Evan Thacker

Research Interests

The purpose of my research program at BYU is to involve undergraduate and graduate students in creating new knowledge through epidemiologic research that will benefit the health of older adults. Currently we focus primarily on projects exploring determinants of cognitive decline, cognitive impairment, and dementia.

We use data from epidemiologic cohort studies in the United States including the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) and the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke Study (REGARDS).

Undergraduate students who wish to work with us on epidemiologic research projects can best prepare by completing the following courses:
HLTH 345 -- Principles of Epidemiology
HLTH 440 -- Computer Applications in Epidemiology
HLTH 447 -- Introduction to Biostatistics

Teaching Interests

I teach undergraduate courses for students majoring in Public Health:

HLTH 314 -- Health, Disease, and Their Determinants, Part 1. The purpose of this course is for public health students in all emphasis areas to learn basic concepts about human health from a life course perspective, determinants of health including biological, behavioral, social, and environmental, major infectious diseases, and major chronic non-communicable diseases. In addition to studying a variety of topics as a class, students complete a series of research and writing assignments to go into more depth on selected topics that interest them.

HLTH 493 -- Epidemiology Capstone. The purpose of this course is for epidemiology emphasis student teams to conduct an epidemiologic research project using publicly available quantitative data. Students complete a research proposal, systematic literature review, detailed statistical analysis plan, quantitative data analysis, and structured research report. All student projects involve real data and are potentially publishable.

Education

• PhD, Epidemiology , University of Washington School of Public Health (2011)
• SM (MS), Epidemiology , Harvard School of Public Health (2005)
• BS, Neuroscience , Brigham Young University (2003)

Memberships

• American Heart Association, Council on Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health (2014 - Present)
• American Heart Association, Council on Epidemiology and Prevention (2007 - Present)
• American Epilepsy Society (2019 - 2020)
• Gerontological Society of America (2018 - 2019)
• Society for Epidemiologic Research (2014 - 2015)

Courses Taught

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Publications

C W Tsao A W Aday Z I Almarzooq C AM Anderson P Arora C L Avery C M Baker-Smith A Z Beaton A K Boehme A E Buxton Y Commodore-Mensah M SV Elkind K R Evenson C Eze-Nliam S Fugar G Generoso D G Heard S Hiremath J E Ho R Kalani D S Kazi D Ko D A Levine J Liu J Ma J W Magnani E D Michos M E Mussolino S D Navaneethan N I Parikh R Poudel M Rezk-Hanna G A Roth N S Shah M P St-Onge Evan L Thacker S S Virani J H Voeks N Y Wang N D Wong S S Wong K Yaffe S S Martin H Choi M SV Elkind W T Longstreth A K Boehme R Hafen E J Hoyt Evan L Thacker C W Tsao A W Aday Z I Almarzooq A Alonso A Z Beaton M S Bittencourt A K Boehme A E Buxton A P Carson Y Commodore-Mensah M SV Elkind K R Evenson C Eze-Nliam J F Ferguson G Generoso J E Ho R Kalani S S Khan B M Kissela K L Knutson D A Levine T T Lewis J Liu M S Loop J Ma M E Mussolino S D Navaneethan A M Perak R Poudel M Rezk-Hanna G A Roth E B Schroeder S H Shah Evan L Thacker L B VanWagner S S Virani J H Voecks N Y Wang K Yaffe S S Martin L B Harrington A N Ehlert Evan L Thacker N S Jenny O Lopez M Cushman A Fitzpatrick K J Mukamal M K Jensen H Choi Evan L Thacker W T Longstreth M SV Elkind A K Boehme Afton J Reich Kelsie D Claunch Marco A Verdeja Matthew T Dungan Shellie Anderson Colter K Clayton Michael C Goates Evan L Thacker Shawn D Gale Lance David Erickson Evan L Thacker Elizabeth L. Mitchell Bruce Leonard Brown Dawson Ward Hedges C K Suemoto L E Gibbons Evan L Thacker J D Jackson C L Satizabal B M Bettcher L Launer C Phillips L R White M C Power Dawson Ward Hedges Andrew N Berrett Lance David Erickson Bruce Leonard Brown Evan L Thacker Shawn D Gale Michael C Harding Chantel D Sloan Ray M Merrill Tiffany M Harding Brian J Thacker Evan L Thacker Andrew N. Berrett Shawn D Gale Lance David Erickson Evan L Thacker Bruce Leonard Brown Dawson Ward Hedges S R Gillett L A McClure P W Callas Evan L Thacker F W Unverzagt V G Wadley A J Letter M Cushman H Kamel T M Bartz M SV Elkind P M Okin Evan L Thacker K K Patton P K Stein C deFilippi R F Gottesman S R Heckbert R A Kronmal E Z Soliman W T Jr Longstreth C A Hammond Natalie Jean Blades S I Chaudhry J A Dodson W T Longstreth S R Heckbert B M Psaty A M Arnold S Dublin C M Sitlani J M Gardin S M Thielke M G Nanna R F Gottesman A B Newman Evan L Thacker A N Ehlert S R Heckbert K L Wiggins Evan L Thacker P K Garg W T O'Neal A Ogunsua Evan L Thacker G Howard E Z Soliman M Cushman E Kuzma J Airdrie T J Littlejohns I Lourida J Thompson-Coon I A Lang M Scrobotovici Evan L Thacker A Fitzpatrick L H Kuller O L Lopez W T Longstreth O C Ukoumunne D J Llewellyn Evan L Thacker E Z Soliman L Pulley M M Safford G Howard V J Howard Sarah R Gillett Evan L Thacker Abraham J Letter Leslie A McClure Virginia G Wadley Frederick W Unverzagt Brett M Kissela Richard Kennedy Stephen P Glasser Deborah A Levine Mary Cushman Evan L Thacker Paul N. Jensen Bruce M. Psaty Barbara McKnight W. T. Longstreth Sascha Dublin Kathryn M. Newton Nicholas L. Smith David S. Siscovick Susan R. Heckbert Evan L Thacker S. R. Gillett V. G. Wadley F. W. Unverzagt S. E. Judd L. A. McClure V. J. Howard M. Cushman Evan L Thacker P. Muntner H. Zhao M. M. Safford J. R. Curtis E. Delzell V. Bittner T. M. Brown E. B. Levitan Evan L Thacker B McKnight B M Psaty W T Longstreth, Jr C M Sitlani S Dublin A M Arnold A L Fitzpatrick R F Gottesman S R Heckbert P N Jensen Evan L Thacker S Dublin B M Psaty S R Heckbert Evan L Thacker B McKnight B M Psaty W T Longstreth, Jr S Dublin P N Jensen K M Newton N L Smith D S Siscovick S R Heckbert Evan L Thacker B M Psaty B McKnight S R Heckbert W T Longstreth, Jr K J Mukamal J B Meigs I H de Boer E J Boyko M R Carnethon J R Kizer R P Tracy N L Smith D S Siscovick Evan L Thacker K L Wiggins K M Rice W T Longstreth, Jr J C Bis S Dublin N L Smith S R Heckbert B M Psaty

Presentations