Emily Burger, Harvard T.H. Chan School Research Scientist Associate award-winner, presented at the Spring Research Scientist Seminar Series, May 20, 2021. Burger’s talk presented her recent analysis that quantified the secondary impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic disruptions to cervical cancer screening in the United States. The study conducted a comparative model-based analysis using three independent NCI Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network (CISNET) cervical models to evaluate the impact of eight alternative COVID-19-related screening disruption scenarios compared to a scenario of no disruptions. Scenarios varied by the duration of the disruption (6 or 24 months), steps in the screening process being disrupted (primary screening, surveillance, colposcopy, excisional treatment), and primary screening modality (cytology alone or cytology plus human papillomavirus “cotesting”). Burger found that women in need of surveillance, colposcopies, or excisional treatment, or whose last primary screen did not involve human papillomavirus testing, may comprise priority groups for reintroductions. Burger is a senior member of CHDS’ HPV policy modeling lab, led by CHDS core faculty Jane Kim.
Thursday’s seminar series also featured Linda Vesel from the Department of Health Policy and Management, whose talk presented findings from their multi-site Low Birthweight Infant Feeding Exploration (LIFE) study in India, Malawi and Tanzania.
Learn more: Read the publication, Impact of COVID-19-Related Care Disruptions on Cervical Cancer Screening in the United States
Learn more: Read about CISNET-Cervical Cancer Modeling
Learn more: Read about Models and Tools
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