Behavioral Health

Embracing a community’s practice to promote the measles vaccine

Mimicking a news-sharing custom common among ultraorthodox Jewish communities, two Penn Nursing students created and placed posters around a Jerusalem neighborhood, employing a mystical technique that assigns a numerical value to each Hebrew letter.

Michele W. Berger

The art of talking about science

Paul Offit of Penn Medicine and CHOP offers five tips for better communicating tough scientific topics to the public—and standing up for science in the process.

Michele W. Berger



In the News


Consumer Reports

Best CPAP alternatives

Richard Schwab of the Perelman School of Medicine says that obstructive sleep apnea causes breathing to pause during sleep when something like the tongue or relaxed throat muscles blocks the airway.

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National Geographic

This day of silence brings a fresh start for Bali’s new year

Mathias Basner of the Perelman School of Medicine says that human bodies interpret noise as a stressor, which can initiate increased levels of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline in the blood.

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ABC News

Struggling to keep your New Year’s resolutions? Here’s how to keep yourself on track

According to a 2012 study conducted by the Perelman School of Medicine, 65% of dieters return to their pre-diet weight within three years and only 5% of people who lose weight on a restrictive diet, such as liquid or no-carb, manage to keep the weight off.

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Yahoo! Life

Many believe suicide rates increase in December. Research shows it’s the opposite. Here’s why

A study conducted by the Annenberg Public Policy Center found that the winter holiday months typically have lower daily suicide rates than the rest of the year, with December showing the lowest incidences of suicides of the year.

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Fortune

Millennials and Gen Xers might be the unluckiest caregivers in history. Here’s how their crisis is affecting every workplace

A report by Mary Naylor of the School of Nursing found that many employed caregivers miss work, reduce their work hours, refuse promotions, or leave the workforce altogether to meet family responsibilities.

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The Wall Street Journal

Is that food ultra-processed? How to tell

Christina A. Roberto of the Perelman School of Medicine compares ultra-processed and less-processed versions of several common foods, including oatmeal and crackers.

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