Professor Adrian Esterman

It was dark already, and the air felt cold and damp. As I walked along the Mall, the shops tried hard to dispel the gloom with their brightly lit displays, but they didn’t quite succeed. I ducked into a café and ordered a hot chocolate. I was the only customer, and the place felt like I was the only customer they had ever had. While the coffee machine hissed, I subsided into a plastic chair, and contemplated my life and career.

I went to a boys only Grammar School in London where I excelled at English and Mathematics and loved writing stories. I left school at 16 and worked for four years in various clerical jobs. Then at age 20, I decided that I should really go to university, and applied for a degree in mathematics and statistics at the University of Bath. I could have gone for English, but having few qualifications for entry into University, I decided that there would be less demand for a maths course. To my amazement (and trepidation), they accepted me, and so my future was set.

As part of my statistics course I worked in a medical research centre, which got me interested in biostatistics, and eventually epidemiology. From Bath I went to the prestigious London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and eventually started work with the World Health Organisation in Geneva. Eventually, I moved to Copenhagen, and finally to Adelaide in 1981. Thirty years later I am still working in epidemiology and biostatistics, and can hand over heart, say that it is a great profession and I have thoroughly enjoyed my career. I leave it to you, dear reader, to judge how life has treated me.

Now that I am approaching retirement, perhaps I'll have a go at writing again. They say that as you get older, you start to regress back to your childhood!

Back to reality and some housekeeping! If you would like to see me, please make an appointment with Jacqui Howard on 8302 2706.

I am often asked to recommend a good textbook. So here are my current thoughts:

• Basic biostatistics: Medical statistics by Kirkwood and Sterne
• Advanced biostatistics: Statistical methods in medical research by Armitage, Berry and Mathews
• Basic epidemiology:Essential epidemiology by Webb, Bain and Pirozzo
• Advanced epidemiology: Epidemiology - Study design and data analysis by Mark Woodward

Finally, I provide below some useful links:

Online statistical calulations

Australasian Epidemiological Association

Free statistical software

• Biostatistics
• Epidemiology
• Research methods

Australasian Epidemiology Association (AEA)
Clinical Oncological Society of Australia (COSA)
International Epidemiological Association (IEA)
International Society for Clinical Biostatistics (ISCB)

BSc (hons) Statistics - University of Bath UK
MSc Medical Statistics - University of London
PhD Epidemiology - Flinders University
Postgraduate Diploma of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (DLSHTM)

• Collaborative research in epidemiology and clincial practice
  In particular, I work closely with a number of researchers in other institutions, including:
  Prof Doug McEvoy, Repatriation General Hospital, Sleep apnoea
  A/Prof Brian Smith, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Respiratory medicine
  Dr Carole Pinnock, Repatriation General Hospital, Prostate cancer
  Professor Neil Piller, Flinders University, Lymphodoema and palliative care
  Dr Michael Goggin, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Eye surgery
  Dr Sam Robinson, Flinders Medical Centre, Upper airways surgery
  A/Prof Simon Carney, Flinders Medical Centre, ENT surgery
  A/Prof Linnett Sanchez, Flinders University, Ear health in indigenous communities
• Consulting
  Clinical Trial Statistician for the VIPER-BP Study in colloboration with the Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute
  Consultant for the ANZASM National Mortality Report, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
  Consultant biostatistian and epidemiologist for Advanced Scientific Communications Pty Ltd
  

Current grants
McDermott R, Hoy W, Wenitong M, Segal L, Esterman A. Getting better at chronic care in north Queensland. A cluster randomised trial of patient-centred care delivered by Indigenous clients. NHMRC Partnership Grant $1,720,376. 2010

Olds T, Norton K, Dollman J, Esterman A. NHMRC Project Grant. Testing the "activitystat" hypothesis. $565,788 2010-2102.

Hillier S, English C, Crotty M, Segal L, Bernhardt J, Esterman A. NHMRC Project Grant. Circuit therapy for rehabilitation clients. A pragmatic randomized controlled trial of therapy intensity (CIRCUIT). $503,500 2010-2013.

Young G, Cole S, Esterman A, Turnbull D, Wilson C, Flight I. Re-participation in screening for colorectal cancer: Behavioural outcomes and predictors. NHMRC Project Grant. $659,875. 2008-2010.

Gilbert A, Roughead E, McDermott R, Ryan P, Esterman A, Stewart S, Luszcz M. The development and evaluation of management strategies designed to address poly-morbidity in older people: Implications for health policy planning, practitioners and patients. NHMRC Program Grant. $2,000,000 (2007-2011).

McDermott R, Esterman A, Buckley J, d’Abbs P, Tsey K, Segal L. Building a cohort of Indigenous research leaders in community health development. NHMRC Capacity Building Grant in Population Health. $2,376,107 (2007 – 2011).

