22 March 2023 Data collection of blood samples for anemia - latest developments

Presenters:
• Leila Larson - Assistant Professor, Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, University of South Carolina
• Omar Dary - Senior Nutrition Science Specialist, Bureau for Global Health, USAID/ Washington DC.
• Sorrel Namaste - Senior Nutrition Technical Advisor, Demographic and Health Surveys Program
• Sara Wuehler - Senior Technical Advisor, Nutrition Information Systems, Nutrition International - Canada
Abstract:
Collection of blood samples from the field is a complex process. Results can be influenced by tools selected, training and data collection. Attention to detail on these points can improve quality of anemia estimates and drive more effective programming. Invited experts in the field will present research on reliability of measures across source of blood samples, tools and training conditions. Based on these findings, recommendations of current best practices and implications for future surveys and their data quality will be provided.
Bios:
Leila Larson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior at the University of South Carolina. Dr. Larson has an MPH from Columbia University and a PhD in Nutrition from Emory University. Her work in the field of global health has focused on finding effective and sustainable ways to improve early childhood development and health in resource limited settings, and novel and accurate ways of measuring nutritional and functional outcomes. She has worked on several nutrition trials in pregnancy and childhood in countries such as Liberia, India, Bangladesh, and Malawi.
Omar Dary is the Senior Nutrition Science Specialist of the Bureau for Global Health in USAID/Washington DC. He has worked in public health nutrition from basic research to strategic planning at national and global levels. He has been involved in food analysis, nutrition surveillance, food and nutrient intakes and biomarker interpretation for the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of specific nutritional interventions. His major areas of expertise are micronutrient interventions, especially food fortification, and assessment of micronutrient status. He has been an advisor to WHO, UNICEF, FAO, WFP, IAEA, PAHO, the CDC, ILSI, NI/MI, GAIN, and SUSTAIN, and he has provided technical assistance to more than 45 countries since 1990. He is current a member Technical Expert Advisory group on nutrition Monitoring (TEAM) of WHO and UNICEF. In the past, he was a member of the Steering Committees of the Micronutrient Forum, the International Vitamin A Consultative Group (IVACG), the Iodine Global Network (IGN), the International Zinc Nutrition Consultative Group (IZiNCG), and the PAHO/WHO Expert Group to Reduce Salt Intake. Omar has a BS in Biology with emphasis on analytical chemistry and biochemistry from the San Carlos University in Guatemala. He holds a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of California, Riverside.
Sorrel Namaste is the Senior Nutrition Technical Advisor for The Demographic and Health Surveys Program, where she provides technical assistance for the implementation of population-based surveys. Sorrel has experience in survey data collection and applied research, with specific expertise in nutritional assessment. Prior to joining The DHS Program, she was the Anemia Team Lead for the USAID-funded SPRING project. In this capacity, she provided technical assistance to governments to develop national strategies and conducted implementation nutrition research. Previously, she also worked for the National Institutes of Health where she was responsible for supporting large-scale global nutrition research projects. While there, she served as the co-principal investigator on the Biomarkers Reflecting Inflammation and Nutrition Determinants of Anemia (BRINDA) Project, supported the establishment of the Biomarkers of Nutrition for Development (BOND) Program, and was the Program Manager for the Iron and Malaria Safety Project.
Sara Wuehler is a Senior Technical Advisor - Nutrition Information Systems at Nutrition International in Canada. Sara works to improve nutrition programs through collection and interpretation of quality assured data for evidence-based contextually relevant interventions. Sara seeks to build capacity among collaborators to conceptualize and implement monitoring, evaluation, accountability and learning for nutrition programs; this includes development of standardized systems for timely data use and course-correction to ensure effective nutrition programs. Sara developed her expertise as a food scientist, dietitian and nutritionist while working on nutrition programs and research in Africa, Latin America and Asia. She completed a PhD in nutrition with emphasis on international nutrition, MSc in Food Science and Nutrition, and is a Registered Dietitian.