CSDE Affiliate Jon Wakefield, along with co-authors, has published new research in arXiv entitled, “Small Area Estimation with Random Forests and the LASSO”. They consider random forests and LASSO methods for model-based small area estimation when the number of areas with sampled data is a small fraction of the total areas for which estimates are required. Abundant auxiliary information is available for the sampled areas, from the survey, and for all areas, from an exterior source, and the goal is to use auxiliary variables to predict the outcome of interest. Among the four modelling methods considered, the Bayesian shrinkage performed the best in terms of bias, MSE and prediction interval coverages and scores, as assessed through a cross-validation study. Excellent work, Dr. Wakefield!
Baynes and Sherr Publishes Novel Research on Self-Administered Injectable Contraception in Health Systems
CSDE Alum Colin Baynes and CSDE Affiliate Kenneth Sherr, along with co-authors, has recently published new research in JMIR Publications entitled, “Enhancing the Introduction and Scale Up of Self-Administered Injectable Contraception (DMPA-SC) in Health Systems (the EASIER Project): Protocol for Embedded Implementation Research”. The introduction of self-administered injectable contraception presents an opportunity to address the unmet need for family planning. As ministries of health scale up self-administered injectable contraception, there is a scarcity of knowledge on the implementation practices and contextual conditions that help and hinder these efforts.
The Easier Project has been launched in Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Kenya and presents a strategy to embed implementation research in contraceptive method introduction and scale-up, address local knowledge needs, devise ways to maximize the impact of new technologies in health systems, and build capacity for using evidence in programmatic decisions. Wonderful work, Dr. Sherr!
Bostrom Produces New Research on Where and From Whom Scientific Uncertainty Comes
CSDE Affiliate Ann Bostrom, along with co-authors, has published new research in the latest edition of the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction entitled, “Where does scientific uncertainty come from, and from whom? Mapping perspectives of natural hazards science advice”. The science associated with assessing natural hazard phenomena and the risks they pose contains many layers of complex and interacting elements, resulting in diverse sources of uncertainty. This creates a challenge for effective communication, which must consider how people perceive that uncertainty. Conducting twenty-five mental model interviews in Aotearoa New Zealand, the authors explore further questions about scientific processes and their personal philosophy of science. Fantastic work, Dr. Bostrom!
CSDE Welcomes Swenson as New Administrator!
Tina Swenson has recently joined CSDE as our new Administrator, providing grant and fiscal, human resources, and personnel administration. Prior to joining CSDE, she has served as the Administrator for the School of Drama and Dept. of Scandinavian Studies, as well as other roles across campus. Tina holds a BA from the University of Washington and has worked on campus for 16 years. In her personal time, she enjoys hiking, biking, traveling, and fostering rescue dogs. We’re glad to have you on board, Tina!
*New* Sign up for CSDE Workshop on PAA Extended Abstracts
Training Director Jessica Godwin will be holding a workshop on Tuesday, September 12th on writing extended abstracts for the Population Association of American (PAA) annual conference, which is being held in Columbus, OH next year! Attendees will have the opportunity to have their extended abstract reviewed by a peer and a faculty member, as well as to review one of their peers’ manuscripts.
In this workshop, she will be discussing the conference itself, how sessions are organized, and what qualities reviewers are looking for when assessing submissions, particularly extended abstracts. She will then discuss some tips for writing a good submission and choosing an appropriate session to submit to.
PAA Extended Abstract Workshop
When: September 12th (Tuesday) from 11-11:30am
Where: Zoom (link sent to registrants)
Meeting Registration: Sign Up Form
If you are unable to attend the workshop, don’t worry! You can still sign up for an opportunity to get feedback on your abstract from a CSDE Affiliate here.
Join Us for CSDE’s Autumn 2023 Opening Reception Outside Raitt Hall!
Join us in celebrating the start of the Fall Quarter with CSDE! Catch up with your colleagues, meet new affiliates, staff members, fellows, and trainees, and find out what is new and upcoming at CSDE. Mike Renz CSDE’s program coordinator has organized refreshments. Besides catching up with everyone, you can take home your own seminar series poster!
Where: Between Raitt Hall and Savery Hall
Date: Friday, Sept. 29th, 2023
Time: 12:30-1:30 PM
We are meeting at the usual 12:30 PM seminar time, but please note the special location for the reception: Outdoors between Raitt Hall and Savery Hall.
Assistant Professor – Department of Political Science (Deadline: 9/16/2023)
CNN Quotes Mokdad on the Current COVID-19 Wave and Why it’s Probably Worse Than Data Suggests
CSDE Affiliate Ali Mokdad was recently quoted in a CNN article entitled, “It seems like everyone has Covid-19. Here’s why this wave is probably worse than official data suggests”. Dr. Mokdad’s expertise in population health has helped UW produce regular estimates of Covid-19 case rates and projections for trends from 2020 to 2022, but the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation paused that modeling in December. All of the measures that factored into the model had stopped being reported or had changed in some way.
Crowder Elected Vice President of the Population Association of America
The 2023 PAA Election results are in! CSDE Affiliate and Executive Committee Member Kyle Crowder was elected to the leadership of the Population Association of America. Dr. Crowder will join as Vice President, working closely with PAA President Irma Elo (U of Penn). Congratulations, Dr. Kyle! Thank you for this important service.
Pörtner Pens New Research on the Impacts of COVID-19 Lockdown on Healthcare Inaccessibility and Unaffordability in Uganda
CSDE External Affiliate Claus Pörtner, along with co-authors, has published new research on the “Impacts of the COVID-19 lockdown on healthcare inaccessibility and unaffordability in Uganda” in The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Several studies have reported adverse consequences of the COVID-19 lockdowns on the utilization of healthcare services across Africa. However, little is known about the channels through which lockdowns impacted healthcare utilization. This study focuses on unaffordability as a reason for not utilizing healthcare services. Using nationally representative longitudinal household data and a household fixed-effects model, he finds that the lockdown in Uganda was associated with an 8.4% higher likelihood of respondents being unable to access healthcare when treatment was needed relative to the non-lockdown periods. Excellent work, Dr. Pörtner!