SINAI Urban Health Institute

Steve Whitman, PhD

email: steve.whitman@sinai.org

Professional Summary
Steve Whitman has spent the last 28 years in the Chicago area doing epidemiological health research. While at the Center for Urban Affairs and Policy Research at Northwestern University from 1978 - 1991, he served as Senior Epidemiologist on a $2 million grant to effect multi-disciplinary research about epilepsy in the urban environment. Also at Northwestern University, he received a 5-year subcontract from the National Cancer Institute to supervise the epidemiological aspects of an effort to reduce breast and cervical cancer in poor Black women who live in Chicago.

In 1991, Dr. Whitman was recruited to the Chicago Department of Public Health to organize and direct the Program on Epidemiology. While there, he focused his efforts on public health issues such as infant mortality, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, lead poisoning, cancer, sexually transmitted diseases, and immunizations. He also managed the Vital Records Division of the Health Department and was Assistant Registrar for the City of Chicago. Under his leadership, the Epidemiology Program published over 25 formal reports, made more than 300 presentations in the Chicago area, and published many articles in peer -reviewed journals. The Program on Epidemiology grew from zero members to 63 members.

In March 2000, Dr. Whitman was hired to create the Sinai Urban Health Institute (SUHI). He is in charge of all evaluations of health interventions and ongoing programs as well as community-based epidemiology. The SUHI staff has grown to 34 employees and work has extended to include a major first-of-its-kind health survey of the City of Chicago and evaluations of the following Sinai health interventions: HIV counseling and testing; pediatric asthma intervention; quality improvement for mammography services; obesity prevention; and diabetes prevention. In the 11 years since SUHI was initiated, Dr. Whitman and his staff have brought in over $21 million in grant funding. He has authored over 100 publications and made over 400 presentations on public health related topics.

Education
Ph.D., Biostatistics, Yale University, 1969
M.Phil., Biostatistics, Yale University, 1968
M.S., Biometrics, University of Pittsburgh, 1964

Select Publications:

