SINAI Urban Health Institute

Helen Margellos-Anast, MPH

Professional Summary
Since joining the Sinai Urban Health Institute as an Epidemiologist in January 2001, Helen has gained extensive experience working in the area of health disparities, the design and evaluation of health interventions, the effective presentation of epidemiological data to various audiences, survey design, methodology and analysis, and the process of working with the community to best address its health needs. As a Senior Epidemiologist with the Sinai Urban Health Institute, Helen places strong value on data and sound research methodology to guide activities and provide answers to questions. She combines those values with a strong belief that the interpretation of data, and the subsequent translation of data into appropriate action, is best done in collaboration with the community. Much of her work has focused on pediatric asthma and associated disparities. She participated in Sinai's Improving Community Health Survey, the largest ever door-to-door comprehensive health survey conducted in Chicago, served as Evaluation Coordinator for two subsequent pediatric asthma interventions conducted by Sinai, and Project Director for the expansion of one of these pediatric asthma interventions to six other areas in Illinois. Helen is currently serving as Project Director of Healthy Home, Healthy Child: The Westside Children’s Asthma Partnership, a CDC-funded translational research effort utilizing community health workers to improve asthma management. An author and lecturer on a variety of topics, Helen’s other primary research interests include childhood obesity and health disparities.  

Helen was elected to the Board of Directors of the Chicago Asthma Consortium in March 2006 and currently serves as the Chair (2009-2010). Helen is also a member of the Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children (CLOCC).

Education
M.P.H., Epidemiology, University of Minnesota, 2000
B.S., Biology, University of Minnesota, 1996

Select Publications:

• Gutierrez M, Margellos-Anast H, Whitman S. Asthma in Chicago: Disparities, Perspectives, and Interventions 2011 Report. Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago
• Whitman, S. Shah, A. Benjamins, M. Urban Health: Combating Disparities with Local Data Oxford University Press, 2010.
• Orsi, JM. Margellos-Anast, H. Whitman, S. Black:White Health Disparities in the United States and Chicago: A 15-Year Progress Analysis. Am J Public Health. 2010 Feb; 100(2): 349-56.
• Margellos-Anast H, Shah A, Whitman S. Prevalence of obesity among children in six Chicago communities: Findings from a health survey. Public Health Reports 2008; 123:117-125.
• Orsi JM, Margellos-Anast H, Perlman TS, Giloth BE, Whitman S. Cancer screening knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors among culturally Deaf adults: Implications for informed decision making. Cancer Detection and Prevention 2007; 31:474-479.
• Perlman T, Hedding T, Balfanz-Vertiz K, Cradock C, DeGutis D, Estarziau M, Foster L, Giloth B, Kaufman G, Margellos-Anast H, Miller L, Orsi J, Whitman S. Report on the Findings and Recommendations of Improving Access to Health and Mental Health Care for Chicago's Deaf Community-Phase II. Chicago (IL); September 2007.
• Margellos-Anast H, Whitman S and Seals G. Report of the Findings and Recommendations of Sinai's Pediatric Asthma Intervention-2: Final Report. Chicago, IL, 2007.
• Margellos-Anast Helen, Whitman Steven, Gutierrez Melissa, Seals Gloria, Jajoo Depak. Use of Lay Health Educators to Improve Asthma Management Among African-American Children. Chicago Asthma Consortium Publication. Chicago, Spring 2007.
• Karnick P, Margellos-Anast H, Seals G, Whitman S, Aljadeff G, Johnson D. The Pediatric Asthma Intervention: A Comprehensive Cost-Effective Approach to Asthma Management in a Disadvantaged Inner-city Community. Journal of Asthma 2007; 44:39-44.
• Estarziau M, Morales M, Rico A, Margellos-Anast H, Whitman S, Christoffel K. The Community Survey in Humboldt Park: Preventing Obesity and Improving Health. Chicago, Illinois: Sinai Urban Health Institute, 2006.
• Margellos-Anast H, Estarziau M, Kaufman G. Cardiovascular Disease Knowledge Among Culturally Deaf Patients in Chicago. Preventive Medicine 2006; 42:235-9
• Levine M, Iliescu ME, Margellos-Anast H, Estarziau M, Ansell D. The Effects of Cocaine and Heroine Use on Intubation Rates and Hospital Utilization in Patients With Acute Asthma Exacerbations. Chest 2005; 128;1951-7.
• Margellos-Anast H, Hedding T, Perlman T, Miller L, Rodgers R, Kivland L, DeGutis D, Giloth B, Whitman S. Developing a Standardized Comprehensive Health Survey for Use With Deaf Adults. American Annals of the Deaf 2005; 150(4):388-96
• Margellos H, Hedding T, Miller L, et al. Improving Access to Health and Mental Health for Chicago's Deaf Community: A Survey of Deaf Adults. Chicago, Illinois: Sinai Health System and Advocate Health Care, 2004.
• Margellos H, Silva A, Whitman S. Comparison of Health Status Indicators in Chicago: Are Black-White Disparities Worsening? American Journal of Public Health 2004;94(1):116-21.
• Silva A, Margellos H, Whitman S, Ansell D. Is Chicago Meeting the Healthy People 2000 Goal of Reducing Disparities? Illinois Primary Health Care Association: Health Source October 2002; 5(10).
• Silva A, Whitman S, Margellos H, Ansell D. Evaluating Chicago's Success in Reaching the Healthy People 2000 Goal of Reducing Health Disparities. Public Health Reports 2001;116(5):484-94.