5.18
Public Health
Philadelphia’s sweetened drink sales drop 38 percent after beverage tax
Findings from a Penn study support beverage taxes as a promising policy tool to help improve public health.
New intervention increases healthy behavior among South African adolescents
A new study from the Annenberg School for Communication led by John B. Jemmott found that a specially designed health intervention given to South African youth improved healthy eating and amount of exercise, with effects lasting at least 4.5 years.
Is climate change making the allergy season worse?
The timeline for seasonal hay fever has expanded in recent years. With the warmer temperatures, and a longer frost-free season, we may be exposed to more allergenic plants, leading to longer and more severe allergy seasons.
For Kennett Square’s mushroom farmworkers, healthy interventions come directly to the workplace
With the President’s Engagement Prize, seniors José Maciel and Antonio Renteria plan to bring subjects like nutrition and sleep to the workers, reinforcing preventive screenings already provided by a local, federally qualified health center.
An epidemic that affects us all
Public officials and medical experts meshed on stage for this year’s Silfen Forum, discussing the complex issues surrounding the nation’s opioid crisis.
Taking wellness up a notch
The University has spent the past three years working with the Healthier Campus Initiative of the Partnership for a Healthier America, implementing 23 new policies that improve nutrition, physical activity, sustainability, and overall wellness.
An implant to blunt opioid effects
A study by Penn Medicine researchers finds a slow-release naltrexone implant helps HIV patients with opioid dependence adhere to medications and prevent relapse.
Barriers and facilitators in treating opioid addiction in the ER
Despite effective medications for opioid use disorder, such as buprenorphine and methadone, few people receive treatment. The ongoing challenge is to expand access to these lifesaving treatments to people who need them the most.
Patients discharged to home care have higher rates of hospital readmissions
A Penn study highlights important tradeoffs between home versus nursing facilities as the cost for post-acute care rises and payment models shift.
Behind the scenes, complex disease surveillance protects the campus community
Beyond promoting vaccines and overall health education, Campus Health, the public health arm of Student Health Service, is watching for clusters of common illnesses, unusual diagnoses, and anything out of the ordinary.
In the News
The Washington Post
The Tragedy to Communities When Church Buildings Are Demolished to Make Condos
Ram Cnaan of the School of Social Policy & Practice has piloted several studies on the economic and social benefits urban congregations offer local communities.
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Philadelphia Inquirer
As Opioid Overdoses Rise Along With Suicides, Experts Look for Links
Maria Oquendo of the Perelman School of Medicine discussed opioid addiction, noting that “anywhere between 25 and 45 percent of deaths by overdose” may actually be suicides.
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