Division of Epidemiology

About the Division:
The Division of Epidemiology in the Department of Epidemiology and Health Policy Research, College of Medicine, is an academic unit with research concentrations in methodological and applied areas. The Division focuses on the application of traditional and innovative epidemiological methods to the prevention and control of a wide range of contemporary health problems. Three StudentsAreas of faculty methodological expertise include clinical and community intervention trials, observational studies, and evaluation studies assessing the effects of federal, state and local laws and policies. Other areas of expertise include longitudinal methods, multivariate models, and latent class and latent transition analysis. Faculty are involved in a broad range of interdisciplinary epidemiological research, including genetic epidemiology, social/behavioral epidemiology, health services research, prevention methodology and policy research. Topic area interests include alcohol control policies, injury prevention, adolescent risk behaviors, health disparities, violence and traffic safety; chronic diseases such as cancer, tobacco-induced conditions, and cardiovascular disease; and infectious diseases. Faculty in the Division of Epidemiology have served as Principal Investigators of grants from Federal Agencies (e.g. NIH’s NIAAA, NIDA, NIAID, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Health Resources and Services Administration), Foundations (e.g. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation), and State Agencies (e.g. Florida, Texas and Washington Health Departments). Division faculty also collaborate with faculty across the College of Medicine and Health Science Center.

The Epidemiology faculty include:
Kelli Komro, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Health Policy Research (Epidemiology, Child and Adolescent Health, Preventive Interventions, Group Randomized Trials, Health Disparities)

Mildred Maldonado-Molina, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Health Policy Research (Substance use, Prevention, Health Disparities, Methodology, Alcohol Use, Adolescents, Longitudinal Data Analysis)

Stephanie Staras, PhD, Research Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Health Policy Research (Epidemiology, Infectious Diseases, Congenital Diseases, Sexually Transmitted Infections, HIV)

Alexander C. Wagenaar, PhD, Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Health Policy Research (Social Epidemiology, Policy Evaluation, Community Intervention Trials, Alcohol, Violence Prevention, Traffic Safety, Injury Control)

Current Research in the Division:

Komro (Principal Investigator), Maldonado-Molina (Co-Investigator) and
Wagenaar (Co-Investigator). "Etiology of alcohol use and consequences among
multi-ethnic urban youth." National Institutes of Health, National Institute
on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. 2008-2012. $1,828,353

Komro (Principal Investigator). "Parent interventions for adolescent
high-risk health behaviors: A meta-analysis of the literature from 1973 to
present." Institute for Child Health Policy Graduate Assistantship Program.
2007-2008. $7,050.

Komro (Co-Principal Investigator), Wagenaar (Co-Principal Investigator) and
Maldonado-Molina (Co-Investigator). "Preventive interventions for reducing
health disparities and adolescent high-risk health behaviors: A meta-analysis
of the literature." Institute for Child Health Policy Pilot Study Program.
2007-2008. $60,000

Wagenaar (Principal Investigator) and Komro (Co-Principal Investigator).
"Taxing for health: A meta-analysis of alcohol tax effects from 1960 to
2007." Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. 2007-2009. $199,866

Maldonado-Molina (Consultant, Principal Investigator: Chung). "Model
assessment and selection for latent class models." National Institute on Drug
Abuse. 2006-2008.

Wagenaar (Principal Investigator), Maldonado-Molina (Co-Principal
Investigator) and Komro (Co-Investigator). "State alcohol tax policy: Effects
on risky behaviors and health outcomes." Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
2007-2009. $397,293

Wagenaar (Principal Investigator), Komro (Co-Investigator) and
Maldonado-Molina (Co-Investigator). "Reducing underage drinking through
coalitions evaluations." Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. 2004-2008. $595,784