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Initiative announces summer 2021 Social Entrepreneurship Fellows

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The Population Health Initiative, in partnership with the Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship, CoMotion and the Evans School of Public Policy & Governance, announced the selection of five graduate student fellows for the summer 2021 Social Entrepreneurship Fellowship Program cohort. The fellows will devote 10 weeks over the summer to generate impactful solutions and contributions to sustain the work of preexisting, multidisciplinary innovations developed by University of Washington researchers. Students selected for this summer’s program are: Name Degree Program School Daaniya…

Study links helpful behavior during the pandemic to feelings of connection to others

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According to a recent study led by researchers from the University of Washington, people who recognize their connections with others and identify with all humanity are more likely to cooperate with public health measures and act altruistically amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The multi-disciplinary behavioral study draws on data collected across 80 countries. The findings reveal that those who identify with all humanity, instead of geographic identities, are more likely to cooperate with public health measures and restrictions. The findings will…

Cultivating farmworkers’ COVID-19 health on the air in the Yakima Valley

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As the coronavirus pandemic continues, the need to stay informed about relevant public health policies and health information has proved vital. Yet, for many, this information is often inaccessible due to language, cultural, or technology barriers. Recognizing this problem, University of Washington researchers from the Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences (DEOHS) have worked to launch a radio campaign that will disseminate accurate health and safety information, COVID-19 vaccine plans, and community resources. The researchers intend to reach rural…

Spotlight: Francis Abugbilla focuses on post-conflict peacebuilding mechanisms

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Francis Mbawini Abugbilla is a Ph.D. candidate at the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies and 2020 Population Health Social Entrepreneurship Fellow. His research focus is Peace, Violence and Security, with his dissertation focusing on post-conflict peacebuilding mechanisms in Africa. Abugbilla grew up in the Bawku West District of Ghana, raised as a farmer in a small agricultural community. “I am a first-generation student and the first in my extended family to get a bachelor’s degree,” Abugbilla said. “I…

Addressing and assessing the impact of COVID-19 on Latino immigrant families

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As of February 2021, Latinos comprise 32% of all confirmed COVID-19 cases in Washington State, despite accounting for only 13% of the state’s total population. These statistics allude to the disproportionate impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on Latino communities in Washington State and beyond. To address the pandemic’s impact on Latino communities, researchers from the University of Washington departments of Health Sciences, Global Health and Epidemiology sought to research the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Latino immigrant households…

Community groups support frontline workers’ public health needs throughout pandemic

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New research from the University of Washington Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences reveals that community-based organizations’ outreach efforts have met critical public health needs among Washington’s agricultural and other frontline communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the study, 68% of agricultural community members in Yakima and Chelan counties received public health information from community-based organizations during the pandemic. These results demonstrate the helpfulness of community organizations in health crises and suggest their potential utility in supporting vaccination…

New mapping tool helps City of Seattle prioritize equitable access to COVID-19 vaccination

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To ensure equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, Seattle city officials have collaborated with researchers from the University of Washington Department of Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences (DEOHS) to create a mapping tool that will locate historically underserved groups. Seattle city officials will use the mapping tool to determine where to locate vaccine sites to effectively reach historically underserved populations and inform subsequent decision-making related to vaccine distribution. This work draws on previous DEOHS research that analyzed the relationship between socioeconomic…

Application period open for Graduate Certificate in International Humanitarian Response

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The Population Health Initiative is now accepting applications for the 2021-22 cohort of students for the Graduate Certificate in International Humanitarian Response. Applications can be submitted until 11:59 p.m. (Pacific) on Friday, May 14, 2021. The 15-credit certificate is intended to provide University of Washington graduate and professional students from a variety of disciplines with an integrated body of study to better support prevention, mitigation, response and recovery from crises to assist those affected by disasters to recover their “normal”…

Race, income, and education all affect access to 3D mammography

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A new study from the University of Washington School of Medicine reveals disparities in access to 3D mammography, which is a highly accurate technology for breast cancer detection. The researchers sought to determine if the technology is equitably distributed and found that women of minority races and ethnicities, those with less education and lower-income status were less likely to have access to the technology. These findings reveal continuing disparities in breast cancer screening outcomes, which holds implications for historically underserved…

Helping minority-owned small businesses survive and thrive post-COVID-19

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The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has had a profoundly negative impact on small businesses and entrepreneurs, placing an approximated 4.2 million businesses and 47.8 million jobs at immediate or near-term risk of not surviving. To address this economic challenge, an interdisciplinary project at the University of Washington worked to connect business and legal support to assist and empower historically marginalized business owners and entrepreneurs in Washington state. The project, “Helping Minority-Owned Small Businesses Survive and Thrive Post-COVID-19,” was launched with a…