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Behavioral Health

The art of talking about science
Child in a gray shirt sitting waiting to get a shot by gloved hands.

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

Treating opioid addicts is expensive. States want drug makers to fund it

Treating opioid addicts is expensive. States want drug makers to fund it

Daniel Polsky of the Perelman School of Medicine weighed in on the high cost of treatments for opioid addiction. “It’s in insurers’ interest to cover addiction medications, and it’s in the patients’ interest too,” Polsky said. “It’s the cheapest and most effective treatment available.”

Hospitals could play bigger role in preventing gun violence, study says

Hospitals could play bigger role in preventing gun violence, study says

A new study co-authored by Kit Delgado of the Perelman School of Medicine proposes that emergency rooms could help prevent gun violence. “The emergency department may be [gunshot victims’] only contact with the health care system, and what we know is that represents an opportunity to try and prevent a repeat injury,” said Delgado.

Can music improve anxiety and depression for people with memory disorders?
Two women and a man playing large bongo drums.

Mary Javian, chair of career studies at the Curtis Institute, Tempy Small, a program participant, and Adam Pangburn, coordinator of community performance at Curtis, participated in a drum circle to close out the final “Creative Expression through Music” session. Nick DiBerardino (not pictured) lead the classes, which were coordinated by Penn graduate students Sarah Bujno and Matt Volpe (in the background).

Can music improve anxiety and depression for people with memory disorders?

That’s the aim of a recently completed pilot program connecting Penn Memory Center patients, Penn graduate students, and Curtis Institute musicians.

Michele W. Berger

A new, virtual tool in the very real fight against opioid overdoses
Students holding up cardboard virtual reality reader devices.

Students in the Penn School of Nursing test out a virtual reality training for administering the drug Narcan in the event of an opioid overdose. Results from this experiment led researchers to conclude that such simulation sessions could be as effective for training health care providers on the topic as in-person simulation training sessions.

A new, virtual tool in the very real fight against opioid overdoses

Researchers from Penn Nursing and the Annenberg School have found that an immersive Narcan training video is as effective as in-person simulation trainings.

Michele W. Berger

Does teen cannabis use lead to behavior problems—or vice versa?
two teens smoking on a rooftop

Does teen cannabis use lead to behavior problems—or vice versa?

Research led by the Annenberg Public Policy Center finds that cannabis use among teens does not appear to lead to greater conduct problems or greater affiliation with other teens who smoke cannabis, which previous research had suggested to be possible.

Penn Today Staff

Black and Hispanic Americans have a harder time quitting cigarettes. Will this Penn study find a way to help?

Black and Hispanic Americans have a harder time quitting cigarettes. Will this Penn study find a way to help?

Researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine, led by Scott Halpern, are exploring better ways to support smoking cessation in black and Latino populations. “We’re confident that if we succeed in producing this evidence, health systems and payers will respond,” Halpern said.