4/2
Public Health
Community outreach at Penn Medicine
Community outreach is an integral component of Penn Medicine’s three-part mission of research, patient care, and education, and countless members of the Health System family reach out on an individual basis.
The art of talking about science
Paul Offit of Penn Medicine and CHOP offers five tips for better communicating tough scientific topics to the public—and standing up for science in the process.
Risk and healthy behavior in the American adaptation of a telenovela
Researchers at the Annenberg Public Policy Center compare the CW Network show “Jane the Virgin” and the original Spanish-language telenovela “Juana la Virgen” and find an increase in risky adolescent behavior in the adaptation.
‘Enhanced Recovery’ protocol reduces opioid use in spinal surgery patients
A new study shows that a comprehensive “Enhanced Recovery After Surgery” protocol for spine and peripheral nerve surgery patients significantly reduces opioid use.
One-third of gun injuries in America are treated in non-trauma centers
New research suggests ways to expand efforts beyond trauma centers to prevent recurrent gun injuries.
25 years of integration, innovation, and ideals
2018 marked 25 years since the University of Pennsylvania Health System (UPHS) was first established—a milestone that would undoubtedly make the institution’s founder, Benjamin Franklin, proud.
The ACA in 2019: Will it face a reckoning?
Wharton’s Mark Pauly, Eric Clemons and Robert Field discuss what lies ahead for the Affordable Care Act in 2019.
Penn Dental Medicine offering free emergency care to furloughed federal workers
As the federal government shutdown continues, Penn Dental Medicine is opening its doors to furloughed federal workers, offering them free care for emergency dental needs.
What do opponents of genetically modified foods really know about the science?
The study, published in Nature Human Behaviour, found that the strongest critics actually know less—a pattern similar for gene therapy, but not for climate change.
Can music improve anxiety and depression for people with memory disorders?
That’s the aim of a recently completed pilot program connecting Penn Memory Center patients, Penn graduate students, and Curtis Institute musicians.
In the News
Posts mislead about COVID-19 vaccine safety with out-of-context clip of FDA official
Jeffrey S. Morris of the Perelman School of Medicine says that many adverse medical events, even those clearly unrelated to vaccines, have been reported an order of magnitude more for COVID vaccines during the pandemic than any time before.
FULL STORY →
Philadelphians hope a cleaner city will reduce gun violence. Will Oh or Parker make it a reality?
A $3 million blight reduction project in Philadelphia is informed by Penn research showing that cleaning up trash and revitalizing vacant lots can reduce gun violence rates by as much as 29%.
FULL STORY →
Universal basic income is working—even in red states
Researchers at Penn concluded that a basic income program in Stockton, California, could have profound positive impacts on local public health.
FULL STORY →
NJ’s Camden County deploying virtual reality to teach students about naloxone
Penn partnered with New Jersey’s Camden County to create a virtual reality training video for administering the opioid-reversing drug Narcan.
FULL STORY →
An overdose drug is finally over-the-counter. Is that enough to stop the death toll?
Shoshana Aronowitz of the School of Nursing says that over-the-counter Narcan is a baby step in the right direction, not a game changer.
FULL STORY →
A new community-driven initiative is asking Philly to spend more housing funds on the lowest-income households
Rebecca Yae of the Weitzman School of Design’s Housing Initiative at Penn says that it’s important to consider deeper income targeting with affordable housing for people with the lowest incomes.
FULL STORY →