BCHS News
Introducing Pitt’s latest Fulbright student finalists
Hannah Schwarz, who is pursuing doctoral studies in behavioral and community health sciences and a Graduate Certificate in Asian Studies from the School of Public Health, is one of 10 University of Pittsburgh students and alumni selected as finalists for the 2026-27 cycle of the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.
The viral online attack on Pittsburgh doctors that sparked a national debate over vaccines
Beth Hoffman, assistant professor of behavioral and community health sciences at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health who studies vaccine messaging, said it could take years for a shift to take place that counters the barrage of debunked claims. (Subscription required.)
Pitt Public Health, Psychiatry researchers study trauma assessment
Researchers from Pitt Public Health's Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences and the University of Pittsburgh Department of Psychiatry are challenging how trauma is measured, arguing that traditional assessment tools often overlook the experiences of people with minoritized identities. The study, led by Phillip W. Schnarrs, PhD, and Krithika Prakash, PhD, calls for more inclusive approaches to understanding and assessing trauma.
Fapohunda receives the Mascaro Faculty Scholar Award to expand the global cancer disparities initiative
Abi Fapohunda, DrPH, Pitt Public Health assistant professor of behavioral and community health sciences and an affiliate faculty member in Africana studies at the University of Pittsburgh, has received a 2026 John C. Mascaro Faculty Scholar in Sustainability Award to expand Global TEACH, an international initiative that trains students to study cancer disparities in rural Appalachia and Nigeria.
Schnarrs chosen as editor-in-chief of LGBTQ+ research journal
Phillip W. Schnarrs, PhD, professor in the Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences and co-director of the Center for LGBT Health Research at Pitt Public Health, has been selected as the next editor-in-chief of the Springer Nature Annals of LGBTQ+ Public and Population Health.
5 ways Pitt people helped shape America
Freedom House’s legacy was largely forgotten for decades, but found new recognition in 2025 with the TV show "The Pitt." A recent Pitt Public Health study led by BCHS faculty member Beth Hoffman found Google searches for “Freedom House” jumped 170% the day after the episode aired and stayed elevated for about a week.
HBO’s ‘The Pitt’ drove surge in searches for first Black-staffed EMS company
A single episode of HBO’s popular medical drama “The Pitt” sparked a 170% surge in online searches about Freedom House Ambulance Service, according to a Pitt Public Health study published in American Journal of Health Promotion. “Entertainment media can play a meaningful role in educating the public and encouraging people to learn more, including about topics like health equity and systemic racism,” said Beth Hoffman, assistant professor of behavioral and community health sciences and the study’s first author.
Awareness of Freedom House Ambulance Service, historically overlooked, surged after 'The Pitt'
A University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health study, led by Beth Hoffman, assistant professor of behavioral and community health sciences, found that a storyline about the historic Freedom House Ambulance Service in the TV drama “The Pitt” sparked a spike in online searches and discussion, showing how entertainment can revive forgotten Black history. The research highlights the service’s pioneering role in emergency medicine and its eventual shutdown despite its lasting impact
Awareness of Freedom House Ambulance Service, historically overlooked, surged after 'The Pitt'
A single television storyline can quickly spread knowledge and spark conversations about an important public health history topic, said Beth L. Hoffman, PhD, assistant professor of behavioral and community health sciences at Pitt Public Health. "Entertainment media can play a meaningful role in educating the public and encouraging people to learn more, including about topics like health equity and systemic racism," she said.
School of Public Health staff honored for service milestones
The University of Pittsburgh recognized employees reaching significant service milestones during the Chancellor’s Staff Recognition Ceremony and Reception on June 11. Among those honored were 20 School of Public Health staff members who reached service milestones ranging from 40 to five years in 2026.
Deakings graduates from ADVANCER program
Jason Deakings, PhD, MSPH, assistant professor of behavioral and community health sciences, recently graduated from the Institute for Clinical Research Education's ADVANCER Program, a yearlong career development program for early-career faculty and researchers.
Across disciplines and borders, Pitt researchers tackle questions of data, power and health
A conversation about shared research interests sparked a new collaboration between public health researcher Zoe Mistrale Hendrickson, PhD, and anthropologist Sanghamitra Das, PhD. Working with partners in Nepal and India, the researchers are examining the ethical, legal and social dimensions of reproductive health data governance.
Pitt researchers study menstrual health interventions in Nepal
In remote regions of Nepal, some women and girls are still forced to sleep in isolated huts or avoid kitchens, water taps and temples while menstruating due to cultural stigma and religious beliefs surrounding menstrual “impurity.”
Pitt Public Health students harness the power of history to produce podcasts
In a unique collaboration between the Heinz History Center and Pitt Public Health, students in the Introduction to Community-Based Approaches to Public Health course are bridging the gap between past and present.
Hoffman and Christensen awarded Research!America microgrant
Beth Hoffman, PhD, MPH, assistant professor of behavioral and community health sciences, and Janelle Christensen, PhD, MPH, project manager, Department of Medicine, were recently awarded a 2025-26 Public Engagement Content award from Research!America.
The $3,000 microgrant will fund Hoffman and Christensen’s curriculum, training health science students to counter misinformation. Students, in partnership with the Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center, will teach seniors in the community these skills.