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Researchers find unsafe arsenic levels found in some south Puget Sound lakes, fish

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Researchers at the University of Washington and UW Tacoma have been studying arsenic levels in lakes in the south Puget Sound region to assess possible health risks related to eating fish and other organisms from those lakes. By assessing arsenic levels across multiple lakes at different depths, they found that sea life that lives in shallower lakes – such as snails, crayfish and sunfish – possess arsenic levels associated with increased cancer risks. The research team is now working with…

Hans Rosling Center for Population Health hosting climate resilience art piece

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The Hans Rosling Center for Population Health hosted the Climate Resilience Art Showcase on Thursday, November 17, 2021 – in partnership with EarthLab, the Climate Impacts Group and the Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center – that featured the unveiling of a painting by Claire Sianna Seaman of Leavenworth that depicts climate resilience and its relationship with people and communities in the Pacific Northwest. The Climate Impacts Group sought an artist at the beginning of 2021 to create a commissioned piece…

Study shows benefits of using numerical data to explain surgical risks to patients

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A recent study conducted by a team of surgeons at the University of Washington School of Medicine investigated the benefits of presenting surgical risks to patients numerically versus using generalized terms such as “common” or “rare.” They concluded that patients are able to make more informed decisions about their health when offered numerical information. Participants involved in the study completed a series of online surveys that outlined the risks associated with either a surgical or antibiotic treatment of appendicitis. They…

UW Climate Impacts launches the Northwest Climate Resilience Collaborative

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The University of Washington Climate Impacts Group – in collaboration with several partners – is initiating a program focused on equitable climate adaptation in the Northwest region. Funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), the Northwest Climate Resilience Collaborative strives to support rural and coastal tribal communities who experience the effects of climate change disproportionately due to various socioeconomic inequities. The collaborative is working with the Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments national network, which is part of the…

New study indicates sociodemographic factors increase chances of COVID-19 test positivity

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Researchers at the University of Washington recently conducted a study determining the role of clinical, sociodemographic and geographic factors in increasing the probability that patients test positive for COVID-19. Their findings were published in the October 2021 issue of PLOS ONE. Researchers assessed roughly 64,000 patients who received a SARS-CoV-2 test between January 1, 2020 and August 7, 2020 and met the prerequisite of one prior clinical visit to the UW Medicine health system. They developed a model that tracked…

Spotlight: Daaniya Iyaz’s focus on the intersection of health and environment

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Daaniya Iyaz’s interest in the intersection between health and the environment motivates her many educational and professional pursuits and drives her commitment to helping communities overcome the disproportionate effects of climate change. Iyaz is a University of Washington graduate student currently pursuing her Master of Science degree in Environmental Health. She previously earned her undergraduate degree at the UW in Bioresource science and engineering. This past summer, Iyaz also worked as a Population Health Social Entrepreneurship fellow. Iyaz is in…

Actionable strategies and approach to address disaster research response issues

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Researchers from the University of Washington, in partnership with the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, have developed a Concept of Operations (CONOPS) template to better support the development of collaborative approaches to disaster research response (DR2) among academic public health and public health agencies. This template was published in Disaster Medicine and Public Health Response in October 2021. A CONOPS is a strategic plan for DR2 centered around collaborative research in preparation for future emergencies and disasters in a…

Digital health innovation workshop tackles population health challenges

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Ideas turned into hands-on experience for students at a brand-new workshop focusing on improving the health of people around the world through digital innovations. Twenty-seven students from different disciplines came together on November 11, 2021 for an immersive experience hosted by the Foster School’s Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship, in partnership with the Population Health Initiative at the University of Washington. Participating students generated ideas, analyzed best practices in digital innovation and pitched to stakeholders and influential members of the healthcare…

New study offers view into work life of app-based drivers during COVID-19

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A new University of Washington study highlights the significant effects of COVID-19 on app-based drivers regarding their business and livelihood. Marissa Baker, an assistant professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the University of Washington, was senior author on this recent study wherein four app-based drivers conducted interviews of 100 fellow drivers to assess their thoughts on the challenges and pressures they face during the pandemic. The general concerns of the interviewees centered around health concerns due to the…

Initiative’s Applied Research Fellowship project assesses housing vulnerabilities in King County

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The 2021 University of Washington Population Health Applied Research Fellows recently concluded their research on the effects of household growth, demographic and spatial distribution, environmental risks and COVID-19 on housing vulnerabilities in King Country. Their goal was to analyze the disparities created by these factors in an effort to better inform future access to affordable housing in King County and its communities. The team analyzed past and present factors to develop methods for projecting the number of households, average household…