About

Ann M. Brearley is an Associate Professor of Biostatistics at the University of Minnesota. Her research focuses on statistical consulting and education, particularly in the health sciences, with a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary research and translational science. She has contributed to projects addressing critical health issues such as respiratory distress in preterm infants, neurodevelopmental interventions for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, and the use of nasal swabs to predict methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections. Her work aligns with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including Zero Hunger, Good Health and Well-being, Quality Education, Industry Innovation and Infrastructure, and Sustainable Cities and Communities. Brearley is actively involved in advancing workforce development and scientific collaboration through novel educational resources and community partnerships that provide statistical consulting experience to graduate students. Her research outputs include peer-reviewed articles and systematic reviews that contribute to improving clinical research representation, generalizability, and statistical education for health science learners.

Research topics

• Pediatrics
• Internal medicine
• Medicine
• Psychology
• Clinical psychology
• Pathology
• Psychiatry

Selected publications

• Methicillin-Resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> Nasal Swab Utilization as a Predictor for Methicillin-Resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> Skin and Soft Tissue Infections: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

  Open Forum Infectious Diseases · 2026-04-11

  articleOpen access

  Background: (MRSA) infections are associated with high morbidity and mortality, though isolation on a culture can often be difficult We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine use of MRSA nasal swabs for the prediction of this organism as a cause of skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI). Method: Electronic databases were systematically searched. Selected studies were combined and data extracted and analyzed to calculate diagnostic performance characteristics. Results: Twenty-five studies were included. The overall positive predictive value was 70% and negative predictive value 87%. The positive and negative predictive values were 77% and 87% for a mixed composite of SSTIs, 71% and 91% for purulent infections, 63% and 87% for diabetic foot infections, and 48% and 79% for surgical site infections, respectively. Conclusions: Nasal screening as a predictor for MRSA SSTIs has a high negative predictive value in areas where MRSA prevalence is low.

  PublisherDOI

• Advancing workforce development and scientific collaboration: A novel resource for biostatistical education

  Journal of Clinical and Translational Science · 2025-01-01 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  A clinical and translational scientist (CTS) often seeks to increase their knowledge of statistical topics to effectively conduct biomedical research studies. A common method for obtaining this knowledge is through existing online educational materials that are suggested by a biostatistical collaborator or identified by the CTS. However, the volume of available educational materials on diverse statistical topics makes the task of identifying high-quality educational resources at an appropriate level challenging and time consuming for CTSs and collaborative biostatisticians. In response to these challenges, the Biostats4You website was created, where existing online educational materials for a variety of statistical topics are vetted to identify those most appropriate for CTSs. In this manuscript, we describe the resource review process, provide information about statistical topics and resources currently available, and make recommendations for how CTSs and collaborative biostatisticians can utilize the Biostats4You website to improve training, mentoring, and collaborative research practices.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Testing a Liquid Crystal Visual Thermometer Device in Newborns and Young Infants

  Cureus · 2025-05-25

  articleOpen access

  Objective Severe neonatal jaundice is a major cause of death and disability among newborns in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Filtered sunlight phototherapy (FSPT) is safe and effective but requires hourly temperature monitoring to detect hyperthermia/hypothermia. This need for close temperature monitoring by family members and community health extension workers is impeding FSPT scale-up in LMICs, where healthcare providers are scarce and nurseries are understaffed. The ability of a caregiver to accurately measure temperature can affect infant health outcomes in many other illnesses as well. This study aims to evaluate the accuracy and usability of a modified Liquid Crystal Thermometer Device (LCTD) strip, modified from the original ThermoSpot™ (Maternova, Providence, RI), for caregivers and healthcare providers in measuring infant temperatures. The modification was attempted to improve monitoring for hyperthermia better than the original ThermoSpot™, which had only one color for hyperthermia but three colors for hypothermia, and changed as the infants got colder. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study of infants (zero to six months) at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital (UMMCH) in Minnesota and Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) in Nigeria. Analysis was limited to 40 infants enrolled at LUTH following preliminary data review. We compared standard of care (SoC) temperatures using digital thermometers with LCTD readings at five different time points over two hours. Photos of the LCTD strips were taken at each time point and were later reviewed by researchers. Results Forty infants were studied to determine the agreement between LCTD readings and SoC temperatures. These results were then compared between caregivers and researchers. The average agreement between all readers (caregivers and research assistants) was 64%. After a methodological adjustment to remove the initial LCTD temperature reading from each infant's dataset, the overall agreement rate between caregivers and research assistants was 63.5%. We also separately analyzed the accuracy of caregiver and research assistant readings of the LCTD strip when compared to the SoC temperature, finding that caregivers had an overall accuracy of 65%, while the research assistants had an overall accuracy of 63%. Lastly, we conducted a blinded photo analysis among research assistants to determine whether LCTD readings were being interpreted consistently between researchers, and found a slight bias for higher temperatures: for readings at or above 37°C, the interpreted temperature tended to be higher than the measured temperature. Conclusion The modified LCTD did not correlate well with digital thermometer temperature readings. Further modifications are needed to make it useful for managing neonates under FSPT and other conditions/illnesses where temperature monitoring is advised. There remains a gap in providing illiterate caregivers a reliable way to determine if their infant is normothermic and safe under FSPT.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Representation and generalizability in clinical research: Back to basics

