Linda Deacon, PhD

Dissertation Statistician - Dissertation Writing Consultant

Linda Deacon has served as an independent statistical consultant since 1985.

She assists students in formulating hypotheses, developing statistical methodology for testing hypotheses, running analyses, and interpreting results.

She has coordinated the data management and statistical analysis of state and federally funded longitudinal and multi-center research. She has co-authored several articles published in the fields of medicine and psychology and has assisted in the editing of statistical textbooks and documentation for statistical software. She has designed and assisted in the development of survey instruments currently in use at various medical centers, universities and county regional centers.

Statistics Help for Students

Survey design, formulating hypotheses, content organization, data analysis, results analysis, graphs and tables, PowerPoint presentations.

Psychology, forensic psychology, traditional medicine, oriental medicine, nursing, theology, sociology.

Professional Experience

Frank D. Lanterman Regional Center, Harbor Regional Center

Design surveys of consumer, service provider and staff satisfaction and various evaluations conducted by the executive staff; analyze data and produce in-house reports and presentations; design instrument for record audits mandated by the State of California and provide bi-annual record audit reports.

US Department of Health and Human Services

Project statistician and co-evaluator for Project Milagro and Nuestras Familias, National Abandoned Infants Assistance Resource Center multi-site studies: Tracking and Improving Health and Permanency Planning for Young Children of Women with HIV Infection and Substance Abuse

Exploratorium, San Francisco, CA

Provide on-demand statistical consultation for National Science Foundation-funded research studies of visitor groups conducted at the museum.

UCLA American Indian Studies Center

Provide statistical analysis and comprehensive report assessing conditions on 17 Indian reservations within and outside Public Law 280 jurisdiction.

State of California

Project statistician and co-evaluator for Project Escuelita, Proposition 10 First Five School Readiness Initiative: Home-based and Center-based Pre-School Programs in East Los Angeles

Easter Seals of Southern California

Develop survey instrument, manage longitudinal data and provide quarterly reports for Weingart Foundation funded grant to track volunteer and paid employment of people with disabilities.

John Wayne Cancer Institute, Santa Monica, CA

Senior statistician providing consulting services to research fellows and assisting in analysis of cancer data from international clinical trials.

UCLA Department of Biomathematics, Los Angeles, CA

Staff consultant, Statistical/Biomathematical Consulting Clinic (SBCC) providing statistical consulting services for research conducted within the School of Medicine.

BMDP Statistical Software Inc., Westwood, CA

Technical editor, part of a two-person team re-writing the 300+ page statistical software manual.

UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA

Staff consultant, Division of Child Development, managing data for two National Institutes of Mental Health funded longitudinal studies of high-risk infants; assisting physicians & psychologists with statistical analyses.

UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute, Los Angeles, CA

Staff consultant, managing data and providing statistical analysis for several federally-funded research studies.

Selected peer-reviewed publications (in chronological order)

Schatz M, Harden K, Forsythe A, Chilingar L, Hoffman C, Sperling W, Zeiger RS (1988) The course of asthma during pregnancy, post partum, and with successive pregnancies: a prospective analysis. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1988;81:509-17.

Schatz M, Dudl J, Zeiger RS, Harden K, Chilingar L, Forsythe A, Baylink DJ. Osteoporosis in corticosteroid-treated asthmatic patients: clinical correlates. Allergy Proc. 1993 Sep-Oct;14(5):341-5.

Schatz M, Zeiger RS, Harden K, Hoffman C, Chilingar L, Petitti D. The safety of asthma and allergy medications during pregnancy. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1997;100(3):301-6.

Schatz, D Harder, D, Schatz, M, Long, L, Harden, K, Fox, D, Hoffman, C The relationship of maternal personality characteristics to birth outcomes and infant development. Birth. 2000 Mar; 27(1):25-32.

Schatz M, Harden K, Kagnoff M, Zeiger RS, Chilingar L. Developmental follow-up in 15-month-old infants of asthmatic vs. control mothers. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2001 Jun;12(3):149-53.

Kircher S, Schatz M, Long L. Variables affecting asthma course during pregnancy. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2002 Nov;89(5):463-6.

Namazy J, Schatz, M, Long, L, Lipkowitz, M, Madeline A. Lillie, MA, Voss, MD, Deitz, RJ, Petitti, D (2004). Use of inhaled steroids by pregnant asthmatic women does not reduce intrauterine growth.
J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2004 Mar; 113(3):427-432.

Kazuo Koyanagi, Anton J. Bilchik, Sukamal Saha, Roderick R. Turner, David Wiese, Martin McCarter, Perry Shen, Linda Deacon, David Elashoff, and Dave S. B. Hoon, Prognostic Relevance of Occult Nodal Micrometastases and Circulating Tumor Cells in Colorectal Cancer in a Prospective Multicenter Trial, Clin Cancer Res, 2008 Nov: 14(22).

Crane-Okada, R., Freeman, E., Kiger H, Mirzadehgan, P., Deacon, L.M., Giuliano, A.E. (February 12, 2009, podium presentation). Support after Breast Cancer: Final Report of a Senior Peer Counseling Telephone Intervention. 10th National Conference on Cancer Nursing Research, Oncology Nursing Society, Orlando, FL. Oncology Nursing Forum, 36, V (Abstract No. AI).

Crane-Okada R, Freeman E, Kiger H, Ross M, Elashoff D, Deacon L, Giuliano AE (2012). Senior Peer Counseling by Telephone for Psychosocial Support After Breast Cancer Surgery: Effects at Six Months. Oncology Nursing Forum, 39(1), 78-89. doi: 10.1188/12.ONF.78-89

BIO

Client Feedback

“I have had the pleasure of working with Linda Deacon for the past three years, and I can easily state that she has exceeded my expectations. She is exceptionally professional, a great communicator, and a humble person who will make extra efforts to meet your deadlines and work with you. She has demonstrated the ability to break down complex statistical problems, and to choose the correct statistical tests for both large and small studies. You can trust Linda to assist in all aspects of a study, from the methods needed for data gathering and study design to data management, statistical analysis, interpretation of results, and formulation of tables for journal articles. Even after completing the studies, Linda has always been available to answer my questions and to help refine the interpretation of the results when needed. I am grateful to Linda for her help and for making me wiser during the process.”

Samuel Nguyen
Doctoral Student

Without a doubt Linda Deacon is an incredible statistician! Over the past 10 years Linda has assisted me in countless research projects. I would not be where I am in my career today without her expertise. Not only is she the warmest human being around, she is brilliant and easy to work with.

Susan Regas, PhD
Distinguished Professor of Clinical Psychology

Linda Deacon is the best statistical consultant and data analyst I have known in my over forty years as a researcher. She works wonderfully with graduate students because she is excellent at describing statistical techniques in a clear, coherent manner and mentoring students in applying and interpreting them.

Linda J Beckman, PhD
Distinguished Professor

“I highly recommend Linda Deacon as a statistician. Linda’s ability to find innovative solutions to unique research projects is amazing. In addition, she takes personal interest in the research project with which she is involved. Linda also takes the time to make the statistics understandable for non-statisticians such as myself. I look forward to working with Linda on future research projects.

Robert J. Laughlin, MS
Doctoral Candidate