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New research finds heat limits worker productivity in tropical deforested areas

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According to new research from the University of Washington Departments of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences and Atmospheric Sciences, workers in deforested areas are less productive than their counterparts in forested regions. The study examined agricultural workers in rural Indonesia, examining the health of workers and their productivity levels in areas experiencing tropical deforestation. Through deforestation, the local environment lacks the cooling power and shade that trees can offer. This leaves workers in deforested areas vulnerable to increased body temperatures,…

Collaboration with the Undergraduate Research Program promotes population health

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An ongoing partnership between the University of Washington Population Health Initiative and the Undergraduate Research Program (URP) has introduced and supported undergraduate students in their endeavors to tackle pressing population health challenges. The Undergraduate Research Program (URP) supports undergraduate students as they navigate their way to research opportunities. The URP offers students a wealth of resources to discover and apply their skills and talents to research opportunities. “The Undergraduate Research Program strives to support undergraduates at the University of Washington…

UW project uses smartphone or computer cameras to measure pulse, respiration rate

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Women holds smartphone while streaming video

Throughout the pandemic, telehealth appointments have proved a critical tool for providing healthcare while minimizing in-person contact. However, remote appointments have prevented healthcare providers from collecting patients’ vital signs in real-time. To address this issue, a team led by University of Washington researchers has developed a new method that utilizes the camera on a person’s smartphone or computer to measure physiological signals from a real-time video of their face. This revolutionary system was introduced at the Neural Information Processing Systems…

Initiative and CoMotion co-fund grant to better treat and prevent tuberculosis

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The Population Health Initiative and CoMotion have announced the joint award of a Population Health Innovation Fund grant of $50,000 to Sarah Iribarren, UW assistant professor of Biobehavioral Nursing and Health Informatics, for her project, “Tuberculosis Treatment Support Tools (TB-TSTs).” The award is intended to fund a research project that simultaneously supports the University of Washington’s vision for population health while also fulfilling the CoMotion Innovation Gap Fund’s goal of enabling research that will achieve sustainable commercial or societal impact….

Informal evictions on the rise during the pandemic, with people of color at most risk

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Despite the implementation of rental eviction moratoriums during the pandemic, preliminary research from the University of Washington Evans School of Public Policy & Governance reveals an increase in the number of reported informal evictions. While moratoriums have legally prevented landlords from formally evicting tenants, this does not guarantee that landlords will adhere to the law. The lack of governmental oversight and costs of challenging an eviction has resulted in landlords informally evicting tenants. Such evictions are done without formal notice,…

Population Health Initiative grants boost wildfire and climate research

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In March 2021, the Population Health Initiative awarded eight faculty-led projects pilot research grants. Three of the research teams provided awards include researchers from the University of Washington Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences (DEOHS), addressing critical environmental challenges. Among these projects are two projects that examine the impact of prescribed wildfires. One project examines the impact of prescribed fires in rural communities, characterizing the risks of smoke exposure on community members in Washington’s Okanogan Valley. The other project…

Addressing inequities in speech-language pathology services for children

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According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 8% of children between the ages of 3-17 have experienced a communication disorder. Among this population, disparities in access to and quality of speech-language pathology services exist for children from historically underserved backgrounds. These inequities have yet to be adequately addressed in the field of speech-language pathology and stand as a critical population health challenge. Recognizing the severity of this issue, Sara Kover, associate professor in the University…

Winning papers announced for 2021 Population Health Library Research Awards

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The Population Health Initiative has awarded Population Health Recognition Awards to four students participating in the 2021 Library Research Award for Undergraduates. Award winners were chosen based on the quality of their writing, the innovativeness of their research hypothesis and how well they connected their work to the theme of population health. This award was created in 2017 in partnership with the UW Libraries. It is open to undergraduate applicants from all three campuses. Submitted projects were completed for either…

NatureCollections mobile app realizes results in the wild

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A unique collaboration between researchers from the iSchool and tweens has led to the creation of NatureCollections, a mobile app that connects kids with nature. The app is designed to encourage elementary school-aged children to learn about nature as they navigate smartphone usage. This technology was designed to promote learning opportunities and an appreciation for nature, indirectly limiting screen time by compelling children to go outdoors through the app. The app was recently piloted and demonstrated that children who used…

Initiative-funded COVID-19 population health equity grantees report final results

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The University of Washington Population Health Initiative funded 14 COVID-19 population health equity research grants to teams of UW faculty researchers and community leaders in August 2020. These population health equity research grants supported UW researchers in partnering with communities of color – which are being disproportionately impacted by the pandemic – to develop COVID-19 research projects that address community-identified needs. The project teams were composed of individuals representing 11 different UW schools and colleges and 26 different community-based organizations….