Kathryn L. Bacon, MPH, PhD

Assistant Professor, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine

Biography

Kathryn L. Bacon received her B.S. Computer Engineering from Case Western Reserve University, and her MPH in biostatistics and epidemiology and PhD in Epidemiology from the Boston University School of Public Health.
Dr. Bacon’s research interests include factors influencing disability, physical function, and quality of life, including physical disease, such as arthritis or diabetes, or psychosocial factors such as chronic stress, depressive symptoms, and positive affect. A key goal is to combine her computer engineering background with advanced epidemiological training to analyze complex data in research relating to diseases of aging, particularly osteoarthritis.

Publications

  • Published 2/1/2025

    James KA, Neogi T, Felson DT, Corrigan P, Lewis CL, Davis IS, Bacon KL, Torner JC, Lewis CE, Nevitt MC, Stefanik JJ. Association of walking cadence to changes in knee pain and physical function: The multicenter osteoarthritis study. Osteoarthr Cartil Open. 2025 Mar; 7(1):100575. PMID: 39995587.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 4/17/2024

    Bacon KL, Felson DT, Jafarzadeh SR, Kolachalama VB, Hausdorff JM, Gazit E, Stefanik JJ, Corrigan P, Segal NA, Lewis CE, Nevitt MC, Kumar D. Gait Alterations and Association With Worsening Knee Pain and Physical Function: A Machine Learning Approach With Wearable Sensors in the Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2024 Jul; 76(7):984-992. PMID: 38523250.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 12/23/2022

    Bacon KL, Felson DT, Jafarzadeh SR, Kolachalama VB, Hausdorff JM, Gazit E, Segal NA, Lewis CE, Nevitt MC, Kumar D. Relation of gait measures with mild unilateral knee pain during walking using machine learning. Sci Rep. 2022 Dec 23; 12(1):22200. PMID: 36564397.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 10/7/2020

    Bacon K, LaValley MP, Jafarzadeh SR, Felson D. Response to: 'Relation between cartilage loss and pain in knee osteoarthritis' by Wu et al and 'Changes in synovitis and bone marrow lesions may not mediate the effect of cartilage loss on joint pain in osteoarthritis' by Cashin et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2022 Jul; 81(7):e128. PMID: 33028581.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 5/7/2020

    Bacon K, LaValley MP, Jafarzadeh SR, Felson D. Does cartilage loss cause pain in osteoarthritis and if so, how much? Ann Rheum Dis. 2020 08; 79(8):1105-1110. PMID: 32381567.

    Read at: PubMed

View All 10 Publications:   View Full Profile in BUMC

Other Positions

  • Member, Arthritis & Autoimmune Diseases Research Center
    Boston University

Websites

Education

  • Boston University School of Public Health, PhD
  • Boston University School of Public Health, MPH
  • Case Western Reserve University, BS

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