Michael French - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Michael French

Research paper thumbnail of A pilot study evaluating non-contact low-frequency ultrasound and underlying molecular mechanism on diabetic foot ulcers

International Wound Journal, 2012

Non-contact low-frequency ultrasound (NCLF-US) devices have been increasingly used for the treatm... more Non-contact low-frequency ultrasound (NCLF-US) devices have been increasingly used for the treatment of chronic non-healing wounds. The appropriate dose for NCLF-US is still in debate. The aims of this pilot study were to evaluate the relationship between dose and duration of treatment for subjects with non-healing diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) and to explore the correlation between wound healing and change of cytokine/proteinase/growth factor profile. This was a prospective randomised clinical study designed to evaluate subjects with non-healing DFUs for 5 weeks receiving standard of care and/or NCLF-US treatment. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of the three groups: application of NCLF-US thrice per week (Group 1), NCLF-US once per week (Group 2) and the control (Group 3) that received no NCLF-US. All subjects received standard wound care plus offloading for a total of 4 weeks. Percent area reduction (PAR) of each wound compared with baseline was evaluated weekly. Profiles of cytokines/proteinase/growth factors in wound fluid and biopsied tissue were quantified to explore the correlation between wound healing and cytokines/growth factor expression. Twelve DFU patients, 2 (16•7%) type 1 and 10 (83•3%) type 2 diabetics, with an average age of 58 ± 10 years and a total of 12 foot ulcers were enrolled. Average ulcer duration was 36•44 ± 24•78 weeks and the average ABI was 0•91 ± 0•06. Group 1 showed significant wound area reduction at weeks 3, 4 and 5 compared with baseline, with the greatest PAR, 86% (P < 0•05); Groups 2 and 3 showed 25% PAR and 39% PAR, respectively, but there were no statistically significant differences between Groups 2 and 3 over time. Biochemical and histological analyses indicated a trend towards reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β, TNF-α and GM-CSF), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and macrophages in response to NCLF-US consistent with wound reduction, when compared with control group subjects. This proof-of-concept pilot study demonstrates that NCLF-US is effective in treating neuropathic diabetic foot ulcers through, at least in part, inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokines in chronic wound and improving tissue regeneration. Therapeutic application of NFLU, thrice (3) per week, renders the best wound area reduction.

Research paper thumbnail of Alcohol Consumption and Health Among Elders

Research paper thumbnail of The long-term effects of childhood maltreatment experiences on subsequent illicit drug use and drug-related problems in young adulthood

Addictive Behaviors, Feb 28, 2011

OBJECTIVES-The objective of this study was to examine the associations between (a) childhood malt... more OBJECTIVES-The objective of this study was to examine the associations between (a) childhood maltreatment (i.e., physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect) and subsequent illicit drug use and (b) childhood maltreatment and drug-related problems in young adulthood.

Research paper thumbnail of Universal Helmet Laws, Alcohol Policies, and Fatal Motorcycle Fatalities

Universal helmet laws are widely believed to be effective in reducing fatal motorcycle injuries. ... more Universal helmet laws are widely believed to be effective in reducing fatal motorcycle injuries. In this paper, we further investigate the effectiveness of such policies by comparing motorcycle fatalities of in-state versus out-of-state riders. We study whether fatalities of out-of-state riders are disproportionately higher for states without helmet policies. For this purpose, we use state-level longitudinal data for 1982-2008 from

Research paper thumbnail of Cost-effectiveness analysis of four interventions for adolescents with a substance use disorder

Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, Apr 30, 2008

Alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drug use among adolescents in the U.S. continues to be a serious pu... more Alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drug use among adolescents in the U.S. continues to be a serious public health challenge. A variety of outpatient treatments for adolescent substance use disorders have been developed and evaluated. Although no specific treatment modality is effective in all settings, a number of promising adolescent interventions have emerged. As policy makers try to prioritize which programs to fund with limited public resources, the need for systematic economic evaluations of these programs is critical. The present study attempted a cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) of four interventions, including family-based, individual, and group cognitive behavioral approaches, for adolescents with a substance use disorder. The results indicated that treatment costs varied substantially across the four interventions. Moreover, family therapy showed significantly better substance use outcome compared to group treatment at the 4-month assessment, but group treatment was similar to the other interventions for substance use outcome at the 7-month assessment and for delinquency outcome at both the 4-month and 7-month assessments. These findings over a relatively short follow-up period suggest that the least expensive intervention (group) was the most cost effective. However, this study encountered numerous data and methodological challenges in trying to supplement a completed clinical trial with an economic evaluation. These challenges are explained and recommendations are proposed to guide future economic evaluations in this area.

Research paper thumbnail of Economic Costs of Underage Drinking in Florida

Background. Underage drinking is a persistent public health problem that generates significant co... more Background. Underage drinking is a persistent public health problem that generates significant costs to society from alcohol-related consequences such as criminal activity/delinquency, antisocial behavior, academic difficulties, risky sexual behavior, health problems, unintentional injuries, and traffic crashes. Florida faces a particularly tough challenge in this regard as Florida youth have higher rates of alcohol use than the national average (Florida's State Epidemiology Workgroup (FL SEW), 2007). Moreover, Florida is a popular tourist destination, attracting thousands of youth each year for Spring Break, sporting events, and other holidays. According to the 2007 Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey (FYSAS), alcohol is the most prevalent substance used by Florida students; 55.6% reported any lifetime use and 31.2% reported past-30-days-use. More than 78% of high school seniors report having tried alcohol at least once. 9.9% of 6 th graders and more than 48% of 12 th graders report using alcohol in the past month, and about one out of six Florida students (16.4%) report binge drinking within the past two weeks. Policies and programs that successfully target underage drinking have the potential to generate significant savings to state government, taxpayers, businesses, schools, and other segments of society by reducing many of the negative consequences that are associated with underage drinking.

Research paper thumbnail of Motion Measurement by Laser Doppler Techniques

Industrial Engineering Chemistry, 1969

Research paper thumbnail of The health effects of parental problem drinking on adult children

The journal of mental health policy and economics, 2009

Much of the research on adult children of alcoholics has focused on the transmission of drinking ... more Much of the research on adult children of alcoholics has focused on the transmission of drinking patterns from parents to their children and the development of alcohol-related problems. Less is known about how exposure to parental problem drinking affects children as they progress into adulthood in terms of other mental health outcomes. This is crucial information, in part because the average age of onset for depression and other mental health disorders is during late adolescence or young adulthood. The objective of this study was to rigorously assess the long-term impacts of parental problem drinking on adult children's mental and self-perceived overall health. The study improves on previous literature by analyzing a range of mental health markers and other predictors of morbidity, by focusing on a period of adulthood that only a limited number of studies have examined, and by using data from a highly regarded and nationally representative panel study. The analysis used data fr...

Research paper thumbnail of Neglected tools for neglected diseases: mathematical models in economic evaluations

Trends in Parasitology, 2014

Despite many current interventions against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) being highly cost-e... more Despite many current interventions against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) being highly cost-effective, new strategies are needed to reach the WHO&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s control and elimination goals. Here we argue for the importance of incorporating economic evaluations of new strategies in decisions regarding resource allocation. Such evaluation should ideally be conducted using dynamic transmission models that capture inherent nonlinearities in transmission and the indirect benefits (&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;herd effects&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;) of interventions. A systematic review of mathematical models that have been used for economic analysis of interventions against the ten NTDs covered by the London Declaration reveals that only 16 out of 49 studies used dynamic transmission models, highlighting a fundamental--but addressable--gap in the evaluation of interventions against NTDs.

Research paper thumbnail of Motion Measurement by Laser Doppler Techniques

Industrial & Engineering Chemistry, 1969

Research paper thumbnail of Does Alcohol Consumption Lead to Greater Health Services Utilization?

