David Cutler in JAMA Forum on what actions policy makers may need to take to address rising medical costs

Harvard Pop Center faculty member David Cutler, PhD, outlines three likely approaches—cutting prices, charging people more, and bundled payments—that policy makers may need to take to tackle the trend in rising medical costs experienced over the last three years in this JAMA Forum.

Medical symptoms of girls in sub-Saharan Africa found to be under reported by parents

Harvard Pop Center faculty member Margaret McConnell, PhD, is co-author on a paper that has found that parents appear to under report the symptoms of girls, which could be linked to their poorer health outcomes. The study is published in The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Depression and anxiety levels increase with age and vary by gender in aging South African population

Harvard Bell Fellow Collin Payne, PhD, is author on a paper in Demography that takes a rare look at the mental health status of aging adults in Malawi, South Africa, a low-income setting with a high incidence of HIV. Findings suggest that declining levels of physical health with age may be a key driver of the rise in depression and anxiety.

In South Africa, when HIV testing is not always possible, is self-reported status a viable, reliable alternative?

A team of researchers affiliated with the Harvard Pop Center and the Health and Aging in Africa: A Longitudinal Study of an INDEPTH Community in South Africa (HAALSI) has found that the self-reported HIV status of older adults was accurate enough that it could be considered as a routine first step to establish HIV status when testing is not possible. The study was published in JIAS (Journal of the International Aids…

Kubzansky shines light on happiness and health in this NPR podcast

Laura Kubzansky, PhD, Harvard Pop Center faculty member and co-director of the Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, shares insights into how happiness relates to health in this podcast by WRVO Public Media, an NPR affiliate member station located in Oswego, NY.

Green fields of promise when it comes to better gender integration across fields of study within U.S. higher ed

Harvard Sloan Fellow Kyle Albert, PhD, is co-author of a study that has found less gender segregation in the newer fields of study within the U.S. higher educational arena, such as in the green fields that have emerged in response to greater environmental awareness.

How does Syrian refugee influx influence voting behavior and election outcomes in Turkey?

A working paper co-authored by by Bell Fellow Onur Altindag, PhD, shows that the massive influx of approximately three million Syrians into Turkey brought about only a modest drop in support for the AKP (the ruling Justice and Development party) and a statistically insignificant impact on election outcomes. The discussion paper is produced by IZA Institute of Labor Economics.