Seminar Series: Alison Locker
Epidemiology and Public Health Decision Making
Alison Locker
Manager
Population Health Assessment and Surveillance
Middlesex-London Health Unit
Short Biography:
Alison Locker is the Manager of Population Health Assessment and Surveillance at the Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU). Previous to becoming the Manager she was one of MLHU’s Epidemiologists for more than 15 years. Alison has supported a variety of MLHU responses, including local outbreaks of infectious diseases, mass vaccination planning, and most recently the COVID-19 response. Throughout her career, she has used epidemiology to link data to planning and decision making.
Abstract:
Epidemiology plays a foundational role in public health, and Ontario public health units have a mandate to collect and analyze epidemiological data that is relevant for describing and assessing the health of the population in each jurisdiction. This seminar will first describe the context for within which public health epidemiology is carried out. Then, ways in which epidemiology is applied in public health decision making will be illustrated, drawing from recent local examples including the COVID-19 pandemic response and a local HIV crisis.
Keywords: Public health epidemiology, infectious diseases, sexual health, immunization and vaccine preventable diseases, evidence-informed planning and decision making, public health data standards
Date: Friday, September 23rd
Time: 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
Location: PHFM 3015 (Western Centre for Public Health and Family Medicine)
