Professor, Global Health

Department of Epidemiology
University of Nebraska Medical Center
College of Public Health

Professional Summary

• 2019-present. Professor, Global Health. Department of Epidemiology.
• 2008-present.  Consultant, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies (IFRC).
• 2008-2011. Coordinator, Surveillance & M&E.  World Health Organization. Global Malaria Program.
• 1988-2008. Medical Epidemiologist.  US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• 1987-1988. Preventive Medicine Resident.   US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• 1986-1987. Epidemic Intelligence Service.   US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• 1984-1986. Ethiopia Famine Response.  Save the Children, USA.  Ethiopia.
• 1982-1984. Somalia Refugee Response.  International Rescue Committee.  Somalia.
• 1981.  Thailand-Cambodia Border Refugee Response.  Minnesota International Health Volunteers.

Education

• 1984, MPH, University of Minnesota
• 1976, MD, Ohio State University

Research Interests

• Global Health
• Public Health in Africa
• Infectious disease surveillance, child survival, immunizations, malaria control.

Selected Publications

• Otten M, Aregawi M, Were W, Karema C, Medin A, Bekele W, Jima D, Gausi K, Komatsu R, Korenromp E, Low-Beer D, Grabowsky M. Initial evidence of reduction of malaria cases and deaths in Rwanda and Ethiopia due to rapid scale-up of malaria prevention and treatment. Malaria J 2009 Jan 14;8:14.
• World Malaria Report. 2009. World Health Organization, Global Malaria Programme. [Coordinated team that wrote the report.]
• Otten M, Kezaala R, Fall A, Masresha B, Martin R, Cairns L, Eggers R, Biellik R, Grabowsky M, Strebel P, Okwo-Bele JM, Nshimirimana D. Public-health impact of accelerated measles control in the WHO African Region 2000-03. Lancet. 2005;366:832-9.
• Wang K-A, Zhang L-B, Otten MW, et al. The Status of the Eradication of Indigenous Wild Poliomyelitis in the People’s Republic of China. J Inf Diseases 1997; S2:126-133.
• Otten MW. Surveillance issues in developing countries. In, Teutsch ST, Churchill RE, eds.  Principles and practice of public health surveillance. New York: Oxford University Press; 1994.
• Otten MW, Deming MS, Jaiteh KO, Forgie I, Sanyang Y, Sillah B, Flagg E, Brogan D, Gowers P. Epidemic poliomyelitis following the control of poliomyelitis as an endemic disease, The Gambia, 1986: Part I. Descriptive findings. Am J Epidemiol 1992;135:381-92.
• Otten MW, Teutsch S, Marks J, Williamson DF. The effect of known risk factors on the excess mortality of black adults in the United States.  JAMA 1990;263:845-850.

Professional Affiliations

• American Public Health Association
• American Academy of Pediatrics