Modernization Supervisor, Tarrant County Public Health

Tarrant County Public Health (TCPH) is a local health department (LHD) that serves approximately two million residents in north Texas. To put that in perspective, 98 percent of all LHDs serve populations of one million or less1. As one of the larger LHDs, we have a robust Epidemiology division focused primarily on outbreak response and disease prevention. In addition, TCPH provides immunization health services, refugee care, HIV and STD testing and treatment, preventative health care, family nutrition support, laboratory services, emergency preparedness planning, pool and restaurant inspections, and many additional services. With this expansive repertoire of public health services comes a mass of data, varying in type and format. Managing the volume of these data poses significant challenges, predominately, turning these data into actionable insights.

Chronic underfunding of public health has left public health agencies (PHAs) working with outdated technology and with the inability to efficiently collect, analyze, exchange, and disseminate health information. This became apparent in 2020 when PHAs struggled to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. In a world where technology can tell you what you are thinking before you think it, most PHAs were only equipped to fight the pandemic on paper, and TCPH was no exception. While the TCPH workforce produced a history-making response, the inadequate data infrastructure created

challenges during every aspect of the response. Some key challenges include:

Notifiable conditions such as COVID-19 are reported from health care providers to TCPH primarily via fax, prompting manual entry into the TCPH disease surveillance system, disease investigations and contact tracing, when applicable. Disease investigation data are then shared with the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) by manual data entry into the state’s disease surveillance system. DSHS in turn shares those data with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As the COVID19 pandemic surged, TCPH was faced with tens of thousands of daily case reports to manually enter into two systems. Delays at every step in the process made efficient outbreak response and real-time situational awareness impossible at the local, state and national levels.

Prior to the pandemic, public health information was generally shared through static reports updated periodically. The pandemic created public demand for accurate, real-time and near-real-time health information. The lack of technology and resources to process, analyze and visualize data in real-time, posed a major challenge.

During the vaccine roll out, TCPH was designated as a regional hub to distribute and administer the vaccine. TCPH administered approximately 455,000 COVID19 vaccine doses. This presented its own set of data infrastructure challenges. We needed the ability to allow hundreds of thousands

of people to sign up for the vaccine, document their vaccinations, submit data to the Immunization Registry, and send vaccine-related messaging.

Since the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tarrant County has made a significant investment in Public Health Informatics and the department’s data infrastructure. Informatics is the science of how to use data, information, and knowledge to improve human health and the delivery of health care services.

Informaticians often act as translators between Public Health and Information Technology. While health care agencies have long recognized the importance of informatics, public health informatics is a newer discipline, and its need has been highlighted and expanded because of the pandemic. TCPH has invested in its Informatics workforce, recruiting over 40 Public Health trained Informaticians. Additionally, TCPH has allocated funding to modernize the public health data infrastructure and included data modernization as a core principle of the department’s strategic plan.

The TCPH Health Informatics program is dedicated to making it easier and faster to collect, store, share, visualize and interpret data for better public health decision making and action. Over the past two years, Informatics has worked with consultants to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the current data infrastructure across the department, develop a roadmap, and acquire the resources to implement and support modernization.

Current efforts are on building the right foundation. We are replacing or enhancing systems to better meet the needs of modern public health practice and developing or procuring new systems where nothing existed

before. We are also focusing on electronic data exchange within TCPH and with outside entities to replace manual processes and increase timeliness and accuracy.

Simultaneously, we are working on accelerating data to action. By taking the data we collect and transforming it into actionable insights, we will enable better decision making, and more meaningful communication with our community. The goal is to enable an open data platform which allows stakeholders and the public to access curated dashboards and open datasets.

Most importantly, we are working to develop a highly skilled workforce, not only within Informatics but across the department. Three years ago, informatics was a staff of four, and now we have 40 of the most talented, motivated and brilliant minds to support this initiative. Not only are we focused on upskilling the Informatics staff to better support our systems and data processes, but we are also focusing on training the entire TCPH workforce in utilizing new technologies and tools to become a more data savvy public health department.

The public health data problem is systemic and needs funding changes and data modernization at all levels of public health. Not only do PHAs need increased funding, but the categorical way public health is funded also needs to be addressed. Funding is generally tied to the current emergency at hand which inhibits long term prevention and infrastructure planning. While Public Health professionals advocate for this change at the national level, locally, investment in Public Health Informatics, and technology are a start to modern public health practice guided by accurate and timely health information. ■

Promoting Firearm Safe Storage: A Call for Culturally Informed Prevention

Author: Mike Henson-Garcia, MPH

It's no secret that the United States is facing a massive firearm injury epidemic. Thousands of incidents that happen every day across the country, underscoring the need for public health officials to develop and implement effective strategies to promote firearm safety in households across the nation.

