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Public Health
Can the COVID playbook help end malaria?
In a Perry World House conversation, Matthew Laurens, Martina Mchenga, and Drew Weissman discussed how lessons from a global pandemic could help in the fight to eradicate malaria.
Exploring inequalities in health through cognitive science and family conversation
Doctoral candidate Mary E. Andrews believes that personal stories can help people live healthier lives.
Health capabilities, explained
Jennifer J. Prah of the School of Social Policy & Practice has developed a method for assessing the individual and collective ability to be healthy.
More than 2 million additional Americans faced food insufficiency following SNAP benefits drawdown
A study from Penn Medicine finds that after discontinuing pandemic-related food assistance benefits, Americans faced a substantial increase in food insufficiency, which can contribute to chronic diseases like high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes.
To increase acceptance of an RSV vaccine, explain the FDA’s vaccine approval process
A new report by Penn’s Annenberg Public Policy Center shows a need for more public visibility of the FDA’s rigorous review process to sway public opinion about the safety of vaccines and maternal health during pregnancy.
Survey finds gaps in knowledge about maternal health
New survey data from the Annenberg Public Policy Center analyzes public knowledge of maternal health risks, vaccine safety, and mental health outreach options.
People with a conspiracy mindset resist childhood vaccination
Research by Dan Romer and Kathleen Hall Jamieson of the Annenberg Public Policy Center explains the role that having a conspiracy mindset plays in adult reluctance to vaccinate children.
Comparing urban and rural excess mortality during COVID-19
The first-ever county-level study of excess mortality in the United States shows monthly excess deaths spread from large cities to rural counties in the second year of the pandemic.
Smoke safety: What to know and how to keep safe with poor air quality
Olajumoke O. Fadugba of the Perelman School of Medicine addresses why smoke irritates the body, why people with allergies and asthma are particularly affected, and how to stay safe. Writer: Kristina García
Why the Vaccine Safety Reporting System should be renamed
VAERS, the federal health system for reporting “adverse events” after vaccination, is designed to assist in the early detection of complications and responsive action. But the flood of social media references to the system during the COVID-19 pandemic created confusion.
In the News
UPenn hosts free online panel for LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion
The Eidos LGBTQ+ Health Initiative, led by José Bauermeister and Jessica Halem of the School of Nursing, will host a free online panel in April on the integration of LGBTQ+ people in the workforce.
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Mayor Parker’s plan to ‘remove the presence of drug users’ from Kensington raises new questions
Shoshana Aronowitz of the School of Nursing and Ashish Thakrar of the Perelman School of Medicine comment on the lack of specificity in Philadelphia’s plan to remove drug users from Kensington and on the current state of drug treatment in the city.
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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.
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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%.
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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.
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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.
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