Faculty members in the Division of Biostatistics collaborate with and provide statistical expertise to investigators within and outside Penn State Colleg of Medicine. The division functions very successfully as data coordinating centers for National Institutes of Health (NIH) - funded, multicenter clinical trials and observational studies. Select faculty members in the Division of Biostatistics are responsible for teaching core courses in the department's Master of Science (MS) degree program, a biostatistics course for graduate students in the College of Medicine, and an evidence-based medicine course for first-year and second-year medical students. Medical students receive additional guidance from faculty and staff in biostatistics for their Medical Student Research (MSR) projects. Several faculty members teach courses and direct graduate students in master's thesis and doctoral dissertation research in statistics at Penn State University Park.
The Biostatistics division directs the Asthma Clinical Research (ACRN) and Childhood Asthma Research and Education (CARE) clinical research networks, which conduct multicenter clinical trials vital to the understanding of optimal treatment of asthma in adults and children. The division also directs the Community and Child Health Network (CCHN), which aims to gain new insights into the reasons for disparities in maternal health and child development; as well as the ASsessment, Serial Evaluation, and Subsequent Sequelae in Acute Kidney Injury (ASSESS-AKI) Consortium.
Faculty members in the Division of Epidemiology have diverse research interests and have
obtained grants for studies in cancer mechanisms, cancer control and prevention, environmental air quality and its link to cardiovascular disease, adolescent health, and bone mineral health. They also teach core courses in the department’s master of science degree program and an epidemiology course for third-year medical students. Medical students receive additional guidance from the faculty and staff in epidemiology for their Medical Student Research Program projects.
Faculty members direct the Northern Appalachia Cancer Network, an academic-community partnership to identify the causes of cancer health disparities within rural and medically underserved communities of Pennsylvania and New York.
The Health Services Research division consists of faculty members who conduct research on the organization, financing, delivery, and quality of health care services. Current faculty members have particular expertise in the design of health surveys and the analysis of large datasets. The research conducted by faculty members in this Division currently focuses on such topics as:
- Access, alternative organizational models, and quality in women's primary care.
- Gender and race/ethnic disparities in access to cardiovascular treatments.
- Race/ethnic and rural-urban disparities in risks for preterm birth and low birth weight.
- Race/ethnic disparities in quality of care for cervical cancer.
- Outcomes and costs of services such as hysterectomy, Caesarean section, and pelvic floor repair procedures.
- Risk factors for uterine fibroids and treatment options.
- Patient management of health information.
The faculty members in theHealth Services Research division are responsible for one core and two elective courses in the Department's Master of Science (MS) program. The core course is Health Survey Research Methods and the electives are Quality of Care Management and Health Economics and Economic Evaluation.
The Center for Nutrition and Activity Promotion at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital aims to improve physical activity and healthy eating among youth and families through translational research and outreach programs focused on social, environmental and behavioral change.
Through the administration of the state network, Pennsylvania Advocates for Nutrition and Activity (PANA), the Center delivers programs and events that support healthy eating and physical activity in schools, recreation settings, healthcare, and the community. The success of these initiatives has resulted in the development of a national, branded social movement: nrgBalance™ - make healthy easy.
nrgBalance makes it easier for everyone to access healthy eating and active living options by rallying health and wellness champions to create energy balanced environments. nrgBalance initiatives include engaging communities, balancing environments, creating community partnerships and forming cause marketing relationships.
The work of the Center and the development of its initiatives are based largely upon the translational research conducted by the Center which focuses on implementing evidence-based practices for childhood obesity prevention, and generates practice based evidence for improving nutrition and physical activity behaviors for childhood obesity prevention and management.
