Pharmacoepidemiologic research at the University of Delaware uses large health administrative databases and national surveys to understand the distribution, safety, and effectiveness of medicines and vaccines – especially in older adults, individuals with chronic conditions like hypertension, and individuals living with intellectual disabilities. Investigators use descriptive, causal, and predictive methods in epidemiology to address a range of pharmacoepidemiologic questions with the expressed goal of improving population health. Our strong emphasis on quantitative methods is complemented by our faculty’s expertise in qualitative and mixed-methods research, specifically the use of narrative inquiry to understand lifestyle and social factors that impact medication adherence.
The following areas represent core research programs within the UD Center for Pharmacoepidemiologic Research and Training, with example publications provided under each.
Vaccine use, safety, and effectiveness
Herpes zoster
Human papillomavirus virus
Cardiovascular and metabolic disease
Epidemiologic methods
CVD disease and disability
Health economics
Psychotropic medication use in nursing homes
Time-series and quasi-experimental designs
Multivariate longitudinal modeling
Medication switching and substitution
Social pharmacoepidemiology and medication adherence
Social pharmacoepidemiology
Qualitative and mixed-methods research
Health services research and health administrative databases
Medicare & Medicaid claims analyses
Electronic health records
UD Research in the News
Predicting patterns
Article by Amy Cherry Photos by Ashley Barnas Larrimore | Photo illustration by Jeffrey C. Chase December 21, 2023
Epidemiology researcher uses Google Trend search data to predict RSV pediatric hospitalizations