August 23, 2021
Six new members named to Population Health Initiative executive council
Six new faculty members have been named to the 30-member Population Health Initiative executive council by President Ana Mari Cauce. They are: Sharon Laing, assistant professor of Nursing & Healthcare Leadership, UW Tacoma Clarita Lefthand-Begay, assistant professor, Information School Magaly Ramirez, assistant professor of Health Systems and Population Health, School of Public Health Judd Walson,…
August 18, 2021
Impact of COVID-19 on domestic violence survivors’ ability to get help
The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped many industries, including the legal landscape. Some of these changes have proved beneficial, notably for survivors of domestic violence who may now file protection orders online rather than in-person. This finding is especially relevant considering the reported rise in domestic violence during lockdowns. New research from the University of Washington…
August 12, 2021
Initiative-funded COVID-19 economic recovery grantees report final results
The University of Washington Population Health Initiative awarded 18 COVID-19 economic recovery research grants to teams of UW faculty researchers in June 2020. These grants were intended to support UW researchers in quickly responding to the vast array of economic-related challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic. The funded project teams were composed of individuals representing…
August 4, 2021
New UW collaboratory to support equitable and just climate action
An interdisciplinary group of University of Washington researchers has teamed with Front and Centered to create an innovative Collaboratory to promote just and equitable climate action. The Collaboratory aims to respond to climate change impacts with attention to equitable mitigation and adaptation solutions. It will feature three linked platforms to achieve this goal through a…
July 29, 2021
Aspects of built environments do not play expected role in weight gain
According to a University of Washington-led study on obesity, certain features of the built environment, such as proximity to fast food restaurants and supermarkets, do not impact weight. The study is part of a 12-year collaboration between the UW and Kaiser Permanente Washington for the research project, Moving to Health. After examining more than 100,000…
July 28, 2021
PestiSeguro™ paves the way for improving the health and safety of agricultural workers
According to data from the Pesticide Illness Surveillance Program from the Washington State Department of Health, of the 630 cases of pesticide-related illness reported in 2010-2017, 90% of cases involved farmworkers whose preferred language was Spanish. Although most agricultural workers in Washington State are Spanish speakers, required pesticide safety information is primarily available in English….
July 22, 2021
Increasing vaccination rates in underserved King County communities
A new project from the University of Washington Health Promotion Research Center (UW HPRC) aims to increase vaccination rates for underserved communities within King County. The project is made possible by $500,000 in funding from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The data yielded through this project will contribute to the Connecting…
July 20, 2021
Researchers have established a link between drug rebates and higher costs to patients
Healthcare spending in America has remained a prominent topic of debate, with much concern over the rising list prices and out-of-pocket costs for patients seeking prescription drugs. Associated with these increasing costs is the industry practice of using rebates to lower drug costs for insurers. A University of Washington-led study examined cost and price data…
July 14, 2021
Co-designing a technology intervention to support the health and development of children
The King County’s 2018-2019 Community Needs Assessment revealed that infants from racially and economically marginalized groups encounter the highest rates of infant mortality and lowest birth weights compared to any other population. King County has offered developmental screening services and virtual information to help child caregivers address this issue. However, there is growing consensus among…
July 13, 2021
Research finds health professionals can offer context in process to restrict firearm access
Washington State law allows citizens to file an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO), a civil order to temporarily restrict an individual’s access to firearms due to concern that the individual poses an extreme risk of harming themselves, others, or both. By law, health professionals cannot independently file on behalf of a petitioner. Still, their professional…