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Drug Abuse Pandemic: Not the Only Hill to Climb

Speaker:

Olga Vsevolzhskaya, Ph.D.,
Assistant Professor, Department of Biostatistics,
UK College of Public Health

Abstract:

When studying the progression of substance abuse disorder (SUD), the magnitude of risk factors of addiction are typically summarized by odds ratios. However, there are alternative methods for representing vulnerability to SUD or drug habituation. In this talk, I will discuss the use of Hill Functions to describe substance potency. For instance, the Hill function provides insights into the maximum expected proportion of individuals to develop a disorder or the expected time to dependence. These Hill function parameters may be invaluable to practitioners who plan to conduct a prospective study and need to decide on the length of the follow-up period. Furthermore, I will discuss statistical solutions to common pitfalls with questionnaire data and caveats of dealing with nationally representative surveys for drug abuse research. 

12:00 - 12:30 Presentation by Olga Vsevolozskaya, Ph.D.
12:45-1:00 Open Consultation time with BERD members

Registration is Required. Email ccts@uky.edu by Friday, April 27, 2018. Special physical arrangements can be made by calling 859-323-8545.