The gravity of the firearm injury epidemic in the country demands urgent and effective action with the unwavering commitment and involvement of firearm owners. It is up to all of us to come together and address this crisis with a sense of responsibility and purpose, for the sake of our communities and loved ones.

How do firearm owners perceive recommendations for “safe” and “secure” firearm storage? And, perhaps more importantly, do they actually follow them? Here is a lowdown of the literature.

1. Miller et al.’s Cross Sectional Study (2005): States where gun owners are more likely to store their firearms loaded have a higher proportion of unintentional firearm fatalities. The risk is even greater in states where loaded firearms are more likely to be stored unlocked. This study only focused on unintentional firearm deaths as an outcome.

2. Grossman et al.’s Case-Control Study (2005): Firearms that came from households where a firearm injury occurred were less likely to be stored in a safe manner than control guns. This study

focused on both suicides and unintentional injuries among youth under the age of 20 years old and concluded that following these safe storage behaviors are critical in preventing firearm injury.

How do firearm owners feel about firearm safe storage practices? The recommendations put forth by organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) related to firearm storage have been informed by this growing body of empirical evidence. Both organizations support triple safe storage practices; however, the AAP goes further and recommends that the safest home is one without a firearm, while the NSSF does not make such a claim. Several studies have investigated how firearm owners perceive triple safe storage recommendations:

 Aitken et al.’s Qualitative Study (2020): Gun-owning parents and guardians in three US states with high firearm ownership felt that safe firearm storage interfered with their personal protection needs, especially for handguns. They found trigger locks and other external locking devices to be a nuisance and rarely used them.

 Schenk et al.’s Qualitative Study (2022): A good portion of firearm-owning parents revealed that their current firearm storage practices were not entirely secure. However, they believed that the storage practices they used were adequate for their specific situations. Interestingly, the reasons why participants did not use the

- Firearm cont'd on page 7

safest possible storage practices varied. Some participants argued that their young children were unlikely to access or handle firearms, so they did not feel the need to use more secure storage practices. On the other hand, participants acknowledged that keeping no firearms in the house would be the best approach to ensure child safety. Despite this knowledge, they still chose to store firearms in their homes.

So, how can we help motivate firearm safe storage behaviors among firearm owners? Effective persuasion strategies can help public health practitioners communicate health information in a way that resonates with their target audience.Using persuasive messages, public health professionals have motivated people to make healthier choices, such as exercising regularly, eating a balanced diet, and avoiding risky behaviors like smoking or substance abuse.

Our latest research delved into effective communication strategies that promote safe firearm storage practices. Firearm retailers shed light on language and communication features that resonate best with this audience. Here are some themes:

1. Language matters: Firearm retailers prefer to speak about firearms rather than weapons or guns. Words have meaning, and participants believe that using less demonizing language and rhetoric about firearms can promote engagement from the firearm community in firearm injury prevention efforts spearheaded by public health officials.

safety. Two common analogies participants made were ‘firearms are like motor vehicles’ and ‘firearms are like tools’. These comparisons are unique and should be explored in future messaging efforts to promote firearm safe storage.

3. Develop messages for specific subaudiences among the firearm owning community. There are four distinct segments of firearm owners: firearmowning parents, new firearm purchasers, military and veteran populations, and firearm-owning women. By developing tailored messages for each of these groups, we can address their unique experiences and ensure that they are equipped with the knowledge and resources necessary for safe firearm ownership. This targeted approach can make all the difference in promoting responsible firearm ownership and preventing tragic accidents.

The effective promotion of firearm safety requires recognition from the public health community that firearm owners are not a static population but rather an amalgamation of dynamic sub-audiences, each containing unique perspectives, motivations, and lived experiences. A thorough understanding of these audiences and their needs is paramount to make real progress in curbing the epidemic of firearmrelated injuries and deaths. ■

2. Firearm retailers commonly made analogies when discussing firearm

September 2015

Gun Violence Public Health Crisis Is Subject Of Year Long Review At Washington University In St Louis

Author: Roger Bernier, MPH, PhD

An estimated 32,000 persons die (88 per day) as a result of firearm-related violence, suicides, and accidents in the US, the highest rate among industrialized countries. Also, firearm injuries are double the number of deaths (1). In response to this situation, Washington University in St Louis has launched a year long examination of the problem. The effort was launched by hosting a panel in the spring of 2015 where Mark Wrighton, the Chancellor, referred to a 2013 report from the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council of The National Academies in Washington, D.C., that identified the lack of data about the public health aspects of gun violence as a serious national challenge.

