Harvard RWJF Health & Society Scholar Rourke O’Brien, PhD, is author on a paper in Perspectives in Psychological Science that examines psychological barriers to the responsible use of credit and debt, and suggests ways that policymakers could help to remedy the consumer debt issue in the U.S.
Focused gun violence reduction program shown to be effective among gangs in Chicago
Former Harvard RWJF Health & Society Scholar Andrew Papachristos, PhD, is lead author on a study published in Criminology & Public Policy that suggests that a focused approach, such as Chicago’s Group Violence Reduction Strategy (VRS), to reducing gun violence significantly reduced gun violence (especially gunshot victimization) among gangs. Papachristos has recently commented on the national spike in homicides in Time and inlandnews.com.
Children who are physically abused or witness domestic violence at increased risk of higher BMI as adolescents
Harvard Robert Wood Johnson Health & Society Program alumnae Margaret Sheridan, PhD, and Katie McLaughlin, PhD, are co-authors on a study in Child Abuse & Neglect that finds that children who witnessed domestic violence had almost six times the odds of being overweight or obese as adolescents.
Montez briefs Congress on education as key factor in health and longevity
Jennifer Karas Montez, PhD, Harvard RWJF Health & Society Scholars program alumna, briefed Congress on the impact of education on mortality and health at a Congressional briefing sponsored by PAA.
How can we better link scholarship to policy?
The disconnect between the evidence provided by research and the successful use of that evidence to create policy is the topic of a recent Lancet article written by former RWJF scholar Christina Roberto. Roberto and her co-author propose a 4-step Strategic Science model to improve the translation of research into policy.
Universal education in Uganda and its impact on HIV stigma
Alexander Tsai and Atheendar Venkataramani have co-authored a study in Social Science and Medicine examining the causal effect of education on HIV stigma in Uganda. The study found that negative attitudes about HIV were as prevalent among younger people as among older, despite the younger people having received additional schooling (as a result of a 1997 policy that mandated universal primary education in Uganda).
American Heart Association statement calls for attention to social determinants of health
“Although we have traditionally considered CVD the consequence of certain modifiable and nonmodifiable physiological, lifestyle, and genetic risk factors, we must now broaden the focus to incorporate a third arm of risk, the social determinants of health.” Thus concluded the American Heart Association Science Advisory and Coordinating Committee in a landmark scientific statement reviewing the influence of social factors on the incidence, treatment, and outcomes of CVD. Former RWJF Health…
Paid maternity leave linked to better child vaccination coverage
Harvard RWJF Health & Society Scholar program alum Arijit Nandi, PhD, is co-author on a paper published in Social Science & Medicine that studied 20 low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) and found that more generous paid maternity leave benefits were associated with higher rates of immunization for DTP (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis), commonly administered during clinic visits after birth.
CNAs who also balance family caregiver roles make more trips to ER than their peers
RWJF Health & Society Scholar Jessica Williams, PhD, is co-author on a study by the Work, Family & Health Network (WFHN) that reveals that CNAs who also care for children or elders (double duty) as well as those who care for both generations (triple duty) utilize acute care services (emergency room/other urgent care facilities) more than CNAs without those same informal, family caregiving roles.
For sexually active women, age not a factor in their sexual satisfaction
RWJF Health & Society program alumna Rebecca Thurston, PhD, is co-author on a study published in the Annals of Family Medicine that found that for women, sexual satisfaction is influenced more by the quality of their relationship, their communication with their partner, and the importance they place on sex than by their age.