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.

Practically Speaking | January 3rd, 2019

Understanding the Exposure Disease Pathway

How do environmental health professionals discover and address problems like the Flint water crisis? Dr. Jennifer Schlezinger explains an essential framework called the Exposure Disease Pathway.

Free Associations Podcast | December 18th, 2018

Are organic foods the answer to cancer?

Matt, Chris, and Don look at a study of the effects of eating organic foods on risk of cancer, the gang discusses the role of data safety and monitoring boards in clinical trials, and Matt gives his shortest amazing and amusing ever.

Webinar | December 7th, 2018

How Denmark Got Its Bicycles

Denmark is one of the most bicycle-friendly countries in the world, with more than 11,000 miles of bike lanes and paths, but this was not something that happened overnight. Join international health policy and strategy advisor, Agis Tsouros, as he discusses the extensive planning that goes into making cities healthier.

Free Associations Podcast | December 4th, 2018

Herpes virus and dementia

Matt, Chris, and Don look at a study of whether herpes virus is associated with dementia, the gang discusses a new database of retracted studies and what it tells us, and Don gives us the ICD10 codes we never knew we needed.

Free Associations Podcast | November 20th, 2018

Is more better? The asthma dosing episode

Matt, Chris, and Don look at two studies on asthma medication dosing, the gang discusses whether ad hominem attacks on science are more effective than attacks on the science itself, and Matt finally figures out which host is more popular.

Free Associations Podcast | November 6th, 2018

The born to run episode: Exercise and mental health

Matt, Chris, and Don look at a massive cross-sectional study on the relationship between exercise and mental health, the gang discusses whether critiquing science gives fodder to those who wish to dismiss science, and Don finally solves all our manuscript issues.

Free Associations Podcast | October 23rd, 2018

The target trial episode: The case of diclofenac and cardiovascular disease

Matt, Chris, and Don look at a study that used a unique approach to look at the effect of a common NSAID on cardiovascular disease, the gang discusses a study attempting to reproduce results originally published in Nature and Science, and Chris, yet again, finds a way to talk about bees.

Free Associations Podcast | October 9th, 2018

The sleep episode: melatonin for a sleep disorder

Matt, Chris, and Don look at whether melatonin can help people with a sleep disorder, the gang discusses nutritional epidemiology, and Chris learns the dangers of ignoring Matt’s emails.

Free Associations Podcast | August 28th, 2018

Is low-dose aspirin for everyone? (Guest host!)

Matt, Chris, and Jen talk about a study of whether low-dose aspirin to prevent vascular events should be weight dependent, the gang revisits placebo effects, and Jen focuses on the empathy of our dogs.

Free Associations Podcast | August 14th, 2018

Should we pay people to quit smoking? (Guest host!)

Matt, Chris, and Jennifer Rider (our first ever guest host) discuss a pragmatic trial of smoking cessation, examine the pros and cons of surrogate endpoints, and Chris schools us all on horse dentistry.

Free Associations Podcast | July 31st, 2018

Does food labeling reduce calorie consumption?

Matt, Chris, and Don review the literature on whether labelling can reduce food purchase and consumption, the gang discusses a series of trials that were found to have errors, and Chris calculates the sum total of all living things on earth.

Free Associations Podcast | July 17th, 2018

Can a vaccine treat diabetes?

Matt, Chris, and Don examine a study that looked at whether a vaccine can treat Type 1 diabetes, the gang discusses the “Loss of Confidence Project," and Matt reports on an N of 1 study that suggests red wine may be good for blood sugar.