Free Associations - podcast cover

Free Associations

Population Health Exchangepopulationhealthexchange.org
Mad musings from the messy world of science

Episodes

Episode 119 - Is free fruit and veg enough?

Matt, Jess, and guest host Jacey Greece examine a study looking at whether giving free fruit and vegetables to school kids in Norway reduces BMI, they discuss the COVID new normal, and Jess gives Matt nightmares about orcas and egg salad. Journal club article: School fruit and vegetable study

Mar 08, 202257 minEp. 119

Episode 118 - A strong case for a viral cause of multiple sclerosis

Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a study looking at whether the very common Epstein-Barr virus is causally related to multiple sclerosis, they debate about a vaccine misinformation juggernaut, and Chris has the most random facts about Utrecht. Journal club article: Epstein-Barr virus and multiple sclerosis study

Feb 22, 202247 minEp. 118

Episode 117 - What can VAERS tell us about vaccine exemptions?

Matt, Chris, and Don examine a study that looked at whether changes in reports to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System are linked to a vaccine exemption change in California (before COVID), they discuss the implications of poor vaccination coverage surveys, and Don shows us that computers can be used for plagiarism, but there are […]

Feb 08, 202255 minEp. 117

Episode 116 - Could a bigger house prevent hypertension?

Matt, Chris, and Jess discuss a study looking at the relationship between livable space and hypertension, they consider what we have learned from the 2001 anthrax attacks in the US, and Matt has a quiz. Journal club article: Livable residential space study

Jan 25, 202250 minEp. 116

Episode 115 - HIV self-testing kits in Zambia

Matt, Chris, and Jess examine a study looking at whether giving pregnant women HIV self-testing kits can increase HIV testing and access to care for male partners in Zambia, they discuss using confidence intervals to judge null results, and Chris solves a musical medical mystery. Journal club article: HIV self-test kits study

Jan 11, 202252 minEp. 115

Episode 114 - Daily COVID testing in schools

Matt, Chris, and Don examine a study of the effect of daily COVID-19 testing in the UK for school contacts to stay in school rather than isolate, they discuss issues of equity in the COVID-19 crisis, and Don has thoughts on how to clear your sinuses. Journal club article: Daily COVID testing study

Dec 28, 202147 minEp. 114

Episode 112 - COVID-19, heart attacks, and stroke

Matt, Chris, and Jess discuss a complex study of the effect of COVID-19 on heart attacks and strokes, they discuss the mild influenza season (or at least Matt and Jess do), and Chris tells us how many fish we need to catch to decide the color of the fish in the lake. Journal club article: […]

Nov 30, 202153 minEp. 112

Episode 111 - Convalescent plasma and COVID

Matt, Chris, and Jess examine a study of the effect of convalescent plasma on recovery from COVID-19, they discuss the implications of an increase in gun violence prevention research funding, and Matt gets lyrical. Journal club article: Convalescent plasma study

Nov 16, 202150 minEp. 111

Episode 110 - The Doppler Effect

Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a study on whether or not Doppler ultrasound has played a role in declining fetal mortality in Norway, they talk about vaccine sharing, and Matt explains just how his getting older is preventing him from preparing for this show. Journal club article: Doppler ultrasound study

Nov 02, 202150 minEp. 110

Episode 109 - Cannabis and car crashes

Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a study on the role of cannabis in car crashes, they talk about something called “lay epidemiology”, and Chris gets mellow. Journal club article: Cannabis and car crashes study

Oct 19, 202157 minEp. 109

Episode 108 - White privilege and health

Matt and guest hosts Lori Dean and Dustin Duncan discuss a study on how white privilege affects health, they talk through the role of neighborhoods and health, and Lori tells us about her new favorite TV show. Journal club article: White privilege and health study

Oct 05, 202157 minEp. 108

Episode 107 - Migraine prevention AND treatment?

Matt and guest hosts Michelle Caunca and Sarah Ackley discuss a study on a new treatment to stop migraines, they talk about stitching together multiple datasets to study lifecourse epidemiology, and Michelle tells us about how doctors react to observational epidemiology. Journal club article: Migraine treatment study

Sep 21, 20211 hrEp. 107

Episode 106 - Obamacare and medical debt

Matt, Jess, and guest host Erica Walker discuss a study on whether The Affordable Care Act reduced medical debt, they consider the role epidemiologists play in communicating information about COVID, and Erica fights off various wild animals. Journal club article: ACA and medical debt study

Sep 07, 202146 minEp. 106

Episode 105 - Do sugar taxes really work to reduce sugar consumption?

Matt and guest hosts Hoda S. Abdel Magid and Geetika Kalloo discuss a study on whether a tax on sugar sweetened beverages reduces consumption in South Africa, they talk through ethical guidelines for peer reviewers, and Simone Biles makes a return appearance. Journal club article: Sugar sweetened beverage tax study

Aug 24, 202156 minEp. 105

Episode 104 - Do birthdays cause COVID?

