Shasha Jumbe, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation - Stanford Medicine Big Data | Precision Health 2016

TL;DR

Big data analysis can be used to solve global health issues, such as stunted growth in children, by leveraging longitudinal data from millions of children.

Transcript

so what if big data was the only option that we have to solve the big problems that we're working on rather than something that we preferring to do because we we think that we can improve the bottom line the work that we are spending our time on really is punctuated by telling the story of these two boys and I know them quite well Simba and Sean we... Read More

Key Insights

• ☠️ Stunted growth in children can have lifelong disadvantages, including higher mortality and morbidity rates.
• 👶 Data collected on child growth and development is often wasted or not effectively utilized.
• 👶 The Global Health Data Project has gathered longitudinal data from millions of children and utilizes advanced analytics and machine learning to identify factors influencing growth outcomes.
• 🧑‍🏭 A systems approach is required to understand the complex interactions between genetics, nutrition, sanitation, infection, medication, and other factors affecting growth.
• 🤗 The project encourages open innovation and collaboration to address global health problems.
• ❓ Deep learning methods, combined with growth and developmental outcomes, can provide a better understanding of the relationship between the two.
• 💉 Additional research and collaboration are needed to further advance the analysis of big data in solving global health problems.

Questions & Answers

Q: How does stunted growth in children impact their long-term health?

Stunted growth is an indicator of failure to thrive and can lead to higher mortality and morbidity rates. It is important to address this issue to ensure better health outcomes for children.

Q: Why is utilizing the data collected on child growth and development important?

The data collected over the last hundred years can be used to solve current health problems. However, much of this data is wasted or not effectively utilized, leading to missed opportunities for improving public health.

Q: How does the Global Health Data Project analyze and utilize the collected data?

The project has created a knowledge base with longitudinal data from millions of children in multiple countries. It also uses population survey data to capture various covariates impacting growth outcomes. A team of data scientists analyzes this data and promotes open innovation through hackathons and contests.

Q: What is the systems approach to understanding and improving growth outcomes?

The project takes a systems approach by considering various factors that influence growth, such as genetics, nutrition, sanitation, infection, and medication. Understanding the complex interactions between these factors is crucial for improving growth outcomes.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Stunted growth in children is a serious problem that can lead to lifelong disadvantages, including higher mortality and morbidity.

• Much of the data collected on child growth and development ends up in "data graveyards" and is not effectively utilized.

• The Global Health Data Project aims to leverage big data analysis and machine learning to analyze longitudinal data from millions of children and identify factors affecting growth outcomes.