Mary E. Tinetti

Gladys Phillips Crofoot Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology and Public Health
Director of the Yale Program on Aging
Section of Geriatrics

Research Interests

Dr. Tinetti’s research has focused on preventing the occurrence of, and morbidity associated with, geriatric syndromes such as falls and fall injuries. Through a series of epidemiologic and intervention studies, she determined that older persons at risk for falling and injury could be identified, that falls and injuries were associated with a range of serious adverse outcomes, and that multifactorial risk reduction strategies were effective and cost–effective. Her team developed and tested methods to translate these research findings into practice. She has also worked extensively on understanding the causes and consequences of functional disability, mobility impairment, and the adverse effects of multiple medications. Her most recent area of investigation involves assessing the benefits and harms of various treatment options in older adults with multiple competing health conditions. She has helped develop the methodologies needed to address the complex issues involving the study of older adults. Dr. Tinetti has been continuously funded by the NIH and several foundations since joining the faculty at Yale in 1984. Dr. Tinetti has been the principal investigator for the National Institute on Aging–funded Yale Pepper Center since 1992.

Selected Recent Publications

• Tinetti ME. Baker D. Gallo WT. Nanda A. Charpentier P. O’Leary J. Evaluation of restorative care vs usual care for older adults receiving an acute episode of home care. J Am Med Assoc. 287(16):2098–105, 2002.
• Tinetti, ME. Preventing falls in elderly persons. N Engl J Med 348: 42–49, 2003.
• Tinetti ME, Fried TR. The end of the disease era. Am J Med 116:179–185, 2004.
• Tinetti ME, Bogardus ST, Agostini JV. Potential pitfalls in disease guidelines for patients with multiple conditions New Engl J Med 351:2871–2874, 2004.
• Tinetti ME, Allore H, Seeman T, Araujo K. Modifiable impairments predict progressive disability among older persons. J Aging Health 17: 239-256, 2005.
• Tinetti ME, Gordon C, Sogolow E, Lapin P, Bradley E. Fall prevention: A case study of the challenges in adopting evidence-based geriatric care practices. Gerontologist 46:717-725, 2006.
• Belcher V, Fried TR, Agostini JV, Tinetti ME: Views from older adults on patient participation in medication-related decision-making. J Gen Intern Med 21:298-303, 2006.
• Tinetti ME. Over-the-Counter Sales of Statins and Other Drugs for Asymptomatic Conditions. New Engl J Med 358:2728-2732, 2008.
• Tinetti ME, Baker DI, King M, Gottschalk M, Murphy T, Acampora D, Leo-Summers L, Allore H. Effect of translating evidence into practice on rate of serious fall injury. New Engl J Med 359:252-61, 2008.
• Tinetti ME, McAvay G, Fried TR, Allore HG, Salmon J, Foody JM, Bianco L, Ginter S, Fraenkel L. Variable priorities in the face of competing outcomes: The tradeoff among cardiovascular events, medication symptoms, and fall injuries. J Am Geriatr Soc 56:1409-1416, 2008.

Education:	B.A., University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1973 M.D., University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1978
Training:	Residency: University of Minnesota Hospitals, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1978-1981 Fellowship:Kaiser General Medicine and Geriatrics Fellowship, University of Rochester and Monroe Hospital, Rochester, New York, 1981-1984

Contact

Mailing Address
Section of Geriatrics
Department of Internal Medicine
Yale School of Medicine
20 York Street
New Haven, CT 06510

E-mail
mary.tinetti@yale.edu

Office Phone
203-688-5238

Fax
203-688-4209