New research finds air pollution hits people of color the hardest

Posted on September 1, 2021

A national research effort on air pollution reveals that people of color are disproportionately and systemically exposed to air pollution in the United States. Researchers from the University of Washington contributed to this study, creating an air quality model to analyze peoples’ exposure to air pollution based on race/ethnicity and income levels, utilizing data from the Environmental Protection Agency. Their findings reveal that racial-ethnic minorities are disproportionately exposed to high levels of fine particulate air pollution compared to white people….

Researchers work to understand and mitigate post-wildfire landslide hazards

Posted on August 25, 2021August 25, 2021

The 2020 California wildfires that rampaged through seven million acres of West Coast land have left behind perishable data that researchers are now utilizing to better understand and reduce post-wildfire landslide hazards. The Natural Hazards Reconnaissance Facility (RAPID), directed by University of Washington civil and environmental engineering professor Joe Wartman, is conducting a natural hazards reconnaissance mission on the issue of post-fire landslides. Post-fire landslides result from the chemical changes soil undergoes following exposure to extreme burning. The soil may…

Six new members named to Population Health Initiative executive council

Posted on August 23, 2021February 11, 2025

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, professor of Global Health, Medicine, and Pediatrics, Schools of Medicine and Public Health Mayumi Willgerodt, associate professor of Child, Family, and Population Health Nursing, School…

Initiative-funded COVID-19 economic recovery grantees report final results

Posted on August 12, 2021

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 13 different schools and colleges at the UW. The $333,000 in initiative funding was partially matched by additional school, college and departmental funds, bringing the…

New UW collaboratory to support equitable and just climate action

Posted on August 4, 2021September 29, 2025

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 community-informed and multidisciplinary approach. Leading this effort is Jeremy J. Hess, professor of Emergency Medicine, Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, and Global Health at the…

Aspects of built environments do not play expected role in weight gain

Posted on July 29, 2021

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 Kaiser Permanente Washington patients’ anonymized data, researchers were able to refute previously held beliefs that built environment amenities contribute to weight changes. The study found…

PestiSeguro™ paves the way for improving the health and safety of agricultural workers

Posted on July 28, 2021

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. This language barrier poses a potential health and safety risk for workers. Recognizing the severity of this issue, Kit Galvin, University of Washington research scientist,…

Increasing vaccination rates in underserved King County communities

Posted on July 22, 2021

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 Behavioral Science to COVID-19 Vaccine Demand (CBS-CVD) Network, a national network of which the UW HPRC is one of 26 member centers included. Researchers from…

Researchers have established a link between drug rebates and higher costs to patients

Posted on July 20, 2021

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 on more than 400 branded drugs. The researchers uncovered a positive association between rebates and increases in out-of-pocket costs for patients. Prices increased by an…