Matt and guest hosts Bertha Hidalgo and Rachel Widome review a study on whether COVID transmission was more likely after a birthday, they discuss teaching epidemiology online, and Matt is pretty shocked by how much a journal costs. Journal club article: COVID and birthdays study

Aug 10, 202151 minEp. 104

Episode 103 - More nurses, fewer deaths?

Matt and Chris (in another summer two-person episode) review a new study on whether mandating the nurse to patient ratios can improve hospital outcomes, discuss what happened with the FDA approval of aducanumab, and Chris give us all the haikus he can. Journal club article: Nurse to patient ratio study

Jul 27, 202148 minEp. 103

Episode 102 - Infecting mosquitos with a bacteria to prevent a virus?

Matt and Chris (in a rare two-person episode) examine a study that tested infecting mosquitos with Wolbachia to prevent dengue, discuss whether we should be training students in “legal epidemiology”, and Chris tells us what happens when we drink with strangers. Journal club article: Wolbachia and dengue study

Jul 13, 202154 minEp. 102

Episode 101 - MDMA for PTSD?

Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a study on the effectiveness of MDMA for treatment of PTSD, they look at whether electronic passports for COVID vaccination are ethical and legal, and Matt goes into the history of peer review. Journal club article: MDMA for severe PTSD study

Jun 29, 202155 minEp. 101

Episode 100 - Is this show going down the tubes?

Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a study on the effectiveness of ear tubes for ear infections, they consider the role of funders in international research, and Don goes cicada hunting. Journal club article: Tympanostomy tubes for ear infections

Jun 15, 20211 hrEp. 100

Episode 99 - A new drug for weight loss?

Matt, Chris, and Jess examine a study of using a diabetes medication for weight loss for obesity, they discuss whether Africa needs unique solutions to COVID-19, and Jess is a bit sheepish. Journal club article: Weight loss treatment study

Jun 01, 202157 minEp. 99

Episode 98 - Addressing malnutrition through the microbiome

Matt, Chris, and Jess look at a study of whether or not a new microbiota-driven supplement does better at combatting malnutrition than traditional approaches, they discuss the importance of code review, and Matt looks to the future on mRNA vaccines. Journal club article: Food intervention study

May 18, 202158 minEp. 98

Episode 97 - More walkies for health? Pets and diabetes

Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a study that asks whether pets and humans get diabetes in pairs, they debate who got the best of the new deal between Elsevier and University of California, and Chris and Matt share a love of a specific food. Journal club article: Pets and diabetes study

May 04, 202147 minEp. 97

Episode 96 - Is the key to concussions in saliva?

Matt, Chris, and Don look at some new research on whether a saliva test can detect concussions, they discuss how to take down the anti-vaxx industry, and Matt gets saucy. Journal club article: Concussions study

Apr 20, 202151 minEp. 96

Episode 95 - The self-controlled podcast

Matt, Chris, and Jess examine a study that looks at whether opioids increase the risk of fractures, they discuss what is likely to happen with measles when COVID is over, and Matt worries about lawsuits. Journal club article: Opioids and fractures study

Apr 06, 202151 minEp. 95

Episode 94 - Quit clowning around

Matt, Chris, and Jess may be freaked out by clowns but apparently they help kids with pain, they discuss the ethics of paying people to get vaccinated, and Chris goes out of this world. Journal club article: Clown study

Mar 23, 202159 minEp. 94

Episode 93 - Would you take half a vaccine?

Matt, Chris, and Don examine a study that looks at whether smaller doses of yellow fever vaccine do just as well, they discuss whether one of the COVID vaccines is related to allergic reactions, and Chris gives us his best take on vaccines. Journal club article: Fractional dosing of yellow fever vaccine study

Mar 09, 20211 hrEp. 93

Episode 92 - Getting spicy! Does spicy food cause or prevent GI cancers?

Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a study that looks at whether spicy foods prevent gastrointestinal cancers in China, they debate the role of social media in public health messaging, and Matt repeats himself, yet again. Journal club article: Spicy food and GI cancer study

Feb 23, 202157 minEp. 92

Episode 91 - Cannabis in the driver's seat

Matt, Chris, and Jess examine a study that looks at whether cannabis reduces the ability to drive well, they discuss whether COVID is affecting just the elderly, and Jess shows us she’s an animal lover. Journal club article: Cannabis and driving study

Feb 09, 202147 minEp. 91

Episode 90 - The C-section implications

Matt, Chris, and Jess discuss a study that looks at whether babies born by C-section are more likely to have infectious illnesses after birth, they debate who should be allowed to critique public health (and who even is public health?), and Chris quizzes us on traffic. Journal club article: Mode of birth and infections study

Jan 26, 202158 minEp. 90