1.8. The Discipline Olympics: Epidemiology vs. Public Health with Dr. Laura Rosella

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Given the COVID-19 pandemic there is an urgent need for us to better understand how scientific evidence generated in epidemiologic research gets translated into information that can be used to create public health policy. In this episode of SERious Epidemiology, we talk with Dr. Laura Rosella about data driven public health, the role of epidemiology in public health, and more broadly, the importance of knowledge translation for epidemiologists.

After listening to this podcast, if you are interested in learning more about the intersection of epidemiology and public health some resources are included below:

  1. How’s my flattening: A centralized data analytics and visualization hub monitoring Ontario’s response to COVID-19
    Link: howsmyflattening.ca
  1. Definitions of epidemiology, including references to the definition Dr. Rosella mentioned from McMahon and Pugh’s epidemiology textbook (1970):
    Frérot M, Lefebvre A, Aho S, Callier P, Astruc K, Aho Glélé LS. What is epidemiology? Changing definitions of epidemiology 1978-2017. PLoS One. 2018;13(12):e0208442.
    doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0208442

    Terris, M. Approaches to an Epidemiology of Health. Am J Public Health. 1975; 65(10)
    https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/pdf/10.2105/AJPH.65.10.1037#:~:text=Introduction,.%221I%20This%20definition%20repre%2D

  1. The use of scientific evidence for public health decision making:
    Rosella LC, Wilson K, Crowcroft NS, Chu A, Upshur R, Willison D, Deeks SL, Schwartz B, Tustin J, Sider D, Goel V. Pandemic H1N1 in Canada and the use of evidence in developing public health policies–a policy analysis. Soc Sci Med. 2013 Apr;83:1-9.
    doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2013.02.009.
  1. Agent-based modeling
    Tracy M, Cerdá M, Keyes KM. Agent-Based Modeling in Public Health: Current Applications and Future Directions. Annu Rev Public Health. 2018 Apr 1;39:77-94.
    doi: 10.1146/annurev-publhealth-040617-014317.

Additional info on agent-based modeling:
https://www.publichealth.columbia.edu/research/population-health-methods/agent-based-modeling