Research and Practice News

Check out some highlights of research and practice under way at Pitt Public Health:

Flu making a comeback, could strain hospitals filled with Covid patients 

Flu making a comeback, could strain hospitals filled with Covid patients

NBC NEWS – HPM’s Mark Roberts, director of the Public Health Dynamics Laboratory, said he’s concerned that regions of the country that currently don’t have mitigation measures for Covid will see a large increase in flu cases in the coming weeks. “What I think is worrisome now is that there are many... (01/04/2022)

Self-compassion can be good for the heart, Thurston finds 

Self-compassion can be good for the heart, Thurston finds

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE - New research from secondary EPI faculty Rebecca Thurston sheds light on the ways that being kinder to yourself may be good for your heart. The study found that women who practice self-compassion overall have stronger cardiovascular health, further cementing the correlation... (01/04/2022)

Wenzel, Kagan, Newman are Highly Cited Researchers for 2021 

Wenzel, Kagan, Newman are Highly Cited Researchers for 2021

Congratulations to EOH’s Sally Wenzel and Valerian Kagan and EPI’s Anne Newman for their inclusion in the 2021 list of Highly Cited Researchers. The list identifies researchers who have demonstrated significant influence in their chosen fields through the publication of multiple highly cited papers... (01/04/2022)

Mendez and colleagues publish paper on association of residence in high-police contact neighborhoods with preterm birth 

Mendez and colleagues publish paper on association of residence in high-police contact neighborhoods with preterm birth

JAMA NETWORK OPEN - In this cross-sectional study of 1059 Minneapolis residents who gave birth to a live singleton in 2016, the odds of preterm birth for pregnant people living in a neighborhood with high police presence was significantly higher compared with the odds of their racial counterparts i... (12/15/2021)

Two community-created Collaborative Filmmaking films from Burke and Baumann to debut at Nepalese film festivals 

Two community-created Collaborative Filmmaking films from Burke and Baumann to debut at Nepalese film festivals

As a part of an ongoing research collaboration with Liverpool John Moores University in the UK, with funding from the British Academy, BCHS’s Sara Baumann and Jessie Burke have two new community-created films from applying the Collaborative Filmmaking method in Nepal being aired at the Kathmandu ... (12/15/2021)

Wenzel talks about endotypes and precision medicine in podcast 

Wenzel talks about endotypes and precision medicine in podcast

PHYSIOL REV - EOH Chair Sally Wenzel is a world authority on the diagnosis and treatment of asthma, a chronic disease with significant implications to public health. She talks about her paper “Are we meeting the promise of endotypes and precision medicine in asthma?” on a recent episode of the Phys... (12/07/2021)

Higher Risk of Liver Cancer in People with NAFLD Linked to High Blood Iron Levels 

Higher Risk of Liver Cancer in People with NAFLD Linked to High Blood Iron Levels

CANCER HEALTH - “NAFLD may contribute to the rising incidence of HCC in the U.S. However, only a small fraction of NAFLD patients eventually develop HCC. The liver is the primary reservoir of body iron. The iron overload can cause hepatotoxicity and liver damage,” said EPI’s Jian-Min Yuan, senior a... (11/29/2021)

Sundermann discusses collaborative paper on artificial intelligence and disease prediction 

Sundermann discusses collaborative paper on artificial intelligence and disease prediction

KDKA RADIO – Alex Sundermann (IDM ‘14, EPI ‘22) explains that one in thirty patients gets at least one health care-associated infection – one acquired while in the hospital. “Typical tests see what type of organism it is but that test doesn’t tell you, was it transmitted from a patient or from some... (11/22/2021)

Lichtveld touts equity in climate change science at NAM annual meeting 

Lichtveld touts equity in climate change science at NAM annual meeting

“The absolute bottom line for us in the area of science is that we are responsible for making climate and health science work for those most vulnerable. Across all presentations, every single presenter talked about issues of equity and issues of vulnerability,” Lichtveld said. “A climate focus must... (11/22/2021)

The road forward: All eyes now on Gainey to begin to address city's larger issues 

The road forward: All eyes now on Gainey to begin to address city's larger issues

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE - During his campaign, Gainey often focused on task force reports, one of which says that their needs to be a shift in the police bureau. BCHS’s Richard Garland, a member of the task force, said the report showed officers needed more training – particularly in de-escalation ... (11/08/2021)

Garland receives $1.5 million grant for Reimagine Reentry project 

Garland receives $1.5 million grant for Reimagine Reentry project

PITT WIRE - The Hillman Foundation awarded Reimagine Reentry, a program run by BCHS’ Richard Garland, a $1.5 million grant. The program is committed to reducing recidivism in a state where 63 percent of parolees return to corrections within three years. They provide services including case mentorin... (11/08/2021)

This Flu Season is Different. Here's How to Prepare.  

This Flu Season is Different. Here's How to Prepare.

