Highlights from WCE2024: Day 4

by | Nov 1, 2024 | Uncategorized | 0 comments

Dear Colleagues,

This was the last day of WCE2024 and the week has flown by! Thank you for joining us in Cape Town for a fun and exciting meeting.

As we wrap up the meeting there are several ‘housekeeping’ issues to communicate:

    • Feedback on the meeting: We will email next week with a very short survey asking you for comments on the meeting. Please provide feedback so we can strengthen future editions of WCE.
    • Materials from the meeting: Over the next 2 months we will be updating the WCE2024 website to include links to selected presentations, photos from the meeting and other conference materials. Please check the website for updates; if you would like to access materials before then please contact the speaker(s) in question directly.
    • Post-meeting questions or issues: If you have any questions related to any aspect of the meeting please email wce2024@uct.ac.za and our staff will reply as soon as feasible; this email address will remain active through 1 December 2024.
    • Joining IEA: During the meeting many delegates asked about IEA membership. The IEA website has details on membership categories and how to apply – see www.ieaweb.org or email membership@ieaweb.org for more information.

Images from Day 4

The first plenary talk of the day was delivered by Amrish Baidjoe of Médecins Sans Frontières who spoke about the unique challenges and opportunities that humanitarian crises present for epidemiologists.

In the second plenary, Kai Chen of Yale University delivered a powerful address encouraging every epidemiologist to consider issues of climate change and health as part of their research.

The day’s oral abstract sessions continued to present cutting-edge research and stimulate discussion.

Panelists from around the globe engaged in critical reflections during the Q&A portion of the oral abstract session on infant health.

The poster hall continued to be a place for presenting the latest research, meeting new colleagues and sharing new ideas.

Kalpana Balakrishnan (Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, India) provided an impassioned position during the debate, “Is it risky for epidemiologists to be advocates?” in one of this afternoon’s interactive sessions.

 

Preventing, predicting, preparing for, and responding to epidemics and pandemics

Session type: Multi-speaker symposium
Session will be a reflection of the roles and responsibilities of epidemiologists during the course of the pandemic, as well as lessons learnt will be important for management of future pandemics.

Meet the editors

Session type: Panel discussion
Session will involve engagement of Editors of epidemiology journals on how they promote inclusive publishing on their platforms and how far have they gone to include the rest of the world in their publications.

Old risk factors in the new era: tobacco, alcohol and physical activity

Session type: Multi-speaker symposium
Session will delve into the evolving landscape of traditional risk factors amid contemporary health challenges. The aim is to explore how the dynamics of tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and physical activity have transformed in the modern era, considering technological, societal, and cultural shifts.

Shafalika Goenka
(Public Health Foundation of India, India)

Katherine Keyes
(Columbia University, USA)

Lekan Ayo Yusuf
(University of Pretoria, SA)

Is it risky for epidemiologists to be advocates?

Session type: Debate
In the current climate, epidemiologists risk becoming non-neutral actors hampering their ability to do science as well as making them considered to be less reliable to the public.

Kalpana Balakrishnan
(Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, India)

Neal Pearce
(London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK)

The role of epidemiology in building responses to violence

Session type: Multi-speaker symposium
Violence has been given insufficient attention and priority in the arena of public health policy, partnerships and interventions. Session will explore what role can and will epidemiology play in improving responses to violence?

Zinzi Bailey
(University of Minnesota, USA)

Rodrigo Guerrero-Velasco
(Violence Research Center of Universidad del Valle, Columbia)

Rachel Jewkes
(South African Medical Research Council, SA)

Ethics and epidemiology: conflicts of interest in research and service

Session type: Panel discussion
This session aims to dissect the complexities surrounding conflicts of interest in both research and public health practice, emphasising the critical need for transparency, integrity, and ethical decision-making.

Racial and ethnic classifications in epidemiology: global perspectives

Session type: Multi-speaker symposium
Session will explore the continued predominance of certain types of studies which influence global practice despite the lack of racial, ethnic and geographic diversity is a major weakness in epidemiology.

Critical reflections on epidemiology and its future

Session type: Panel discussion
Session will explore where is epidemiology headed, particularly given what field has been through in recent times? Is the field still fit for purpose? With all the new emerging threats, important to establish whether field is ready.

Teaching epidemiology: global perspectives

Session type: Panel discussion
Understanding how epidemiology is taught in different parts of the world is essential. Session will unpack why is epidemiology taught differently? Is it historical? Implications of these differences?

Na He
(Fudan University, China)

Katherine Keyes
(Columbia University, USA)

Noah Kiwanuka
(Makerere University, Uganda)

Miquel Porta
(Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, Spain)

Pharmacoepidemiology: new insights and continuing challenges

Session type: Multi-speaker symposium
This session aims to explore recent advancements in studying the utilization and effects of medications on populations, addressing methodological innovations, and novel data sources.

Are traditional cohorts outdated?

Session type: Panel discussion
Session will explore the landscape of traditional cohort studies, touching on their continued relevance in the contemporary research landscape. What are the limitations of traditional cohorts, challenges in data collection, evolving research questions, and potential advancements in study designs.

Karen Canfell
(The Daffodil Centre, Cancer Council NSW/University of Sydney, Australia)

Mauricio Lima Barreto
(Center of Data and Knowledge Integration for Health, Brazil)

Naja Hulvej Rod
(University of Copenhagen, Denmark)

Yuan Lin
(Nanjing Medical University, China)

Have DAGs fulfilled their promise?

Session type: Debate
Critical reflection on why despite their importance in the Methods community, DAGs are not widely included in publications. Session will provide perspective on their utility in future research

Peter Tennant
(University of Leeds, UK)

Margarita Moreno-Betancur
(University of Melbourne, Australia)

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