DHHS’ Chief Data Officer Aaron McKethan speaks to attendees at Public Health’s Epidemiology and Evaluation Team Poster Day.
May 11, 2018 – The Division of Public Health’s Epidemiology and Evaluation Team held its 17th annual Poster Day event April 27 at the division’s Six Forks campus in Raleigh.
More than 60 people attended this year’s event where 19 posters were displayed highlighting the diverse epidemiology and evaluation work conducted across the division on topics ranging from influenza surveillance and substance use to cultural competency and social determinants of health.
DHHS Chief Data Officer Aaron McKethan emphasized the importance of teamwork and action as he addressed attendees.
“We have many talented people doing great work that is innovative and groundbreaking,” he said. “It is essential that we foster collaboration among colleagues and transition brilliant ideas into successful actions.”
After reviewing all poster submissions, attendees cast votes for the People’s Choice Award. Winners were:
First Place: Ariel Christensen, Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch – Recent Increase in Emergency Department Visits after Use of Cannabidiol Oil – North Carolina.
Second Place: Ryan Ward, Cancer Prevention and Control Branch – Utilizing the North Carolina Cancer Burden Document to Make Targeted Intervention Recommendations.
Third Place: Mary Beth Cox, Injury and Violence Prevention Branch – It’s More than Opioids: Cocaine and Polysubstance Use in North Carolina, 1999-2016.
Mary Beth Cox, Ariel Christensen and Ryan Ward.
The Epidemiology and Evaluation Team also sponsors a Poster of the Month for members to continue showcasing their work, displaying a different poster each month on the ground floor of Public Health’s office at 5505 Six Forks Road in Raleigh.
The team is a collaboration of members from various public health sections offering staff an opportunity to share their work, receive feedback and learn from one another. Members expand their knowledge of epidemiology and evaluation work performed across sections, while learning to apply new tools and methods to their own work. For more information on how to get involved with the Epidemiology and Evaluation Team, contact Sarah McCracken.