  Journal of Clinical and Translational Science · 2025-01-01

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Leveraging a Community Partnership to Provide Statistical Consulting Experience to Graduate Student Trainees

  Journal of Statistics and Data Science Education · 2025-04-16

  articleOpen access

  De-identified and non-identifiable subset of the survey data for paper titled "Leveraging a Community Partnership to Provide Statistical Consulting Experience to Graduate Student Trainees"

  PublisherDOI

• Editorial: ”How Communities and Research Institutions Work Together to Dismantle Structural Racism and Advance Health Equity”

  Journal of Participatory Research Methods · 2024-07-23

  editorialOpen access

  By J. Robin Moon, Ann M. Brearley & 1 more. Introduction to the special issue entitled "How Communities and Research Institutions Work Together to Dismantle Structural Racism and Advance Health Equity?"

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Diagnosing Statistical Education Needs of Health Science Learners

  Journal of Statistics and Data Science Education · 2024-03-21 · 3 citations

  articleOpen access

  Many types of health science learners, including clinical and translational scientists, students, researchers, and clinicians, seek to increase their knowledge of biostatistics. These learners are heterogeneous in their field, career stage and career focus. Based on the collective experience of an expert panel with over 115 years teaching statistics to health science learners, we propose a framework for considering the needs of health science learners motivated by their career goals. This framework defines four types of health science learners seeking statistical training: (1) consumers, (2) "milestone makers", (3) biomedical researchers with statistical support, and (4) biomedical researchers without statistical support. Each type of learner has different levels at which they need to understand statistical topics for their careers, such as when to use a particular statistical method or why a given method works; these differing levels of understanding are detailed in our proposed framework. Further, this framework identifies the expectations that each of these types of learners should have for gaining statistical knowledge in a single seminar, multiple seminars, a seminar series, an accredited course, or a certificate/degree program. Advantages and disadvantages of widely used educational formats for these learners are also described. From this work, health science learners seeking biostatistical training or those who are planning a training program for others can gain insight into identifying appropriate statistical training goals for the type of learner with which they identify. Statistical educators may also use these guidelines to help health science learners align expectations for various types of training.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Outcomes of Phacoemulsification With or Without Kahook Dual Blade Goniotomy for Glaucoma Patients With Cataract

  Journal of Glaucoma · 2024-05-15 · 5 citations

  review

  PRÉCIS: This meta-analysis examines the comparative efficacy of phacoemulsification with and without Kahook Dual Blade Goniotomy in individuals with glaucoma and cataract, aiming to elucidate optimal surgical approaches for coexisting conditions. PURPOSE: The purpose of this current study is to compare the effect of combining Kahook Dual Blade (KDB) goniotomy with phacoemulsification versus phacoemulsification alone on intraocular pressure (IOP) and medication reduction in patients with glaucoma and cataract. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis utilizing computer databases, including Embase (OVID), MEDLINE (OVID and PubMed), CINHAL (EBSCO), and the Cochrane Library (Wiley). We included studies examining the IOP-lowering effect of KDB goniotomy combined with phacoemulsification and studies that examined the IOP-lowering effect of phacoemulsification alone in patients with open angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. The mean reduction of IOP and the reduction in topical glaucoma eye drops after surgery were determined. RESULTS: A total of 26 studies were included, reporting on 1659 patients, 684 patients underwent phacoemulsification alone, and 975 underwent combined phacoemulsification and KDB goniotomy. A 9.62% IOP reduction from baseline occurred following phacoemulsification as a solo procedure compared with 22.74% following combined KDB goniotomy with phacoemulsification. Similarly, the combination of the procedures caused a significant drop in the mean number of glaucoma eye drops used [mean reduction=1.35, 95% CI (1.08, 1.61)] compared with phacoemulsification alone [mean reduction=0.36, 95% CI (0.06, 0.66)]. Funnel plots suggested the absence of publication bias. CONCLUSIONS: Both phacoemulsification alone or combined with KDB goniotomy result in a significant decrease in post-op IOP and topical glaucoma eye drops. The combination of these 2 procedures outperforms phacoemulsification alone in terms of both parameters.

