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Public Health
Predicting post-injury depression and PTSD risk
Up to half of all acute injury patients experience post-traumatic stress disorder in the months after injury. For urban black men, some of whom have experienced prior trauma, childhood adversity, and neighborhood disadvantage, acute post-injury stress responses are exacerbated.
How much time should kids really be spending on screens?
Screens, tablets, and mobile devices are everywhere, and parents have to navigate exposure for their children in a digital world, balanced with physical activities and sleep.
Why are so many women still dying from childbirth?
Experts from Penn discuss the role that social determinants, socioeconomics, and racism play, and how the University is addressing the maternal mortality crisis head on.
Can we tax our way into healthier behavior?
Wharton’s Benjamin Lockwood’s research works to determine the optimal rate for so-called sin taxes, like Philadelphia’s tax on soda, and asks at what point does a tax lead to healthier choices?
New pain management protocol sends 92% of cancer surgery patients home without opioids
A Penn study of robotic urologic surgery patients points to a key step in overcoming opioid crisis—start patients with over the counter medications, and only use opioids if they are really needed.
Children who nap midday are happier, excel academically, and have fewer behavioral problems
A Penn study of nearly 3,000 fourth, fifth, and sixth graders in China revealed strong connections between 30 to 60 minutes of shuteye at least three days a week and positive outcomes in a handful of areas.
Penn Medicine releases free, ‘self-service’ AI tool for data analytics
The Penn Medicine Institute for Biomedical Informatics has launched a free, open-source automated machine learning system for data analysis that is designed for anyone to use.
Eczema’s effect on children differs by race
A Penn study finds racial disparities in school attendance due to common skin condition, with Hispanic and black children more likely to miss school due to eczema than white children.
Philadelphia’s sweetened drink sales drop 38 percent after beverage tax
Findings from a Penn study support beverage taxes as a promising policy tool to help improve public health.
New intervention increases healthy behavior among South African adolescents
A new study from the Annenberg School for Communication led by John B. Jemmott found that a specially designed health intervention given to South African youth improved healthy eating and amount of exercise, with effects lasting at least 4.5 years.
In the News
UPenn hosts free online panel for LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion
The Eidos LGBTQ+ Health Initiative, led by José Bauermeister and Jessica Halem of the School of Nursing, will host a free online panel in April on the integration of LGBTQ+ people in the workforce.
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Mayor Parker’s plan to ‘remove the presence of drug users’ from Kensington raises new questions
Shoshana Aronowitz of the School of Nursing and Ashish Thakrar of the Perelman School of Medicine comment on the lack of specificity in Philadelphia’s plan to remove drug users from Kensington and on the current state of drug treatment in the city.
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Posts mislead about COVID-19 vaccine safety with out-of-context clip of FDA official
Jeffrey S. Morris of the Perelman School of Medicine says that many adverse medical events, even those clearly unrelated to vaccines, have been reported an order of magnitude more for COVID vaccines during the pandemic than any time before.
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Philadelphians hope a cleaner city will reduce gun violence. Will Oh or Parker make it a reality?
A $3 million blight reduction project in Philadelphia is informed by Penn research showing that cleaning up trash and revitalizing vacant lots can reduce gun violence rates by as much as 29%.
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Universal basic income is working—even in red states
Researchers at Penn concluded that a basic income program in Stockton, California, could have profound positive impacts on local public health.
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NJ’s Camden County deploying virtual reality to teach students about naloxone
Penn partnered with New Jersey’s Camden County to create a virtual reality training video for administering the opioid-reversing drug Narcan.
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