The IOM report called upon researchers at public health organizations and universities to dedicate resources to studying the problem and contributing to a fuller base of information.

Wrighton also noted a February 2015 national call-to-action jointly issued by the nation’s leading health organizations and the American Bar Association for a public health approach to firearm-related violence and prevention of firearm injuries and death.

These organizations also recommended the need for more research and data that would help decision makers address policy concerns.

As one of the world’s leading research universities – with top-ranked schools of medicine and social work and a multidisciplinary Institute of Public Health –

medicine and social work and a multidisciplinary Institute of Public Health –Washington University clearly has a role to play in this important effort,” Wrighton said.

“Bringing together our academic strengths to address major societal challenges is a part of our mission. Our goal, by engaging in the conversation, is to help develop real solutions that have a real chance of making a real difference and, in the process, help to reduce death and injury from firearms,” Wrighton said.

The panel was the first in a series of events and discussions designed to explore three key themes regarding gun violence: What we know, what we need to know and what to do about this critical issue.

What to do about the problem was addressed by the 8 Health Professional Organizations and the American Bar Association in their call to action earlier this year. They recommended:

1. Background checks for firearm purchases

2. Remove physician “gag laws” that oppose discussion with patients about firearms

3. Increase access to and coordination of mental health care

4. Pass physician reporting laws about persons that might cause harm in a fashion that protects confidentiality.

5. Restrict assault weapons.

6. Fund more research about the causes and consequences of gun violence

7. Educate about the true meaning of the 2nd amendment

To watch a video of the panel event at Washington University, visit: https://tinyurl.com/o7m5xjs ■

Epi Crossword Puzzle – April 2023 Per Protocol

Our crossword puzzle was created by by Dr. Richard Dicker A former CDC employee and not-quite-retired epidemiologist. For an online version go to: https://bit.ly/445fGHo For the solution to March’s crossword please go to page 18.

- Crossword Questions cont'd on page 10

Across

1. District for old-time political boss

5. Soda in the Midwest

8. Run up, as debt

13. Chills, fever

14. What buffalo do on the range

16. Alicia Keys' 2007 hit

17. Protocol section (sort of)

20. Difficult

21. Go, to Burns

22. "Shoo!"

23. Mos. and mos.

25. Ashes holder

26. Chicago trains

27. Protocol subsection

32. Descriptor for one-percenters

33. A Stooge

34. Type a number in cell A34, for example

37. Tuesday restaurant special

38. Two-word sentiment describing "When that great ship went down"

41. Swoosh company

42. Plant life

44. Musical Yoko

45. December 24 and 31

46. What you don't want your study to be

50. Preserve, in a way

52. Jerry Lewis telethon org.

53. +

54. Dirt road hazzard

55. "How Dry ___"

56. Currency in Freetown

61. Protocol section (if studying human subjects)

65. Cache

66. Wine area

67. Last name of three Schitt's Creek cast members

68. Combustible woodpiles

69. Alfred E. Neuman magazine

70. African antelope

Down

1. Light bulb unit

2. Biology lab supply

3. July birthstone

4. Pastrami purveyor

5. Some schools of public health have degree and nondegree ones

6. Cartoon exclamation after gut punch

7. -Man (arcade game)

8. Passionate

9. ___ Valley, San Francisco

10. Type of heart failure

11. Up to

12. Takes five

15. Big shot

18. Irish singer / songwriter

19. Not a one

24. Vibrating bassinet brand (expensive!)

27. Rotary phone feature

28. Be the reason

29. Pricker

30. "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" writer

31. Baltimore's _____ Harbor

32. Document "save as" option

35. Barely managed, with "out"

36. Notes after dos

39. Buffalo's relative

40. Save to your hard drive

43. Looks up to

47. Netherlands cheese

48. Popular college student dinner option

49. First family's home

50. Like some bills from a bank

51. Mommy's sister

57. Nobel Peace Prize city

58. At no time, poetically

59. It's a sin

60. "Hadestown" river

62. Neighbor of Wash.

63. Beaver's work

64. Tax pro, for short

Editor's Note: All of us are confronted with more material than we can possibly hope to digest each month. However, that doesn't mean that we should miss some of the articles that appear in the public media on topics of interest to the epi community. The EpiMonitor curates a monthly list of some of the best articles we've encountered in the past month. See something you think others would like to read? Please send us a link at info@epimonitor.net and we'll include it in the next month

