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Public Health
Digital resources could help narrow sexual health equity gap for Puerto Rican adolescents
A study from Penn Nursing shows results of a web-based intervention in Puerto Rico that is designed to increase sexual risk communication between parents and adolescents.
Medicaid expansions linked to slower rises in overdose deaths
A recent study in the Journal of General Internal Medicine contradicts the idea that state expansions of Medicaid leads to more illicit use of prescription opioids.
Hospitals prepare for future disasters to prevent shortages of life-saving drugs
Fallout from previous hurricanes has made hospital staff more aware of the risks natural disasters bring, and are proactive in anticipating drug shortages and supplies.
Flu vaccination rates in clinics drop as day progresses, but ‘nudges’ give them a boost
A new study shows that nudges prompting staff to create templates for vaccine orders increases flu vaccination rates.
Analyzing roadside dust to identify potential health concerns
Reto Gieré is working with collaborators across the world to identify an overlooked but significant factor in traffic-related air pollution: Tiny bits of tires, brake pads, and road materials that become suspended in the air when vehicles pass over.
Educational program successful at reducing forced sex in South African adolescents
A new study led by John B. Jemmott III, an Annenberg School professor, found that an educational program he designed for adolescents in South Africa reduces sexual assault among those students.
Sara Bachman named dean of Penn School of Social Policy & Practice
Bachman, an acclaimed scholar, epidemiologist and expert in social welfare policy, will lead the school beginning January 1st.
A promising candidate for a universal flu vaccine
A flu vaccine that targets a deeper level of the virus itself may be the key to a universal flu vaccine that is more effective at protecting humans from any strain of flu each season.
From addiction and loss to recovery and empathy: Q&A with Nicole O’Donnell
At Penn Medicine’s Center of Excellence, the certified recovery specialist reaches out to people who are addicted in need of support and guidance, drawing on her own experience to be uniquely helpful and intuitive for people who need the most help.
‘Alarming’ diabetes epidemic in Guatemala tied to aging, not obesity
A new study by Penn Center for Global Health, published in PLOS One, finds that 25 percent of the large indigenous population in Guatemala has either type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes.
In the News
Tanning salons reinvent themselves with new health and wellness services
Joel Gelfand of the Perelman School of Medicine says that skin tanning is the body reacting to DNA damage.
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Health companies return $2.6 trillion to shareholders over time amid rising medical costs
A study led by Victor Roy of the Perelman School of Medicine finds that consumers and employers ultimately contributed to corporate health profits by paying for insurance premiums, out-of-pocket medical bills, and taxes.
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The deadly NE Philly plane crash caused a plume of smoke and a massive crater. Here’s what to know about the environmental impacts
Marilyn Howarth of the Perelman School of Medicine says that unhealthy compounds in plastics and other building materials can burn more slowly and at lower temperatures than those in jet fuel, creating a greater risk of exposure.
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Got canker sores? Try switching your toothpaste
Richard Wender of the Perelman School of Medicine says that canker sores often start with a minor trauma to the mucosal lining, like a sharp edge on a tooth or a pair of prickly braces.
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FDA Study finds infectious H5N1 bird flu virus in 14% of raw milk samples
Patrick E. Jamieson of the Annenberg Public Policy Center says it is important that anyone planning to consume raw milk be aware that doing so can make you sick and that pasteurization reduces the risk of milk-borne illnesses.
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Colorado has the most cases of bird flu among dairy cows in the U.S.
The School of Veterinary Medicine has developed a bird flu vaccine that is to be tested by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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