Medicine | Penn Today

Gloved hand holding a scan of four brains

Study finds an increased risk of dementia from decades-old head injuries

New Penn Medicine research reveals stronger associations between head injuries and dementia among women compared to men, and among white participants as compared to Black participants.

Single hospital bed in an abandoned hallway

Delayed emergencies in COVID times

A new study shows how often people put off non-COVID emergency care during the pandemic, who stayed home, and what kind of care they deferred.

A community health care worker wearing a face shield and mask leans toward a seated community member in a face mask asking question prior to receiving a vaccine.

How Penn Medicine is getting COVID-19 vaccines to communities that need it most

Direct outreach to elderly and vulnerable populations, and working with Philadelphia faith leaders has led to community-based clinics throughout West Philadelphia.

Increasing access to life-saving, unused medicines in India

Aarogya, a social-enterprise organization, is led by three President’s Engagement Prize winners. Since receiving the award, they’ve started delivering otherwise-unused medicines that save lives and money.

Medical worker wearing a face mask and latex gloves holds a syringe tagged with a vaccine label.

How vaccines protect communities

While individuals who are vaccinated feel relief that they’re better protected, the rollout of vaccines to anyone in their community is still good news.

7 women scientists who defied the odds and changed science forever

Ashley Wallace of the School of Engineering and Applied Science spoke about Kizzmekia Corbett, a viral immunologist who co-developed Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. "The pandemic exposed layers of racial disparities in medical treatment and clinical research, resulting in conversations surrounding the effects of how COVID-19 disproportionately infects and kills people of color," said Wallace. "Dr. Corbett is not only advancing science but she is also using her voice and platform to contribute to these conversations."

A universal flu vaccine? Study suggests protection against multiple strains, perhaps for years, may be possible

Drew Weissman of the Perelman School of Medicine spoke about developing a universal flu vaccine. “Maybe it's a vaccine we start giving our kids so we prevent influenza in the future,” he said. “In the meantime, we'll test it in adults and see if adults who have seen influenza many times make a protective immune response.”

A table setting with a fork, knife, and plate covered in two kinds of prescription pills.

What works: Medication, a low-calorie diet, and intensive behavioral therapy

Patients on a low-calorie diet along with intensive behavioral therapy lost nearly three times as much weight when taking new anti-obesity medication than when taking a placebo.

Hand holding a blood pressure gauge measuring the blood pressure of another person whose arm is extended.

Racial and ethnic factors affect access to treatment for heart disease

Researchers uncover a link between racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic factors and whether Black, Latinx, and lower-income patients receive rhythm control strategies for atrial fibrillation.

Many Blacks, Hispanics believe they’ll get worse care if dementia strikes

Roy Hamilton of the Perelman School of Medicine said there’s significant evidence that people from racial or ethnic minority groups tend to receive worse medical care than white patients. “This feeds into or contributes to a complicated cycle of problems where individuals from historically marginalized groups are both more suspicious and more wary of pursuing care,” he said. “And when they do, oftentimes those suspicions are borne out.”

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