Biostatistics

Longitudinal data methods and repeated measures, missing data problems, mixed models, hyperbolastic and other non-linear growth models, statistical computing and simulation, graphics, survey methods, and variable selection methods. To download purposeful selection macro click here.

Ongoing projects include mathematical and statistical modeling of biological processes, translation and analyses of clustered community-based public health interventions, complex survey designs for policy evaluation, and teaching of statistical computing and programming in a computer lab environment.

Recent Publications

[PubMed]

Jandorf L, Bursac Z, Pulley L, Trevino M, Castillo A, Edwin DO. (2008). Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening among Diverse Latinas Following Attendance at Culturally and Content Specific Education Programs. Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education and Action: in press.

Hauer-Jensen M, Bursac Z, Reed RC. (2008). Is Herniosis the Single Etiology of Saints Triad? Hernia: in press.

Felix HC, West DS, Bursac Z. (2008). Impact of USPSTF Practice Guidelines on Clinician Weight Loss Counseling as Reported by Obese Patients. Preventive Medicine: in press.

Ferguson AC, Bursac Z, Biddle D, Coleman S, Johnson W. (2008). Soil-skin Adherence from Carpet: Use of a Mechanical Chamber to Control Contact Parameters. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A, 43(12): in press.

Kim KH, Bursac Z, DiLillo V, White D, West DS. (2008). Stress, Race and Body Weight. Health Psychology: in press.

Krukowski RA, West DS, Siddiqui NJ, Bursac Z, Phillips MM, Raczynski JM. (2008). Weight Based Teasing Does Not Increase When BMI Screening for Childhood Obesity is Conducted in Schools. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine: in press.

Felix HC, Wheeler G, Pulley L, Stewart KM, Bursac Z, Mays GP. (2008). Making Hospital Grounds Smoke Free: A Case Study of the Initiations of Arkansas Act 134 of 2005. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice: in press.

West DS, Prewitt TE, Bursac Z, Felix H. (2008). Weight Loss Experiences of Black, White and Hispanic Men and Women in Diabetes Prevention Program. Obesity, 16(6): 1413-1420.

Sukhija R, Bursac Z, Hauer-Jensen M, Mehta JL. (2008). Effect of Statins on the Development of Renal Dysfunction. American Journal of Cardiology, 101(7): 975-979.

Budney AJ, Vandrey RG, Hughes JR, Thostenson JD, Bursac Z. (2008). A Comparison of Cannabis and Tobacco Withdrawal: Severity and Contribution to Relapse. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment: in press.

Eigenbrodt ML, Bursac Z, Tracy RE, Mehta JL, Rose KM, Couper DJ. (2008). B-Mode Ultrasound Common Carotid Artery Intima-Media Thickness and External Diameter: Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Associations with Carotid Atherosclerotic in a Large Population Sample. Cardiovascular Ultrasound, 6(10): 1-11.

West DS, Raczynski JM, Phillips MM, Bursac Z, Gauss CH, Eaton B. (2008). Parental Recognition of Overweight among School-Age Children. Obesity, 16(3): 630-636.

Bursac Z, Gauss CH, Williams DK, Hosmer DW. (2008). Purposeful Selection of Variables in Logistic Regression: Macro and Simulation Results. ASA Proceedings of the Joint Statistical Meetings, Statistical Computing Section, Alexandria, VA: 1886-1891.

[PDF]

Tabatabai MA, Bursac Z, Williams DK, Singh KP. (2007). Hypertabastic Survival Model. Theoretical Biology and Medical Modeling, 4(40):1-13.

[BioMed Central][PubMed Central]

Wheeler JG, Pulley L, Felix HC, Bursac Z, Siddiqui N, Stewart MK, Mays G, Gauss H, Richter J. (2007). Impact of a smoke free hospital campus policy on employee and consumer behavior. Public Health Reports, 122(6): 744-752.

Bursac Z, Gauss CH, Williams DK, Hosmer DW. (2007). A Purposeful Selection of Variables Macro for Logistic Regression. SAS Global Forum Proceedings, Paper 173: 1-5.

http://www2.sas.com/proceedings/forum2007/173-2007.pdf

West DS, DiLillo V, Bursac Z, Gore S, Green P. (2007). Motivational Interviewing Enhances Outcomes of Behavioral Obesity Treatment for Overweight Women with Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes Care, 30(5):1081-1087.

Bursac Z, Tabatabai M, Williams DK, Singh K. (2007). Hyperbolastic Models for Survival Data. ASA Proceedings of the Joint Statistical Meetings, Biometrics Section, Alexandria, VA: 188-190.

[PDF]

Grant A, Williams DK, Bursac Z, Geoffrey C. (2007). SAS Estimation of Standard Errors for Partial Least Squares Regression. ASA Proceedings of the Joint Statistical Meetings, Biometrics Section, Alexandria, VA: 226-228.

[PDF]

Eigenbrodt ML, Couper DJ, Fuchs FD, Goff DC, Sanford C, Hutchinson RG, Bursac Z. (2006). Changing Drinking Pattern and Health Perception: A Longitudinal Study of Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study (1987-95). Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 60(4):345-350.

[JECH Online]

Bursac Z, Tabatabai M, Williams DK. (2006). Non-linear Hyperbolastic Growth Models and Applications in Cranofacial and Stem Cell Growth. ASA Proceedings of the Joint Statistical Meetings, Biometrics Section, Alexandria, VA: 190-197.

[PDF]

Bursac Z, Phillips M, Gauss CH, Pulley L, West DS, Raczynski J. (2006). Arkansas Act 1220 Evaluation: Multi-stage Stratified Surveys with PPS Sampling. ASA Proceedings of the Joint Statistical Meetings, Section on Health Policy Statistics, Alexandria, VA: 1529-1531.

[PDF]

Tabatabai M, Williams DK, Bursac Z. (2005). Hyperbolastic Growth Models: Theory and Application. Theoretical Biology and Medical Modeling, 2(14):1-13.

[BioMed Central] [PubMed Central]

JSM 2008 Denver highlights (click to enlarge)