Departmental Affiliations
Center & Institute Affiliations
Contact Info
Research Interests
- International Health
- epidemiology
- blindness prevention
- micronutrient malnutrition
- neonatal and child health
- developing countries
- outcomes research
Experiences & Accomplishments
My research interests focus on two major areas, the epidemiology and control of blinding ocular disease in the United States and in developing countries, and the epidemiology and control of micronutrient malnutrition and infectious disease among young children in developing countries with special emphasis on vitamin A, iron, zinc and neonatal health. Current research activities in the epidemiology of ocular disease include the Baltimore Pediatric Eye Disease Study and a number of other smaller studies. My interests cover the full range of studies involving epidemiologic methods in ophthalmology including basic descriptive epidemiologic studies of prevalence and incidence, etiologic research on risk factors for ocular disease, clinical trials of new treatments or community-based control strategies, screening, and health services research on inputs and outcomes of clinical management strategies on a population basis. Current research activities in micronutrient malnutrition and infectious disease include studies of the role of intestinal helminth infections on iron deficiency anemia and malnutrition in Zanzibar; the impact of iron and zinc supplementation on mortality, morbidity, growth, and neurodevelopment of preschool age children in Zanzibar and Nepal; and community-based trials of newborn washing and umbilical cord care on neonatal mortality and morbidity in Nepal.
Honors & Awards
Delta Omega (Public Health Honorary Society), 1982.
Distinguished Service Award, Prevent Blindness America, 1994.
Honor Award, American Academy of Ophthalmology, 1997.
F. Park Lewis Lifetime Achievement Award, Prevent Blindness America, 2002.
Person of Vision Award, Prevent Blindness America, 2008.
Select Publications
1. Friedman DS, Repka MX, Katz J, Giordano L, Ibironke J, Hawes P, Tielsch JM. Prevalence of amblyopia and strabismus in White and African-American children aged 6 through 71 months: The Baltimore Pediatric Eye Disease Study. Ophthalmology (accepted for publication).
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2. Kordas K, Siegel EH, Olney DK, Katz, J., Tielsch JM, Kariger PK, Khalfan SS, LeClerq SC, Khatry SK, Stoltzfus RJ. The effects of iron and/or zinc supplementation on maternal reports of sleep in infants from Nepal and Zanzibar. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics (accepted for publication).
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3. Giordano L, Friedman DS, Repka MX, Katz J, Ibironke J, Hawes P, Tielsch JM. Prevalence of refractive error among preschool children in an American urban population: the Baltimore Pediatric Eye Disease Study. Ophthalmology (accepted for publication).
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4. Vittor AY, Pan W, Gilman RH, Tielsch J, Glass G, Shields T, Sanchez-Lozano W, Pinedo VV, Salas-Cobos E, Patz JA. Linking deforestation to malaria in the Amazon: characterization of breeding habitat of the principal malaria vector, Anopheles darlingi. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (accepted for publication).
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5. Mullany LC, Faillace S, Tielsch JM, Stoltzfus RJ, Haji HJ, Kavle J, Farag T, Khalfan SS, Nygaard K, Darmstadt GL. Incidence and risk factors for newborn umbilical cord infections on Pemba Island, Zanzibar, Tanzania. Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal (accepted for publication).