A Focus on Children

♦ Possible culprit identified in severe liver damage cases in children (NBC News)

https://bit.ly/41F8uAa

♦ Are toy cosmetics making children sick? (Columbia University Magazine)

https://bit.ly/3oIsaEQ

Public Health Topics

♦ A deadly fungus with mysterious origins is raising concerns (National Geographic)

https://bit.ly/41uXvJD

♦ Everything to know about the rare fungal infection that has led to 1 death and dozens of infections in MI (ABC News)

https://bit.ly/3mYYT8u

♦ A deadly cousin of Ebola has flared up in Africa (Wired Magazine)

https://bit.ly/3Nj3P2N

♦ A major strain of Flu has gone missing and may never be seen again (The Atlantic via AppleNews)

https://bit.ly/3Au3HWA

♦ Univ of AZ researchers to help track fungus in Arizona wastewater (Univ of AZ News)

https://bit.ly/3LvlPp8

♦ Nutrition scientist uncovers mysterious health benefit from ice cream (The Atlantic)

https://bit.ly/3L91C74

♦ Lung cancer incidence varies greatly among Florida’s ethnic sub-groups (AACR)

https://bit.ly/3nbwnjP

♦ Strep is bad right now – antibiotic shortage is making it worse (NPR)

https://bit.ly/3Hdg4tR

- Reading cont'd on page 12

What We're Reading This Month - con't from page 11

a quote from the document or the summary of an interesting point. You can position the text box anywhere in the document. Use the Text Box Tools tab to change the formatting of the pull quote text box.]

♦ How gay men saved us from Mpox (NY Times)

https://bit.ly/3oKWMW2

♦ Are HIV patients under-treated for cancer? (Moffit Cancer Center)

https://bit.ly/3NeEhno

COVID-19

♦ The end of the CA mask mandate leaves the immunocompromised in fear for their health. (CalMatters)

https://bit.ly/443s7Ub

♦ Paxlovid may reduce long Covid risk but access is about to get worse (Slate)

https://bit.ly/3n0YpP9

♦ New Zealand epidemiologist says the fourth wave of COVID-19 has arrived (New Zealand Herald)

https://bit.ly/3L5jU9y

♦ Michael Osterholm reflects on three years of COVID-19 and looks to the future (Minnesota Public Radio)

https://bit.ly/3V8p3lR

♦ Beijing subway drops mask mandate (Reuters via YahooNews)

https://bit.ly/3L5kgwU

♦ The latest treatment for long COVID – psychedelic drugs (Time Magazine)

https://bit.ly/40EAxyg

Notes on People

o you have news about yourself, a colleague, or a student?

Please help The Epidemiology Monitor keep the community informed by sending relevant news to us at this address for inclusion in our next issue. people@epimonitor.net

Appointed: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital has named Greg Armstrong, M.D., MSCE, the new chair of the Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, the department that has established the institution as a world leader in the study of childhood cancer survivorship. A physician-scientist, Armstrong is the principal investigator of the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS), and is a co-program leader for the Cancer Control and Survivorship Program, one of the five major programs within the St. Jude Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Appointed: Dr. Megan Todd has been appointed by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health as their new Chief Epidemiologist. Dr. Todd is a demographer and social epidemiologist who most recently served as the Director of the Data Lab for the Health Department’s Division of Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention. Dr. Todd’s work focuses on population health, health policy, and translating scientific findings for policy and general audiences. She holds a PhD in Demography and Public Affairs from Princeton University and an AB in economics from Harvard University.

Honored: Patricia A. Ganz, M.D. has been awarded the 2023 AACR-American Cancer Society Award for Research Excellence in Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention. The award recognizes outstanding research accomplishments in cancer epidemiology, biomarkers, and prevention. Dr. Ganz is a Distinguished Professor of Medicine at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, a Distinguished Professor of Health Policy & Management at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, and associate director for population science at the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Awarded: Third-year epidemiology PhD student Ahmed Soliman has been awarded an American Heart Association (AHA) Pre-Doctoral Fellowship. The prestigious award is designed to advance the research and clinical training of pre-doctoral or clinical health professional students who plan to conduct research or work in careers aimed at improving cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and brain health. Soliman’s research examines the impact of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) on the cardiovascular health of postmenopausal women.

