Michigan Public Health faculty, students and alumni are making an impact on public health in the US and around the world. Find the latest news here. View our news archive for additional content.
SPOTLIGHT
Genes for Good: Harnessing the Power of Facebook to Study a Large, Diverse Genetic Pool
New Research from Gonçalo Abecasis and Katharine Brieger
Collecting DNA samples for human genetic studies can be an expensive, lengthy process that has often made it difficult to include diverse populations. Now, University of Michigan researchers believe they have found a way to harness the power of social media to recruit a large, diverse participant pool. Read more
Growing Life Expectancy Inequality in Us Cannot Be Blamed on Opioids Alone
New Research from Arline Geronimus
A new University of Michigan study challenges a popularized view about what's causing the growing gap between the lifespans of more- and less-educated Americans—finding shortcomings in the widespread narrative that the United States is facing an epidemic of "despair." Read more
To Protect Kids and Teens from Firearm Harm, Answer These Research Questions First
New Contribution from Marc Zimmerman and Rebecca Cunningham
As interest grows in addressing pediatric firearm injuries — the second-leading cause of death for young people, researchers list the most urgent priorities for study. Read more
IN THE NEWS: The FDA Finds Groceries Are Contaminated. But Will It Do Anything About That?
New Contribution from Sung Kyun Park
Americans are likely consuming per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—man-made contaminants—with every meal, from packaged meats to chocolate cake sold at the grocery store. PFAS in water are already regulated. Environmental advocates think it's time for food to be regulated too. Read more
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IN THE NEWS: Responses to the Opioid Epidemic Vary Across the Country -- But A Few Themes Stand Out
Rebecca Haffajee Interviewed by Bustle
There’s no one easy answer for how to respond to the opioid epidemic. Cities, counties, and states across the country have tried to be innovative in their approach to the public health crisis ever since concern over opioid and heroin use began to grow. Read more
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IN THE NEWS: A Wearable That Helps Women Get / Not Get Pregnant
New Contribution from Peter Song
Women’s bodies can be mysterious things—even to the women who inhabit them. But a wearable gadget called the Yono aims to replace mystery with knowledge derived from statistics, big data, and machine learning. Read more
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Stalk Antibodies Provide Flu Protection in Humans
New Research from Aubree Gordon
A universal flu vaccine that could prevent a potential influenza pandemic has been a holy grail for epidemiologists around the world ever since the first flu vaccines were developed in 1938. Read more
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Michigan Minds Podcast: A New Approach to Improving Firearms Safety
Rebecca Cunningham and Marc Zimmerman Interviewed by Michigan Minds
Auto accidents and firearms are the leading causes of death for children and adolescents in the United States. But while the auto accidents number has largely trended down, the same cannot be said for firearms deaths. Researchers Rebecca Cunningham and Marc Zimmerman talk about a new effort that takes an injury prevention approach to decreasing firearms deaths among youth. Read more
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IN THE NEWS: People with a Sense of Purpose Live Longer, Study Suggests
New Research from Leigh Pearce featured in Newsweek
People who have a sense of purpose in life appear to live longer, according to the latest research linking this outlook to a person's quality of life and to better physical and mental health. Read more
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New Digital Tool Tailors Mental Health Information, Support for Students Taking National Survey
Q & A with Daniel Eisenberg
A national survey across hundreds of college campuses does much to paint a picture of student mental health, which can then guide campus support programming. And now the researchers behind the Healthy Minds Network want to immediately put resources into the hands of students who take that survey. Read more
