Research

Research Projects

The Center for Public Health Statistics is a research center within the College of Public Health. The Center collaborates with UI researchers addressing various public health issues. Below are completed and on-going recent projects that CPHS has been affiliated with.

Completed

Iowa’s State Partnership Initiative, Bridge to Employment

Funded by Iowa Department of Human Services and Social Security Administration (SSA)
The project was designed to develop strategies to address the state’s workforce shortage through the employment of SSI and SSDI beneficiaries.

On-going

Iowa Get Screened

The Iowa Get Screened (IGS):Colorectal Cancer Program was established in 2009 by a grant from the Center’s for Disease Control and Prevention. Housed at the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH), the goal of the five-year program is to reduce the incidence, mortality and prevalence of colorectal cancer in Iowa by increasing the number of men and women who receive colorectal cancer screenings.

Iowa Health Fact Book

Funded by IDPH and the College of Public Health
This book is a biennial publication produced through a collaborative effort between The University of Iowa College of Public Health and the Iowa Department of Public Health. The Iowa Health Fact Book provides a wealth of information pertinent to the health of Iowans.

Economic Special Studies Center for the United States Renal Data System

PI: Lawrence Hunsicker, UI Internal Medicine
Funded by NIH-NIDDK (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

GIS Workbench Project

PI: Gerry Rushton, UI Geography
Funded by NIH-NCI (National Cancer Institute)
This research will develop and test a methodology for identifying regions of excess cancer burden for breast and colorectal cancer in Iowa. It will refine measures of geographic access to cancer prevention, treatment, and screening services in Iowa by computing values using fine-scaled geographic data on individuals, the spatial choices of individuals, and the locations of services providers.

Care for Yourself

Iowa Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (BCCEDP)

Funded by IDPH and CDC
The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) receives annual funding from the CDC-developed National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program to operate the Iowa Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (BCCEDP). This program provides reimbursement for breast and cervical cancer screenings and limited diagnostic services for program-eligible women age 50 or older who are either uninsured or underinsured. Data are collected on program-specific forms and mailed to the Center for Public Health Statistics for data entry and analysis.

WISEWOMAN

Funded by IDPH and CDC
Well-integrated Screening and Evaluation for Women Across the Nation. The Mission of WISEWOMAN is to provide low–income, under– or uninsured 40– to 64–year–old women with the knowledge, skills, and opportunities to improve diet, physical activity, and other lifestyle behaviors to prevent, delay and control cardiovascular and other chronic diseases.

CanCORS - Cancer Care Outcomes Research and Surveillance Consortium

PI: Robert Wallace, UI Epidemiology
Funded by NIH-NCI (National Cancer Institute)
The goal of the special study is to use Instrumental Variable (IV) techniques to assess whether patient survival rates can be increased by increasing adjuvant therapy treatment rates for early stage non-small cell lung cancer (ENSCLC) patients.

Iowa Cochlear Implant Center

PI: Bruce Gantz, UI Otolaryngology
Funded by NIH / NIDCD (National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders)
Grant funds allow researchers to continue to identify the factors that determine why some individuals benefit to a greater extent from the implant than others. In addition, researchers work to determine whether two implants enable the user to hear better than one; to develop and evaluate new signal processing for speech perception and music appreciation; and to study the expansion of selection criteria including adults with more hearing and to track the benefit of early implantation in infants.

Methodological Work

Researchers in CPHS also carry out statistical research in pertinent areas of public health statistics. Research interests for methodology on public health statistics include

Survey sampling
Small area estimation
Spatial statistics and Disease mapping
Longitudinal data methods