Behavioral Health | Penn Today

Penn study: Marijuana doesn’t cause bad behavior — it’s the other way around

A new study, co-authored by Dan Romer of the Annenberg Public Policy Center, has found that marijuana may not be the “gateway drug” it was once thought to be. “Previous research had suggested that using marijuana would lead to conduct problems,” said Romer. “We found the exact reverse.”

Dare Henry-Moss leaning against the doorway of a new lactation room, with a breast pump in the background

Workplace pumping made easier

Listening to employee feedback, Penn Medicine added hospital-grade pumps and doubled its lactation spaces, taking strides to help women meet their breastfeeding goals.

Fighting IBS with behavioral therapy

The School of Arts and Sciences’ Melissa Hunt was highlighted for her specialty treating IBS and other chronic gastrointestinal disorders with cognitive behavioral therapy.

Sleep and exercise compete for people’s time

Mathias Basner of the Perelman School of Medicine has led a study that analyzed American Time Use Survey data to see how people spend their time. “We all have 24 hours in a day, so for the people who only sleep five or six hours, are they doing a healthy behavior or sitting in front of the TV eating chips?” said Basner. “We’ve been trying to identify activities that could be traded for more sleep.”

Teen vapers smoke just as much as youth who don't use e-cigarettes

New research suggests that vaping may not actually help with smoking cessation. “This important study tells us that youth who use e-cigarettes are more likely to continue to use combustible cigarettes after initiating,” said the Perelman School of Medicine’s Janet Audrain-McGovern.

woman with cell phone clicking on an image of a heartbeat

Two apps target cancer risk in marginalized populations

The tech-based mobile health interventions from Nursing’s Anne Teitelman focus on preventive health actions, including the HPV vaccine.

closeup of frozen hand holding lit cigarette

Gruesome photos on cigarette boxes can propel anti-smoking campaigns

Warning messages on cigarette packs are most effective when diseased body parts and testimonials are pictured.

Being well and doing well

Benoit Dubé, the chief wellness officer at Penn, Giang T. Nguyen, executive director of Student Health Service, and Meeta Kumar, deputy executive director of CAPS, discuss Penn’s efforts to strengthen and support the health and wellness of students.

Planning for your retirement? Many Americans aren’t financially prepared for how long they may live

Lyle Ungar of the School of Arts and Sciences and Lisa Walke of the Perelman School of Medicine discussed the effects of healthy behavior on the human lifespan. The best way to extend one’s life, apart from quitting smoking, is exercise. “I know no one wants to hear that,” said Walke.

Is blackout drinking the same as passing out from alcohol? A Penn psychologist explains

The Perelman School of Medicine’s Reagan Wetherill discussed common misconceptions about alcohol-related blackouts. People in a blackout are “conscious and interacting with their environment,” she said. But their brains are “not creating memories” due to alcohol’s impact on the hippocampus.

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