Do you have news about yourself, a colleague, or a student?

Please help The Epidemiology Monitor keep the community informed by sending relevant news to us at this address for inclusion in our next issue. people@epimonitor.net

Honored: Joseph Cavanaugh, PhD, professor and head of the Department of Biostatistics in the College of Public Health, was honored with a 2023 Regents Award by the University of Iowa. Cavanaugh is a methodological and collaborative researcher who leverages his expertise in statistics and biostatistics to investigate a range of disciplinary and interdisciplinary topics. He has published more than 170 peer-reviewed manuscripts and has made particularly important contributions in the areas of statistical model selection, time series analysis, infectious diseases epidemiology, and injury prevention. He played a significant role in the state of Iowa’s COVID-19 response, leading a team that partnered with the Iowa Department of Public Health to analyze data and develop predictive models to help the state respond to the pandemic.

Passed: John Newton MacCormack passed on March 14, 2023. Newton received a B.A. in Chemistry from Duke University. Upon completion of his undergraduate degree, he pursued his medical degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After serving two years in the U.S. Navy as a Lieutenant, he obtained his Masters in Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Newton served the citizens of North Carolina with the State Board of Public Health. He served as the head of Communicable Disease as well as the State Epidemiologist. He retired in 2001 but returned after 9/11 to work for several more years. https://bit.ly/40MOGJP

Passed: John Walker Poundstone, MD passed away on April 1, 2023 in Lexington, KY. John received his BA in Liberal Arts in 1962 from St. John's College in Annapolis, MD, and his medical degree in 1966 from the newly established University of Kentucky School of Medicine, followed by Board Certification in General Preventive Medicine and an MPH from the Harvard School of Public Health. John joined the US Navy in 1980 and served as Head of the Venereal Disease and Tuberculosis Control Division, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Washington DC; Chief of the Division of Epidemiology and Biometrics at the Navy Medical Research Unit, Great Lakes, IL; and Officer in Charge of the Navy Environmental and Preventive Medicine Unit in Naples, Italy. https://bit.ly/40I0uwY

Near Term Epidemiology Event Calendar

Every December The Epidemiology Monitor dedicates that issue to a calendar of events for the upcoming year. However that often means we don't have full information for events later in the upcoming year. Thus an online copy exists on our website that is updated regularly.

To view the full year please go to: http://www.epimonitor.net/Events The events that we are aware of for the next month follow below.

May 2023

May 2-6

https://bit.ly/3V8D7dd

Conference: 17th World Congress on Public Health / World Federation of Public Health Associations / Rome, Italy

May 4-5

https://mpemeeting.org

Conference: 6th International Molecular Pathological Epidemiology (MPE) Meeting / Multiple / Buffalo, NY

May 8-11

https://bit.ly/3i12eBq

Conference: 2023 USPHS Scientific & Training Symposium / PHS Commissioned Officers Foundation / Tulsa, OK

May 8-26

http://bit.ly/41tEDLt

Short Course: Modeling Food Safety and Animal Health Risks Using R / Epix Analytics / Online

May 9-12

http://bit.ly/2DXzS3d

Conference: INTEREST 2023 / IeDE (Intl Epi Databases to Evaluate AIDS / Maputo, Mozambique

May 10-12

https://bit.ly/3s6nOXC

Short Course: Epigenetic Epidemiology / University of Bristol / Virtual

May 15-17

http://bit.ly/33YKQQx

Short Course: Cardiovascular Epidemiology / Erasmus MC / Rotterdam, The Netherlands

May 15 – June 1

http://bit.ly/2P1VUrR

Summer Program: Summer Public Health Institute / University of Minnesota / Minneapolis, MN

May 16-18

https://bit.ly/3Fz1F9t

Conference: 2023 ACHI National Conference / Association for Community Health Improvement / Minneapolis, MN

May 16-18

https://bit.ly/3YKIyCr

Conference: National Violent Death Reporting System Conference / CDC & American Public Health Association / Milwaukee, WI

