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Brady West

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American statistician
Brady Thomas West
CitizenshipUnited States
Occupation(s)Statistician, academic and author
Academic background
EducationB.S. in Statistics
M.A. in Applied Statistics
Ph.D. in Survey Methodology
Alma materUniversity of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Academic work
InstitutionsUniversity of Michigan, Ann Arbor
University of Maryland, College Park
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Brady Thomas West is an American statistician, academic and author. He is a research professor in the Survey Methodology Program (SMP) at the Survey Research Center (SRC) in the Institute for Social Research (ISR), and a research professor in the Department of Biostatistics within the School of Public Health, both at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He also serves as an Adjunct Research Professor in the Joint Program in Survey Methodology (JPSM) at the University of Maryland, College Park and as an Adjunct Instructor at the Odum Institute for Research in Social Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

West is most known for his research on measurement error, survey estimation, selection bias, survey design, interviewer effects, and multilevel regression models. He is the lead author of a book titled Linear Mixed Models: A Practical Guide using Statistical Software, Third Edition, which compares different statistical software packages in terms of their mixed-effects modeling procedures, and is also the co-author of Applied Survey Data Analysis, among other books.

West was elected Fellow of the American Statistical Association in 2022. As of 2024, he serves as an Associate Editor of Journal of Survey Statistics and Methodology and an editorial board member of Field Methods.

Education and early career

West earned a B.S. in Statistics from the University of Michigan (UM), Ann Arbor, in 2001, followed by a M.A. in Applied Statistics from the same university in 2002. He worked as a Computer Systems Consultant II and Senior Statistician/Statistical Consultant in the Center for Statistical Consultation and Research at UM during 2003 to 2007. He was appointed as a Statistician Lead for Consulting for Statistics, Computing, and Analytics Research (CSCAR) at UM from 2007 until 2018. During this time, from 2008 to 2011, he worked as a Graduate Student Research Assistant at the SMP in the ISR. He also served as an Associate at Daves and Associates Research from 2010 to 2012 while earning a Ph.D. in Survey Methodology from UM in 2011.

Career

From 2011 to 2016, West served as a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan and an Adjunct Research Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland-College Park, and held the position of Research Associate Professor and Adjunct Research Associate Professor from 2016 to 2022, respectively. He has been a research professor in the Department of Biostatistics within the School of Public Health at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, since 2023, and a research professor in the SMP at the SRC in the ISR since 2022. Additionally, he has served as an Adjunct Instructor at the Odum Institute for Research in Social Science at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill since 2012, and as an Adjunct Research Professor in the JPSM at the University of Maryland-College Park since 2022.

West has held numerous professional appointments throughout his career. In 2016, he was elected as Associate Chair of the Education Committee on the AAPOR Executive Council, assuming the role of chair for the subsequent term spanning 2017 to 2018, and as the council's Associate Chair of the Conference Committee in 2021, ultimately serving as chair of the 2023 AAPOR annual conference.

Research

West's research has explored measurement error in auxiliary variables, survey paradata, selection bias, responsive survey design, interviewer effects, and multilevel regression models for clustered and longitudinal data. His work has been featured in media outlets such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Michigan Daily.

West's publications have contributed to survey methodology and research. He is the lead author of the third edition of Linear Mixed Models, which focused on comparing mixed-effects modeling methods across different software. Carlos A. Coelho called its first edition "A very good starting point for those willing to get a more in-depth knowledge of LMMs", and Petra Macaskill applauded the authors "for undertaking—and to a large extent succeeding in—such an ambitious project." Toral Burghoff recommended the second edition book even to owners of the first edition, noting its coverage of various situations where LMMs are applied and its demonstration of commonly used software packages in different settings. Likewise, Andreas Ziegler, a book review editor of Biometrical Journal, praised the third edition, stating, "This book is perfect for readers seeking a quick reference for various situations where LMMs are applicable."

