Graduate Summer Institute of Epidemiology and Biostatistics

Another successful DC trip in the books!!

Annual DC trip!!

Moyses Szklo, director of the Epi Biostat Summer Institute and master of the photo booth.

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health faculty make the academic case for repealing Trump’s refugee and travel ban.

The Academic Case for Repealing Trump’s Refugee and Travel Ban

A woman's risk of dying of cervical cancer is higher than long believed, particularly among older and black women, new research led by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health suggests.

Anne Rositch, who teaches Global Cancer Epidemiology in the Epi Biostat Summer Institute,was the lead author of the study.

"In the new analysis, the mortality rate for black women was 10.1 per 100,000. For white women, it is 4.7 per 100,000.

Previous studies had put those figures at 5.7 and 3.2.

The new rates do not reflect a rise in the number of deaths, which recent estimates put at more than 4,000 a year in the United States. Instead, the figures come from a re-examination of existing numbers, in an adjusted context."

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/23/health/cervical-cancer-united-states-death-toll.html?_r=2

Wider Racial Gap Found in Cervical Cancer Deaths A new study, which excluded women with hysterectomies, showed the disparity in death rates between blacks and whites was significantly wider.

"The health of societies is the responsibility of political leaders as well as individuals."

An op-ed by Dean Michael Klag of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bs-ed-public-health-truths-20170202-story.html

10 public health truths for Trump In this era of deep political divides and polarized opinions, we should let evidence — not politics — direct actions to benefit everyone in our country. With this in mind, I offer 10 public health truths for the new administration:

Faculty members from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health signed a letter to Donald Trump opposing the executive order by President Donald Trump which suspends issuing visas from some countries for 90 days and restricts refugees from Syria indefinitely.

From the letter:
We write as researchers and scientists, but we also share our deep concern that the proposed Executive Order ignores decades-long policy and law of the United States to provide a haven for
people suffering persecution on account of nationality, membership in social group, political opinion or religion. Instead, it prioritizes admission of refugees on the basis of religious-based persecution over the needs of people suffering from political oppression in the Middle East and throughout the world. Additionally, the proposed Executive Order limits admission on the basis of religious persecution only to individuals who belong to minority religions in their country. Such narrowing of the grounds for refugee admission is inconsistent with our values and traditions, and should not be implemented.

The full letter may be read here:http://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/center-for-refugee-and-disaster-response/News/Johns-Hopkins-faculty-urge-Trump-to-not-issue-Executive-Order-halting-refugee-admissions.pdf

www.jhsph.edu

All Epi 1 students will appreciate this haiku, which won second place in the Epimonitor's Haiku Contest for Epidemiologists. It was submitted by Sheila Weiss, a graduate of the Dept of Epidemiology, who taught Pharmacoepidemiology in the Epi/Biostat Summer Institute for many years.

Says Dr. Weiss, “My Haiku is inspired by Dr. Leon Gordis. He introduced thousands of public health professionals (myself included) to epidemiology while instilling a healthy fear of summer picnics and potlucks.”

http://www.epimonitor.net/Epi-Haiku-Contest-Winners.htm

Michael Bloomberg has announced he will be giving $300 million to Johns Hopkins. The gift will focus on five areas of public health—drug addiction, obesity, gun violence, adolescent health, and environmental threats.

""People are living longer lives than ever before in history, thanks in no small part to the pioneering public health work done at Johns Hopkins over the last century," Bloomberg said. "But we can and must do better, starting here in the U.S., where life expectancy is lagging behind much of the developed world. By spreading smart public health strategies that save lives and bringing people together to try new approaches, we can make the same strides in the 21st century against health threats like air pollution, gun violence, and obesity that we did in the 20th century against polio and other infectious diseases. There's no institution better equipped to lead the charge than Johns Hopkins, and it's an honor to be able to help launch the school's next 100 years with this gift."

The endowment will include $125 to fund faculty and their research in the five focus areas, $75 million for scholarships for JHSPH's new school-wide DrPH program, and $100 million to fund 50 public health fellows each year to receive their MPH degrees and agree to return to their communities to work in the practice of public health for at least one year.

http://hub.jhu.edu/2016/09/15/bloomberg-american-health-initiative-gift/

Michael Bloomberg gives $300M to Johns Hopkins for effort targeting major domestic public health issues Bloomberg American Health Initiative will focus on new approaches to drug addiction, obesity, gun violence, adolescent health, environmental threats

Dr. Szklo is the recipient of a 2016 Distinguished Alumnus Award from Johns Hopkins University. In this interview to mark the occasion he was asked to name his most important accomplishments. The list includes his students and the great pride he takes in having mentored so many students who subsequently had brilliant careers, his research, and being editor-in-chief of the American Journal of Epidemiology. And also:

"I am very proud to have been the director of the Summer Institute of Epidemiology and Biostatistics since 1983. I estimate that thousands of students from all over the world have attended the Institute."