May 18-19

https://bit.ly/3s2pyBi

Short Course: Advanced Epigenetic Epidemiology / University of Bristol / Virtual

May 18-19

https://bit.ly/3jfwGrL

Conference: World Conference on Public Health and Epidemiology / Eurasia Conferences / Barcelona, Spain

May 21-24

https://bit.ly/3FBbwf3

Conference: 44th Annual Meeting / Society for Clinical Trials / Baltimore, MD

May 21-30

https://bit.ly/321Yo2B

Conference: 76th World Health Assembly / WHO / Geneva, Switzerland

May 22-26

https://bit.ly/3YwW6kG

Short Course: Missing Values in Clinical Research / Erasmus MC / Rotterdam, The Netherlands

May 30- June 1

https://bit.ly/3IO7yAC

Short Course: Child Psychiatric Epidemiology / Erasmus MC / Rotterdam, The Netherlands

May 30 – June 10

https://bit.ly/3J09R3I

Short Course: Principles in Causal Inference / Erasmus MC / Rotterdam, The Netherlands

May 31 – June 1

https://bit.ly/3Gs79Vv

Conference: 2022 Annual Conference / Society for Prevention Research / Seattle, WA

May TBA

https://bit.ly/3hx0Rdx

Conference: Brain Tumor Epidemiology Consortium Conference / BTEC / Lexington, KY

June 2023

June 1-30

https://bit.ly/3WMdHDm

Summer Program / Episummer@Columbia / Columbia University / New York, NY

June 4-7

https://bit.ly/3oJt41s

Conference: 2022 Annual Research Meeting / Academy Health / Washington, DC

June 4-9

https://bit.ly/3PFdY9a

Conference: WATERMICRO 2023 / International Water Association / Water Research Australia / Northern Territory, Australia

June 4-17

http://bit.ly/2PtVfhM

Summer Program: Summer Program on Modern Methods in Biostatistics & Epi / BioStatEpi / Treviso, Italy

June 5-9

https://bit.ly/3jfEIRq

Conference: Kettil Bruun Society 48th Annual Meeting / KBS / Johannesburg, South Africa

June 5-16

https://bit.ly/3uWC3Pb

Summer Program: Epidemiology & Healthcare Management / School for International Training / Various locations in Argentina

June 7-9

https://bit.ly/3G204dK

Conference: Genomic Epidemiology of Malaria (GEM Virtual Conference) / Genomic Epidemiology Network / Virtual

June 12-13

http://bit.ly/2RyvIGU

Conference: 36th Annual SPER Meeting / Society for Pediatric and Perinatal Epidemiologic Research / Portland, OR

June 12-13

https://bit.ly/3ypUsEX

Workshop: Student Dissertation Workshop / Society for Epidemiologic Research / Portland, OR

June 12-17

https://bit.ly/3G1cK4U

Short Course: Biology of Vector-Borne Diseases / Infectious Disease Society of America / Moscow, ID

June 12-30

https://bit.ly/3xxZn8o

Summer Program: 41st Summer Institute of Biostat & Epidemiology / Johns Hopkins University SPH / Virtual

June 13-16

https://bit.ly/3FYqFsc

Conference: Society for Epidemiologic Research Annual Conference / Society for Epidemiologic Research / Portland, OR

June 13 – July 1

http://eepe.org

Summer Program: 34th Residential Summer Course in Epi / EEPE / Florence, Italy

June 15-16

https://bit.ly/3BLd4lC

Conference: Advancing Policy to Improve Health / American Public Health Association / Washington, DC & Virtual

June 15-17

https://bit.ly/33kI65m

Short Course: Causal Inference in Epidemiology, Concepts and Methods / University of Bristol / Virtual

June 19-21

https://bit.ly/3hDWmOk

Conference: ISEE North American Chapter 2023 Annual Meeting / International Society for Environmental Epidemiology / Corvallis, OR

June 19-21

https://bit.ly/3PvQFyt

Conference: Global Summit on Public Health and Preventive Medicine (GSPHPM2022) / The Scientistt / Paris, France

June 19-23

https://bit.ly/2ru6Kud

Summer Program: Pharmacoepidemiology Summer School / AARHUS University / Grenaa, Denmark

June 20-22

https://bit.ly/3WuSZrQ

Conference: Public Health 2023 / Canadian Public Health Association / Virtual

June 24-27

https://bit.ly/3HHYEq4

Conference: 2023 Annual Research Meeting / Academy Health / Seattle, WA

June 25-29

https://bit.ly/2Pkd8Q4

Conference: Council of State & Territorial Epidemiologists 2023 Annual Conference / CSTE / Salt Lake City, UT

