I am a biostatistician with training in remote sensing, spatial analysis, mathematical demography, and certain aspects of ecology related to disease transmission. My primary research interests are to foster a deeper understanding of demographic processes, human health and environmental change using a combination of quantitative tools from biostatistics, geography, and economics. My research integrates multiple data collection tools used in demography, ecology, and laboratory-based studies to geo-reference information that maximize our understanding of underlying social and ecological processes. These tools include in-depth household economic surveys, field-based water monitoring devices, climate monitoring stations, satellite data processing, morphometrics for entomological identification, and blood smears to diagnose malaria infections. I firmly believe that any practitioner of public health should actively participate in data collection to better understand how tools are used in research and the limits of inference. This practice has helped me to better understand demographic factors influencing land use change, the impact of climate change on diarrhea etiology, risk factors for childhood shigella infection, the relationship between land cover and anophelines larvae distribution, among others. I am open to learning new techniques – quantitative, qualitative or biological – that help better understand population-environment, environment-health and population-health relationships.  

Several of my projects are listed at: http://iqtlab.org

4th term special seminar homepage: https://my.jhsph.edu/sites/IH/pan/  
(for enrolled students only)

International Health; Multilevel models; Spatial Models & GIS; Biostatistics; Population-Environment; Demography; Longitudinal Data

2003 Mindel C. Sheps Dissertation Fellowship in Mathematical Demography

Pan, WK, C Erlien, RE Bilsborrow “Morbidity and mortality disparities among colonist and indigenous populations in the Ecuadorian Amazon.” Social Science and Medicine, (in-press).

Zevallos, K, G. Sandhu, K Sacksteder, P Yori, M Kosek, WK Pan, C Banda, B Herrera, T Valencia, RH Gilman, C Vidal, G Meza, KC Vergara, HH Garcia, CA Evans. “Human immunity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigens is augmented by deworming” Journal of Infectious Disease (accepted).

Salmon, DA, PJ Smith, WK Pan, AM Navar, SB Omer, N Halsey. “Disparities in Preschool Immunization Coverage Associated with Maternal Age: United States, 2001-2003” (2009) Human Vaccines, V5(8)

Villaran, M., SM Montano, G Gonzalvez, LM Moyano, JC Chero, S Rodriguez, AE Gonzalez, WK Pan, VCW Tsang, RH Gilman and H. Garcia (2009) “Epilepsy and Neurocysticercosis: an Incidence Study in a Peruvian Rural Population” Neuroepidemiology, V33: 25-31

Vittor, AY, WK Pan, RH Gilman, J Tielsch, G Glass, T Shields, WS Lozano, VV Pinedo, JA Patz. (2009) “Ecological characteristics of Anopheles darlingi breeding habitat in the Amazon.” American Journal of Tropical Medicine & Hygeine, V81(1): 5-12

Walkup, JT, A Barlow, BC Mullany, WK Pan, N Goklish, R Hastings, B Cowboy, P Fields, EV Baker, K Speakman, G Ginsburg, R Reid (2009) “Randomized controlled trial of a paraprofessional-delivered in-home intervention for young reservation-based, American Indian mothers” Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, V48 (6): 591-601

Salmon, DA, M Sotir, WK Pan, J Davis, SB Omer, J Berg, S Stokley, D Hopfensberger, N Halsey. “Parental Vaccine Refusal in Wisconsin: A Case Control Study” Wisconsin Medical Journal, V108(1): 17-23

Escombe, R., D.A.J. Moore, R.H. Gilman, WK Pan, M. Navincopa, E. Ticona, C. Martinez, L. Caviedes, P. Sheen, A. Gonzalez, C.J. Noakes, J.S. Friedland, C. Evans. (2008) “The infectiousness of tuberculosis patients co-infected with HIV.” PLoS Medicine, September 2008, V5(3): e188.

Oswald, WE, GC Hunter, AG Lescano, L. Cabrera, E Leontsini, WK Pan, V Paz-Soldan, RH Gilman (2008) “Direct observation of hygiene in a Peruvian shantytown: Not enough handwashing and too little water” Tropical Medicine & International Health. V13(11): 1421-8

Kosek, M., P Yori, WK Pan, M. Paredes-Olortegui, RH Gilman, J Peres, CB Chavez, GM Sanchez, R Burga, E Hall (2008) “Epidemiology of highly endemic multiply antibiotic resistant Shigellosis in children in the Peruvian Amazon”. Pediatrics, 122(3): e541-549

Carr, DL, WK Pan, RE Bilsborrow, C Suchindran, TM Whitmore, F Murtinho (2008) “Un análisis multi-nivel de población y deforestación en El Parque Nacional Sierra de Lacandón, Petén, Guatemala” Documents d’Anàlisi Geogràfica

Salmon, DA, WK Pan, SB Omer, AM Navar, W Orenstein, EK Marcuse, J Taylor, MP deHart, S Stokley, T Carter, N Halsey (2008). “Vaccine knowledge and practices of primary care providers of exempt vs. vaccinated children” Human Vaccines, V4 (4)

Beck, AL., RH Gilman, L Cabrera, WK Pan, V Cama, JS Friedland, J Lewis, MA Gatei, SR Bloom (2008) “Peptide YY: A gut hormone associated with anorexia during infectious diarrhea in children” Journal of Pediatrics, V153(5): 677-82.

