Public Health | Penn Today

The threat of mpox has returned, but public knowledge about it has declined

A national survey conducted by the Annenberg Public Policy Center in July finds that Americans lack understanding and concern about mpox, highlighting a need for more public health outreach and communication about mpox contagion and vaccines.

A person driving pressing a button on a mounted smartphone.

To get drivers to put down their phones, make it a game

A large trial of strategies to reduce distracted driving presented by Penn Medicine experts show that those that were “gamified” yielded a lasting reduction in handheld phone usage while driving.

When there’s money to lose, phone usage while driving drops

New research from Penn Medicine finds that feedback plus cash incentives designed with insights from behavioral science reduces phone use while driving.

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.

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.

A teen driver with a driving instructor.

States differ widely in requirements for young driver training

A new paper from Annenberg Public Policy Center shows how states differ in licensing requirements for teens, and how the crash rate correlates to training; the authors advise for families of teens to go beyond the minimum state requirements to keep teen drivers safer.

A senior man receives a vaccination from a healthcare provider in a pharmacy,

Text reminders about COVID-19 boosters are as effective as free rides, new study finds

In a new megastudy, Katy Milkman of the Wharton School and collaborators at Penn’s Behavior Change for Good Initiative led research on reminders and free rides to and from pharmacies to boost COVID-19 vaccination rates.

This Juneteenth, we must invest in our future as well as remember our past

Victor Roy, an incoming assistant professor at the Perelman School of Medicine, writes that “baby bonds” could help mitigate the worsening racial wealth gap.

Who, What, Why

Who, What, Why: Nursing student and Peace Corps alum Eva Farrell

Serving in the Peace Corps as a math and science teacher in Kenya from 2012 to 2014 inspired MSN student Eva Farrell to go into nursing.

A line of people waiting to register for vaccines.

Knowledge a factor in closing Black-white COVID-19 vaccination gap

New research from the Annenberg Public Policy Center shows that exposure to knowledge about vaccine safety and efficacy from trusted sources can matter.

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