SSRN Electronic Journal, 2000

ABSTRACT While light or moderate alcohol use can improve cardiovascular health and protect agains... more ABSTRACT While light or moderate alcohol use can improve cardiovascular health and protect against other diseases, heavy or abusive drinking negatively impacts health status in a variety or ways. It seems to follow that alcohol consumption would be related to health services utilization in a similar pattern, with heavy and abusive users requiring more health care than abstainers, and light/moderate drinkers needing the least care. Surprisingly, the literature shows conflicting relationships, perhaps because heavy and abusive drinkers are not seeking care for their health problems or the health benefits of light/moderate drinking make take years to emerge. The purpose of the study is to re-examine these relationships utilizing a recent and nationally representative dataset, and a variety of alcohol use and health care measures. The analysis used contemporary econometric methods to test for and correct the potential endogeneity of alcohol use in all equations. Failure to address endogeneity of alcohol use may have created estimation bias in some of the previous studies. After addressing endogeneity when appropriate, we found evidence that heavy and abusive alcohol consumers generally had more hospital stays and emergency room visits than other drinking groups and abstainers, although interesting differences across gender and age groups were identified.

Research paper thumbnail of The economic costs of substance abuse treatment: Updated estimates and cost bands for program assessment and reimbursement

Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 2008

Federal, state, and local government agencies require current and accurate cost information for p... more Federal, state, and local government agencies require current and accurate cost information for publicly funded substance abuse treatment programs to guide program assessments and reimbursement decisions. The Center for Substance Abuse Treatment published a list of modality-specific cost bands for this purpose in 2002. However, the upper and lower values in these ranges are so wide that they offer little

Research paper thumbnail of What You Do in High School Matters: High School GPA, Educational Attainment, and Labor Market Earnings as a Young Adult

Eastern Economic Journal, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Significantly Reduced Intensity of Infection but Persistent Prevalence of Schistosomiasis in a Highly Endemic Region in Mali after Repeated Treatment

PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 2012

Background: Preventive chemotherapy against schistosomiasis has been implemented since 2005 in Ma... more Background: Preventive chemotherapy against schistosomiasis has been implemented since 2005 in Mali, targeting schoolage children and adults at high risk. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2010 to evaluate the impact of repeated treatment among school-age children in the highly-endemic region of Segou.

Research paper thumbnail of A Diagnostics Platform for the Integrated Mapping, Monitoring, and Surveillance of Neglected Tropical Diseases: Rationale and Target Product Profiles

PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 2012

Research paper thumbnail of Marker species for identifying urban groundwater recharge sources: A review and case study in Nottingham, UK

Water Research, 1999

AbstractÐUrban environments signi®cantly alter the nature of recharge to underlying aquifers. Dir... more AbstractÐUrban environments signi®cantly alter the nature of recharge to underlying aquifers. Direct precipitation is reduced, but additional recharge may result from storm water runo, mains supply leakage and sewer leakage. If urban aquifers are to be eectively and sustainably managed, it is vital that these recharge sources should be identi®ed and quanti®ed. A sound theoretical approach is the use of marker species for identifying the three principal sources of urban recharge (precipitation, mains and sewers). The ideal marker species should be unique to a particular recharge source (irrespective of geographic location), and easily identi®able in the groundwater system, enabling quanti®cation of that source. A review of potential markers and a detailed study of the aquifer beneath the city of Nottingham, UK, was unable to ®nd suitable markers for precipitation and mains leakage. Trihalomethanes, which are chlorination by-products, and so a potential marker of mains water, were hardly detected in either mains or groundwater. More potential markers are available for sewage, including d-limonene, which is a new ingredient in some detergents. For shallow groundwater, the most eective means of identifying sewage recharge was a combination of stable nitrogen isotopes and microbiological indicators; eectively a sewage``®ngerprint''. This study con®rms the need for a multi-component approach rather than using individual marker species. Additionally it demonstrates that the impact of sewer leakage on groundwater quality beneath Nottingham is generally not high. #

Research paper thumbnail of The epidemiology and control of urinary schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis in schoolchildren on Unguja Island, Zanzibar

Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 2009

As part of a 4-year control programme beginning in 2003 and entitled Piga Vita Kichocho, around 1... more As part of a 4-year control programme beginning in 2003 and entitled Piga Vita Kichocho, around 140,000 school-aged children on Unguja Island, Zanzibar were treated annually with a combination of praziquantel and albendazole. To provide information on the impact of this intervention, a subset of children, originating from 24 sentinel schools, were monitored in 2004, 2005 and 2006 using both parasitological and behavioural questionnaire methods. Overall, prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis fell by 52%, intensity by 55% and gross haematuria by 82%. There was a positive and statistically significant correlation between areas of elevated disease prevalence and areas of predicted high transmission based upon local occurrence of the permissive intermediate snail host. In areas of low transmission, urinary schistosomiasis was greatly reduced, but, by contrast, other intervention strategies are needed to complement and synergise with chemotherapy in high transmission areas. Whereas significant reductions were documented in the prevalence of both Trichuris trichiura and hookworm, prevalence of Ascaris lumbricoides significantly increased over the monitoring period. Through a detailed analysis of named child records, evidence of predisposition to helminth (re)infection and individual bias towards polyparasitism was detected, highlighting the often overlapping distribution of these parasites within the school-aged child.

Research paper thumbnail of The Role of Alcohol Use in Emergency Department Episodes

Substance Use & Misuse, 2008

This study investigates the association between alcohol use and emergency-department (ED) utiliza... more This study investigates the association between alcohol use and emergency-department (ED) utilization in the United States using nationally representative data from the 2001 National Health Interview Survey (N = 33,326). Estimates from our probit models indicate that among men, current drinkers are less likely to have visited the ED in the past year than former drinkers. Among women, lifetime abstainers are less likely than current drinkers to have had an ED episode. Finally, frequency of binge drinking significantly increases the likelihood of ED visits for men. The results suggest that focusing solely on problem drinking provides a limited perspective.

Research paper thumbnail of Chronic drug use and crime

Substance Abuse, 2000

This paper used bivariate and multivariate analyses to estimate the relationships between chronic... more This paper used bivariate and multivariate analyses to estimate the relationships between chronic drug use and various measures of criminal activity. The data for these analyses were derived from the 1993 (1) and 1995 (2) National Household Surveys on Drug Abuse (NHSDA). Measures of criminal justice system contact and criminal activity included ever arrested, arrested during the previous year, commission of a predatory crime (e.g., assault, fighting) during the previous year, and commission of a property crime (e.g., theft, property damage, car theft, breaking and entering) during the previous year. The analysis was conducted separately for males, females, and age groups, and it distinguished between chronic drug users, nonchronic drug users, and nondrug users. The results consistently showed a significant linear relationship between criminal activity and frequency of drug use. These findings have implications regarding the potential reduction in predatory and property crime that could occur from a decrease in drug use. Significant differences in criminal behavior between chronic drug users and other cohorts may signal a critical need to develop targeted interventions for this particular type of drug user.

Research paper thumbnail of Benefit‐cost analysis of addiction treatment in Arkansas: Specialty and standard residential programs for pregnant and parenting women

Substance Abuse, 2002

A benefit-cost analysis of specialty residential treatment (Specialty) and standard residential t... more A benefit-cost analysis of specialty residential treatment (Specialty) and standard residential treatment (Standard) was conducted on a sample of pregnant and parenting substance abusers from Arkansas. Economic benefits were derived from client selfreported information at treatment entry and at 6-month postdischarge with the use of an augmented version of the Addiction Severity Index (ASI). The average cost of treatment in Specialty programs was 8,035versus8,035 versus 8,035versus1,467 for Standard residential treatment. Average net benefits (benefit-cost ratios) were estimated to be 17,144(3.1)forSpecialtyand17,144 (3.1) for Specialty and 17,144(3.1)forSpecialtyand8,090 (6.5) for Standard. The main policy implication of this research is that investment in Specialty residential treatment for pregnant and parenting substance-abusing women appears to be economically justified, but future evaluations should analyze larger and more comparable samples to improve power and precision in the benefit-cost statistics.

