Epidemiological Models and Computer Simulations to Benefit Public Health

Scholars are developing predictive models of the spread of infectious disease that can be deployed at small spatial scales to assist in public health planning for local communities. Highlighting the work of Dr. Joseph Mihaljevic and colleagues, the latest research using spatial epidemiological modeling will be presented along with a discussion of future directions and opportunities. Panel discussions will focus on disease modeling related to local issues in public health, health disparities, and health equity. A second, optional day will include a hands-on, situational training for using software to deploy spatial models for public health.

Learning objectives:

1. Epidemiological modeling 101: Participants will learn the fundamentals of what these models are, how they are constructed, and how they can be useful in the context of public health and the forecasting of infectious disease spread.
2. Participants will hear from academic experts about models and methods that have been used to address real issues in infectious disease. These case-studies will highlight national and local issues in infectious disease and how models can be effectively deployed to improve understanding and planning in public health.
3. Guided discussion sessions and panels will allow participants to address their own questions and provide their own assessments about the barriers and opportunities for using modeling in their fields.
4. In the second, optional day, participants with experience in computer coding will receive hands-on, situational training on software used for spatial modeling of disease. This will include locally-tailored case-studies that walk participants through the use of ‘epymorph’, a python package for designing, testing, and deploying spatial models for use in public health.

This workshop is sponsored by the Arizona Biomedical Research Centre (ABRC) in collaboration with NAU's Center for Health Equity Research (CHER).

Host or Publisher Center for Health Equity Research