Population Health Exchange

Free Associations

Health EN ↓ 156 episodes

Free Associations is about using a critical eye when reading journal articles or news coverage about research breakthroughs. With a sense of humor and a healthy dose of skepticism Boston University School of Public Health faculty Matt Fox, Jessica Leibler, and guests talk us through popular health studies and hyperbolic news headlines while teaching us how to ask the right questions. Music: "Duress" by Ketsa under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 .

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Population Health Exchange

Episodes

Episode 6 - Are artificial sweeteners the cause or the cure? 24.10.2017 48:16

Matt, Chris and Don figure out whether or not artificial sweeteners are good or bad for your weight, pontificate on whether conflicts of interest change how we judge the results of a study, and Don and Matt have surprisingly similar feelings about what shall only be called “baloney” so that we don’t get a PG-13 rating. Music: "Duress" by Ketsa under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 .

Episode 5 - To increase regulation on pollution or not to, that is the question? 10.10.2017 51:45

Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a new study that suggests increasing pollution regulation standards in the US could save lives, debate whether or not medical researchers should make policy recommendations, and Chris answers the question that has puzzled philosophers for centuries: is it safer to ride in blue or yellow taxis? Music: "Duress" by Ketsa under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 .

Episode 4 - Is this the paper that launched a thousand anti-vaxxers? 26.09.2017 53:15

Matt, Chris, and Don discuss the paper that set off the MMR and autism controversy, dive deep into the peer review system. Chris and Don leave Matt scratching more than his head with their Amazing and Amusing contributions. Music: "Duress" by Ketsa under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 .

Episode 3 - A glass of wine a day keeps the doctor away? 12.09.2017 44:34

Matt, Chris, and Don dig into the latest study on whether alcohol is good for your heart, discuss what kinds of health studies the media likes to report on and review the harshest peer reviewer feedback we can find. Music: "Duress" by Ketsa under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 .

Episode 2 - Can chocolate make the heart grow healthier? 12.09.2017 40:26

Matt, Chris, and Don review a new study suggesting chocolate may reduce your risk for atrial fibrillation, discuss the difference between observational studies and randomized controlled trials and ask, "is Usain Bolt fast enough to cause a Doppler shift?" Music: "Duress" by Ketsa under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 .

Episode 1 - Early to bed, early to a healthy BMI? 12.09.2017 1:01:39

Matt, Chris, and Don examine a report on how routines in childhood affect obesity, discuss their takes on how to critically read a journal article, debate the plural of platypus and the science behind the “asparagus smell”, and why neurotic cats need boxes. Music: "Duress" by Ketsa under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 .