Modelling the effect of nutritional interventions: A case study of tuberculosis
Undernutrition is the biggest risk factor for tuberculosis, which is in turn the world’s biggest infectious disease killer. A recent trial demonstrated the effect of nutritional support for tuberculosis-affected households in reducing incidence of tuberculosis disease and tuberculosis-associated mortality. This webinar will explain how mathematical modelling was used to estimate the effect and cost-effectiveness of scaling up this intervention from the study region to the entirety of India.
The webinar will outline why modelling was used and what data were required in order to achieve this, including data describing the relationship between nutrition and tuberculosis. It will also outline relevant modelling studies in the field, and diving into the detailed results of one specific study. This webinar will describe how infectious disease modelling can be a useful tool to extrapolate the effect of a nutritional intervention beyond simply the direct effects, and is suitable for those with limited experience of modelling and health economics.
What will I gain from this webinar?
- You will be able to describe the benefits of using a tuberculosis modelling approach to compare the effect and cost-effectiveness of a nutritional intervention.
- You will be able to critically discuss the data requirements that need to be met in order to model a nutritional intervention for tuberculosis.
- You will understand how tuberculosis modelling evidence supports global policy for nutritional interventions.
Curriculum
- 1 Section
- 2 Lessons
- Lifetime
- Modelling the effect of nutritional interventions: A case study of tuberculosis2
Instructor
Dr Finn McQuaid (PhD) is an Associate Professor in Infectious Disease Epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, with experience in mathematical modelling of infectious diseases in a range of settings. He is the Tuberculosis Modelling and Analysis Consortium Secretariat Epidemiologist, involved in developing guidance and resources for country-level TB modelling to support decision-making, and facilitating coordination between international funders and stakeholders. He is also a member of the TB Modelling Group, researching TB treatment and care (including drug-resistance), and the impact of crises on TB. He gained a BSc (hons) in Mathematics from Rhodes University, South Africa, and was awarded a Commonwealth Scholarship to study for an MSc and subsequent PhD in Mathematical Biology at the University of Bath. Before joining the London School he worked on global food security at Rothamsted Research.
