Epidemiology Society Research Articles

A Brief History behind the journal Genetic Epidemiology and the International Genetic Epidemiology Society.

This commentary briefly describes the process and steps that underlie the launching of the journal Genetic Epidemiology in 1984 and the International Genetic Epidemiology Society (IGES, to be pronounced as "I guess") in 1992.

Including diverse and admixed populations in genetic epidemiology research.

The inclusion of ancestrally diverse participants in genetic studies can lead to new discoveries and is important to ensure equitable health care benefit from research advances. Here, members of the Ethical, Legal, Social, Implications (ELSI) committee of the International Genetic Epidemiology Society (IGES) offer perspectives on methods and analysis tools for the conduct of inclusive genetic epidemiology research, with a focus on admixed and ancestrally diverse populations in support of reproducible research practices. We emphasize the importance of distinguishing socially defined population categorizations from genetic ancestry in the design, analysis, reporting, and interpretation of genetic epidemiology research findings. Finally, we discuss the current state of genomic resources used in genetic association studies, functional interpretation, and clinical and public health translation of genomic findings with respect to diverse populations.

Endemic fatalism and why it will not resolve COVID-19

ObjectiveThe main objective of this commentary is to provide historical insight into the term endemicity and to demonstrate why framing COVID-19 as endemic in early 2022 is a misguided approach. Study designThe history of epidemiology as well as current data on COVID-19 as provided by the United States Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization, and the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 Resource Center was surveyed. MethodsRecords of the Epidemiological Society of London for the period 1850–1900 were analyzed, and several key publications on how infectious diseases were considered endemic were identified. ResultsThe term endemicity has a long and twisting history, changing from its meaning in the mid-nineteenth century until our use of it today. The concept has long been tied to historical patterns of colonialism. ConclusionFraming COVID-19 as an endemic disease in early 2022 is a misguided attempt and a result of cultural and political forces.

Is there a difference in the electromyographic activity of the masticatory muscles between individuals with temporomandibular disorder and healthy controls? A systematic review with meta‐analysis

The diagnosis of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) is complex, and it is not yet clear in the literature whether the clinical changes associated with these disorders are also reflected in the electromyographic (EMG) activity of the muscles of mastication. To determine whether there is a difference in the electromyographic activity of the masticatory muscles between individuals with TMD and healthy controls. ScienceDirect, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PEDro, SciELO, CINAHL and LILACS databases from January 2000 to February 2019. Cross-sectional studies, crossover studies and randomised controlled trials evaluating EMG activity of right and left masseter and anterior temporal muscles in patients with TMD and healthy controls. Two independent assessors extracted data from the selected articles. The risk of bias was determined using a checklist for assessing methodological quality created based on the guidelines of the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology and International Society of Electrophysiology and Kinesiology. Mean differences and 95% confidence intervals were calculated and combined in meta-analyses. A total of 51267 studies were retrieved, and 12 were included in this review. Only two studies enabled the comparative analysis of the results. The different EMG signal capturing, processing and analysis methods used constitute an important limitation to the comparative analyses of the results reported in the studies selected for the present review. This systematic review did not demonstrate evidence of significant differences in the EMG activity of the masticatory muscles between individuals with TMD and healthy controls.

Experiences and perspectives on the return of secondary findings among genetic epidemiologists

PurposeWhile there has been a recent increase in scholarship around developing policies for the return of results from genetic sequencing, it is not clear whether these approaches are appropriate for genetic epidemiology studies. Because genetic epidemiological research increasingly utilizes genome sequencing methods, particularly in large data sets where researchers did not directly ascertain the subjects, it is important to understand researchers’ perspectives on the return of results. MethodsWe conducted an online survey of members of the International Genetic Epidemiology Society to document the diversity of experiences and impressions regarding return of results. The survey contained both closed and open-ended questions. ResultsAmong our respondents who enroll their own research participants, only 21% return secondary findings. Most respondents do not search their sequence data for clinically actionable findings not associated with their disease of interest. Many feel that genetic epidemiologists have a unique perspective on the return of results and that research studies should not follow the same procedures as clinical sequencing studies. ConclusionPrecision medicine initiatives that rely on both clinical and “big data” genomic research should account for variation in researcher perspectives and study design limitations when developing policies and standard practices regarding the return of results.

