Epidemiology

How do social factors, the environment, and demographics affect a person's likelihood of developing a disease? Epidemiology is key in generating solutions to battle the world’s public health challenges, including answering these questions and creating interventions for preventative healthcare.

Free Associations Podcast | June 30th, 2020

Did Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why lead to suicides?

Matt welcomes guests Lisa Bodnar and Jaimie Gradus to discuss a study that looks at the impact of the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why on suicides, they discuss whether epidemiologists should be called “Doctor”, and Lisa finally uses the word ‘twizpipe’ correctly.

Free Associations Podcast | June 16th, 2020

A new treatment for adolescent obesity?

Matt, Jen, and guest Hailey Banack from The University of Buffalo discuss a study that looks at the effect of a new drug to treat adolescent obesity, they discuss the rise of armchair epidemiologists, and Jen reminds us of a past public health success.

Free Associations Podcast | April 10th, 2020

Live COVID-19 Q&A

Hosts of the PHX podcast, Free Associations, answer your questions surrounding the current pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus. Hear from Matt, Don, and Chris about how they’re all dealing with COVID-19 and the way it has changed day-to-day life.

Free Associations Podcast | April 7th, 2020

Can kids with chicken pox protect you from shingles?

Matt, Jen, and guest host Jennifer Weuve discuss a study that looks at whether exposure to kids with chicken pox protects adults from shingles, they ask whether blinding in randomized trials really matters, and Jen survives a podcast episode that feels like a year on Mars.

Free Associations Podcast | March 10th, 2020

Long-term follow up on a new prevention for breast cancer

Matt and Jen discuss a long-term follow up study of a drug to prevent breast cancer, they ask whether papers in predatory journals get cited, and Matt lets it all out watching guilty pleasure movies on planes.

Free Associations Podcast | February 11th, 2020

Social determinants of homicides in the US

Matt, Chris, and Jen examine a study on the social determinants of homicides, they discuss whether Mendelian randomization will save epidemiology, and Matt goes for the old BMJ Christmas edition.

Free Associations Podcast | January 28th, 2020

Does quality of care affect maternal and neonatal outcomes?

Matt, Chris, and Jen discuss a study modeling the impact of improvements in quality of care, they discuss a poorly thought through letter from a group of publishers to the president, and Jen teaches us about worm memories.

Free Associations Podcast | January 14th, 2020

What's new for treating Ebola?

Matt, Chris, and Jen examine a study on new treatments for Ebola, they discuss whether retracted papers should still be cited, and Chris and Jen have the same Amazing and Amusing.

Free Associations Podcast | December 3rd, 2019

Professional soccer and neurodegenerative disease

Matt, Chris, and Jen discuss a study on whether playing professional soccer increases the risk of death from neurodegenerative disease, they vent about how much it costs in time and money to reformat papers for journal submission, and Jen gives Chris and Matt an early Christmas present.

Free Associations Podcast | November 19th, 2019

Low dose radiation and cancer

Matt and Jen examine a study from South Korea on the effects of low dose radiation on cancer, we discuss a fascinating study that was retracted and republished because of a coding error, and Matt shares Star Wars secrets gleaned from a figure in a research paper.

Free Associations Podcast | November 5th, 2019

Red meat for the public health crowd

Matt and Jen discuss a new set of surprising recommendations around eating red meat, we skip the second segment entirely because we had so much to say on segment 1, and Jen reveals who has been killing all the cane toads.

Free Associations Podcast | October 8th, 2019

Sugary drinks and cancer

Matt, Chris, and Jen discuss a study on the relationship between sugary drinks and cancer, the gang discuss how to improve nutritional epidemiology, and Jen gets us all up to speed about avocados.