Public Health | Penn Today

Examining 20th-century America’s obsession with poor posture, a forgotten ‘epidemic’

Poor posture was considered a real threat to the nation’s health through much of the 20th century. Beth Linker of the School of Arts and Sciences is investigating the history of this forgotten “epidemic” and how its legacy is reflected in notions of health and disability today.

Despite their efficacy, life-saving drug prescriptions are denied by insurers

A new Penn study shows that both private and public insurers continue to deny coverage for effective hepatitis C drugs at high rates.

Incarceration’s impact on communities and people of color

At a day-long workshop, held at the School of Nursing, public health and criminal justice experts addressed how health and well-being are affected not only during incarceration, but after release, as well.

Hepatitis C Patients Routinely Denied Drugs in 45 States, a Penn Study Shows

Vincent Lo Re III of the Perelman School of Medicine authored a study which found that hepatitis C patients, particularly intravenous drug users, are struggling to access live-saving medication. “If we’re going to hope to eliminate hepatitis C as a public health problem, we need to improve access to antiviral drugs,” said Lo Re.

How to avoid food poisoning from E. coli and salmonella

There are numerous ways for your food to be contaminated with bacteria, and also numerous ways to avoid getting sick. Understanding the science behind what lies inside or on your food is key to staying safe and enjoying your meals.

Making an IMPaCT on community health services

Training community members as healthcare liaisons originated as an Innovation Accelerator at Penn, and is now a branded product on the health care market across the country.

Future doctors take to the community

A course developed at the Perelman School of Medicine connects medical students with high-risk patients in Philadelphia through apprenticeships with community health workers.

In Philadelphia and Around the Country, Overdoses at Public Libraries are a Daunting Reality

Carolyn Cannuscio of the Perelman School of Medicine and the Center for Public Health Initiatives (CPHI), Roxanne Dupuis of CPHI, and Eliza Whiteman of Penn’s Healthy Library Initiative co-authored a call for more support and resources from public health, social service, and health care institutions in tackling overdoses at public libraries.

In Veterans, Even a Mild Case of Traumatic Brain Injury Is Linked to an Increased Risk of Dementia

The Perelman School of Medicine’s Ramon Diaz-Arrastia affirmed the importance of studying the likelihood of dementia in veterans with brain injuries in an editorial he co-wrote.

Lyme, the Tick-Borne Disease That’s Spreading Fast, Explained

The School of Arts and Sciences’ Dustin Brisson explained how people living in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Upper Midwest have become more vulnerable to Lyme disease. Brisson said that suburban environments are more susceptible to ticks than farmland, due to a proliferation of mice and deer, which can carry Lyme.

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