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Nature for all: Bridging health equity through the Initiative-funded Project Nature

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Engaging in outdoor play and exploration can significantly enhance a child’s physical health and mental well-being. However, not all children and families have equitable access to safe, green environments. This deprivation of nature can be tied to several factors, including systemic racism and economic disparities, and hinder a family’s ability to access nature and reap its health benefits. A new program, titled “Project Nature,” seeks to help families overcome barriers so that all children can connect with nature and lead…

Initiative releases its 2022-24 Report to the Community

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The Population Health Initiative was launched in 2016 by the University of Washington as a 25-year effort to help create a world where all people can live healthier and more fulfilling lives. Eight years later, the Initiative is now driving an interdisciplinary and comprehensive approach to addressing grand societal challenges. Through these successes, the operational infrastructure is now in place to support the University in turning interdisciplinary attention to key thematic areas of focus. The 2022-24 Population Health Initiative Report…

Initiative awards 13 early-stage pilot grants to teams of interdisciplinary UW investigators

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The University of Washington Population Health Initiative announced today the award of 13 Tier 1 pilot grants to teams of interdisciplinary researchers representing 11 UW schools and colleges as well as several community-based partners. These 13 awards are worth approximately $400,000, which includes matching funds from schools, departments and units. The projects collectively seek to address grand challenges in areas including climate change, mental health, child health and substance use disorder. “We are delighted with the range of innovative, interdisciplinary…

Initiative selects summer 2024 cohort of Applied Research Fellows

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The University of Washington Population Health Initiative announced today the selection of three graduate students and two undergraduate students as the 2024 cohort of the summer Applied Research Fellowship program. Launched in 2019, the Applied Research Fellowship was created – and continues to be run – in partnership with the University of Washington’s Center for Studies in Demography & Ecology. The program seeks to offer students training in data analysis, critical thinking and team science skills that will help them…

Initiative selects four graduate students as summer Social Entrepreneurship Fellows

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The University of Washington Population Health Initiative announced today the selection of four graduate fellows for the summer 2024 cohort of the Social Entrepreneurship Fellowship program, which is run in partnership with the Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship, CoMotion and the Evans School of Public Policy & Governance. This year’s fellows will spend 10 weeks over the summer producing innovative solutions and contributions to support the work of multidisciplinary projects developed by University of Washington researchers. The students selected for this…

Honorees announced for 2024 undergraduate research recognition awards

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The University of Washington Population Health Initiative announced today the 27 students who received Population Health Recognition Awards as part of their participation in the 2024 Undergraduate Research Symposium. These awards, which represent 21 separate projects, recognize each of the students for their innovative and well-presented research work. This award was created in partnership with the Office of Undergraduate Research in 2017 as an opportunity for students across all three campuses presenting at the annual Undergraduate Research Symposium on Friday,…

Building authentic relationships between academic researchers and communities

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History is fraught with repeated violations of researchers breaching the trust of minority communities. From the well-known cases of the 1932 Tuskegee Syphilis study to the more recent Havasupai Genetic Diabetes Research, these ethical violations underscore the importance of prioritizing and fostering respectful and culturally competent relationships between researchers and the communities with which they engage. By embracing relationship-centered research, the genuine prioritization of the needs of the population can occur, advancing efforts to dismantle health disparities. In Spring 2023,…

Winter quarter 2023 Tier 1 pilot grantees report progress in their projects

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Four $25,000 Population Health Initiative Tier 1 pilot grants were awarded to interdisciplinary University of Washington research teams in winter quarter 2022 to investigate pressing population health challenges. Since then, each team has made progress in their respective projects, with the tabs below describing work completed to date. The purpose of Tier 1 pilot grants are to support researchers in laying an interdisciplinary foundation for a future project to generate proof-of-concept.

UW researchers seek to adapt AI-driven caregiver support tool for Latino community

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Weichao Yuwen, an associate professor in the School of Nursing & Healthcare Leadership at the University of Washington Tacoma, and Maggie Ramirez, an assistant professor in the School of Public Health at the University of Washington, are collaborating to adapt the program, Caring for Caregivers Online (COCO), for Latino communities. COCO is a mobile-based chat platform that offers support to people caring for chronically ill individuals. This program shares wellness practices and connects caregivers with tips from healthcare professionals. Yuwen…

Spring quarter 2022 Tier 1 pilot grant awardees report final impact of funded projects

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The 11 University of Washington research teams who received $25,000 Population Health Initiative Tier 1 pilot grants in spring 2022 have completed their respective projects and reported the impact of their work. Research teams for these projects featured expertise from eight different UW schools and colleges as well numerous community-based partners. The purpose of the Tier 1 pilot grant program is to support researchers in laying an interdisciplinary foundation for a future project to generate proof-of-concept. Reported project outcomes and…