Study identifies congressional districts in the U.S. with higher opioid prescription rates

Harvard Pop Center postdoctoral research fellow Lyndsey Rolheiser, PhD, along with faculty member S V Subramanian, PhD, and a colleague have published a study in the American Journal of Public Health that has found higher opioid prescription rate districts in the southeast, Appalachia and the rural west. This insight into how the congressional districts rank could provide useful data to help shape public policies and targeted programs. Learn more… Harvard Public…

Are sexual minorities at a greater risk of experiencing stress?

Harvard Pop Center faculty member S. Bryn Austin, PhD, and Graduate Student Affiliate Brielle Bryan have authored a study that indicates that sexual minority women (lesbian and bisexual) physiologically experience more stress based on disparities in sympathetic nervous system biomarkers.

Informatics and electronic health records can help integrate context into health care

Social determinants of health (complex contextual factors) are considered to have a profound impact on our health, yet are not part of our health care system. Harvard Pop Center faculty member Hossein Estiri, PhD, is an author of a Perspective published in JAMIA Open that makes a case for utilizing informatics and electronic health records as a way to “…give tomorrow’s clinicians the tools and the data they need to…

Geotagged tweets used to better assess urban mobility, neighborhood isolation in 50 U.S. cities

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.  

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.