In 2010, West co-authored the book, Applied Survey Data Analysis, presenting a statistical overview of how to correctly apply modern techniques for design-based analysis of complex sample survey data. The book is in its second edition. Martin Crowder wrote that "…there is a wealth of instruction here. The writing style is expansive, keeping mathematics in check, and the material is well organized clearly into appropriate sections. I think that the book would serve any budding survey practitioner well."

West also served as a co-editor of the 2017 volume Total Survey Error in Practice, which offered insights into total survey error (TSE) and provided tools to enhance survey data quality amidst evolving large-scale datasets, emphasizing efficiency without sacrificing accuracy. In collaboration with Annelies G. Blom, he presented a research synthesis analyzing the impact of human interviewers on survey processes, using the TSE framework to assess historical trends, identify knowledge gaps, and shape future research on interviewer effects. Afterward, in 2019, he co-edited the book Experimental Methods in Survey Research that delved into the experimental designs within surveys, incorporating both probability and non-probability samples, while employing a TSE perspective to illuminate the strengths and limitations of these techniques across various disciplines. Katherine Jenny Thompson, in her review of this work, said, "As an overview of quantitative research applied to survey methodology, the book is a success. The variety of topics is comprehensive, and the literature overviews are generally very informative." Additionally, he co-edited Interviewer Effects from a Total Survey Error Perspective, published in 2020, examining interviewer roles, challenges, and solutions within survey data collection, with a focus on training, management, analysis, and data quality optimization through the TSE framework. A Public Opinion Quarterly review called this book "a timely contribution to the literature on survey interviewing," highlighting its holistic approach in studying interviewers, survey processes, and errors for a complete understanding."

Public health and medicine

West's applied research has examined substance use, mental health, and discrimination among diverse U.S. populations, revealing heightened risks for certain sexual orientation groups, increased odds of substance use disorders for LGBT adults experiencing discrimination, and complex relationships between sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, and gender with mental health disorders. He has also highlighted disparities in depression care utilization across ethnic and racial groups, and elevated substance use disorder risks among sexual minorities due to childhood victimization.

West has also made contributions to studies focusing on prescription drug use and abuse in the United States. In particular, his work has brought to light the importance of prevention efforts targeting children and adolescents, the crucial role of continued monitoring in guiding prevention and intervention efforts, the need for enhanced vigilance in prescribing and monitoring opioids among adolescents, and national trends in medical and nonmedical use of prescription opioids among US high school seniors.

Within the context of medical research, West's work has identified cholestasis and age-adjusted small bowel length as major predictors of mortality in pediatric short bowel syndrome, along with the presence of the ileocecal valve for successful weaning from parenteral nutrition. In related research, he was involved in a study that underscored improved survival rates with the ipilimumab-radiotherapy combination in melanoma brain metastases, highlighting the significance of multimodality therapy for achieving better outcomes.

Personal life

West is married to Laura Elizabeth West, with whom he has two children: Carter and Everleigh. He lives in Dexter, Michigan. He is the son of Kenneth and Tommi West, of Livonia, Michigan, and has a brother, Daniel West, who is the Director of Crisis Services for the Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network in Detroit, Michigan.

Bibliography

Books

Selected articles

  • West, B. T., & Blom, A. G. (2017). Explaining interviewer effects: A research synthesis. Journal of survey statistics and methodology, 5(2), 175–211.
  • West, B. T., Little, R. J., Andridge, R. R., Boonstra, P. S., Ware, E. B., Pandit, A., & Alvarado-Leiton, F. (2021). Assessing selection bias in regression coefficients estimated from nonprobability samples with applications to genetics and demographic surveys. The annals of applied statistics, 15(3), 1556.
  • Ren, W., Krenzke, T., West, B., & Cantor, D. (2022, April). An Evaluation of the quality of interviewer and virtual observations and their value for nonresponse bias reduction. In Survey Research Methods (Vol. 16, No. 1, pp. 97–131).
  • Wagner, J., West, B. T., Couper, M. P., Zhang, S., Gatward, R., Nishimura, R., & Saw, H. W. (2023). An Experimental Evaluation of Two Approaches for Improving Response to Household Screening Efforts in National Mail/Web Surveys. Journal of survey statistics and methodology, 11(1), 124–140.
  • West, B. T., Zhang, S., Wagner, J., Gatward, R., Saw, H. W., & Axinn, W. G. (2023). Methods for improving participation rates in national self-administered web/mail surveys: Evidence from the United States. Plos one, 18(8), e0289695.

