Findings of a research study show that even though residents of black and Hispanic neighborhoods traveled outside of their home neighborhoods, they were far less exposed to nonpoor or white middle-class neighborhoods than residents of primarily white neighborhoods, suggesting that segregation persists in some of the country’s largest cities. Two authors of the study—Mario L. Small, PhD, and Robert J. Sampson, PhD—are affiliated with the Harvard Pop Center.
Bad credit report impacts job applicants differently
A study based on a survey experiment co-authored by Harvard RWJF Health & Society Scholars program alum Rourke L. O’Brien, PhD, shows women and black job applicants to be negatively impacted by a bad credit report.
Positive feelings and thoughts linked to higher levels of good cholesterol
A study by Laura Kubzansky and colleagues reveals that greater psychological well-being is linked to higher levels of HDL-C (considered to be the “good” cholesterol). While healthier behaviors play a role, this study aims to examine more closely the established link between psychological well-being and cardiovascular health.
Prison release associated with HIV incidence in southern region of United States
Harvard Pop Center faculty members S V Subramanian, PhD, and Kenneth Mayer, MD, are among the authors on a study published in PLOS One that explores the impact of prison release on HIV incidence in parts of the U.S. that have the highest rates of incarceration and new HIV diagnoses.
Insurance coverage and proximity to health care centers factor into health-related inequalities in Rwanda
Harvard Pop Center faculty member Chunling Lu, PhD, is co-author on a study that has found that poverty status is not the only significant contributing factor to the inequalities in medical care utilization and household catastrophic spending that exist in Rwanda. Photo: Julien Harneis on Flickr
Does cardiovascular disease risk vary among different groups in India?
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality in India. A study in PLOS Medicine (with Harvard Pop Center fellow Jennifer Manne-Goehler, MD, ScD, and faculty member Till Bärnighausen, MD, PhD, ScD, among the authors) identified significant geographic and sociodemographic variation in CVD risk, findings which could help to shape effective targeting of CVD programs.
Pregnant women with psychosis (and their babies) may face more challenges during delivery (and after)
Michelle A. Williams, Harvard Pop Center faculty member and dean of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, is an author on a study published in BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth that takes a rare look at the obstetric and neonatal outcomes for pregnant women with psychosis.
Study finds police killings of unarmed black Americans negatively impact mental health of black Americans in general population
Faculty members Alex Tsai and David R. Williams are among the authors on a study in The Lancet that utilizes novel data on police killings of black Americans to reveal the spillover effects on those living in the same state. Learn more in The New York Times and on the study website.
Married women who retire when their husbands do may be making a financial mistake
An NBER working paper by faculty member Nicole Maestas, PhD, that illustrates how the financial returns for working later in life may be greater for women than for men is catching attention in the media.
Self-perceived obesity/weight linked to increased cardiometabolic risks
A study by three faculty members—S. Bryn Austin, S V Subramanian, and Ichiro Kawachi—and their colleague found that Koreans who merely perceived themselves to be overweight or obese faced increased cardiometabolic risks, such as high blood pressure and elevated triglycerides.