Research paper thumbnail of A pilot study evaluating non-contact low-frequency ultrasound and underlying molecular mechanism on diabetic foot ulcers

International Wound Journal, 2012

Non-contact low-frequency ultrasound (NCLF-US) devices have been increasingly used for the treatm... more Non-contact low-frequency ultrasound (NCLF-US) devices have been increasingly used for the treatment of chronic non-healing wounds. The appropriate dose for NCLF-US is still in debate. The aims of this pilot study were to evaluate the relationship between dose and duration of treatment for subjects with non-healing diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) and to explore the correlation between wound healing and change of cytokine/proteinase/growth factor profile. This was a prospective randomised clinical study designed to evaluate subjects with non-healing DFUs for 5 weeks receiving standard of care and/or NCLF-US treatment. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of the three groups: application of NCLF-US thrice per week (Group 1), NCLF-US once per week (Group 2) and the control (Group 3) that received no NCLF-US. All subjects received standard wound care plus offloading for a total of 4 weeks. Percent area reduction (PAR) of each wound compared with baseline was evaluated weekly. Profiles of cytokines/proteinase/growth factors in wound fluid and biopsied tissue were quantified to explore the correlation between wound healing and cytokines/growth factor expression. Twelve DFU patients, 2 (16•7%) type 1 and 10 (83•3%) type 2 diabetics, with an average age of 58 ± 10 years and a total of 12 foot ulcers were enrolled. Average ulcer duration was 36•44 ± 24•78 weeks and the average ABI was 0•91 ± 0•06. Group 1 showed significant wound area reduction at weeks 3, 4 and 5 compared with baseline, with the greatest PAR, 86% (P < 0•05); Groups 2 and 3 showed 25% PAR and 39% PAR, respectively, but there were no statistically significant differences between Groups 2 and 3 over time. Biochemical and histological analyses indicated a trend towards reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β, TNF-α and GM-CSF), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and macrophages in response to NCLF-US consistent with wound reduction, when compared with control group subjects. This proof-of-concept pilot study demonstrates that NCLF-US is effective in treating neuropathic diabetic foot ulcers through, at least in part, inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokines in chronic wound and improving tissue regeneration. Therapeutic application of NFLU, thrice (3) per week, renders the best wound area reduction.

Research paper thumbnail of Alcohol Consumption and Health Among Elders

Research paper thumbnail of The long-term effects of childhood maltreatment experiences on subsequent illicit drug use and drug-related problems in young adulthood

Addictive Behaviors, Feb 28, 2011

OBJECTIVES-The objective of this study was to examine the associations between (a) childhood malt... more OBJECTIVES-The objective of this study was to examine the associations between (a) childhood maltreatment (i.e., physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect) and subsequent illicit drug use and (b) childhood maltreatment and drug-related problems in young adulthood.

Research paper thumbnail of Universal Helmet Laws, Alcohol Policies, and Fatal Motorcycle Fatalities

Universal helmet laws are widely believed to be effective in reducing fatal motorcycle injuries. ... more Universal helmet laws are widely believed to be effective in reducing fatal motorcycle injuries. In this paper, we further investigate the effectiveness of such policies by comparing motorcycle fatalities of in-state versus out-of-state riders. We study whether fatalities of out-of-state riders are disproportionately higher for states without helmet policies. For this purpose, we use state-level longitudinal data for 1982-2008 from

Research paper thumbnail of Cost-effectiveness analysis of four interventions for adolescents with a substance use disorder

Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, Apr 30, 2008

Alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drug use among adolescents in the U.S. continues to be a serious pu... more Alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drug use among adolescents in the U.S. continues to be a serious public health challenge. A variety of outpatient treatments for adolescent substance use disorders have been developed and evaluated. Although no specific treatment modality is effective in all settings, a number of promising adolescent interventions have emerged. As policy makers try to prioritize which programs to fund with limited public resources, the need for systematic economic evaluations of these programs is critical. The present study attempted a cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) of four interventions, including family-based, individual, and group cognitive behavioral approaches, for adolescents with a substance use disorder. The results indicated that treatment costs varied substantially across the four interventions. Moreover, family therapy showed significantly better substance use outcome compared to group treatment at the 4-month assessment, but group treatment was similar to the other interventions for substance use outcome at the 7-month assessment and for delinquency outcome at both the 4-month and 7-month assessments. These findings over a relatively short follow-up period suggest that the least expensive intervention (group) was the most cost effective. However, this study encountered numerous data and methodological challenges in trying to supplement a completed clinical trial with an economic evaluation. These challenges are explained and recommendations are proposed to guide future economic evaluations in this area.

Research paper thumbnail of Economic Costs of Underage Drinking in Florida

Background. Underage drinking is a persistent public health problem that generates significant co... more Background. Underage drinking is a persistent public health problem that generates significant costs to society from alcohol-related consequences such as criminal activity/delinquency, antisocial behavior, academic difficulties, risky sexual behavior, health problems, unintentional injuries, and traffic crashes. Florida faces a particularly tough challenge in this regard as Florida youth have higher rates of alcohol use than the national average (Florida's State Epidemiology Workgroup (FL SEW), 2007). Moreover, Florida is a popular tourist destination, attracting thousands of youth each year for Spring Break, sporting events, and other holidays. According to the 2007 Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey (FYSAS), alcohol is the most prevalent substance used by Florida students; 55.6% reported any lifetime use and 31.2% reported past-30-days-use. More than 78% of high school seniors report having tried alcohol at least once. 9.9% of 6 th graders and more than 48% of 12 th graders report using alcohol in the past month, and about one out of six Florida students (16.4%) report binge drinking within the past two weeks. Policies and programs that successfully target underage drinking have the potential to generate significant savings to state government, taxpayers, businesses, schools, and other segments of society by reducing many of the negative consequences that are associated with underage drinking.

Research paper thumbnail of Motion Measurement by Laser Doppler Techniques

Industrial Engineering Chemistry, 1969

Research paper thumbnail of The health effects of parental problem drinking on adult children

The journal of mental health policy and economics, 2009

Much of the research on adult children of alcoholics has focused on the transmission of drinking ... more Much of the research on adult children of alcoholics has focused on the transmission of drinking patterns from parents to their children and the development of alcohol-related problems. Less is known about how exposure to parental problem drinking affects children as they progress into adulthood in terms of other mental health outcomes. This is crucial information, in part because the average age of onset for depression and other mental health disorders is during late adolescence or young adulthood. The objective of this study was to rigorously assess the long-term impacts of parental problem drinking on adult children's mental and self-perceived overall health. The study improves on previous literature by analyzing a range of mental health markers and other predictors of morbidity, by focusing on a period of adulthood that only a limited number of studies have examined, and by using data from a highly regarded and nationally representative panel study. The analysis used data fr...

Research paper thumbnail of Neglected tools for neglected diseases: mathematical models in economic evaluations

Trends in Parasitology, 2014

Despite many current interventions against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) being highly cost-e... more Despite many current interventions against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) being highly cost-effective, new strategies are needed to reach the WHO&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;s control and elimination goals. Here we argue for the importance of incorporating economic evaluations of new strategies in decisions regarding resource allocation. Such evaluation should ideally be conducted using dynamic transmission models that capture inherent nonlinearities in transmission and the indirect benefits (&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;herd effects&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;) of interventions. A systematic review of mathematical models that have been used for economic analysis of interventions against the ten NTDs covered by the London Declaration reveals that only 16 out of 49 studies used dynamic transmission models, highlighting a fundamental--but addressable--gap in the evaluation of interventions against NTDs.

Research paper thumbnail of Motion Measurement by Laser Doppler Techniques

Industrial & Engineering Chemistry, 1969

Research paper thumbnail of Does Alcohol Consumption Lead to Greater Health Services Utilization?

