Public Health

Picture of many days listed on a wall calendar

The backlog in mammograms during the COVID-19 pandemic

The backlog of diagnostic mammograms is not expected to return to regular operations for nearly six months at best, and a lack of early detection will have health implications on cancer management for years to come.

From Penn LDI ・

A person at a desk wearing rubber gloves and a mask puts a dose of medication into a syringe.

Behavioral strategies to promote a national COVID-19 vaccine program

National efforts to develop a COVID-19 vaccine at ‘warp speed’ are beginning to yield a safe and effective vaccine. But this important milestone is only the first step in an equally important challenge: getting a majority of the U.S. public vaccinated.

By Penn Nursing News ・

Teenager sitting in waiting room of a clinic wearing a face mask.

Increasing HPV vaccine uptake in adolescents

More than 90% of human papillomavirus (HPV)-related cancers could be prevented by widespread uptake of the HPV vaccine. Yet, vaccine use in the United States falls short of public health goals.

By Penn Nursing News ・

A home health aid wearing a face mask uses an oximeter on an elderly patient at home.

Home health care improves COVID-19 outcomes

Survivors of COVID-19 often have health ramifications from their illness and hospital stay, and until now, no data has been available on the outcomes of COVID-19 patients discharged home after hospitalization and their recovery needs.

By Penn Nursing News ・



In the News


The New York Times

We know how to curb the pandemic. How do we make people listen?

Cristina Bicchieri of the School of Arts & Sciences spoke about modeling safe behavior to prevent the spread of COVID-19. “To create a new norm,” she said, “you need to build this sense that other people are following the rules.”

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Healthline

How lessons we learned from the AIDS crisis can help us with COVID-19

Robert Gross of the Perelman School of Medicine spoke about parallels between the COVID-19 pandemic and the early years of the AIDS crisis. “Just like how AIDS had to do with judgmentalism and mores related to gay sex and injection drug use, well, now Trump is using masks as a political message to say if you support him and the job he is doing then you don’t have to wear a mask. Or when he says we are ’rounding the corner.’ Well, now we are having a third peak as cases are rising in much of the country,” he said.

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WHYY (Philadelphia)

Philly Council calls for hearings as city’s auto fatality rate soars

Erick Guerra of the Stuart Weitzman School of Design attributed a spike in car crashes in part to increased alcohol consumption. “People are drinking more during COVID so probably a high share are drunk. And people know there’s a higher consequence, so they run,” he said. “The other reason is just speed…. When there are less people on the road, you can go faster. And that really impacts the fatality rate.”

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Los Angeles Times

Have L.A.'s homeless people dodged a COVID-19 catastrophe?

Dennis P. Culhane of the School of Social Policy & Practice spoke about the seemingly low rate of COVID-19 infections among homeless people in Los Angeles. “It’s possible being outside is protective relative to inside,” he said. Still, without more comprehensive antibody testing, “I’m not so sure we can say there hasn’t been a huge hit.”

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WHYY (Philadelphia)

When it comes to its gun violence epidemic, Philly is struggling to control the spread

Elinore Kaufman of the Perelman School of Medicine and Therese Richmond of the School Nursing weighed in on gun violence as a public health issue in Philadelphia. “For my patients, I think it’s been pretty awful,” Kaufman said. “And for their families and their loved ones and their community, it’s just as sad.”

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WHYY (Philadelphia)

Nurses take charge

Patricia D’Antonio of the School of Nursing was interviewed about the role of nurses in advocating for public health reforms.

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