Free Associations is about using a critical eye when reading journal articles or news coverage about research breakthroughs. With a sense of humor and a healthy dose of skepticism Boston University School of Public Health Professors Matt Fox, Chris Gill and Don Thea talk us through popular health st…
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I discovered The Free Associations podcast while I was completing my masters in public health and have continued to listen to it as they never fail to discuss interesting and topical studies. The hosts always provide insights into the practice of epi research in a clear and engaging way. Plus, their witty banter and humor throughout the episodes make for an enjoyable listening experience. I highly recommend this podcast as it combines informative discussions with a touch of humor.
One of the best aspects of The Free Associations podcast is their ability to discuss complex concepts in epidemiology research without dumbing them down. As an epi professor myself, I appreciate the clear explanations and insights that are shared during each episode. Additionally, the hosts do a great job of selecting diverse topics that range from COVID-19 to food research, allowing listeners to stay up-to-date on what's happening in the field.
While there are few negative aspects to point out about this podcast, one potential drawback is that it has recently shifted to a once-a-month release schedule. This may disappoint listeners who enjoyed having more frequent episodes to look forward to. However, considering the depth of analysis and preparation that goes into each episode, it is understandable why they made this change. Hopefully, the older schedule can resume in the future.
In conclusion, The Free Associations podcast is a must-listen for anyone interested in public health and epidemiology research. The hosts' ability to blend engaging stories, humor, and insightful discussions makes for a unique and enjoyable experience. Whether you're studying or working in the field or simply have an interest in research, this podcast provides valuable insights while keeping you entertained along the way.
In a new format for the “Free Associations” podcast, we split our usual podcast into two bite-sized morsels. In the first segment, Jess, Matt and guest host Salma discuss an article that examines the effect of nighttime ambient light on risk of Alzheimer's disease. Journal club article: Alzheimer's Disease Study In the […]
Matt, Jess, and guest host Salma Abdalla discuss a study of early discontinuation of oxytocin during delivery, they try to predict the future of journals alongside a mass editorial board resignation, and Matt and Salma reveal their love for octopuses. Journal club article: Oxytocin discontinuation study
Matt, Jess, and guest host Allegra Gordon discuss a study using tweets to see if there have been changes in racial sentiment over time, they debate whether in-person or remote work is better for paradigm shifts, and Allegra tells us how birds are smarter than people who don't want birds nesting on their roofs. Journal […]
Matt, Jess, and guest host Jonathan Jay discuss a study using cell phone data to see if living in cities gives us better economic integration, they explore whether AI will be developing our hypotheses in the future, and Matt naps with penguins. Journal club article: Human mobility and economic segregation study
Matt, Jess, and guest host Amruta Nori-Sarma examine a study testing the effect of a workplace intervention for cardiometabolic health, they discuss mental health as a human right, and Amruta tells us about the power of Taylor Swift. Journal club article: Workplace intervention for cardiometabolic health study
Matt, Jess, and guest host Salma Abdalla discuss a study testing the efficacy of a blood-based cancer screening tool, they debate the role of the workplace in mental health, and Salma sees if she can pronounce the word “bubbles” while sounding angry. Journal club article: Blood-based cancer screening study
Matt, Jess, and first-time guest host Allegra Gordon discuss a study of the effect of taxes and warning labels on purchases of red meat, they lament the impact of disinformation campaigns, and Matt tells us how AI is going to take our grant writing jobs. Journal club article: Taxes and warning labels on red meat […]
Matt, Jess, and guest host Jonathan Jay discuss a study on child opportunity in the built environment and physical fitness, they debate whether to get rid of discussion sections, and Jon invites us to consider the Golden Bachelor. Journal club article: Neighborhood child opportunity and youth physical fitness study
Matt, Jess, and guest host Amruta Nori-Sarma examine a study of the effect of proximity to wildfires on medical visits, they discuss housing as harm reduction, and Matt goes to Olive Garden. Journal club article: Wildfire exposure and health care study
Matt, Jess, and guest host Salma Abdalla examine a study on the use of hearing aids to prevent dementia, they discuss whether loneliness is a public health problem (and, as […]
Matt and Jess go solo and Jess hosts for the first time! They discuss a study of the effectiveness of a new meningitis vaccine, whether active shooter drills do anything […]
We are taking a one-month break this summer. Please enjoy this “best of” episode celebrating Chris’ contributions to the podcast.
Matt, Jess, and Chris examine a crossover study of the effects of coffee consumption on heart health, they discuss the commercial determinants of health, and Chris gives a heartfelt goodbye […]
Matt, Jess, and Chris discuss a complex ecologic study on the effect of various interventions for COVID, they debate whether living evidence syntheses can save science, and Chris updates us […]
Matt, Jess, and Chris examine a meta-analysis on whether masks reduce respiratory virus transmission, they discuss the peer review madness, and Jess tells us about vibrating pills. Journal club article: […]
Matt, Jess, and Chris discuss a study on the impact of gestational age at birth and cognitive outcomes, they debate who should be an author on an academic publication, and […]
Matt, Jess, and Chris discuss a phase 2 clinical trial on the use of psilocybin to treat severe depression, they lament the state of health literacy, and Chris finds out […]
Please enjoy this compilation of the best of Amazing and Amusing. Regular episodes will return in February.
Matt, Jess, and guest host Leo Martinez discuss a study on the respiratory syncytial virus during the pandemic, they debate the value of the evidence in preprints, and Jess redesigns […]
Matt, Jess, and guest host Collette Ncube examine a study using different types of measurement to look at the effects racism has on health outcomes in New Zealand, they discuss […]
Matt, Jess, and guest host Sarah Lipson examine a study on synergistic mindsets to reduce stress in adolescents, they discuss what it's like to study mental health, and Matt makes […]
Matt, Jess, and guest host Jonathan Jay examine a study on the impact of historical redlining and structural racism on preterm birth rates in New York City, they discuss firearm […]
Matt, Chris (that's right, he's back for an episode), and guest host Brooke Nichols review one of the earliest COVID modelling papers, they discuss the importance and value of COVID […]
Matt, Jess, and guest host Amruta Nori-Sarma examine the impact of cyclones on mortality in the US, they discuss the uneven impacts of global climate change, and Jess tells us […]
Matt, Jess, and guest host Marcia Pescador Jimenez discuss the impact of cardiovascular risk factors in childhood and their relation to cardiovascular events as adults, they review the benefits of […]
Matt, Jess, and guest host Junenette Peters examine a study on whether acetaminophen (paracetamol) increases blood pressure, they discuss what the best measure of the impact of the pandemic is, […]
Matt, Jess, and returning guest host Jacey Greece consider how well the NFL did with their COVID protocols, they discuss intervention mapping with respect to implementation science, and Jacey questions […]
Matt and Jess go it alone this week and discuss a study looking at whether pesticide ingestion on fruit and vegetables increases the risk for glioma, they examine the rise […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
In this webinar, Abbi Monssen, MPH describes her role as a communications specialist on an in-progress community-engaged implementation research study to reduce opioid-related overdose deaths (NIH HEALing Communities Study). She […]
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 […]
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 […]
Matt, Chris, and Don examine a study of the effect of the UK's HPV vaccination policy, they discuss the dangers of meta-analyses in relation to Ivermectin, and Matt gets catty. […]
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: […]
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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