Epi Stories
Rural kids carrying handguns is ‘not uncommon’ and starts as early as sixth grade
Roughly one-third of young males and 1 in 10 females in rural communities have carrierd a handgun, reports a new University of Washington study. "This is one of the first longitudinal studies of rural adolescent handgun carrying across multiple states in the U.S. It provides evidence that youth handgun carrying in these settings is not uncommon," says lead author Dr. Ali Rowhani-Rahbar, a UW associate professor of epidemiology and co-director of Firearm Injury & Policy Research Program at Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center.
Blacks, minorities disproportionately impacted by hate crimes
Hispanic and Black populations have a higher risk of becoming victims of race- or ethnicity- motivated violent hate crimes compared to non-Hispanic Whites (Whites), according to a new study from the University of Washington (UW) that looked at the risk and health impacts of these types of crimes. Model estimates of victimization for Blacks ranged...
Ethiopia maternal and child health: Raising students to be epidemiology leaders
Maternal and Child Health is close to Dr. Daniel Enquobahrie's heart. "One of my favorite things as a professor is sharing that passion with my students." This passion led Dr. Enquobahrie to develop an innovative study abroad program in Ethiopia to inspire future epidemiology leaders.
Shirley Beresford: Seizing opportunities to make an impact
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently recommends that women of reproductive age consume folic acid each day to help prevent neural tube defects (NTDs). Ahead of her retirement, we sat down with Shirley Beresford, PhD, and learned more about her contributions to the field of folic acid research, and the many other opportunities Dr. Beresford has seized throughout her career to shape public health research, policy, methods, and education for incredible impact.
Department of Epidemiology welcomes new Assistant to the Chair
Kathryn Jansen recently joined the Department of Epidemiology staff as Assistant to the Chair (ATC). In this role, Kathryn will provide executive administrative support for the Chair of the Department, Stephen Hawes, and the Epidemiology Leadership Team. Previously, Kathryn served as the Manager of Operations and Assistant to the Chair & Director for the University...
Mailed self-sampling kits helped more women get screened for cervical cancer
Signaling a potential major change in cervical cancer screening options for American women, a new study found that mailed self-sampling kits that test for HPV — the virus that can cause cervical cancer — helped significantly more women get screened for the cancer. The study involving nearly 20,000 women was conducted by researchers from the University of...
Epi Department visit to new Population Health facility
“What a view!” was the resounding consensus earlier this week as a group of faculty and staff from the Department of Epidemiology caught their first glimpse of the Space Needle and Portage Bay from the eighth floor of the new Hans Rosling Center for Population Health, which will be a new home for the department...
Christina Kaululani Sun: Championing health, human security, and data access
How can we empower Indigenous and minority communities to collect, use, and communicate the results of their own data to improve health outcomes? As a Native Hawaiian, or Kānaka Maoli, with mixed ancestry from the indigenous Cou (pronounced “Tsou”) tribe in Taiwan, Christina Kaululani Sun has been reflecting on this question for many years. Her pursuit...
Jonathan Mayer: Epidemiologic creativity in the interdisciplinary
When Jonathan Mayer first heard the words “medical geography”, he felt as though a light bulb had just been turned on. Mayer, in his early years of graduate school, had been mostly uninspired by his geography doctoral studies, but when he learned the term, he knew “this was it.” Medical geography looks at the geographic...
Maayan Simckes named finalist for Graduate School Medal
Maayan Simckes, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Epidemiology, was named a finalist for the Graduate School Medal Award for her interdisciplinary work at the intersection of social justice and public health during her doctoral program here at the University of Washington (UW). The Graduate School Medal highlights scholar-citizens who promote political, cultural, and social change...
Substance use trends among people living with HIV: New grants support research to improve harm reduction
Researchers at the University of Washington are interested in the causes and consequences of substance use among people living with HIV (PLWH). Joseph Delaney, in partnership with researchers at UW Medicine, including Heidi Crane, Andrew Hahn, and Judith Tsui, received two grants from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to look at the effects of...
Professor Mary Kernic receives NIJ grant to study domestic violence protective orders
The National Institute of Justice has awarded a four-year grant for more than one million dollars to Mary Kernic to study a potentially widespread national trend in court approaches to issuing temporary and full civil domestic violence protective orders over the last 20 years and its potential impact on repeated intimate partner violence (IPV) and...
Students present at 38th annual Super Epi Results Meeting
For the last 38 years, the students enrolled in the Application Of Epidemiologic Methods (EPI 514) course present their final projects to the Department of Epidemiology at the end of the Spring Quarter during the Super Epi 514 Results (SER) Meeting. EPI 514 gives graduate students in epidemiology the opportunity to gain experience analyzing data to answer a specific...
Epi Professor Jen Balkus awarded $2.5 million to identify interventions for Chlamydia trachomatis
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases awarded Assistant Professor Jen Balkus her first R01 grant, funding a five-year, $2.5 million study to understand the relationship between bacterial vaginosis (BV) and the risks for developing Chlamydia trachomatis. Chlamydia is the most common bacterial sexually transmitted infection (STI) globally and it is on the rise. The...
Honoring Epi Department staff and students at the 2019 School of Public Health Excellence Awards
On Wednesday, May 15, four outstanding students and staff from the Department of Epidemiology will be recognized during the 2019 School of Public Health (SPH) Excellence Awards. The following individuals were nominated for their dedication and service to the University of Washington and the field of public health. Communicating Public Health to the Public – Erin...
Caislin Firth named 2018 Horowitz Fellow
The Horowitz Foundation for Social Policy has named Caislin Firth, a third-year doctoral student in the Department of Epidemiology, a 2018 Horowitz Fellow. Caislin is one of 25 fellows selected to receive grants of at least $7,500 to support research on contemporary issues that has an impact on social policy. Caislin will use the funds...
Firearm assaults too close to home?
When it comes to firearm assaults, the neighborhoods where people live are not necessarily where they are shot. A new study conducted by researchers at the University of Washington School of Public Health found that nearly three-quarters of firearm injuries and deaths in King County occurred beyond the immediate area surrounding the victim’s home. Previous...
2019 Epi Graduation Events
School of Public Health Graduation Celebration Sunday, June 16, 2019; 11 AM – 1:30 PM | Alaska Airlines Arena (Hec Ed Pavilion) The School of Public Health (SPH) will be holding its Graduation Celebration for the class of 2019 on Sunday, June 16 at 11:00 AM. We ask all graduating Master’s and PhD students to join us for this...
Depression, dementia risks, and unsafe firearm storage raise concerns for older adults in firearm-owning households
Nearly a quarter of adults aged 65 and older in Washington State live in households that store their firearms unlocked and loaded according to a new report by researchers at the University of Washington School of Public Health. Given the elevated prevalence of dementia and depression in older adults, these findings raise concerns for the safety of...
Rachel Kubiak: Committing to public health service for the global community
Growing up in different countries throughout her childhood, Rachel Kubiak always felt connected to an international community, one where she felt a responsibility to contribute to both at the local and global levels. As a doctoral student in the UW Department of Epidemiology, Rachel’s research aligns with this commitment and may potentially impact people all...