2009 publications
Zhang Y, Chow V, Vitry A, Ryan P, Roughead E, Caughey G, Ramsay E, Gilbert A, Esterman A, Luszcz M. Antidepressant use and depressive symptomatology among older people from the Australian Longitudinal Study of Ageing. International Psychogeriatrics (Accepted for publication 13/11/2009).

Harris M, Smith B, Veale A, Esterman A, Frith P, Selim P. Providing reviews of evidence to COPD patients: controlled prospective 12-month trial. Chronic Respiratory Disease, Vol. 6, No. 3, 165-173 (2009)

Zingg U, Langton C, Addison B, Wijnhoven BP, Forberger J, Thompson SK, Esterman AJ, Watson DI. Risk prediction scores for postoperative mortality after esophagectomy: validation of different models. J Gastrointest Surg. 2009 Apr;13(4):611-8.

Goh L, Vitry A, Semple S, Esterman A, Luszcz M. Self-medication with over-the-counter drugs and complementary medications in South Australia's elderly population.BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine (accepted for publication 15/10/09).

Dollman J, Olds T, Esterman A, Kupke T. Pedometer step guidelines in relation to weight status among 5-16 year old Australians. Pediatric Exercise Science (accepted for publication 25/9/09)

Bucher C, Zuberbuhler B, Goggin M, Esterman A, Schipper I. Corneal Limbal Marking in the Treatment of Myopic Astigmatism with the Excimer Laser. J Refract Surg. 2009 Sep 2:1-7. [Epub ahead of print]

Kaufmann C, Thiel MA, Esterman A, Dougherty PJ, Goggin M. Astigmatic change in biaxial microincision cataract surgery with enlargement of one incision: a prospective controlled study. Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology 2009; 37: 254-261.

Chawla S, Robinson S, Norton A, Esterman A, Taneerananon T. Peri-operative use of Dexmedetomidine in airway reconstruction surgery for obstructive sleep apnoea. Journal of Laryngology and Otology (Accepted for publication 28/5/09).

Crawford G, Robinson J, Hunt R, Piller N, Esterman A. Estimating survival in cancer patients receiving palliative care: Is analysis of body composition using bioimpedance helpful? Journal of Palliative Medicine (Accepted for publication, 2009).

Vitry A, Hoile A, Gilbert A, Esterman A, Luszcz M. The risk of falls and fractures associated with persistent use of psychotropic medications in the elderly. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics (Available online 6 May 2009)

Chai CL, Antic N, Rowland LS, Catcheside P, Esterman A, Reed R, Williams H, Dunn S, McEvoy RD. Development and Validation of a Simplified Method for Identifying Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Primary Care. Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., Apr 2009; 179: A1249.

Kaufmann C, Krishnan A, Landers J, Esterman A, Thiel MA, Goggin M. Astigmatic neutrality in biaxial microincisional cataract surgery. Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery J Cataract Refract Surg. 2009 Sep;35(9):1555-62.

Robinson S, Chia M, Carney S, Chawla S, Harris P, Esterman A. Upper airway reconstructive surgery long-term quality-of-life outcomes compared with CPAP for adult obstructive sleep apnea. Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery (Accepted for publication, 24/3/09).

Low TH, Harris P, Esterman A, Carney AS. Pain versus bleeding risk following tonsillectomy: do patients and doctors agree? J Laryngol Otol. 2009 Jan 20:1-6.

Antic NA, Buchan C, Esterman A, Hensley M, Naughton MT, Rowland S, Williamson B, Windler S, Eckermann S, McEvoy RD. A Randomised Controlled Trial of Nurse Led Care for Symptomatic Moderate-severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2009 March pp 501-508.

Kaufmann C, Thiel M, Esterman A. , Goggin M, Astigmatic change in biaxial microincisional cataract surgery with enlargement of one incision – a prospective controlled study. Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology. 2009 Apr;37(3):254-61.

Zingg U, McQuinn A, Divalentino D, Esterman AJ, Bessell JR, Thompson SK, Jamieson GG, Watson DI. Minimally invasive versus open esophagectomy for patients with esophageal cancer. Ann Thorac Surg. 2009 Mar;87(3):911-9.

McEvoy RD, Pierce RJ, Hillman D, Esterman A, Ellis EE, Catcheside PG, O'Donoghue FJ, Barnes DJ, Grunstein RR. Nocturnal Non-Invasive Nasal Ventilation in Stable Hypercapnic COPD: A Randomised Controlled Trial. Thorax. 2009 Feb 12. [Epub ahead of print]

Olds T, Esterman A. Who meets adolescent activity guidelines? A market segmentation approach. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, Volume 12, Supplement 1, January 2009, Pages S8-S9.

I am able to provide media comment in the following areas of expertise:

Discipline: Statistics

• Epidemiology
• Biostatistics