Editorial Consultants*
Devin Abrahami (Source: American Journal of Epidemiology)
Source: American Journal of Epidemiology - December 1, 2022 Category: Epidemiology Source Type: research
Correction to “identifying predictors of opioid overdose death at a neighborhood level with machine learning”
In the article “Identifying Predictors of Opioid Overdose Death at a Neighborhood-Level With Machine Learning” by Schell et al. (1), a reference to an article by Goin et al. (2) was mistakenly omitted from the Methods. The paper by Goin et al. provided an important model for the predictive modeling approach we took, which included a LASSO screening algorithm to reduce the variable set, followed by a random forest algorithm to rank the strength of predictors. In the Statistical analysis section on page 528, the first sentence of the second paragraph should read, “We next used the random forest algorithm for its abilit...
Source: American Journal of Epidemiology - October 21, 2022 Category: Epidemiology Source Type: research
Correction to “misconceptions about the direction of bias from nondifferential misclassification”
In the article “Misconceptions About the Direction of Bias From Nondifferential Misclassification” by Yland et al. (1), there were the following errors. (Source: American Journal of Epidemiology)
Source: American Journal of Epidemiology - October 6, 2022 Category: Epidemiology Source Type: research
Correction to: impact of bnt162b2 vaccination and isolation on sars-cov-2 transmission in israeli households: an observational study
In the article “Impact of BNT162b2 Vaccination and Isolation on SARS-CoV-2 Transmission in Israeli Households: An Observational Study” by Layan et al. (1), there was an error in the code of the Markov chain Monte Carlo inference model that led to minor errors in the estimates of transmission parameters. In our analysis, inference is performed in continuous time. However, in our code, the probability of infection of detected cases was expressed in discrete time, $1-\exp \big(-\lambda \big({t}_{infection}\big)\big)$, instead of continuous time, $\lambda \big({t}_{infection}\big)$. We have now corrected this error. (Sourc...
Source: American Journal of Epidemiology - October 4, 2022 Category: Epidemiology Source Type: research
Association of Low Hourly Wages in Middle Age With Faster Memory Decline in Older Age: Evidence From the Health and Retirement Study
AbstractLittle research has investigated the long-term relationship between low wages and memory decline, despite the growing share of low-wage workers in the US labor market. Here, we examined whether cumulative exposure to low wages over 12 years in midlife is associated with memory decline in later life. Using 1992 –2016 data from the Health and Retirement Study, we analyzed data from 2,879 individuals born in 1936–1941 using confounder-adjusted linear mixed-effects models. Low-wage work was defined as an hourly wage lower than two-thirds of the federal median wage for the corresponding year and was catego rized int...
Source: American Journal of Epidemiology - September 21, 2022 Category: Epidemiology Source Type: research
The Association of Serum High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein Level With the Risk of Site-Specific Cancer Mortality: The Health Examinees (HEXA) Study Cohort
In this study, we aimed to examine the associations of hsCRP with overall and site-specific cancer mortality among South Koreans using data on the Health Examinees (HEXA) Study cohort (41,070 men and 81,011 women aged ≥40 years). We obtained mortality information from the National Statistical Office of Korea, which provided the dates and causes of all deaths occurring through December 31, 2015, by linking mortality data with each participant’s unique national identifier. Cox proportional hazards and restricte d cubic spline models were used to assess the association between hsCRP and cancer mortality with adjustment fo...
Source: American Journal of Epidemiology - September 10, 2022 Category: Epidemiology Source Type: research
Developing Geographic Areas for Cancer Reporting Using Automated Zone Design
AbstractThe reporting and analysis of population-based cancer statistics in the United States has traditionally been done for counties. However, counties are not ideal for analysis of cancer rates, due to wide variation in population size, with larger counties having considerable sociodemographic variation within their borders and sparsely populated counties having less reliable estimates of cancer rates that are often suppressed due to confidentiality concerns. There is a need and an opportunity to utilize zone design procedures in the context of cancer surveillance to generate coherent, statistically stable geographic un...
Source: American Journal of Epidemiology - August 31, 2022 Category: Epidemiology Source Type: research
Lesko et al. Respond to “The Importance of Descriptive Epidemiology”
In his thoughtful response (1) to our paper (2), Platt points out the utility of descriptive analyses beyond describing features of specific target populations. We agree there are steps in all epidemiologic investigations that are descriptive in nature, even if the research question is not descriptive. Platt rightly highlights the importance of descriptive statistics for investigating the feasibility of answering another (usually nondescriptive) research question. We also note the importance of descriptive statistics for data checking, prior to answering another research question. We intended our framework to help guide an...