Monitoring the Underlying Probability of Daily Rainfall Occurrence in West Java over Space and Time by Means: A Bayesian Spatiotemporal Model Approach

Monitoring the underlying probability of daily rainfall occurrence is needed for many applications, such as in agriculture, hydrology and ecology, epidemiology, maritime and tourism and society in general. We use Climate Hazard InfraRed Precipitation with Station Data (CHIRPS) to obtain the estimated probability of daily rainfall occurrence. The model has been used based on Kitagawa (1987). We used the Kitagawa model with introducing the spatial and spatiotemporal dependencies in the Binomial smoothing model using Bayesian spatiotemporal model approach by means of the Integrated Nested Laplace Approach (INLA) and applied this model for estimating the underlying probability of daily rainfall occurrence in West Java, Indonesia. Eight different model were tested and model 8 was found as the best model based on Bayesian and classical criterions. We found the circular temporal trend of random walk order one and spatiotemporal interaction type IV are the two most important components in explaining the change of probability of daily rainfall occurrence. The daily precipitation chances reached 90% from November up to February for every year.

The discipline of epidemiology: engaging in the full breadth of population health science

This address was delivered by Harold I. Feldman, MD, MSCE, at the Annual Meeting of the American College of Epidemiology in New Orleans, Louisiana, on September 26, 2017. Dr. Feldman is George S. Pepper Professor of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Professor of Epidemiology and Medicine, and Chair, Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He is recognized nationally and internationally for his expertise in kidney disease epidemiology. Dr. Feldman pioneered the integration of epidemiology and renal medicine with his first studies of dialyzer reuse and hemodialysis vascular access morbidity. He is internationally renowned in nephrology and clinical epidemiology and an architect of one of the largest and most successful epidemiological research programs in chronic kidney disease. For over 15 years, he has led NIH's Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort Study, placing him at the helm of the “Framingham Study of Renal Disease”. It has elucidated the chronic kidney disease–specific relationships of mineral dysmetabolism and cardiovascular complications; dietary sodium and heart failure; novel vascular stiffness metrics and renal disease progression; cardiovascular biomarkers and heart failure; and cognitive decline and renal dysfunction, among others. He has also led the nation's largest trials targeting hemodialysis vascular access morbidity, discovered the benefits of transplantation before dialysis dependence, elucidated racial disparities and the role of genetics in kidney failure, and shaped our understanding of the toxicity from unregulated reuse of medical devices. He is the past President of the American College of Epidemiology and directs one of the nation's largest clinical epidemiology and biostatistics programs. Dr. Feldman has an MD from Boston University and an MSCE from the University of Pennsylvania. He is an elected member of the American Society of Clinical Investigation, the Association of American Physicians, and the American Epidemiological Society.

Responsible Epidemiologic Research Practice: a guideline developed by a working group of the Netherlands Epidemiological Society

ObjectivesTo develop a guideline on Responsible Epidemiologic Research Practice that will increase value and transparency, increase the accountability of the epidemiologists, and reduce research waste. SettingA working group of the Netherland Epidemiological Society was given the task of developing a guideline that would meet these objectives. Several publications about the need to prevent Detrimental Research Practices triggered this work. Among these were a series in the Lancet on research waste and a subsequent series on transparency in the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology. The reputation and trust in epidemiologic research is still high, and the Netherlands Epidemiological Society wishes to keep it that way. The guideline deals with how epidemiologic research should be conducted, archived, and disclosed. It does not deal with the more technical aspects, such as required sample size, choice of study design, and so forth. The guideline describes each step in the process of conducting an epidemiologic study, from the first idea to the ultimate publication and beyond. MethodsThe working group reviewed the literature on responsible research conduct, including the various existing codes of conduct. It applied the general principles from these codes to the elements of an epidemiologic study and formulated specific recommendations for each of these. Next step was to draft the guideline. Preceding the 2016 annual national epidemiology conference in Wageningen, a preconference was organized to discuss the draft guideline and to assess support. Support was clearly present, and the provided recommendations were incorporated into the draft guideline. In March 2017, a draft version of the guideline was sent to all 1,100 members of the society with the request to review and provide comments. All received responses were positive, and some minor additions were made. The Responsible Epidemiologic Research Practice guideline has now been approved by the board of the Netherlands Epidemiological Society. ConclusionWith the Responsible Epidemiologic Research Practice guideline, we hope to contribute to better research practices in epidemiology but perhaps also in adjacent disciplines.

