Free Associations

Latest Episodes:

Episode 14.5 - The author responds: HIV incidence in Uganda (Bonus) Feb 13, 2018

Show notes

In this special bonus episode, we have our first guest, Dr. Kate Grabowski, the author of the study we reviewed on HIV incidence in Uganda in episode 14. She talks with Matt and sets the record straight on a few issues we got wrong and we talk about the wider impact of her work on HIV.

Journal club article:

HIV prevention in Uganda study

Episode 14 - Why is HIV incidence dropping in Uganda? Jan 30, 2018

Show notes

Matt, Chris, and Don weigh in on an area they finally have some expertise in (HIV) by reviewing a study of HIV prevention in Uganda, the gang tries to explain the difference between “efficacy” and “effectiveness,” and Matt gets dangerously close to a word we’re not allowed to say.

Journal club article:

HIV prevention in Uganda study

Episode 13 - A tough pill to swallow? Jan 16, 2018

Show notes

Matt, Chris, and Don try to act like grownups in discussing a study of the effects of fecal transplants delivered through oral capsules to treat C. difficile infection, Matt mispronounces yet another medical term, p-values are finally, though not fully taken on (taken down?), and Chris reveals the enlightening truth that “jellyfish ain’t babies”.

Journal club article:

Fecal transplant study

Episode 12 - The sham podcast: Heart stents and angina? Jan 02, 2018

Show notes

Matt, Chris, and Don discuss a fascinating study that contradicts much of the previous evidence on the benefits of heart stents for angina, Matt learns how angina is really pronounced during a discussion of ethics in medical research, and the three answer the question of just how bad Vegemite really is.

Journal club article:

Heart stents for treatment of angina

Episode 11 - Back to school: Does exercise increase academic achievement? Dec 19, 2017

Show notes

Matt, Chris, and Don run an obstacle course (metaphorically) through a study on exercise and academic achievement (our first listener generated topic), then Matt lobs dodgeballs at Chris to pin him down on why he’s so skeptical about observational studies, and Don seems to suggest it’s ok to talk on a cell phone while crossing the street as long as you are in good shape.

Journal club article:

Exercise and academic achievement study

Episode 10.5 - Live episode Q&A (Bonus) Dec 12, 2017

Show notes

Bonus content! Matt, Chris, and Don answer questions from a live audience.

Episode 10 - It’s alive!!! A live podcast, featuring fat and carbs? Dec 05, 2017

Show notes

Matt, Chris, and Don bring the podcast to a live audience and then feed them burritos before asking whether fat and carbs are killing us, wrestle with whether the ranking of a journal is a safe proxy for the quality of the articles within, and Chris finally teaches us why bees don’t use back scratchers.

Journal club article:

Fats and carbs and mortality study

Episode 9 - Is watching hockey the same as exercising? Nov 21, 2017

Show notes

Matt, Chris, and Don get checked into the boards on this new study on watching hockey and heart rates (seriously), get called for high sticking over their take on how big a study needs to be, and Chris warns us about the dangers of pizza deficiency syndrome.
*We recorded video for this episode as well. Check it out below!*

Journal club article:

Hockey and heart rate study

Episode 8 - Could kids in Uganda do this podcast better than we can? Nov 07, 2017

Show notes

Matt, Chris, and Don decide whether school kids in Uganda can be taught to evaluate the validity of health claims (hey, isn’t that our job?), take their best shot at conveying their strategies for determining who study results generalize to and Chris finds the answers in rubbing his bald spot.

Journal Club Article:

Informed health choices study

Episode 7 - Freaky associations between flu vaccine and miscarriage? Oct 31, 2017

Show notes

Matt, Chris, and Don put down their Halloween candy long enough to debate whether H1N1 flu vaccine can cause spontaneous abortions in pregnant women, attempt to discern whether or not it is ok to divide up your data (going on fishing expeditions?) and Matt explains why he didn’t make it all the way through The Unbearable Lightness of Being.

Journal club article:

Influenza vaccine and spontaneous abortions

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