11/15
Wellness
Anxiety in a post-COVID world
A return to the next normal post-pandemic may trigger anxiety for people anticipating a more public-facing life after a year of isolation.
Doulas help families meet breastfeeding goals
Research from the School of Nursing shows that these support professionals can be another tool to improve outcomes for newborns and parents.
Eviction linked to depression risk in young adults
Research from sociologist Courtney Boen and anthropologist Morgan Hoke shows that this issue, compounded by the toll of the pandemic, disproportionately affects low-income households and communities of color.
What works: Medication, a low-calorie diet, and intensive behavioral therapy
Patients on a low-calorie diet along with intensive behavioral therapy lost nearly three times as much weight when taking new anti-obesity medication than when taking a placebo.
Finding beauty in everything, through a camera lens
Karen Reivich of Penn’s Positive Psychology Center turned to photography to reconnect to herself during the pandemic. It helped her discover a new way of seeing the world.
Children, the pandemic, and long-term mental health consequences
New work from Penn Nursing and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia describes the importance of recognizing COVID-19’s psychological effects on young people and the pivotal role pediatric nurses in all settings can play.
Seeing the connections between health and the built environment
The course New Approaches to an Architecture of Health offers students the chance to explore the role of architecture on health and well-being and how mindful design can be used to create a healthier future.
Money matters to happiness—perhaps more than previously thought
Research from Wharton’s Matthew Killingsworth shows that contrary to previous influential work, there’s no dollar-value plateau at which money’s importance lessens. One potential reason: Higher earners feel an increased sense of control over life.
Monitoring patients remotely brings fourfold decline in rehospitalization after joint replacements
The rate of hospital readmissions for hip and knee replacement patients declined from roughly 12% to 3% when they were enrolled in a “hovering” program.
Self-awareness can drive behavior change, reprogram the brain’s reward system
Most people break New Year’s resolutions within a few weeks. Neuroscientist Vera Ludwig offers six tips to move mindfully through this process, leading to a greater chance for success.
In the News
Penn is offering free Narcan through vending machine on campus
A vending machine on Penn’s campus will offer free Narcan and other wellness and health products, with remarks from Jackie Recktenwald and Benoit Dubé of Wellness at Penn.
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My brother’s recovery from a car crash became a lesson in how to talk to doctors and nurses
Emily Largent of the Perelman School of Medicine writes that communication is part of healing, as she experienced when her brother was in a car accident and unable to notify family himself.
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Millennial HR professionals are entering the C-suite, and their priorities reflect their lived experiences: ‘We spend a lot of time getting to know folks deeply’
Matthew Bidwell of the Wharton School points to an uptick in student interest in employee wellness strategies.
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Stressed? Depressed? Mindfulness training could offer long-term relief
Yvette Sheline of the Perelman School of Medicine is quoted on how many cultures have used different variations of mindfulness, and that classes are generally affordable and accessible in most cities.
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The less college students sleep, the worse their grades, study finds
Two hundred Penn students and staff participating in a seven-week online course to build better sleep habits have reported an overall decrease in symptoms of insomnia, according to Rebecca Huxta of Wellness at Penn.
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New on the job: Penn director of well-being initiatives creates tools for success
As Wellness at Penn’s inaugural director of well-being initiatives, doctoral candidate Jackie Recktenwald of the Graduate School of Education is looking to improve student health and wellness across campus.
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