Abraham Lilienfeld Award address: 2017 Annual Meeting of the American College of Epidemiology

The address was delivered by Roberta B. Ness, MD MPH at the Annual Meeting of the American College of Epidemiology in New Orleans, Louisiana on September 26, 2017. Dr. Ness is James W. Rockwell Professor of Public Health and Vice-President for Innovation at the University of Texas School of Public Health. Recognized nationally and internationally for her expertise in women's health research, Dr. Ness pioneered the area of "gender-based biology". In more recent years, she developed an innovative program at the UT School of Public Health aimed at cultivating "outside the box" thinking among training scientists. Dr. Ness has authored a range of books on her work, including Health and Disease among Women (1999), Innovation Generation (2012), Genius Unmasked (2013) and The Creativity Crisis: Reinventing Science to Unleash Possibility (2014). Dr. Ness is Past-President of both the American College of Epidemiology and American Epidemiological Society, an honorary society of epidemiologists. She is also former Dean of UTHealth School of Public Health and former Interim Dean at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health. Dr. Ness is a frequent advisor to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), and US Department of Defense (DOD). She has an MD from Cornell University and MPH from Columbia University. Dr. Ness is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine, American Society of Clinical Investigation (ASCI), and Delta Omega honorary society.

La financiación de la industria alimentaria y la investigación epidemiológica sobre nutrición y salud

The interests of the food industry to fund nutrition and health research are not limited to promoting scientific advances. Recently, several systematic reviews conducted about the effect of sugar-sweetened beverages and health outcomes have shown some biased conclusions in studies that acknowledge industry sponsorship. In this context, the Nutrition Working Group of the Spanish Epidemiology Society presented a scientific session entitled Food industry and epidemiologic research at its annual meeting. In a round table, four experts in nutrition research presented their points of view about whether the food industry should fund nutrition-related research and the related potential conflicts of interest of the food industry. All the experts agreed not only on defending independence in nutritional epidemiology regarding the design, interpretation and conclusion of their studies but also on the crucial need for guaranteed scientific rigor, scientific quality of the results and measures to protect studies against potential biases related to the conflicts of interest of funding by the food industry. Drs Pérez-Farinós and Romaguera believe that the most effective way to prevent conflicts of interest would be not to allow the food industry to fund nutrition research; Drs Marcos and Martínez-González suggested the need to establish mechanisms and strategies to prevent the potential influences of the food industry in selecting researchers or institutional sponsorship and in the analysis and results of the studies, to ensure maximum independence for researchers, as well as their professional ethics.

Voices: A Conversation with Allen J. Wilcox.

Allen James Wilcox was born on 30 September 1946 in Columbus, OH. He studied medicine at the University of Michigan, graduated in 1973, and after a rotating internship, he completed a master's degree in maternal and child health (1976) and a PhD in epidemiology (1979) at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. After graduation, he went to work at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS, one of the US National Institutes of Health) in Durham, NC, where he has spent his career. He developed a research program in reproductive and perinatal epidemiology, a relatively unexplored area at the time. His studies include the early pregnancy study, which documented the extent of subclinical pregnancy loss in humans and established the fertile days of a woman's menstrual cycle. He served as the Chief of the Epidemiology Branch from 1991 to 2001, and as Editor-in-Chief of the journal EPIDEMIOLOGY from 2001 to 2014. His textbook, Fertility and Pregnancy-An Epidemiologic Perspective, was published by Oxford University Press in 2010. He was elected to the American Epidemiological Society in 1989, and served as its president in 2003. He also served as president of the Society of Pediatric and Perinatal Epidemiological Research (1996) and the president of the Society of Epidemiological Research (1998). He holds adjunct teaching appointments at the University of North Carolina, Harvard University, and the University of Bergen (Norway), which awarded him an honorary doctoral degree in 2008.

Desigualdades de género en la investigación en salud pública y epidemiología en España (2007-2014)

ObjectiveTo analyse gender inequalities in research on public health and epidemiology in Spain for the period 2007-2014. MethodA descriptive study was conducted by sex of leadership positions in the Centre for Biomedical Research Network (CIBER), especially in the subject area of epidemiology and public health (CIBERESP) in 2014; scientific societies of public health (SESPAS) and epidemiology (SEE) 2009-2014; research projects requested (13,320) and financed (4,699), and monetary amounts of calls for Strategic Action in Health (AES), 2007-2013. ResultsWomen were clearly under-represented in positions of leadership and in research excellence in public health (CIBER), with a predominance of men in decision-making positions. Although research projects led by women in AES increased slightly between 2007 and 2013, among proposed projects this figure was less than 50%, with the exception of the public health commission. The gender gap was even greater in funded projects. Projects led by men were more likely to be funded, representing 29% in public health. There was also a persistence of horizontal gender segregation in positions of scientific recognition in the SESPAS and SEE Congresses. ConclusionsThe overrepresentation of male leaders in public health research in Spain can be understood as an indicator and a consequence of androcentrism in scientific societies and professional groups. This sexist situation threatens the existence of innovative products and services from a gender perspective that respond to the needs and demands of society as a whole. More women are needed in research incorporating this perspective.