SSRN Electronic Journal, 2000

ABSTRACT While light or moderate alcohol use can improve cardiovascular health and protect agains... more ABSTRACT While light or moderate alcohol use can improve cardiovascular health and protect against other diseases, heavy or abusive drinking negatively impacts health status in a variety or ways. It seems to follow that alcohol consumption would be related to health services utilization in a similar pattern, with heavy and abusive users requiring more health care than abstainers, and light/moderate drinkers needing the least care. Surprisingly, the literature shows conflicting relationships, perhaps because heavy and abusive drinkers are not seeking care for their health problems or the health benefits of light/moderate drinking make take years to emerge. The purpose of the study is to re-examine these relationships utilizing a recent and nationally representative dataset, and a variety of alcohol use and health care measures. The analysis used contemporary econometric methods to test for and correct the potential endogeneity of alcohol use in all equations. Failure to address endogeneity of alcohol use may have created estimation bias in some of the previous studies. After addressing endogeneity when appropriate, we found evidence that heavy and abusive alcohol consumers generally had more hospital stays and emergency room visits than other drinking groups and abstainers, although interesting differences across gender and age groups were identified.

Research paper thumbnail of The economic costs of substance abuse treatment: Updated estimates and cost bands for program assessment and reimbursement

Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 2008

Federal, state, and local government agencies require current and accurate cost information for p... more Federal, state, and local government agencies require current and accurate cost information for publicly funded substance abuse treatment programs to guide program assessments and reimbursement decisions. The Center for Substance Abuse Treatment published a list of modality-specific cost bands for this purpose in 2002. However, the upper and lower values in these ranges are so wide that they offer little

Research paper thumbnail of What You Do in High School Matters: High School GPA, Educational Attainment, and Labor Market Earnings as a Young Adult

Eastern Economic Journal, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Significantly Reduced Intensity of Infection but Persistent Prevalence of Schistosomiasis in a Highly Endemic Region in Mali after Repeated Treatment

PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 2012

Background: Preventive chemotherapy against schistosomiasis has been implemented since 2005 in Ma... more Background: Preventive chemotherapy against schistosomiasis has been implemented since 2005 in Mali, targeting schoolage children and adults at high risk. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2010 to evaluate the impact of repeated treatment among school-age children in the highly-endemic region of Segou.

Research paper thumbnail of A Diagnostics Platform for the Integrated Mapping, Monitoring, and Surveillance of Neglected Tropical Diseases: Rationale and Target Product Profiles

PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 2012

Research paper thumbnail of Marker species for identifying urban groundwater recharge sources: A review and case study in Nottingham, UK

Water Research, 1999

AbstractÐUrban environments signi®cantly alter the nature of recharge to underlying aquifers. Dir... more AbstractÐUrban environments signi®cantly alter the nature of recharge to underlying aquifers. Direct precipitation is reduced, but additional recharge may result from storm water runo, mains supply leakage and sewer leakage. If urban aquifers are to be eectively and sustainably managed, it is vital that these recharge sources should be identi®ed and quanti®ed. A sound theoretical approach is the use of marker species for identifying the three principal sources of urban recharge (precipitation, mains and sewers). The ideal marker species should be unique to a particular recharge source (irrespective of geographic location), and easily identi®able in the groundwater system, enabling quanti®cation of that source. A review of potential markers and a detailed study of the aquifer beneath the city of Nottingham, UK, was unable to ®nd suitable markers for precipitation and mains leakage. Trihalomethanes, which are chlorination by-products, and so a potential marker of mains water, were hardly detected in either mains or groundwater. More potential markers are available for sewage, including d-limonene, which is a new ingredient in some detergents. For shallow groundwater, the most eective means of identifying sewage recharge was a combination of stable nitrogen isotopes and microbiological indicators; eectively a sewage``®ngerprint''. This study con®rms the need for a multi-component approach rather than using individual marker species. Additionally it demonstrates that the impact of sewer leakage on groundwater quality beneath Nottingham is generally not high. #

Research paper thumbnail of The epidemiology and control of urinary schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis in schoolchildren on Unguja Island, Zanzibar

Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 2009

As part of a 4-year control programme beginning in 2003 and entitled Piga Vita Kichocho, around 1... more As part of a 4-year control programme beginning in 2003 and entitled Piga Vita Kichocho, around 140,000 school-aged children on Unguja Island, Zanzibar were treated annually with a combination of praziquantel and albendazole. To provide information on the impact of this intervention, a subset of children, originating from 24 sentinel schools, were monitored in 2004, 2005 and 2006 using both parasitological and behavioural questionnaire methods. Overall, prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis fell by 52%, intensity by 55% and gross haematuria by 82%. There was a positive and statistically significant correlation between areas of elevated disease prevalence and areas of predicted high transmission based upon local occurrence of the permissive intermediate snail host. In areas of low transmission, urinary schistosomiasis was greatly reduced, but, by contrast, other intervention strategies are needed to complement and synergise with chemotherapy in high transmission areas. Whereas significant reductions were documented in the prevalence of both Trichuris trichiura and hookworm, prevalence of Ascaris lumbricoides significantly increased over the monitoring period. Through a detailed analysis of named child records, evidence of predisposition to helminth (re)infection and individual bias towards polyparasitism was detected, highlighting the often overlapping distribution of these parasites within the school-aged child.

Research paper thumbnail of The Role of Alcohol Use in Emergency Department Episodes

Substance Use & Misuse, 2008

This study investigates the association between alcohol use and emergency-department (ED) utiliza... more This study investigates the association between alcohol use and emergency-department (ED) utilization in the United States using nationally representative data from the 2001 National Health Interview Survey (N = 33,326). Estimates from our probit models indicate that among men, current drinkers are less likely to have visited the ED in the past year than former drinkers. Among women, lifetime abstainers are less likely than current drinkers to have had an ED episode. Finally, frequency of binge drinking significantly increases the likelihood of ED visits for men. The results suggest that focusing solely on problem drinking provides a limited perspective.

Research paper thumbnail of Chronic drug use and crime

Substance Abuse, 2000

This paper used bivariate and multivariate analyses to estimate the relationships between chronic... more This paper used bivariate and multivariate analyses to estimate the relationships between chronic drug use and various measures of criminal activity. The data for these analyses were derived from the 1993 (1) and 1995 (2) National Household Surveys on Drug Abuse (NHSDA). Measures of criminal justice system contact and criminal activity included ever arrested, arrested during the previous year, commission of a predatory crime (e.g., assault, fighting) during the previous year, and commission of a property crime (e.g., theft, property damage, car theft, breaking and entering) during the previous year. The analysis was conducted separately for males, females, and age groups, and it distinguished between chronic drug users, nonchronic drug users, and nondrug users. The results consistently showed a significant linear relationship between criminal activity and frequency of drug use. These findings have implications regarding the potential reduction in predatory and property crime that could occur from a decrease in drug use. Significant differences in criminal behavior between chronic drug users and other cohorts may signal a critical need to develop targeted interventions for this particular type of drug user.

Research paper thumbnail of Benefit‐cost analysis of addiction treatment in Arkansas: Specialty and standard residential programs for pregnant and parenting women

Substance Abuse, 2002

A benefit-cost analysis of specialty residential treatment (Specialty) and standard residential t... more A benefit-cost analysis of specialty residential treatment (Specialty) and standard residential treatment (Standard) was conducted on a sample of pregnant and parenting substance abusers from Arkansas. Economic benefits were derived from client selfreported information at treatment entry and at 6-month postdischarge with the use of an augmented version of the Addiction Severity Index (ASI). The average cost of treatment in Specialty programs was 8,035versus8,035 versus 8,035versus1,467 for Standard residential treatment. Average net benefits (benefit-cost ratios) were estimated to be 17,144(3.1)forSpecialtyand17,144 (3.1) for Specialty and 17,144(3.1)forSpecialtyand8,090 (6.5) for Standard. The main policy implication of this research is that investment in Specialty residential treatment for pregnant and parenting substance-abusing women appears to be economically justified, but future evaluations should analyze larger and more comparable samples to improve power and precision in the benefit-cost statistics.