Antonia M. Villarruel, the Margaret Bond Simon Dean of Penn Nursing, has co-authored a new book, “Systems That Impact Population Health: Past and Present,” which serves as a critical examination of how foundational U.S. systems, including law, education, housing, and health care, have historically shaped and continue to dictate health outcomes across diverse communities.
The book moves beyond focusing on individual behavior, arguing that addressing embedded institutional barriers is key to ensuring health for all. It is organized around seven distinct population groups, drawing on rigorous research and lived experience to reveal how these systems often influence opportunity, leading to persistent health disparities.
By connecting the nation’s individual and collective history to its present-day health landscape, “Systems That Impact Population Health: Past and Present” provides a unifying framework and set of policy recommendations to ensure good health for all.
“To achieve health for everyone everywhere, we must look upstream to the conditions in which people live, learn, work, and age,” says Villarruel. “This book is a roadmap that outlines the changes and policies necessary to allow every person the opportunity to live a healthy life.”
On the move: Water quality and antimicrobial resistance testing goes mobile
Penn researchers have developed a mobile field laboratory allowing them to test water quality and track antimicrobial resistance in and around San Cristóbal in the Galápagos.
Penn researchers Vanessa and Alexis North are studying one of the largest collections of Egyptian blue objects ever found in the ancient Near East, shedding new light on how the world’s first synthetic pigment may have traveled far beyond Egypt.
A new role for dental providers? Rethinking where vaccines are given
Vaccinations have traditionally been administered in primary care settings or pharmacies. However, for about a decade, some states have authorized dentists to administer vaccines, and many others did so during the COVID-19 pandemic. The effectiveness of this approach has led some countries and states to expand or consider expanding the role of dental providers in delivering routine vaccines, including those against COVID-19 and the human papillomavirus (HPV), and in providing vaccine education.
Penn student develops a way for computer chips to run more efficiently
Fluid Silicon, a platform from President’s Sustainability Prize winner Nhlanhla Mavuso, allows computer chips to continuously monitor their health and self-tune as their characteristics change. The technology has the potential to reduce energy usage in data centers and improve reliability in mission-critical applications.