NEW YORK TIMES - In a  study  published on a preprint server in August that has not yet been peer-reviewed, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh used mathematical modeling to predict how severe the upcoming flu season might be based on this increased susceptibility. They reported that if f... (11/01/2021)

To jab or not to jab? Vaccinations still hot topic in sports 

To jab or not to jab? Vaccinations still hot topic in sports

AP - “For athletes in particular, their livelihood is based on their ability to compete,” said EPI’s Wendy King (EPI '04), who took part in a research project on vaccine hesitancy earlier this year. “Even if they thought, ‘Oh, I’m pretty healthy and I wouldn’t get that bad of a case,’ it would stil... (11/01/2021)

Finegold: How to use precision medicine to personalize COVID-19 treatment according to the patient's genes 

Finegold: How to use precision medicine to personalize COVID-19 treatment according to the patient's genes

THE CONVERSATION - HUGEN’s David Finegold and colleague “began a discussion about the promise and potential pitfalls of precision medicine before the arrival of COVID-19. If precision medicine is the future of medicine, then its application to pandemics generally, and COVID-19 in particular, may ye... (10/28/2021)

Baumann and Burke Talk Collaborative Filmmaking in Health Promotion Practice Journal's Podcast 

Baumann and Burke Talk Collaborative Filmmaking in Health Promotion Practice Journal's Podcast

BCHS’s Sara Baumann and Jessica Burke discuss the role of art following the devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Nepal in April 2015 in this episode of the HPP Podcast. They explain the origin of "collaborative filmmaking" and their focus on empowering participants and communities and e... (10/28/2021)

Changes in the length of the premenopausal menstrual cycle may predict the risk of heart disease 

Changes in the length of the premenopausal menstrual cycle may predict the risk of heart disease

FLORIDA NEWS TIMES - As women approach menopause, the length of the menstrual cycle often increases. The timing of these changes may provide clues about the risk of people developing heart disease, according to a new study. "Cardiovascular disease is the number one murderer of women and the risk is... (10/18/2021)

Clues about how society emerges from COVID-19 can be gleaned by looking back on 1918 Spanish flu, Burke and other experts say 

Clues about how society emerges from COVID-19 can be gleaned by looking back on 1918 Spanish flu, Burke and other experts say

PITTSBURGH POST GAZETTE - Between Sept. 22 and 24, noses in Beaver County did what they are supposed to do, said EOH’s James Fabisiak, director for the Center for Healthy Environments & Communities. They alarmed. “Your nose is actually designed to inform you if something is wrong,” Fabisiak said. B... (10/04/2021)

PA is trying county fairs, text messages, and door-knocking to raise the vaccination rate. Success is slowly coming. 

PA is trying county fairs, text messages, and door-knocking to raise the vaccination rate. Success is slowly coming.

PHILADEPHIA INQUIERER - "The issues left are vaccine hesitancy, or they don't feel there's a strong enough need to jump through the hoops they would need to to get the vaccine," said EPI's Wendy King. Her research includes a nationwide survey of more than five million respondents and suggests that ... (08/11/2021)

Garland Examines Rise in Young People's Involvement in Local Violence on Hayes-Freeland show (video) 

Garland Examines Rise in Young People's Involvement in Local Violence on Hayes-Freeland show (video)

KDKA - BCHS' Richard Garland spoke with KDKA's Lynne Hayes-Freeland about the factors that are contributing to a rise in violence among youth in Pittsburgh. (08/03/2021)

Culyba and Chu on How to Reduce the Risk of Youth Vaping 

Culyba and Chu on How to Reduce the Risk of Youth Vaping

UPMC - Adolescents who set goals for their future and those with strong parental support are less likely to use e-cigarettes and other tobacco products. Senior author BCHS' Alison Culyba noted that frameworks already exist to help clinicians use future orientation and encourage parental monitoring ... (08/02/2021)

Community Engagement Updates & News

Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum Blood Drive 

Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum Blood Drive

Vitalant is hosting a Blood Drive on 2/24, 3/4, 3/9, 3/16. 3/25, and 3/31 from 9 am- 2 pm. Appointments recommended. (02/22/2021)
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Pitt's community engagement programs, fortifying the interface of the University with the broader community 

Pitt's community engagement programs, fortifying the interface of the University with the broader community

Visit www.cec.pitt.edu to learn about collaborative possibilities with other Pitt schools and local neighborhoods, community leaders, residents around health - as part of Pitt's 15-year committment to strengthen and support communities and Pitt!  (12/11/2020)

Research Videos

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Garland Examines Rise in Young People's Involvement in Local Violence on Hayes-Freeland show (video) 

Garland Examines Rise in Young People's Involvement in Local Violence on Hayes-Freeland show (video)

KDKA - BCHS' Richard Garland spoke with KDKA's Lynne Hayes-Freeland about the factors that are contributing to a rise in violence among youth in Pittsburgh. (08/03/2021)
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Baumann's talk during TEDxUniversity: Leaders, Innovators, and Neighbors (video) 

Baumann's talk during TEDxUniversity: Leaders, Innovators, and Neighbors (video)

BCHS' Sara Baumann is a mixed-methods researcher harnessing participatory, arts-based tools to study mental health and reproductive health issues. She was living in Nepal in 2015 when a 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck, killing close to 9,000 people and displacing half a million. Watch the recording... (07/26/2021)
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Gary-Webb featured in PHRESH: Communities Thrive When Residents are Involved in Decisions That Affect Their Neighborhoods 

Gary-Webb featured in PHRESH: Communities Thrive When Residents are Involved in Decisions That Affect Their Neighborhoods

"The Hill District and Homewood are similar and different in various ways. They're similar in the sense that they've been relatively stable over time and they have predominantly Black populations but they have very different histories overtime," explains EPI's TIffany Gary-Webb, assocaite dean for ... (07/23/2021)
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Hill and colleagues find that coke works fire made asthma worse for sufferers nearby 

Hill and colleagues find that coke works fire made asthma worse for sufferers nearby

WTAE - Brandy Bywra-Hill (EOH '22) was lead author on a recent study in collaboration with ACHD that recounts the impact of the Christmas Eve 2018 fire that destroyed the pollution controls of the U.S. Clairton Coke Works. "This is the type of data that helps shape policy about air emissions, facto... (05/06/2021)
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