• Whitman S. In response to the letter by Dr. Karen Freund Cancer Epidemiology (2012), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.canep.2012.05.007
• Freund KM. Letter to the Editor: The racial disparity in breast cancer mortality in the 25 largest cities in the US. Cancer Epidemiology (2012), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.canep.2012.05.007
• Whitman S, Orsi J, Hurlbert M. The racial disparity in breast cancer mortality in the 25 largest cities in the United States Cancer Epidemiology 36 (2012) e147–e151.
• Allgood K, Rauscher G, Whitman S. Screening Mammography Need, Utilization and Capacity in Chicago: Can We Fulfill Our Mission and Our Promises? In N. Uchiyama & M. Zanchetta do Nascimento (Eds.), Mammography - Recent Advances. Rijeka, Croatia: InTech.
• Margellos-Anast H, Gutierrez MA, Whitman S. Improving Asthma Management among African-American Children via a Community Health Worker Model: Findings from a Chicago-Based Pilot Intervention. Journal of Asthma 2012; May 49(4): 380–389.
• Rauscher GH, Allgood KL, Whitman S, Conant E. Disparities in Screening Mammography Services by Race/Ethnicity and Health Insurance Journal of Women's Health, 2012; 21(2): 154-160.
• West, J and Whitman S. Block by Block North Lawndale Diabetes Community Action Program: Community Progress Report 2011
• Gutierrez M, Margellos-Anast H, Whitman S. Asthma in Chicago: Disparities, Perspectives, and Interventions 2011 Report. Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago
• Hunt, BR. Whitman, S. Maternal Smoking in Chicago: A Community-Level Analysis Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved. 2011 Feb; 22:194-210.
• Whitman, S. Ansell, D. Orsi, J. Francois, T. The Racial Disparity in Breast Cancer Mortality Journal of Community Health, 2011 Aug; 36(4): 588-596.
• Whitman, S. Shah, A. Benjamins, M. Urban Health: Combating Disparities with Local Data Oxford University Press, 2010.
• Benjamins, MR and Whitman S. A Culturally Appropriate School Wellness Initiative: Results of a 2-Year Pilot Intervention in 2 Jewish Schools Journal of School Health 2010;80(8):378-386.
• 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.
• Ansell D, Grabler P, Whitman S, Ferrans C, Burgess-Bishop J, Murray LR, Rao R, Marcus E. A community effort to reduce the black/white breast cancer mortality disparity in Chicago. Cancer Causes Control. 2009; 20(9): 1681-1688.
• 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.
• Shah, AM & Whitman, S. Final Report to the Chicago Community Trust. Grant ID#C2005-01173, April 2007. Chicago, Illinois: Sinai Health System, 2007.
• Whitman S, Shah AM, Silva A, Ansell D. Mammography screening in six diverse communities in Chicago-A population study. Cancer Detection and Prevention. 2007; 31:166-172.
• Silva A, Glick NR, Lyss SB, Hutchinson AB, Gift TL, Pealer N, et al. Implementing an HIV and Sexually Transmitted Disease Screening Program in an Emergency Department. Annuals of Emergency Medicine 2007; 49:564-72.
• 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.
• Hirschman J, Whitman S, Ansell D. The black:white disparity in breast cancer mortality: the example of Chicago. Cancer Causes & Control 2007;18:323-333.
• Whitman S, Silva A, Shah AM. Disproportionate Impact of Diabetes in a Puerto Rican Community of Chicago. Journal of Community Health 2006;31(6):521-31.
• Benjamins MR, Rhodes DM, Carp JM, Whitman S. A Local Community Health Survey: Findings from a Population-Based Survey of the Largest Jewish Community of Chicago. Journal of Community Health 2006; 31(6):479-95.
• Hirschman J, Whitman S, Ansell D, Grabler P, Allgood K. Breast Cancer in Chicago: Eliminating Disparities and Improving Mammography Quality. Chicago, Illinois: Sinai Urban Health Institute, October 2006.
• Benjamins M, Rhodes DM, Carp JM, Whitman S. Report of the Findings of the Jewish Community Health Survey: Final Report. Chicago, Illinois: Sinai Urban Health Institute, 2006.
• Shah, AM & Whitman, S. Progress Report to the Chicago Community Trust. Grant ID#C2005-01173, October 2006. Chicago, Illinois: Sinai Health System, 2006.
• Shah AM, Whitman S, Silva A. Variations in the Health Conditions of 6 Chicago Community Areas: A Case for Local-Level Data. American Journal of Public Health 2006;96(8):1485-91.
• 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.
• Shah AM, Whitman S. Sinai Health System's Improving Community Health Survey: Report 2 (Ten More Key Findings). Chicago, Illinois: Sinai Health System, September 2005.
• 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
• Shah AM & Whitman S. Progress Report to the Chicago Community Trust. Grant ID#C2003-00844, May 2005. Chicago, Illinois: Sinai Health System, 2005.
• Whitman S, Silva A, Shah A, Ansell D. Diversity and Disparity: GIS and Small-Area Analysis in Six Chicago Neighborhoods. Journal of Medical Systems 2004;28(4):397-411.
• Glick NR, Silva A, Zun L, Whitman S. HIV Testing in a Resource-Poor Urban Emergency Department. AIDS Education and Prevention 2004; 16(2):126-36.
• Whitman S, Williams C, Shah AM. Sinai Health System's Improving Community Health Survey: Report I (Ten Key Findings). Chicago, Illinois: Sinai Health System, January 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.
• Shah AM, Williams C, Delgado J, Whitman S. A Participatory Approach to Designing a Community Health Survey: A Report on the Survey Development Process. Chicago (IL); 2003.
• 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).
• Whitman S. Racial Disparities in Health: Taking It Personally. Public Health Reports 2001;116(5):387-89. (Guest Editorial by Whitman who edited the special issue of PHR on Health Disparities).
• 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.
• Whitman S, Silva A, Dell J. Chicago Community Health Profiles: North Lawndale. Chicago, Illinois: Sinai Urban Health Institute, 2001.
• Whitman S, Silva A, Dell J. Chicago Community Health Profiles: South Lawndale. Chicago, Illinois: Sinai Urban Health Institute, 2001.
• Ruggiero L, Moadsiri A, Butler P, Oros SM, Berbaum ML, Whitman S, Cintron D. Supporting Diabetes Self-Care in Underserved Populations: A Randomized Pilot Study Using Medical Assistant Coaches. The Diabetes Educator 2010; 36; 127.