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Public Health
Chance of being prescribed opioids for a minor injury differs dramatically by where you live
A Penn study showing dramatic variation in opioid prescribing rates and tablet amounts for ankle sprains points to significant opportunities to reduce excessive prescribing, and potentially prevent prolonged use.
BBQ breakdown: How summertime staples can impact your health
As National Hot Dog Month winds down, there is still plenty of barbecue season left. But the most popular items on summer grilling menus are likely the least healthy.
Reducing buggy accidents in Amish country
Lancaster County is working to promote driver awareness for all vehicles in Amish country, focusing on safely sharing the road with horse-drawn buggies to reduce accidents.
The changing landscape of mosquito- and tick-borne diseases
Lyme disease, West Nile virus, Zika, chikungunya, and dengue are among the vector-borne infections making headlines. Penn researchers shed light on what’s behind the spread and how to stay safe.
With free vaccinations, ChildProtect program helps Amish communities stay healthy
When an outbreak of rubella struck the Amish in Pennsylvania in 1991, Lancaster General Hospital responded with a rapid vaccination campaign. The program endured, and continues to offer preventive health services to hundreds of children each year.
Texting and driving with the littlest passengers
Researchers found that in the previous three months, about half of parents admitted to reading texts and using social media while driving, and found a correlation between distracted driving and other risky behaviors behind the wheel.
Penn One Health goes abroad
In August, Penn Vet student James Ferrara will combine veterinary research and public health outreach in Nepal, where he will join a team of graduate students conducting research on Campylobacter, a bacteria found in unpasteurized milk, that is prone to cause infection.
Philly as lab, classroom, and collaborator
Philadelphia’s rich history and forward momentum make it ripe for scientific inquiry for a number of Penn schools and departments, from urban and population studies to medicine and anthropology.
Proteins found in semen increase the spread of Ebola virus infection
Areas that were declared Ebola-free are seeing a resurgence in the virus. Researchers have discovered that men can harbor the virus in their semen up to two and a half years, leading to new cases of sexual transmission years later.
Public libraries can influence public health
The Healthy Library Initiative, a partnership between Penn and the Free Library of Philadelphia, works to expand the role of public librarian to serve the public health needs of patrons and the community.
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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