Public Health | Penn Today

A community investment approach to gun violence would save money and lives

In an Op-Ed, four Perelman School of Medicine graduates urge the city of Philadelphia to shift gun violence prevention investments from police and prisons to parks, education, and public health.

A person with a child holds up a hand to stop a person approaching with a vaccine vial and syringe.

People with a conspiracy mindset resist childhood vaccination

Research by Dan Romer and Kathleen Hall Jamieson of the Annenberg Public Policy Center explains the role that having a conspiracy mindset plays in adult reluctance to vaccinate children.

Two people in a wheat field wearing masks looking at a tablet.

Comparing urban and rural excess mortality during COVID-19

The first-ever county-level study of excess mortality in the United States shows monthly excess deaths spread from large cities to rural counties in the second year of the pandemic.

Symposium at Penn aimed at improving healthcare for LGBTQ community

A weeklong symposium at Penn organized by José Bauermeister of the School of Nursing will brainstorm ways to educate medical providers about special needs in the LGBTQ community.

Philly to purchase 91 community gardens to protect them from sheriff’s sale

A study by researchers from Penn and Columbia found that the restoration of blighted land resulted in a 58% reduction in people’s fear of going outside due to violence and a 76% increase in the use of outdoor spaces.

When AI overrules the nurses caring for you

Kenrick Cato of the School of Nursing says, “AI should be used as clinical decision support and not to replace the expert. Hospital administrators need to understand there are lots of things an algorithm can’t see in a clinical setting.”

Business of Pride: Penn professor leading efforts to scale startups aimed at helping LGBTQ+ community

Jose Bauermeister of the School of Nursing is profiled for his work with the Eidos LGBTQ+ Health Initiative.

I-95 bridge collapse: What we know and don’t know

Marilyn V. Howarth of the Perelman School of Medicine says that any carcinogens and particulates from the I-95 tanker-truck accident in Philadelphia would have been quickly dispersed and diluted once the fire was out.

A person crosses the Schuylkill River on a blue bike. The city skyline behind him is obscured with smoke haze.

Q&A

Smoke safety: What to know and how to keep safe with poor air quality

Olajumoke O. Fadugba of the Perelman School of Medicine addresses why smoke irritates the body, why people with allergies and asthma are particularly affected, and how to stay safe. Writer: Kristina García

Pet owners and dog walkers say they’re struggling with Philly’s air quality. Veterinarians say ‘stay inside’

Katie Krebs of the School of Veterinary Medicine says that pets with sensitive noses, like dogs and cats, are even more susceptible to poor air quality than humans.

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