Research Methods

Implementing and evaluating the appropriate research methods is essential to developing solutions to complex health challenges.

Webinar | January 5th, 2021

Alcohol Policy and COVID-19

This webinar reviews what we know about changes in alcohol consumption since the beginning of the pandemic, as well as the changes in policies governing alcohol availability. It then reviews the policy issues associated with both alcohol marketing data and physical availability of alcohol.

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 | December 31st, 2019

Can my Apple Watch detect atrial fibrillation?

Matt, Chris, and Jen discuss a study on whether Apple Watches can detect atrial fibrillation, they discuss a proposal to limit researchers to one published paper per year, and Matt wants to clown around.

Free Associations Podcast | October 22nd, 2019

California’s Extreme Risk Protection Law

Matt, Chris, and Jen discuss a case series on California’s Extreme Risk Protection Law, the gang discuss why it’s so difficult to talk about science on controversial topics, and Chris gets serious about classical music.

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.

Free Associations Podcast | August 13th, 2019

Smells like an associational study

Matt, Chris, and Don discuss the relationship between ability to smell and mortality, the gang discuss the role that journals have to play in combatting false medical claims, and Matt explains his concerns about the future of sandwiches.

Practically Speaking | July 15th, 2019

Suicide as a Public Health Crisis

Why has the media recently described suicide as a public health crisis despite its rarity on the population level? Dr. Jaimie Gradus, Associate Professor of Epidemiology at BUSPH, shares three key points on understanding this epidemic and what researchers are doing to help prevent future deaths.

Free Associations Podcast | June 18th, 2019

Undetectable = untransmissible

Matt, Chris, and Don look at a study of the risk of HIV transmission when a person is successfully taking HIV treatment (spoiler: the risk is 0), the gang discuss what a “risk factor” is, and Matt channels his inner Harry Potter.

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.

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