The Epidemiology Monitor’s Top Stories of 2016 Cover a Wide Range of
Topics
1.
Zika Virus
Covered more than any other topic in 2016, The
Epidemiology Monitor published five articles on the Zika outbreak.
From uncovering the initial causal link between Zika and microcephaly
to controversy over Brazil’s hosting of the Olympics, this was
certainly one of the biggest news stories of the year. Throughout the
second half of the year the world was still trying to unravel the
mystery of the unusual distribution of microcephaly cases in Brazil,
Colombia and the rest of the Americas. The question posed at the time
by Fatima Marinho, the Brazilian Health Ministry’s director of
information and health analysis, remains unanswered,
“We know here Zika
caused neurological damage – we have no doubt – but the question is
how can we explain this situation in the epicentre that was not
reproduced in other areas – in Colombia, and in other states in
Brazil. A lot of pregnant women were infected and there were few cases
of microcephaly
or
congenital malformation – it must be more than Zika itself.”
Issues:
February, May, June, August and November
2. State
Epidemiologists Make Headlines Over Their Involvement in Cases of
Water Contamination
The relationship between public health and politics
took center stage in 2016 when two state epidemiologists found
themselves embroiled in controversies surrounding water contamination.
That’s where the similarities end however. Megan Davies, former
North Carolina State Epidemiologist, resigned after the state health
department deliberately misled the public about the process by which
water contamination levels were set. According to Jeff Engel,
Executive Director of the Conference of State and Territorial
Epidemiologists, “epidemiologists are all incredibly proud of her for
taking the ultimate step.” On the other end of the spectrum,
Corinne Miller, former Michigan State Epidemiologist was indicted
on criminal charges for misconduct in her handling of information
regarding the Flint water crisis. She has since reached a plea deal in
return for her cooperation in the ongoing investigation. Issues:
August and September
3. Gun Violence As A Public Health Issue
The topic of gun violence was addressed in multiple
issues of The Epidemiology Monitor in 2016. At the core of this
coverage was the realization that a decades old restriction on gun
violence research funding, at the hands of the gun lobby, has
prevented the scientific community from developing a deep
understanding of gun violence, its causes, and the policy
interventions that might prevent it. “Motor vehicle and firearm death
rates are now equivalent,” and the American Medical Association has
now deemed gun violence a true public health crisis. Most believe it
is time for congress to revisit the restrictions of gun violence
research funding so that impactful research can lead to equally
impactful policy changes. Issues: March and June
4. You Are What You Eat
2016 saw butter and sugar both making headlines, and
sadly, the result wasn’t delicious cookies. While a new meta-analysis
suggested that butter might not be as bad as we have long thought, it
turns out that sugar is. Worse still, an article published in JAMA
Internal Medicine detailed the history of how the sugar industry
deliberately and strategically influenced research in an effort to to
downplay sugar’s role in coronary heart disease. Stanton Glantz,
a co-author of the paper told the New York Times that “they were able
to derail the discussion about sugar for decades.”
Issues:
July and September
5. Potential Elimination of Hepatitis B And C
As Public Health Problems
The tools to prevent HBV and cure HCV are now
available, and according to a National Academies report, “The United
States has the opportunity and a responsibility to be part of the
global action against hepatitis B and C.” The report is
the
conclusion of phase one of a two-phase study. A second report, due
this year, will detail a strategy moving forward. Issue: May
6. Different Views About Causality Clash
In November, the Epidemiology Monitor previewed the
final issue of the International Journal of Epidemiology under
editors George Davey-Smith and Shah Ebrahim, as it
brought to the surface the tensions and controversies about how the
work of epidemiologists can best serve public health. The issue
included more than a dozen articles offering a “comprehensive review
of schools of thought in causality.” Issue: November
7. Systematic Reviews Increasing Dramatically In
Quantity But Decreasing In Quality
A report found an astonishing 2600% increase in the
publication rate of both systematic reviews and meta-analyses in the
last three decades, yet overlooked data, redundancy and questionable
motivations are all listed as reasons for a dramatic decrease in the
quality of these reviews. Despite these negative findings, the authors
agree that by refocusing on sound science and methodological rigor,
the quality of systematic reviews and meta-analyses will improve.
Issue: October
8.
Growing Concern About Statistical Errors
“We teach it because it’s what we do; we do it because
it’s what we teach.” It is this type of circularity and other concerns
coming to the attention of the American Statistical Association (ASA)
in 2014 which prompted a decision by the ASA Board to develop a policy
statement on p-values and statistical significance. The ASA goal was
“to shed light on an aspect of our field that is too often
misunderstood and misused in the broader research community.” Issue:
March
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