  PublisherDOI

• Development and Evaluation of a Reliable Medication Management Self-Assessment Checklist

  INNOVATIONS in pharmacy · 2024-03-18 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  An ability to effectively self-manage medications is the result of several factors influencing a person's decision to take medications. The need for new approaches to medication self-management are evident in the persistent trends of ineffective medication use and unfortunate consequences, referred to as drug-related morbidity and mortality. Fortunately, pioneering initiatives have emerged to reshape our approach for developing a rational organizational paradigm so that patients can confidently self-manage medications. Favorable outcomes of studies pertaining to the delivery of comprehensive medication therapy management services within the practice of pharmaceutical care prompts the question, 'Can patients and family members apply a consistent and systematic 4-step pharmacotherapy assessment process to better organize their decision-making and confidence in medication self-management?' To answer this question an Effective Medication Self-Management Toolkit based on this 4-step process, and a Medication Management Self-efficacy Checklist, were developed and evaluated for feasibility, acceptability, and internal consistency reliability. The first evaluation established the preliminary acceptability and feasibility of the toolkit using a convenience sample of 39 residents of independent living facilities in focus group sessions. All participants indicated they perceive that the 4-step process can help individuals successfully self-manage medications. At the conclusion of the focus group sessions, all 39 participants completed the 7-item post-session checklist. This paper presents the second evaluation to establish the internal consistency reliability of the toolkit's Medication Management Self-efficacy Checklist using Cronbach's alpha. There was good internal consistency of the self-efficacy checklist with a Cronbach's alpha value of 0.82. This investigation of a novel approach for applying the 4-step pharmacotherapy assessment process by patients suggests that the medication self-efficacy checklist provides a reliable and useful measure of a patient's confidence in self-managing medications.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• 404 Mechanisms of a Dynamic Stability Protocol for Persons with Thumb Osteoarthritis

  Journal of Clinical and Translational Science · 2024-04-01 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Our aims are to 1) describe changes in thumb Carpometacarpal (CMC1) joint stability following an 8-week clinic-based dynamic stability exercise program using computerized tomography (CAT) and 2) to evaluate the agreement between ultrasound and CAT (reference standard) when quantifying thumb CMC stability. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Aim 1: We have enrolled 13/49 participants in a prospective pre-post interventional study of an 8-week clinic-based occupational therapy dynamic stability program. The primary outcome will be change in stability (thumb metacarpal subluxation in mm) when forcefully loading the thumb as per CAT from pre-treatment to post-treatment at 9 weeks. Aim 2: Same 49 participants are undergoing a one-time ultrasound during baseline assessment. Agreement of ultrasound and CAT measurements (thumb metacarpal subluxation in mm) will be assessed by the Bland-Altman method. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Exercise is a first-line treatment of CMC1 OA yet there is insufficient evidence to support this. Progression of CMC1 OA is characterized by altered joint mechanics. Joint replacement surgery may reduce pain but often worsens thumb mechanics and overall hand function. This study is the first to test the sustained biomechanical effects of non-invasive thumb exercises. Should these benefits exist, this will further support exercise as a first-tier intervention. Should ultrasound be a suitable proxy for CAT, therapists/physicians could monitor thumb CMC mechanics in response to treatment without risk of radiation exposure. We anticipate 1) a statistically significant reduction in thumb CMC subluxation at 9 weeks follow up and 2) high agreement between sonographic and CAT measures of thumb stability. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: This study will lay the foundation for future work and may offer critical support for the use of a non-pharmacological and non-surgical approach as first-line treatment of a highly disabling disease. Future study should include controlled trials where hand function, activity limitation, disease progression, and costs are the outcomes in interest.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Tina M. Slusher

  University of Minnesota

  20 shared

• Carlos F. Mendes de Leon

  Georgetown University

  16 shared

• Cari J. Clark

  Emory University

  16 shared

• Kimberly M. Henderson

  Mayo Clinic

  16 shared

• Neelum T. Aggarwal

  Rush University Medical Center

  16 shared

• Denis A. Evans

  Rush University Medical Center

  16 shared

• Todd Beck

  Rush University Medical Center

  16 shared

• Scott Lunos

  University of Minnesota

  16 shared

Education

• Ph.D., Public Health

  University of Minnesota

  2005

• M.S., Public Health

  University of Minnesota

  1999

• B.A., Public Health

  University of California, Berkeley

  1996

Awards & honors

• Charles N. Hewitt Creative Teaching Award, University of Min…