June 26-28

https://bit.ly/3DNvDDG

Conference: Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) 2023 Annual Conference / APIC / Seattle, WA

June 26-30

https://bit.ly/3nQ5zkg

Summer Program: Summer Program in Population Health / Ohio State University - School of Public Health / Columbus, OH

June TBA

https://bit.ly/3GH8Mv

Conference: Topics in Infection 2023 / London School of Hygiene & Tropical Health / London, England

June TBA

https://bit.ly/2INiyE6

Conference: NAACCR Summer Forum / North American Association of Central Cancer Registries / TBD

June TBA

http://bit.ly/368xRgK

Summer Program: Summer Program in Epidemiology / Harvard University SPH / Boston, MA

June TBA

http://bit.ly/38BugL5

Summer Program: UCL Health and Society Summer School / University College London / London, England

June TBA

http://bit.ly/37u0852

Conference: Annual Symposium on Advances in Genomics, Epidemiology and Statistics (SAGES) / University of Pennsylvania - CCEB / Philadelphia, PA

Answers to March 2023

Crossword Puzzle

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Advertising opportunities exist in this digital publication, on our website and Facebook page, and in our Epi-Gram emails.

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Michele Gibson / michele@epimonitor.net

K12 Career Development Opportunity

The UCSF-Kaiser Permanente Urological Epidemiology Research Career Development Program (UCSFKPNC UroEpi) is seeking a highly qualified, motivated MD, PhD, or comparable doctoral degree in early faculty or final year post-doctoral positions. The UroEpi Program seeks to :

► Recruit individuals committed to becoming an independent clinical researcher in the epidemiology of benign urological conditions at Kaiser.

► Develop Scholars’ proficiency in epidemiology, research field methods, research ethics, leadership, manuscript preparation, and grantsmanship

► Individualize each scholar’s career development plan according to his or her background and future career goals.

The awardee will devote at least 50-75% effort to conducting research on non-cancerous urologic conditions and research career development. Other research and clinical activities will be identified to support a 100% position.

For more information, please contact:

Stephen K. Van Den Eeden, PhD at Stephen.Vandeneeden@kp.org

Assistant Professor Population Health & Big Data

The Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Mississippi Medical Center is recruiting a position at the Assistant Professor level with a focus in population health and big data. We invite applications from candidates with strengths in epidemiology, big data (e.g. EMR data), health econometrics, machine learning, data science, and biostatistics. The successful candidate will be expected to develop an independent program of research as well as actively collaborate and provide statistical expertise to faculty and residents within the Department. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to participate in teaching activities.

The applicant should have experience analyzing population health data using statistical software such as SAS, Stata, TreeAge or R.

Minimum Qualifications:

 PhD in data science area, epidemiology, population health, or related discipline

 Recognition or promise of outstanding contributions as a scholar

Preferred Qualifications:

 Must have advanced skills in computer programming and data management with software such as SAS, Stata, R, Hadoop, and TreeAge

 Experience working with complex datasets (e.g. NHANES)

 Plan and conduct independent research; write and publish peer-reviewed manuscripts

UMMC is located in the heart of Jackson, the capital of Mississippi. This modern city, containing many historic buildings and sites, is home to a diverse dining, shopping and entertainment scene. The community includes recreational lakes, trails and other outdoor activities. Home to 500,000 residents, metropolitan Jackson boasts affordable living with a warm, welcoming southern culture.

Interested applicants should email their CV with a note of interest to ent@umc.edu

Assistant / Associate Professor Neuroepidemiology

The Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh invites applications for a full-time faculty position at the level of Assistant or Associate Professor in the appointment stream. The position is available immediately and requires a doctoral degree in epidemiology or in a related discipline with post-doctoral training in epidemiology. Successful candidates will have expertise and training in neuroepidemiology with a focus on the cooccurrence of cognitive and motor disability. Preference will be given to candidates who have expertise with advanced neurocognitive and psychological assessments, including neuroimaging, to characterize the neural control of mobility. We seek a team scientist who is interested in developing his/her own independent program of research and who has the potential of sustained research funding. The faculty member will join a multi-disciplinary academic department with an extensive collaborative research portfolio and a robust teaching program in the School’s fully accredited programs. The successful candidate will be expected to establish and maintain a strong record of collaborative research, extramural funding, and publications; participate in the teaching and mentoring of master’s and doctoral students within the Department of Epidemiology; and contribute to the mission of the School of Public Health through service. Salary will be commensurate with experience.

