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Demography
Heart disease-protective diabetes drug is not used equitably
The medication GLP-1 RA treats diabetes and is linked to positive outcomes for heart disease patients, yet a Penn Medicine study has found inequities in its use along racial, ethnic, and economic lines
Brief intervention increased physical activity in African American men living with HIV
A new study finds that with just three sessions, participants improved both their aerobic and muscle strengthening activities, which could help them live longer and more active lives.
Partnered, but still poor
Regina Baker, an assistant professor of sociology, challenges literature that touts marriage as a cure for poverty.
Emphasizing short-term effects can help prevent and reduce youth smoking
A recent study by Annenberg researchers finds that anti-tobacco campaigns focused on tangible, short-term consequences are a promising way to prevent young people from smoking and encouraging them to quit.
Five things to know about rising house prices
Wharton real estate and finance professor Benjamin Keys talks about why the red-hot U.S. real estate market isn’t a bubble that’s ready to burst.
Common gene variants linked to sepsis and COVID-19 severity in African Americans
Two genetic risk variants that are carried by nearly 40% of Black individuals may exacerbate the severity of both sepsis and COVID-19. A Penn Medicine study identifies two potential pathways to reduce the health disparities driven by these gene mutations.
Ethnic and racial diversity in surgical faculty associated with medical student diversity
A new study confirms there is little progress made in the last decade to expand racial and ethnic diversity in surgical faculty, despite evidence that more diverse faculty leads to greater racial, ethnic, and gender diversity in the medical student population.
Moving past conflation of race and genetics
Race is not genetic. Race is a social and political construct. However, the conflation of race and genetics is one way that racism persists in medicine and research.
Yelp star ratings may reveal county-level death rate disparities
A one-star disparity on health care facility Yelp reviews could indicate a 60-death-per-year difference between some United States counties where those facilities are located.
Racial disparities in avoidable hospitalizations for Medicare beneficiaries
A new Medical Care study by LDI Fellow Norma Coe and colleagues reveals racial disparities in avoidable hospitalizations that are even greater than in traditional Medicare.
In the News
Sweden is the No. 1 country for affordability, safety and overall quality of life
The Wharton School surveyed more than 17,000 people worldwide to rank the best countries in the world based on quality of life.
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Inside the quest to keep homeless people safe in Fort Worth’s deadly summer heat
The Perelman School of Medicine’s Sameed Khatana is quoted on statistics that show a large number of deaths that do occur during heatwaves or extreme heat are among people who are experiencing homelessness.
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Where are King County’s homeless residents from?
Dennis Culhane of the School of Social Policy & Practice explains that most of the migration that occurs for people who are homeless happens on a regional scale.
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How records of life’s milestones help solve cold cases, pinpoint health risks and allocate public resources
An article by Paula Fomby of the School of Arts & Sciences discusses how a more centralized approach to record keeping in the U.S. could facilitate rapid turnaround of statistics and ensure that public agencies have more complete information about their populations.
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How many homeless people are in King County? Depends who you ask
Dennis Culhane of the School of Social Policy & Practice is quoted on alternative approaches to homelessness.
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Black women have the highest eviction rates in the U.S.
Akira Drake Rodriguez of the Stuart Weitzman School of Design says Black women are evicted more than any other group in the U.S., and housing insecurity is becoming a growing crisis.
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