When asked for advice to people who are considering a career in public health, he answered "A career in public health demands scientific rigor, evidence-based public health practice, interest in translation of research findings to public policy, and recognition that you won’t be rich."

http://www.jhsph.edu/alumni/alumni-profiles/2016-winners/moyses-szklo.html

Moyses Szklo Moyses Szklo has had an illustrious public health career spanning more than four decades. He joined the faculty of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in 1975, quickly rising through the academic ranks and achieving professorship in 1980. Szklo began the Johns Hopkins Graduate Summer...

From air conditioners to window screens, from ci******es to leaded gas, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has compiled a list of 100 things that have shaped public health in the past 100 years.

"The goal of the list is not only to show how far we’ve come but to inspire people to think about where we’re going."

http://www.globalhealthnow.org/100-objects

100 Objects That Shaped Public Health | Global Health NOW From the Obscure to the Everyday, These Objects Tell the Story Public health impacts all of us, in every corner of the globe, every day of our lives — not only our health and safety, but also how we live, what we wear, what we eat, what happens to our environment and the stewardship of our planet. F...

"Public health has lost a hero and we have lost a great friend and colleague."

D.A. Henderson, who is best known for having led the successful WHO campaign to eradicate smallpox, passed away on Friday, August 19th.

Our students may remember Dr. Henderson who gave many lectures in the Epi Biostat Summer Institute over the years, and in 2014 taught Principles of Disease Eradication.

We feel privileged to have known him.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/obituaries/bs-md-ob-da-henderson-20160820-story.html

"As the obesity epidemic continues to grow and physical activity continues to decline worldwide, could chasing Pokémon be part of the solution?

"Niantic’s new smartphone game has unleashed a Pokémon fever that is spreading around the globe faster than swine flu. Now, researchers at Johns Hopkins are scrambling to study how Zubats and Pikachus might be affecting populations—possibly helping to combat another ongoing public health crisis: the global obesity epidemic."

http://www.globalhealthnow.org/news/pok-mon-go-pandemic-or-prescription-the-public-health-perspective

Pokémon GO!—Pandemic or Prescription? The Public Health Perspective By The Johns Hopkins Pokemon Preparedness Team: Alain Labrique, Yorghos Carabas, Michelle Colder Carras, and Bruce Y. Lee

2016 Epi Biostat Summer Institute faculty and the inaugural George W. Comstock Professor in the Department of Epidemiology at Johns Hopkins Bloomburg School of Public Health, Joe Coresh.

Bloomberg School of Public Health alumnus, pioneer, and mentor George Comstock often quoted Horace Mann: "Be ashamed to die before you have won some victory for humanity." https://rising.jhu.edu/comstock-coresh

Thank you to the students who were a part of the 2016 Epi Biostat Summer Institute. It was a pleasure to work with you. We hope that the Summer Institute courses will be useful to you in your work or academic career. Thanks also to the faculty, TAs, and guest lecturers who contributed so much to make our program a success. Safe travels for those of you who are traveling, and happy July 4th to all.

An interesting article about JHSPH's centennial.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/bs-hs-bloomberg-centennial-20160614-story.html

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health turns 100 When Baltimore's health commissioner and mayor were seeking state permission in the 1990s for the nation's first big-city needle exchange program for intravenous drug users, the two government officials knew there was powerful political opposition to anything that appeared to aid drug use.

The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health is one hundred years old!

On June 13, 1916, William Henry Welch announced that the Rockefeller Foundation had awarded a $267,000 grant to Johns Hopkins University to establish the School of Hygiene and Public Health.

http://www.jhsph.edu/news/stories/2016/happy-centennial-birthday-to-us.html

Happy Centennial Birthday to Us! Today, June 13, 2016, is our School's official 100th birthday. On June 13, 1916, William Henry Welch announced that the Rockefeller Foundation had awarded a $267,000 grant to Johns Hopkins University to establish the School of Hygiene and Public Health.

The current issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology celebrates the centennial of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the world’s oldest independent graduate school of public health.

