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Wei Yang , Ph.D., M.D.

Professor
Publications Professional

Contact Information

Office Number: LR 212
Office Hours: By Appointment
Phone Number: (775) 682-7094
Email Address:

Teaching
PUBH 725

Health and the Environment
General introduction to major environmental health issues from individual, local to global. Topics include how public health related to environmental pollutants and degradation; agents of environmental contamination (physical, chemical, and biological); applications of environmental health (air, water, food, solid and liquid wastes); and emerging global and local environmental health challenges.
PUBH 753 Health Informatics
Health informatics is a new and rapidly growing field, which covers the applications of information and information technology in the areas of health services and public health. The course provides students first hand skills and experience on health data collection, management, security, analysis, integration, warehouse and decision support.
PUBH 780 Biostatistics in Public Health
Introduction to the underlying principles of biostatistics
and a variety of statistical applications in public health
research.

Education

Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences and Health (Environmental Epidemiology) from the University of Nevada, Reno – degree conferred in 1997.
M.S. in Nutrition from the University of Nevada, Reno – degree awarded in 1994.
M.D. in Preventive Medicine from Nanjing Medical College, China – degree awarded in 1984.

Research Interests

Health informatics, cancer epidemiology, maternal and child health, behavior risk factor surveillance, injury, disability, obesity, autism, health disparities, and data warehouse.

Current on-going research grants and projects:

  • Evaluation of Obeseogenic Built Environment in Nevada
  • Kilauea Volcano Health Study Phase II: Prevalence and Incidence of Cardiorespiratory Effects by Retrospective Medical Record Review
  • Adverse outcomes during inpatient alcohol withdrawal
  • Evaluation of DETR’s Rehabilitation Services
  • Nevada Cancer Registry Analysis and Enhancement
  • Asthma Follow Back Survey
  • Childhood Asthma Prevalence Analysis
  • Data Collection and Analysis for Nevada Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)
  • Woman’s Health and Cancer Prevention Analysis
  • Maternal and Child Health Indicator Analysis
  • State TBI/SCI Trauma Registry Analysis
  • Nevada Disability Analysis and Reporting
  • Health Disparity Analysis

Publications

Shah, G., Greenway, J., Yang, W. 2007. Episiotomy and Obstetric Trauma in Nevada: Evidence from Linked Hospital Discharge and Birth Data. Journal of the Nevada Public Health Association. In Press.

Hosey, G., Llorens-Chen, S.A., Qeadan, F., Crawford D., Wilson, C., Yang, W. 2007. Assessing Behavioral Health Risks, Health Conditions, and Preventive Health Practices among American Indians/Alaska Natives in Nevada. Journal of Health Disparities and Practice. In Press.

Devereux, P. G., Clements-Nolle, K., Clodfelter, S., Bargmann-Losche, J., Feroro, M., and Yang, W. 2007. HIV-Positive Inmates Released from Nevada's Prisons in 2001: Results from Matching Health Division and Corrections Databases. Journal of the Nevada Public Health Association, In Press.

Yang, W., Qeadan, F., Calder, J., Dahir, B.V. Hansen, A.C., Rivers, A. Landon, K. and Ritch, L. 2007. Intimate Partner Violence Prevalence Report in Nevada 2005-2006. Joint Publication of University of Nevada Reno and Nevada State Department of Health and Human Services. June, 2007. Reno, Nevada.

Yang, W., Lee, W., Butterworth, T., Griffith, M., Hansen, A.C., Preston, K., Ritch, L. and Rivers, A. 2007. Report on Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) in Nevada. Joint Publication of University of Nevada Reno and Nevada State Department of Health and Human Services. June, 2007. Reno, Nevada.

Yang, W., Qeadan, F., Calder, J., Dahir, B.V. Hansen, A.C., Rivers, A. Landon, K. and Ritch, L. 2007. Sexual Violence Prevalence Report in Nevada 2005-2006. Joint Publication of University of Nevada Reno and Nevada State Department of Health and Human Services. June, 2007. Reno, Nevada.

Qeadan, F., Corradino, M., and Yang, W. 2006. Health Behaviors and Conditions of Nevada Adults - Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS) Report 1992-2004. Nevada State Health Division Publications. January, 2006. Carson City, Nevada.

Professional

Dr. Wei Yang joined UNR in January, 2007 as a Professor and the Director of Nevada Center for Health Statistics and Informatics (NCHSI). Through an approach known as “Centralized Health Data Warehouse”, NCHSI extends health statistics beyond simply using statistics and computers as tools for computation to a process of knowledge acquisition, storage, retrieval, linkage, analyses, and representations of health, human and other related data. Dr. Yang and his Center provide technical capacity and collaborative opportunities for researchers on statistical methodology, sophisticated database design, data collection and data analysis through multiple statewide data systems including hospital discharges, behavior risk factor surveillance system, early intervention services, cancer registry, and vital records.

Before joining UNR, Dr. Yang worked for seven years as a Physician and Clinical Epidemiologist in Occupational Medicine as well as serving more than ten years as the Nevada State Chief Biostatistician and Director of the State Center for Health Data and Research at Nevada State Health Division, where he served as the principal consultant in Biostatistical and Epidemiological researches for the State public health programs.