In addition to the qualifications above, appointment at the Associate Professor level requires five years of experience and demonstrated scholarly productivity, including teaching, funded research, and extensive publications in peer-reviewed journals.

Review of applications will commence upon receipt of all application materials and will continue until the position is filled. Please apply by going to www.join.pitt.edu and applying for requisition #22000201 Please attach a cover letter, curriculum vitae, a statement of current and future research directions, and the names of three references to your online application. The University of Pittsburgh is an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer and values equality of opportunity, human dignity and diversity, EOE, including disability/vets.

Director Center for Biobehavioral Health

The Abigail Wexner Research Institute (AWRI) at Nationwide Children’s Hospital seeks applications and nominations for the position of Director of the Center for Biobehavioral Health, one of the 14 research centers at AWRI. The mission of the Center for Biobehavioral Health is to improve the physical and mental health of children, adolescents, and their families through biobehavioral research with individuals and populations, using a multidisciplinary and biopsychosocial approach.

The Director:

► Will collaboratively set the strategic direction of the center in alignment with the Nationwide Children’s overall plan.

► Will oversee the center’s planned growth and development, as well as the scientific translation of its nationally recognized research portfolio.

► Will recruit and develop a diverse and inclusive team of faculty, trainees, and staff.

Qualifications Required:

► PhD, MD, or MD/PhD with focus in pediatric biobehavioral health research.

► Strong track record of managing a successful research program in pediatric biobehavioral health, including NIH funding.

► National and international presence in pediatric biobehavioral health research community.

► Strong record of mentorship to develop junior faculty and trainees (graduate, post-doctoral, residents/fellows).

About the Center for Biobehavioral Health:

► Currently includes 15 faculty principal investigators and nearly 75 trainees and staff.

► Faculty are members of The Ohio State University College of Medicine.

►In 2022, center faculty received over $7 million dollars in external grant awards.

Inquiries, nominations, and applications should be sent in strict confidence to Patrick Kennedy at Patrick.Kennedy@nationwidechildrens.org in Faculty Recruitment.

(2) PostDoc Research Fellows

Biostatistics / Epidemiology / Geography

This two-year postdoctoral position in Professor Tanser and Professor Mwambi’s research group is embedded in a recently awarded National Institute Health R01 grant. The project seeks to develop the next-generation HIV-prevention strategies for poor rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa The project will: 1) Quantify the shifts in the spatial, temporal and demographic burden of HIV incidence and underlying viral load patterns in a full population cohort in rural South Africa; 2) Harness the changes in the dynamics of the HIV epidemic to design future intervention programs which will maximize HIV incidence reduction based on the dynamic needs of the most vulnerable sub-populations.

The successful candidates will have access to one of the largest ongoing population-based HIV cohorts in the world - the Africa Health Research Institute’s population cohort in rural KwaZulu-Natal, which includes over 90,000 individuals, with individuallevel sociodemographic, biological, and clinical record data as well as comprehensive genomics data. Successful candidates will receive a generous tax-free stipend. Once appointed, the successful candidates will be supported to apply for externally funded personal fellowships and grants and develop collaborations/skills for their career development. They will receive mentorship from leading scientists and faculty members in AHRI, who commonly publish in some of the top journals in the field (Science, Nature and Lancet).

Candidates will be based at our state-of-the-art campuses in KwaZulu-Natal which are located in Durban and Somkhele respectively.

The minimum qualifications and experience required for these research posts are:

♦ PhD in Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Bioinformatics, Econometrics, Mathematical Modelling, Spatial Analytics or a closely related quantitative field

♦ Several high-quality publications as a first author

♦ Ability to work in a multi-disciplinary team

♦ Excellent written and oral communication skills

♦ Good interpersonal skills and team orientated

To apply, email a detailed CV, cover letter indicating the position you are applying for and a research statement describing your research interests to education@ahri.org before 31 May 2023. For more information you can contact Prof. Tanser at frank.tanser@ahri.org or Prof Mwambi at mwambi@ukzn.ac.za AHRI reserves the right not to make an appointment. Please consider your application unsuccessful if you have not been contacted within four weeks of the closing date.

The Epidemiology Monitor ISSN (2833-1710) is published monthly Editorial Contributors

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