References

  1. ^ "Brady T. West | Michigan Program in Survey and Data Science". surveydatascience.isr.umich.edu.
  2. ^ "Our Faculty - Joint Program in Survey Methodology".
  3. "Issues in the Analysis of Complex Sample Survey Data". The Odum Institute - UNC Chapel Hill.
  4. ^ Crowder, Martin (December 18, 2010). "Applied Survey Data Analysis by Steven G. Heeringa, Brady T. West, Patricia A. Berglund". International Statistical Review. 78 (3): 463. doi:10.1111/j.1751-5823.2010.00122_17.x – via CrossRef.
  5. "American Statistical Association". American Statistical Association.
  6. "Editorial Board". Oxford Academic.
  7. "Editorial Board: Field Methods: Sage Journals".
  8. "AAPOR Executive Council Meeting" (PDF).
  9. "Committees and Taskforces - AAPOR".
  10. Bakalar, Nicholas (January 3, 2009). "In B.C.S., Dollars Are the Only Relevant Numbers" – via NYTimes.com.
  11. McGinty, Jo Craven. "How Uncle Sam Conducts Surveys". WSJ.
  12. Choi, Ji Hoon (September 20, 2023). "UMich research finds forced intercourses increased during COVID". The Michigan Daily.
  13. Coelho, Carlos A.; Rodrigues, Abel M. (September 18, 2012). "Linear Mixed Models: A Practical Guide Using Statistical Software by Brady T. West, Kathleen B. Welch, and Andrzej T. Galecki: Chapmann & Hall/CRC Press (2006)". Journal of Statistical Theory and Practice. 6 (3): 590–595. doi:10.1080/15598608.2012.695708 – via CrossRef.
  14. "U-M Web Hosting". public.websites.umich.edu.
  15. Burghoff, Toral (May 18, 2016). "Linear-Mixed Models—A Practical Guide Using Statistical Software, Second Edition . B. T.West, K. B.Welch, and A. T.Galecki. (2015). Boca Raton, FL: Taylor and Francis/CRC Press. 440 pages, ISBN-10: 1466560991, ISBN-13: 978–1466560994". Biometrical Journal. 58 (3): 717–718. doi:10.1002/bimj.201500240 – via CrossRef.
  16. Ziegler, Andreas (April 18, 2023). "Linear mixed models. A practical guide using statistical software by Brady T.West, Kathleen B.Welch, Andrzej T.Gałecki, third edition, New York: Chapman & Hall/CRC. 2022. 489 pages. ISBN: 978-1-0031-8106-4. List price: £ 84.99". Biometrical Journal. 65 (4). doi:10.1002/bimj.202300025 – via CrossRef.
  17. "Explaining Interviewer Effects: A Research Synthesis".
  18. Thompson, Katherine Jenny (December 1, 2020). "Book Review: Paul J. Lavrakes, Michael W. Traugott, Courtney Kennedy, Allyson L. Holbrook, Edith D. de Leeuw, and Brady West. Experimental Methods in Survey Research: Techniques that Combine Random Sampling with Random Assignment . 2019, Wiley, ISBN: 978-1-119-08374-0, 544 pages". Journal of Official Statistics. 36 (4): 941–943. doi:10.2478/jos-2020-0046.
  19. "Kristen Olson, Jolene D. Smyth, Jennifer Dykema, Allyson L. Holbrook, Frauke Kreuter, and Brady T. West, eds. Interviewer Effects from a Total Survey Error Perspective".
  20. McCabe, Sean Esteban; Hughes, Tonda L.; Bostwick, Wendy B.; West, Brady T.; Boyd, Carol J. (August 18, 2009). "Sexual orientation, substance use behaviors and substance dependence in the United States". Addiction. 104 (8): 1333–1345. doi:10.1111/j.1360-0443.2009.02596.x. PMC 2975030. PMID 19438839.
  21. McCabe, Sean Esteban; Bostwick, Wendy B.; Hughes, Tonda L.; West, Brady T.; Boyd, Carol J. (October 18, 2010). "The Relationship Between Discrimination and Substance Use Disorders Among Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Adults in the United States". American Journal of Public Health. 100 (10): 1946–1952. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2009.163147. PMC 2937001. PMID 20075317.
