6.19
Health Sciences
Can bias be reversed?
Mandatory education and training can improve awareness of implicit biases and how it may affect patient care, according to studies and fieldwork done in communities.
Let the sunshine in
Our circadian rhythms need exposure to full spectrum natural light to stay in sync with the external environment. Limiting our access to natural lightwaves leaves our bodies out of balance.
One in four Americans develops insomnia each year
About 25 percent of Americans experience acute insomnia each year, but about 75 percent of these individuals recover without developing persistent poor sleep or chronic insomnia.
Could a new blood test predict preterm labor?
Research that included Medicine’s Michal Elovitz reveals that a non-invasive blood test might have the ability to determine a baby’s gestational age in utero and predict preterm delivery.
Why does sleep deprivation affect cognitive function of some more than others?
The key may be microRNAs, small non-coding RNAs that help regulate gene expression, according to a study from Penn Medicine and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Drug combination offers more effective care for patients suffering miscarriage
In a new clinical trial, a two-drug combination of mifepristone and misoprostol shows increased efficacy in helping women avoid surgical procedures following a miscarriage
Examining 20th-century America’s obsession with poor posture, a forgotten ‘epidemic’
Poor posture was considered a real threat to the nation’s health through much of the 20th century. Beth Linker of the School of Arts and Sciences is investigating the history of this forgotten “epidemic” and how its legacy is reflected in notions of health and disability today.
Despite their efficacy, life-saving drug prescriptions are denied by insurers
A new Penn study shows that both private and public insurers continue to deny coverage for effective hepatitis C drugs at high rates.
Tipping point for large-scale social change? Just 25 percent
How many people need to take a stand before a behavior is no longer seen as normal? According to research from Annenberg’s Damon Centola, there’s now a quantifiable answer: roughly 25 percent.
Incarceration’s impact on communities and people of color
At a day-long workshop, held at the School of Nursing, public health and criminal justice experts addressed how health and well-being are affected not only during incarceration, but after release, as well.
In the News
BBC
Why Do Only Some People Get Blackout Drunk?
Reagan Wetherill of the Perelman School of Medicine discussed “inherent brain vulnerabilities, and genetic vulnerabilities,” that put adolescents at risk of future alcohol abuse.
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Reuters Health
Workplace Noise in Daytime Linked to Sleep Problems at Night
The Perelman School of Medicine’s Mathias Basner weighed in on the effects of noise environments on stress levels.
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The Washington Post
Forget ‘Man vs. Machine.’ When Doctors Compete with Artificial Intelligence, Patients Lose
Carrie Kovarik, Caroline Nelson, and John Barbieri of the Perelman School of Medicine co-authored an argument for collaboration, not competition, between doctors and AI technology.
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WHYY (Philadelphia)
New Blood Test for Pregnant Women Could Predict Preterm Birth
The Perelman School of Medicine’s Michal Elovitz discussed the results from her research exploring methods for predicting preterm births. The study’s results were published in Science.
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NBC News
9 Things to Do This Morning to Make Your Whole Day More Productive
The Perelman School of Medicine’s Namni Goel discussed steps one can take to jump start the day, including planning ahead of time, creating healthy sleep patterns, staying well-hydrated, and more.
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