Medicine | Penn Today

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.”

Overlooked part of human cells could be genetic key to common diseases

Long thought a vestigial part of human cells, new genetic analysis of the primary cilium shows that it may be tied to common conditions like diabetes and kidney failure.

A masked doctor examines brain scans of an elderly masked patient seated in the background.

Looking out for speech disturbance may be the most important stroke sign

With COVID-19 protocols, fewer in-person doctor visits and ubiquitous face masks make tell-tale signs of stroke like facial drooping and arm weakness harder to detect.

Heart monitor in a hospital room, a patient in a hospital bed behind it.

Where the economy falters, deaths from heart disease rise

A new study finds that the diverging economic fortunes of different parts of the country is linked to differing death rates from heart disease and stroke among middle-aged Americans.

A person standing in the front of a classroom holding a pointer, smiling. Blurry water bottles appear in the foreground.

Behavior Change for Good unveils effective strategies to boost vaccination rates

Texts with “reserved for you” messaging boosted flu vaccine rates by up to 11%.

Penn Medicine implements an anti-racism program across Health System

Speaking on the third day of Black History Month, Penn Medicine’s CEO, Medical School dean, and vice dean of Inclusion and Diversity announced the implementation of a new institution-wide program aimed at eliminating structural racism.

Elderly hands sewing with a needle and thread at a table with sewing supplies, a younger pair of hands assists at the side.

How to foster supported decision making for adults with cognitive impairment

Supported decision making helps medical professionals identify what people living with dementia can do, not what they can’t.

Four empty vials for human stool samples.

Take-at-home tests boost colorectal cancer screening tenfold

By making it the default to send screening tests to patients’ homes unless they opted out via text message, screening rates increased by more than 1000%.

A microscopic look at an iPSC-cardiomyocyte harboring an LMNA mutation.

Stem cell study illuminates the cause of an inherited heart disorder

A new study from Penn Medicine shows that LMNA gene mutations can disrupt the ‘identity’ of heart muscle cells, leading to a congenital form of dilated cardiomyopathy.

Gloved hand of a medical professional holding a vacuum-sealed packet of sterilized medical equipment.

Penn Medicine opens the largest equipment sterilization facility in the country

The Interventional Support Center, an instrument processing and surgical supply preparation facility, will support two hospitals and three outpatient centers.

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