The issue contains editorials, commentaries, and articles by many Summer Institute faculty and seminar series speakers. Dr. Moyses Szklo, Director of the Graduate Summer Institute of Epidemiology and Biostatistics is the Editor-in-Chief of the AJE.

https://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/current

American Journal of Epidemiology

Registration for the 2016 Graduate Summer Institute of Epidemiology and Biostatistics begins Feb 15th!

http://www.jhsph.edu/departments/epidemiology/continuing-education/graduate-summer-institute-of-epidemiology-and-biostatistics/

Graduate Summer Institute of Epidemiology and Biostatistics The Graduate Summer Institute offers short, intensive courses in epidemiology and biostatistics intended to develop an understanding of the principles, methodologic strategies and practical aspects of epidemiological research.

"In many ways, this is the most hopeful World AIDS Day we have seen in the 35-year history of the scourge that we know as HIV/AIDS. Yet, it is also one of the most challenging, in terms of the work we still have to do to translate scientific progress into more saved lives, fewer new infections and ultimately an end to the AIDS pandemic."

Chris Beyrer, the Desmond Tutu Professor of Public Health and Human Rights at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and speaker in the 2015 Summer Institute Seminar Series, writing with Anthony Fauci on what is needed to end the AIDS pandemic.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/30/opinions/beyrer-fauci-world-aids-day-hiv/

World AIDS Day: Time to write last chapter on HIV - CNN.com As formidable as HIV remains, we have come too far to allow progress toward its termination to stall.

The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Graduate Summer Institute of Epidemiology and Biostatistics have lost a great friend and teacher. It is with much sadness that we pass along the news of Leon Gordis’s death last week from a subdural hematoma.

We consider ourselves very fortunate to have worked with Dr. Gordis, who taught, with Dr. Michel Ibrahim, the Epidemiology in Evidence-Based Policy course in the Summer Institute until this year. Dr. Gordis was always generous with students – answering questions, signing books, and posing for pictures. As a teacher he was known for his engaging and humorous style, and for making complicated subjects accessible.

Dr. Gordis was the chair of the Department of Epidemiology from 1975-1994, taught Principles of Epidemiology from 1974 until 2006, and in 1983 established the Graduate Summer Program in Epidemiology which is now known as the Graduate Summer Institute of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. He was the author of the textbook “Epidemiology”, now in its fifth printing, that all of our epi students use, and is the most widely used epidemiology textbook in the world.

We will miss his gentle and generous nature, his humor, and his wonderful teaching style, but his contributions to the field are lasting.

"Pioneer of Brazilian epidemiology" Moyses Szklo, director of the Graduate Summer Institute of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (and JHSPH Professor, Department of Epidemiology, as well as Editor-in-Chief of the American Journal of Epidemiology) speaking about translational epidemiology at the 2015 Abrascão Conference in Brazil. .

http://www.abrasco.org.br/site/2015/07/moyses-szklo-ministra-conferencia-magna-ruy-laurenti-no-11o-abrascao/

Moyses Szklo ministra Conferência Magna Ruy Laurenti - ABRASCO Pioneiro da epidemiologia brasileira, Szklo utilizou a EpiTrans como ponto de partida para a Conferência de abertura do Abrascão 2015

Jonathan Samet, former chair of the JHSPH Department of Epidemiology and Epi Biostat Summer Institute faculty, responds to the question, Given the structure and demands of everyday life in America, what can be done to make healthy living more accessible across classes?

His suggestions:

•Find ways to lower to***co use
•Invest in research to find better interventions for alcoholism
•Assess, address, and monitor the availability and consumption of healthy foods.
•Promote physical activity by identifying and addressing barriers to it (for instance, lack of walkable routes, lack of education on the risks of a sedentary lifestyle)
•Teach communities to advance their own health. Strategies could include engaging community leaders, providing model initiatives, and offering funding to foster innovation.’


http://time.com/3975136/healthy-living-ideas/

time.com Economic and cultural disparities have stacked the deck against healthy choices in America—it doesn't have to be that way

Those of you who attended the welcome or farewell reception for the 2015 Epi Biostat Summer Institute at the William H. Welch Library will remember this picture.

It's a painting of the four founding doctors of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine: William Welch, for whom the library is named, and who went on to found Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, the country's first school of public health; William Osler, who revolutionized medical training and is often referred to as the father of modern medicine; William Halstead a brilliant surgeon who modernized surgical procedure; and John Kelly, a gynecological surgeon.

The enormous painting is by John Singer Sargent and was painted in 1907.

Johns Hopkins Hospital in 1889.

A big thank you to our students, faculty, and teaching assistants in the 2015 Graduate Summer Institute of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. You made this year's Institute a great success!

It was a pleasure meeting this year's students. Please keep in touch about your work and studies. We hope we get a chance to meet again!