BCHS News
Positive social media posts may normalize nicotine pouch use among youth
A Pitt Public Health study analyzed 1,809 Instagram and TikTok posts containing the hashtag #Zyn to better understand the messages users encounter about nicotine pouches. Researchers, including senior author Jaime E. Sidani, PhD, professor in the Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, evaluated each post for sentiment, themes, youth appeal and potentially misleading health claims.
Pitt Public Health researchers study alcohol-cancer risk communication
“Social media has become a major source of health information, so understanding what messages are—and aren’t—being shared is important for public health,” said Joseph Alejandro, a PhD student in the Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, about a new study in the journal Alcohol, Clinical and Experimental Research.
Kyaien O. Conner brings a public health perspective to Pitt’s School of Social Work
Trained as both a social worker and public health researcher, Kyaien O. Conner (PhD, SSW ’08, MPH, BCHS ’07), has developed a career focused on understanding how individual health is connected to families, communities and the broader systems around them. Now, as dean of the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work and a Pitt Public Health alumna, she sees an opportunity to bring those perspectives together in new ways.
School of Public Health staff honored at annual award and recognition celebration
Members of Pitt Public Health’s staff were honored at the 2026 Staff Awards & Recognition Ceremony on Aug. 11. Staff milestones recognizing five to 40 years of service were also celebrated.
Pitt researchers use Research!America grant to train students to combat misinformation
A team of Pitt researchers has completed a project to train health science students to help older adults recognize and respond to misinformation and scams. The project was based a 2025-26 Public Engagement Content award from Research!America to Beth Hoffman, PhD, MPH, assistant professor of behavioral and community health sciences, and Janelle Christensen, PhD, MPH, project manager, Department of Medicine.
A summer of public health
Through the Pittsburgh Summer Institute, a long-standing partnership between the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health and the Allegheny County Health Department, students work alongside experienced mentors on projects that address community health challenges while exploring careers in governmental public health.
New funding supports collaborative research on housing and intimate partner violence
A grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation is supporting a collaborative research project among Alle-Kiski Area HOPE Center, Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh, and the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health to better understand the housing challenges experienced by survivors of intimate partner violence.
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.