  22. Bostwick, Wendy B.; Boyd, Carol J.; Hughes, Tonda L.; West, Brady T.; McCabe, Sean Esteban (March 18, 2014). "Discrimination and mental health among lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults in the United States". American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. 84 (1): 35–45. doi:10.1037/h0098851. PMC 4144327. PMID 24826824.
  23. González, Hector M.; Vega, William A.; Williams, David R.; Tarraf, Wassim; West, Brady T.; Neighbors, Harold W. (January 1, 2010). "Depression Care in the United States: Too Little for Too Few". Archives of General Psychiatry. 67 (1): 37–46. doi:10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2009.168. PMC 2887749. PMID 20048221 – via Silverchair.
  24. Hughes, Tonda; McCabe, Sean Esteban; Wilsnack, Sharon C.; West, Brady T.; Boyd, Carol J. (December 18, 2010). "Victimization and substance use disorders in a national sample of heterosexual and sexual minority women and men". Addiction. 105 (12): 2130–2140. doi:10.1111/j.1360-0443.2010.03088.x. PMC 3006226. PMID 20840174.
  25. McCabe, Sean E.; West, Brady T.; Morales, Michele; Cranford, James A.; Boyd, Carol J. (November 30, 2007). "Does early onset of non-medical use of prescription drugs predict subsequent prescription drug abuse and dependence? Results from a national study". Addiction. 102 (12): 1920–1930. doi:10.1111/j.1360-0443.2007.02015.x. PMC 2377405. PMID 17916222.
  26. McCabe, Sean Esteban; West, Brady T.; Teter, Christian J.; Boyd, Carol J. (July 1, 2014). "Trends in medical use, diversion, and nonmedical use of prescription medications among college students from 2003 to 2013: Connecting the dots". Addictive Behaviors. 39 (7): 1176–1182. doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2014.03.008. PMC 4349373. PMID 24727278.
  27. McCabe, Sean Esteban; West, Brady T.; Boyd, Carol J. (April 1, 2013). "Leftover Prescription Opioids and Nonmedical Use Among High School Seniors: A Multi-Cohort National Study". Journal of Adolescent Health. 52 (4): 480–485. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2012.08.007. PMC 3608842. PMID 23298996.
  28. McCabe, Sean Esteban; West, Brady T.; Veliz, Phil; McCabe, Vita V.; Stoddard, Sarah A.; Boyd, Carol J. (April 1, 2017). "Trends in Medical and Nonmedical Use of Prescription Opioids Among US Adolescents: 1976–2015". Pediatrics. 139 (4): e20162387. doi:10.1542/peds.2016-2387. PMC 5369669. PMID 28320868 – via Silverchair.
  29. Spencer, Ariel U.; Neaga, Andreea; West, Brady; Safran, Jared; Brown, Pamela; Btaiche, Imad; Kuzma-O'Reilly, Barbara; Teitelbaum, Daniel H. (September 18, 2005). "Pediatric Short Bowel Syndrome". Annals of Surgery. 242 (3): 403–412. doi:10.1097/01.sla.0000179647.24046.03. PMC 1357748. PMID 16135926.
  30. Silk, Ann W.; Bassetti, Michael F.; West, Brady T.; Tsien, Christina I.; Lao, Christopher D. (December 18, 2013). "Ipilimumab and radiation therapy for melanoma brain metastases". Cancer Medicine. 2 (6): 899–906. doi:10.1002/cam4.140. PMC 3892394. PMID 24403263.
  31. "Brady West".
  32. "Obituary Norma Mozier".
  33. "Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network - Daniel West" (PDF).
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