Publications

Scholarly Journals--Published

  • https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8248-3859 Emma Waugh Jen Childress Michelle Snyder Christina Muryn , and https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2962-8235 John Clymer “Mobilizing Mayors Across the Political Spectrum to Promote Population Health: The Move With the Mayor Initiative”, American Journal of Public Health 115, no. 4 (April 1, 2025): pp. 495-499. The April issue of AJPH features a special section on finding and building common ground for public health.  Increasing partisanship in the United States was evident even before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted public life in 2020.1 As state and national politicians moved toward partisan extremes, Americans struggled to find common ground on basic issues.2 Agreement on facts and trust of science has declined, partly as a result of increasing amounts of misinformation and disinformation described by the World Health Organization secretary general as an “infodemic.”3–5   The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these trends, making health a partisan issue and eroding confidence in public health.6 By October 2021, partisanship was the single strongest predictor of COVID-19 vaccination status, surpassing age, geography, education, insurance, and race.7 This division prolonged the pandemic and led to real health consequences.8 Other health issues are now being challenged. Legislation has been introduced or passed in 15 states to weaken public health authority, hindering its ability to carry out its basic functions.9 According to surveys of local health departments conducted in late 2020 and early 2021, 57% of respondents reported at least one type of harassment of their local health officials.10 It is imperative to find ways to bring people together and reclaim public health as a nonpartisan value.   In stark contrast to these partisan trends, the Move with the Mayor® (MWTM) initiative shows that local elected officials can depoliticize population health, build consensus, and unite stakeholders from the public, private, and civic sectors to advance shared public health goals. (04/2025) (link)
  • Jacob V, Reynolds JA, Chattopadhyay SK, Nowak K, Hopkins DP, Fulmer E, Bhatt AN, Therrien NL, Cuellar AE, Kottke TE, Clymer JM, Rask KJ; Community Preventive Services Task Force. Economics of Team-Based Care for Blood Pressure Control: Updated Community Guide Systematic Review. Am J Prev Med. 2023 Oct;65(4):735-754. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2023.04.013. Epub 2023 Apr 28. PMID: 37121447; PMCID: PMC10527860. Abstract Introduction: This paper examined the recent evidence from economic evaluations of team-based care for controlling high blood pressure. Methods: The search covered studies published from January 2011 through January 2021 and was limited to those based in the U.S. and other high-income countries. This yielded 35 studies: 23 based in the U.S. and 12 based in other high-income countries. Analyses were conducted from May 2021 through February 2023. All monetary values reported are in 2020 U.S. dollars. Results: The median intervention cost per patient per year was $438 for U.S. studies and $299 for all studies. The median change in healthcare cost per patient per year after the intervention was -$140 for both U.S. studies and for all studies. The median net cost per patient per year was $439 for U.S. studies and $133 for all studies. The median cost per quality-adjusted life year gained was $12,897 for U.S. studies and $15,202 for all studies, which are below a conservative benchmark of $50,000 for cost-effectiveness. Discussion: Intervention cost and net cost were higher in the U.S. than in other high-income countries. Healthcare cost averted did not exceed intervention cost in most studies. The evidence shows that team-based care for blood pressure control is cost-effective, reaffirming the favorable cost-effectiveness conclusion reached in the 2015 systematic review. (04/2023) (link)
  • Chattopadhyay SK, Jacob V, Hopkins DP, Lansky A, Elder R, Cuellar AE, Calonge N, Clymer JM; Community Preventive Services Task Force. Community Guide Methods for Systematic Reviews of Economic Evidence. Am J Prev Med. 2023 Apr;64(4):569-578. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2022.10.015. Epub 2022 Dec 17. PMID: 36529574; PMCID: PMC11360950. Abstract Introduction: Community Guide systematic economic reviews provide information on the cost, economic benefit, cost-benefit, and cost-effectiveness of public health interventions recommended by the Community Preventive Services Task Force on the basis of evidence of effectiveness. The number and variety of economic evaluation studies in public health have grown substantially over time, contributing to methodologic challenges that required updates to the methods for Community Guide systematic economic reviews. This paper describes these updated methods. Methods: The 9-step Community Guide economic review process includes prioritization of topic, creation of a coordination team, conceptualization of review, literature search, screening studies for inclusion, abstraction of studies, analysis of results, translation of evidence to Community Preventive Services Task Force economic findings, and dissemination of findings and evidence gaps. The methods applied in each of these steps are reported in this paper. Results: Two published Community Guide reviews, tailored pharmacy-based interventions to improve adherence to medications for cardiovascular disease and permanent supportive housing with housing first to prevent homelessness, are used to illustrate the application of the updated methods. The Community Preventive Services Task Force reached a finding of cost-effectiveness for the first intervention and a finding of favorable cost-benefit for the second on the basis of results from the economic reviews. Conclusions: The updated Community Guide economic systematic review methods provide transparency and improve the reliability of estimates that are used to derive a Community Preventive Services Task Force economic finding. This may in turn augment the utility of Community Guide economic reviews for communities making decisions about allocating limited resources to effective programs. (12/2022) (link)
  • V. Jacob, J. Reynolds, S. Chattopadhyay, D. Hopkins, N. Therrien, C. Jones, J. Durthaler, K. Rask, A. Cuellar, J. Clymer, T. Kottke, “Pharmacist Interventions for Medication Adherence: Community Guide Economic Reviews for Cardiovascular Disease,” Am J Prev Med, 62 3 (2021), E202-E222 The evidence shows that tailored pharmacy-based interventions to improve medication adherence are cost effective for cardiovascular disease prevention. For cardiovascular disease management, healthcare cost averted exceeds the cost of implementation for a favorable return on investment from a healthcare systems perspective. (12/2021) (link)
  • V. Jacob, S. Chattopadhyay, D. Hopkins, J. Reynolds, K. Xiong, C. Jones, B. Rodriguez, K. Proia, N. Pronk, J. Clymer, R. Goetzel, “Economics of Community Health Workers for Chronic Disease: Findings from Community Guide Systematic Reviews,” Am J Prev Med, 56 3 (2019): e95-e106 (03/2019) (link)
  • V. Jacob, S. Chattopadhyay, K. Proia, D. Hopkins, J. Reynolds, A. Thota, C. Jones, D. Lackland, K. Rask, N. Pronk, J. Clymer, R. Goetzel, et al, “Economics of Self-Measured blood Pressure Monitoring: A Community Guide Systematic Review,” Am J Prev Med, Volume 53, Issue 3, 2017, Pages e105-e113 Self-measured blood pressure monitoring interventions with additional support or within team-based care are cost effective. Cost effectiveness of SMBP used alone could not be determined. (04/2018) (link)
  • G. Bergen, A. Pitan, S. Qu, R. Shults, S. Chattopadhyay, R. Elder, D. Sleet, H. Coleman, R. Compton, J. Nichols, J. Clymer and W. Calvert, “Publicized Sobriety Checkpoint Programs.” Am J Prev Med, V. 46:5, 529-539; May 2014 The number of studies, magnitude of effect, and consistency of findings indicate strong evidence of the effectiveness of publicized sobriety checkpoint programs in reducing alcohol-involved crash fatalities. Economic evidence shows that these programs also have the potential for substantial cost savings. (05/2014) (link)
  • B. Grover, J. Clymer, PM355 “The Policy Depot: Harnessing the Power Of Social Networking To Implement NCD Policies.” Global Heart, V. 9:1, e134. March 2014 (03/2014)
  • K. Powell, R. Zimmerman, D. Ahern, A. Lewis, A. Ramirez, A. Atienza, G. Ayala, J. Elder, Ned Calonge, M.H. Chin, J. Clymer, J. Fielding, et al, “Notes from the Field: Planting, Nurturing, and Watching Things Grow,” Am J Prev Med, V. 45, 687-702; 2013 (12/2013)
  • S. Zaza, J. Clymer, L. Upmeyer & S. Thacker, “Using Science-Based Guidelines to Shape Public Health Law, Journal of Law, Medicine and Ethics, 31 (s4):65-67, 2003 Compared to evidence-based public health, evidence-based medicine is a more familiar phrase. Evidence-based medicine has become increasingly popular in the past decade, due in large part to the emergence of computerized database search technology and advanced statistical tools which allow researchers to quickly identify and summarize vast amounts of scientific information. Today, the concept of evidence-based public health is gaining momentum and has grown in popularity. However, the term “evidence-based” lacks clarification and is subject to a variety of interpretations. The evidence that supports evidence-based medicine or public health may include individual experience, anecdotal information, the content of a single scientific article, or the results of a sophisticated systematic review of scientific literature. The imprecise language used to describe evidence leads to confusion over what types of evidence are most appropriate in answering different types of questions (02/2003) (link)