Source: American Journal of Epidemiology - August 25, 2022 Category: Epidemiology Source Type: research
Invited Commentary: The Importance of Descriptive Epidemiology
AbstractLesko et al. (Am J Epidemiol. 2022;191(12):2063 –2070) propose a framework for descriptive epidemiology. This framework helps lay out some of the key issues in producing a useful descriptive work. Lesko et al. help emphasize the importance and value of descriptive work in epidemiology and public health. In this commentary, related issues are di scussed and open questions are raised. (Source: American Journal of Epidemiology)
Source: American Journal of Epidemiology - August 25, 2022 Category: Epidemiology Source Type: research
Opioid Use Disorder Among Ohio ’s Medicaid Population: Prevalence Estimates From 19 Counties Using a Multiplier Method
AbstractThe decades-long overdose epidemic in the United States is driven by opioid misuse. Overdoses commonly, although not exclusively, occur in individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD). To allocate adequate resources and develop appropriately scaled public health responses, accurate estimation of the prevalence of OUD is needed. Indirect methods (e.g., a multiplier method) of estimating prevalence of problematic substance-use behavior circumvent some limitations of household surveys and use of administrative data. We used a multiplier method to estimate OUD prevalence among the adult Medicaid population (ages 18 –64...
Source: American Journal of Epidemiology - August 25, 2022 Category: Epidemiology Source Type: research
Associations Between Childhood Obesity and Pubertal Timing Stratified by Sex and Race/Ethnicity
We examined sex- and race/ethnicity-specific associations between childhood obesity and puberty in a multiethnic cohort of 129,824 adolescents born at a Kaiser Permanente Northern California medical facility between 2003 and 2011. We used Weibull regression models to explore associations between childhood obesity and breast development onset (thelarche) in girls, testicular enlargement onset (gonadarche) in boys, and pubic hair development onset (pubarche) in both sexes, adjusting for important confounders. Clear dose-response relationships were observed. Boys with severe obesity had the greatest risk for earlier gonadarch...
Source: American Journal of Epidemiology - August 23, 2022 Category: Epidemiology Source Type: research
Association of Daily Temperature With Suicide Mortality: A Comparison With Other Causes of Death and Characterization of Possible Attenuation Across 5 Decades
We examined the short-term association of temperature with cause-specific mortality, comparing suicide with other causes of death and describing possible attenuation of associations with temperature across decades. We considered all deaths that occurred in France between 1968 and 2016. For each cause of death, we conducted a 2-stage meta-analysis of associations with daily temperature. We stratified the association across time periods. A total of 502,017 deaths by suicide were recorded over 49 years. Temperature was monotonically associated with suicide mortality. The strongest association was found at lag 0 days. The rela...
Source: American Journal of Epidemiology - August 22, 2022 Category: Epidemiology Source Type: research
The Contribution of Chronic Conditions to Hospitalization, Skilled Nursing Facility Admission, and Death: Variation by Race
This study provides important insights into racial differences in the contributions of chronic conditions to costly health-care utilization and mortality, and it prompts policy-makers to champion delivery reforms that will expand access to preventive and ongoing care for diverse Medicare beneficiaries. (Source: American Journal of Epidemiology)
Source: American Journal of Epidemiology - August 5, 2022 Category: Epidemiology Source Type: research
Causal and Associational Language in Observational Health Research: A Systematic Evaluation
AbstractWe estimated the degree to which language used in the high-profile medical/public health/epidemiology literature implied causality using language linking exposures to outcomes and action recommendations; examined disconnects between language and recommendations; identified the most common linking phrases; and estimated how strongly linking phrases imply causality. We searched for and screened 1,170 articles from 18 high-profile journals (65 per journal) published from 2010 –2019. Based on written framing and systematic guidance, 3 reviewers rated the degree of causality implied in abstracts and full text for expo...
Source: American Journal of Epidemiology - August 4, 2022 Category: Epidemiology Source Type: research
Recommendations for Using Causal Diagrams to Study Racial Health Disparities
We present simplified causal diagrams to illustrate how to implement our recommendations. These diagrams can be modified based on the health outcome and hypotheses, or for other group-based differences in health also rooted in disadvantage (e.g., gender). Implementing our recommendations may lead to the publication of more rigorous and informative studies of racial health disparities. (Source: American Journal of Epidemiology)
Source: American Journal of Epidemiology - August 2, 2022 Category: Epidemiology Source Type: research