Gavidia, C., AE Gonzalez, W Zhang, DP McManus L Lopera, B Ninaquispe, HH Garcia, S Rodriguez, M Verastegui, C Calderon, WK Pan, RH Gilman (2008) “Study of cystic echinococcosis in nine Peruvian highland communities using four diagnostic methods” Emerging Infectious Diseases, V14(2): 260-266.

Pan, WK, D.L. Carr, A. Barbieri, RE Bilsborrow, and CM Suchindran (2007) “Forest clearing in the Ecuadorian Amazon: A study of patterns over space and time” Population Research and Policy Review. V26 (5-6): 635-659.

Carr, D.L. and WK Pan. “Determinants of childbirth on the Ecuadorian Frontier: 1990-1999.” Professional Geographer. In-press.

Escombe, R., C.C.Oeser, R.H. Gilman, M. Navincopa, C. Martinez, E. Ticona, J. Chacaltana, R. Rodriguez, WK Pan, D.A.J. Moore, J.S. Friedland, C. Evans (2007). “Natural ventilation for the prevention of airborne contagion.” PLoS Medicine, 4(2): e68.

Carr, D.L., WK Pan, and R.E. Bilsborrow (2006). “Declining Fertility on the Frontier: The Ecuadorian Amazon.” Population and Environment, V28 (1): 17-39.

S.B. Omer, WK Pan, N.A. Halsey, S. Stokley, L.H. Moulton, A.M Navar, M. Pierce, D.A. Salmon (2006). “Non-medical exemptions to school immunization requirements: Secular trends and association of state policies with Pertussis incidence” Journal of the American Medical Association, V296 (14): 1757-63.

R.W. Linkins, D.A. Salmon, S.B. Omer, WK Pan, S. Stokley, N.A. Halsey (2006). “Support for immunization registries among parents of vaccinated and unvaccinated school-aged children: A case-control study” BMC Public Health, 6:236.

Barlow, A., Spearman, K., E. Varipatis-Baker, G. Ginsburg, I. Friberg, N. Goklish, B. Cowboy, P. Fields, R. Hastings, WK Pan, R. Reid, M. Santosham, J. Walkup (2006). “Home visiting intervention to improve child care among American Indian adolescent mothers” Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine V160 (11): 1101-1107.

Salmon, D.A., P.J. Smith, A.M. Navar, WK Pan, S.B. Omer, N.A. Halsey (2006). “Measuring immunization coverage among pre-school children: Past, present and future opportunities” Epi Reviews, 28: 27-40.

Saito, M., WK Pan, R.H. Gilman, C.T. Bautista, S. Bamrahi, C.A. Martín, S.J. Tsiouris, F. Arguelles, G. Martinez. (2006). “Comparison of altitude effect on Mycobacterium tuberculosis” The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. V75(1): 49-54

Conlisk, E, WK Pan, and S.K. Proescholdbell (2006). “Support for tobacco control policies among youth in North Carolina” NC Medical Journal. May/June, V67 (3):175-9

Barbieri, A., R.E. Bilsborrow, and WK Pan (2005). “Farm household lifecycles and land use in the Ecuadorian Amazon” Population and Environment. 27 (1): 1-27.

Pan, WK, D.L. Carr, and RE Bilsborrow (2005) Causes and consequences of farm fragmentation in Ecuador’s Amazon. In /Land Use and Rural Sustainability: Proceedings of Conference on Land Use and Rural Sustainability. /International Geographical Union (IGU) Commission on Land Use/Cover Change and Commission on Sustainability of Rural Systems. Aberdeen, Scotland. 10-14, 2004. Pp. 90-95.

Pan, WK, and R.E. Bilsborrow (2005). “The use of a multilevel statistical model to analyze factors influencing land use: A study of the Ecuadorian Amazon.” Global and Planetary Change. 47 (2-4): 232-252.

Bilsborrow, R.E., A. Barbieri, and WK Pan, (2004). “Changes in population and land use over time in the Ecuadorian Amazon.” Acta Amazonica, 34(4): 635-647

Pan, WK, S. Walsh, R.E. Bilsborrow, B. Frizzelle, C. Erlien, F. Baquero (2004). “Farm-level models of spatial patterns of land use and land cover dynamics in the Ecuadorian Amazon.” Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 101 (2-3).