The 2015 Annual Meeting of the International Genetic Epidemiology Society

Genetic EpidemiologyVolume 39, Issue 7 p. 529-599 Abstracts The 2015 Annual Meeting of the International Genetic Epidemiology Society First published: 14 September 2015 https://doi.org/10.1002/gepi.21916 The Article title is changed to “The 2015 Annual Meeting of the International Genetic Epidemiology Society” from “Annual Meeting of the International Genetic Epidemiology Society” on 21st September 2015 after original publication date. Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Volume39, Issue7November 2015Pages 529-599 RelatedInformation

Practical barriers and ethical challenges in genetic data sharing.

The underlying ethos of dbGaP is that access to these data by secondary data analysts facilitates advancement of science. NIH has required that genome-wide association study data be deposited in the Database of Genotypes and Phenotypes (dbGaP) since 2003. In 2013, a proposed updated policy extended this requirement to next-generation sequencing data. However, recent literature and anecdotal reports suggest lingering logistical and ethical concerns about subject identifiability, informed consent, publication embargo enforcement, and difficulty in accessing dbGaP data. We surveyed the International Genetic Epidemiology Society (IGES) membership about their experiences. One hundred and seventy five (175) individuals completed the survey, a response rate of 27%. Of respondents who received data from dbGaP (43%), only 32% perceived the application process as easy but most (75%) received data within five months. Remaining challenges include difficulty in identifying an institutional signing official and an overlong application process. Only 24% of respondents had contributed data to dbGaP. Of these, 31% reported local IRB restrictions on data release; an additional 15% had to reconsent study participants before depositing data. The majority of respondents (56%) disagreed that the publication embargo period was sufficient. In response, we recommend longer embargo periods and use of varied data-sharing models rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

Mental health, transactions of the Epidemiological Society of London and Berkson's bias.

Mental health, transactions of the Epidemiological Society of London and Berkson's bias.

The JPC-SE Position Statement on Asbestos : A Long-Overdue Appeal by Epidemiologists to Ban Asbestos Worldwide and End Related Global Environmental Injustice

The JPC-SE <i>Position Statement on Asbestos</i> : A Long-Overdue Appeal by Epidemiologists to Ban Asbestos Worldwide and End Related Global Environmental Injustice

アメリカ獣医疫学会賞の受賞

アメリカ獣医疫学会賞の受賞

ANNUAL MEETING OF THE INTERNATIONAL GENETIC EPIDEMIOLOGY SOCIETY

Genetic EpidemiologyVolume 36, Issue 2 p. 118-171 ABSTRACTS FROM THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE INTERNATIONAL GENETIC EPIDEMIOLOGY SOCIETY First published: 01 May 2012 https://doi.org/10.1002/gepi.21604AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Volume36, Issue2February 2012Pages 118-171 RelatedInformation

Abstracts from the nineteenth annual meeting of the International Genetic Epidemiology Society

Genetic EpidemiologyVolume 34, Issue 8 p. 917-992 Abstract Abstracts from the nineteenth annual meeting of the International Genetic Epidemiology Society First published: 22 November 2010 https://doi.org/10.1002/gepi.20553AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Volume34, Issue8December 2010Pages 917-992 RelatedInformation

Desigualdades de género en la Sociedad Española de Salud Pública y Administración Sanitaria (2000–2009)

Objective To describe gender inequalities in positions of leadership and scientific recognition in activities carried out by the Spanish Public Health and Health Administration Society (SESPAS), the Spanish Epidemiology Society (SEE) and the Health Economics Association (AES) for 2000–2009. Methods We performed a descriptive study of the gender distribution of the boards of directors, scientific and conference organization committees and chairpersons of the SESPAS, SEE and AES. The gender distribution of the editorial board of Gaceta Sanitaria, and of the authors of editorials published in the journal, as well as that of the editors of SESPAS Reports, was also analyzed. Results Between 2000 and 2009, there was a slight increase in women’s participation in the SESPAS and there was greater gender parity in the SEE. However, representation of women in the AES was low. Conclusions The causes of gender inequalities in public health professional societies should continue to be analyzed and actions should be taken to change the present situation.