Adult-onset asthma is common. What to consider if you’re diagnosed.
“In children, asthma tends to be more benign,” says professor of Environmental and Occupational Health Sally Wenzel. “In adults, it’s more unpredictable.”
Pittsburgh days, Havana nights
Staff member combines data management career with a passion for visual arts
By day, Rafael Migoyo wields Health Studies Research Center data, seeking order from a chaos of information collected in aging studies conducted by Pitt Public Health faculty in the Department of Epidemiology. When the workday ends, Migoyo’s mind is on a different kind of collection—paintings, sculptures, textiles and photography created by artists in his native Cuba.
Pitt Public Health experts weigh in on East Palestine derailment
A train carrying toxic materials derailed in East Palestine, Ohio on February 3. Since the derailment, faculty members at Pitt Public Health have been interviewed by numerous media outlets to provide their expertise on the situation. Read the news stories below. (Subscription may be required for some outlets).
The connection between menopause and cardiovascular disease risks
"As women transition through menopause, they experience a lot of changes," said Samar El Khoudary, a professor of epidemiology.
New workshops will focus on ‘under-acknowledged’ single moms in higher ed
"There is a lot of data on single mothers attending college but not how many work in higher education," notes Christine McClure, senior research scientist in Health Policy and Management.
Officials burned off toxic chemicals from Ohio train. Was it the right move?
“From a vulnerability perspective, the greatest risk of exposure is in the train workers as well as the responders, the people who did the burn," said Dean Lichtveld.
How vinyl chloride, chemical released in the Ohio train derailment, can damage the liver – it’s used to make PVC plastics
Vinyl chloride – the chemical in several of the train cars that derailed and burned in East Palestine, Ohio, in February 2023 – can wreak havoc on the human liver.
Who should be on Allegheny County’s new board of health?
Experts weigh in on what types of appointees are needed to build a healthier Pittsburgh and surrounding county.
Pitt Public Health career spotlight
Alumnus finds passion in detecting, preventing infection outbreaks
Within months of Alexander Sundermann’s MPH graduation (IDM ‘14, '22), the new UPMC infection preventionist and his colleagues were faced with a spate of severe fungal infections—some fatal—among transplant patients. The outbreak was traced to a Clearfield County commercial laundry service, where hospital linens were determined to have been contaminated by molds.
Pitt lands $14.3 million for research linking dementia and cardiovascular disease
A team led by professor of Epidemiology, Anne Newman, will launch a first-ever clinical trial to see if an immune regulator can reduce the deleterious aspects of aging in older but otherwise healthy adults.
The Ohio measles outbreak and the danger of losing herd immunity
Though measles was eradicated in the U.S. in 2000, outbreaks have occurred since, including a recent one in Columbus, Ohio.
A benefit of filing your Pennsylvania taxes? Another shot at subsidized health insurance
Assistant professor of Health Policy and Management Coleman Drake, says now is a good time for states to expand outreach efforts and make the most of those federal dollars.
The bizarre Americanness of prescription drug commercials
“But there could be a class of medications advertised where there could be cheaper alternatives, or lifestyle changes could be beneficial,” said professor of Health and Policy and Management, Julie Donohue.
What is vinyl chloride, the chemical released from the East Palestine train cars?
“The cloud that was really being produced was not vinyl chloride but what it was being turned into — the combustion product,” said James Fabisiak, associate professor of Environmental and Occupational Health.
Somerset County Chamber recognizes community movers and shakers
Behavioral and Community Health Sciences student Alyce Palko received the Harold W. Wheeler Jr. Memorial Humanitarian Award.