Research insights from a statistician working on mental health
August 1, 2024
Yi Zhang works with data—a lot of data—everyday. But data aren’t just numbers. Zhang’s efforts to make sense of mind-boggling amounts of information has an important purpose. That is, to harness the power of data to enhance healthcare delivery and policy decisions.
Zhang, a senior statistician at the UC Davis Center for Healthcare Policy and Research (CHPR), is working in collaboration with research partners at UC San Francisco and UC San Diego to collect and analyze data from multiple California counties as part of the EPI-CAL project. Through county funding from the innovations component of the Mental Health Services Act, this portion of the project aims to understand the costs associated with providing early psychosis care at the individual level. These costs are then compared to costs incurred by individuals with psychosis who did not receive specialized early psychosis care.
“The goal is to transform mental health care in California. But to get there, we need to collect, code, and analyze enormous amounts of data,” said Zhang. “Statistically speaking, we can’t compare apples to oranges, so I need to turn oranges into apples.”
Data collection, cleaning, and recoding is a meticulous process, and Zhang's role is pivotal in shaping the project's foundation. He receives raw patient service records from multiple California counties, each with its own unique format, content, and intricacies. This initial phase demands extensive communication and collaboration with county officials and other researchers to navigate data intricacies and ensure accuracy.
The goal is to transform mental health care in California. But to get there, we need to collect, code, and analyze enormous amounts of data.”—Yi Zhang, a senior statistician at the Center for Healthcare Policy and Research.
Zhang compiles the various datasets into a standardized format so the research team can run an “apples-to-apples” analysis. This harmonization process not only facilitates inter-county comparisons but also sets the stage for a statewide dataset—a foundational resource for future public health initiatives. The challenges of this harmonization process have previously stopped mental health researchers from attempting state-wide analyses.
Beyond data harmonization, Zhang also provides the research team insights through statistical summaries and analyses at the county and state level.
Learning Health Care Network Early Psychosis (EP) programs incorporate information about an individual’s recovery and wellness into their mental health care. Surveys are collected every six months from program participants, family members, or support persons. Zhang also merges, cleans, and recodes the survey data for use in the EPI-CAL project.
“Yi and other data analysts and statisticians are essential for the EPI-CAL project’s success,” said Tara Niendam, a professor at UC Davis and director and principal investigator for EPI-CAL. “As the project moves forward, we will delve into cost-effective analyses using advanced methodologies, such as propensity-score matching, and are thrilled to have Yi’s expertise and support.”
Underscoring the project’s interdisciplinary approach, the EPI-CAL project team is large with researchers from multiple universities. Zhang said ongoing support and collaboration with other researchers is critical to the project’s success. One example he emphasized is the importance of weekly meetings with Dan Tancredi, a CHPR core faculty member and professor at the UC Davis School of Medicine, who also works on the EPI-CAL project. Top of Form
EPI-CAL is part of EPINET, a larger national project.
The Center for Healthcare Policy and Research’s mission is to facilitate research, promote education, and inform policy about health and health care. The goal is to improve the health of the public by contributing new knowledge about access, delivery, cost, quality and outcomes related to health care and providing rigorous evidence to policymakers and other stakeholders. CHPR executes its mission through interdisciplinary and collaborative research; education and career development; and research synthesis and dissemination.