Non-Scholarly Journals

  • S. Sidney, D. Labarthe, J. Clymer, J. Harvill, "COVID-19 and Cardiovascular Disease--Two Pandemics: Collision and Chain Reaction," National Forum for Heart Disease & Stroke Prevention, October 2021 COVID-19 is worsening the cardiovascular disease pandemic, and cardiovascular conditions continue to intensify the COVID-19 pandemic. These intertwined processes victimize people of all races, especially Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black people. The report recommends actions to reduce the burden of both pandemics. Access report at NF_5thSignatureReport_Final_12.16.21.pdf (10/2021) (link)
  • J. Clymer, “Booster Shot for the Health System,” The Washington Times, September 26, 2007 (09/2007)

Online Publications

  • S. Sidney, D. Labarthe, J. Clymer, L. Gordon. “Wrong Direction: Troubling Trends in the Rate of U.S. Cardiovascular Disease Deaths.” National Forum for Heart Disease & Stroke Prevention, 2017 (10/2017) (link)

Books and Chapters

  • J. Clymer; P. Gaist, ed.; Chapt. 17, "Working Across Sectors: Preventing Disease and Promoting Health through Policy and Practice," Igniting the Power of Community: The Role of CBOs and NGOs in Improving Global Public Health, Springer, ISBN 978-0-387-98156-7; 2010 Igniting the Power of Community: The Role of CBOs and NGOs in Global Public Health introduces readers to the pursuit and potential of community-based organizations and nongovernmental organizations to transform global public health. At a time of unprecedented challenge with economic crises, social inequalities, environmental stressors and emerging health threats, these organizations are driving change, often being the first to call attention to the issues and increasingly forging significant and sustainable solutions.  See http://www.springer.com/public+health/book/978-0-387-98156-7  (Present - 11/2010) (link)