The Public Health section is dedicated to providing information on the political and social aspects of healthcare and medicine. The best part? Everything is simple, concise, and easy to read!
Analyzing Levels of Concussion Awareness, Understanding, and ReportingShannon Huang, July 23 2021
Concussions are characterized by traumatic brain injuries caused by strong forces to the head or body, usually resulting in temporary neurologic impairments. Concussion awareness is critical as athletes are extremely prone to concussions, with an annual average of 3.8 million concussions in the United States attributed to sports. The commonality of concussions among student athletes prompted a cross-sectional study aimed to analyze the variations in concussion recognition, perception, and reporting behaviors (C-AUB).
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Sex and Gender Bias in Medical AINika Gladkov, July 23 2021
Due to its many uses, artificial intelligence (AI) has become a major part of all aspects of life, including medicine. AI as a diagnostic tool is a revolutionary step in healthcare because it enables advances in precision medicine. However, since technology is commonly viewed as neutral and objective, people are not aware of its inherent biases, which can be harmful. In a 2020 review, researchers from the Barcelona Supercomputing Center discuss the various ways that sex and gender biases can manifest in healthcare technology and AI, as well as their implications for health outcomes.
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Understanding the Complexities of ADHD in GirlsMahima Kunani, July 23 2021
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common childhood disorder, affecting 9.4% of children in the United States. Although ADHD occurs equally in both sexes, boys with ADHD are four times more likely to be diagnosed than girls with ADHD. This difference suggests that girls with ADHD may be underdiagnosed, meaning their ADHD is left untreated. Researchers believe that developing a full understanding of the ways ADHD appears differently in boys and girls may help close the diagnosis gap.
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Can Physical Exercise Combat Alzheimer’s Disease?Neel Sharma, July 23 2021
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a devastating disorder, and its incidence is only growing. Alzheimer's is a type of dementia or neurodegenerative illness. AD affects primarily elderly people as age is one of its most significant risk factors among other things such as physical activity, which is discussed in more detail later on, obesity, hypertension, and social isolation. One review article from last year focused on increased physical activity as a possible solution and compiled many of the novel and proven studies linking these together.
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N2O Laughing Matter: Risks and Treatment of Nitrous Oxide AbuseJanet Nguyen, July 23 2021
Laughing gas, or nitrous oxide, is a recreational drug that produces a quick, short-lasting high when inhaled. According to the 2014 Global Drug Survey, 29.4% of people in the United States have reported to recreationally use nitrous oxide at least once in their lives. Furthermore, concerns of nitrous oxide abuse among adolescents continue to grow. A 2010 study found that the age group of 12–17 years old has the highest abuse rate in the US. Laughing gas abuse has also increased over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, with people seeking the quick high to dissociate from reality.
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Exploring Associations Between Gut and Heart HealthMarissa Pennino, July 23 2021
Poor health of the gut microbiome has been known to lead to metabolic diseases such as diabetes or obesity. But a new link has unraveled how a healthy gut can possibly prevent the onset of cardiovascular disease, the number one leading cause of death in the United States. Research is starting to uncover that there may actually be a “gut-heart axis,” or a physiological link between the gut and the heart, specifically in the progression of diseases such as heart failure and coronary artery disease (CAD).
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Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy TherapiesMelody Zaki, July 23 2021
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe form of muscular dystrophy caused by a rare genetic disease that primarily affects boys. DMD is caused by a genetic mutation that prevents an individual from producing dystrophin, a protein that is essential for muscles to work properly. Although there is no cure for DMD, one therapeutic treatment currently being tested in canine models is expected to one day improve muscle cells in patients.
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Myopia: The Growing Epidemic of NearsightednessMahima Kunani, April 1 2021
Myopia is the most common visual disorder among young people and is increasingly becoming a worldwide public health concern. Myopia, or nearsightedness, is the inability to sufficiently focus vision on distant objects. Researchers predict that 49.8% of the world population will have myopia by 2050, so doctors and researchers are placing a heavy emphasis on preventative measures in order to stop myopia from developing in children in the first place. The most effective preventative measure against myopia is spending around two hours a day exposed to sunlight.
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Understanding the Effect of Cigarette Smoke on COVID-19Neel Sharma, April 1 2021
Due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become clear that science takes time and is constantly adapting to the challenges it faces. Society waited for a more complete understanding of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and waited even longer for the development of an effective vaccine. Now, with an improved understanding of COVID-19, new discoveries that fill crucial gaps in knowledge are becoming possible. One such discovery from a recent study at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) sought to fill an important gap in knowledge by clarifying the relationship between cigarette smoke and COVID-19 infection.
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The Risks of Acute GI Illness Due to Increased PrecipitationYun Su Choi, April 1 2021
Many individuals are aware of the risks of drought and global warming that result from climate change, but tend to overlook the opposite effect that also comes with climate change—increased precipitation. As global warming leads to higher levels of evaporation, regions with usually high precipitation rates will experience even heavier rainfall and increased risk of flooding. In a recent study conducted in Philadelphia, researchers found that heavy precipitation may lead to health problems, specifically spikes in reported acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI).
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Allergies in Dogs and their OwnersKyra Benowitz, April 1 2021
From rural to urban settings, the interactions people have with domesticated animals, plants, and wildlife can have measurable impacts on the health of people in these communities. While a disease can be recreated relatively well in an animal model, it is more difficult to replicate the diverse environmental factors that shape the health of humans and their communities. Non-communicable diseases and long-term stressors can occur simultaneously in people and their pets. Because of this, researchers are interested in the potential of pet dogs as models of diseases related to environmental exposures.
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Racial Privilege Behind Voluntary Active Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted SuicideMelody Zaki, April 1 2021
The debate around legalizing voluntary active euthanasia (VAE) and physician-assisted suicide (PAS) has been ongoing for quite some time. Controversy continues to surround this topic, partly due to the nuances between the two practices. In both cases, however, the decision lies fully with the patient, who retains the right to change their mind until the point at which the lethal process becomes irreversible. While there are advocates for and against legalization of PAS and VAE, a major consequence of legalizing these practices becomes clear when examining the effects this legalization could have on minorities and people of color.
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Treating OCD in the Time of CoronavirusAyushi Banerjee, April 1 2021
Obsessive-compulsive disorder, also known as OCD, is one of the most misunderstood and widely misrepresented mental illnesses. Individuals with OCD have recurrent intrusive thoughts, called obsessions, and often also have behaviors to counteract these obsessions or lessen anxiety. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, most countries have implemented strict regulations to control the spread of disease, bringing an abrupt halt to the in-person treatment of many individuals with OCD. A 2020 German study investigated whether the pandemic has increased OCD prevalence and how it has affected people with this disorder.
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IspH Inhibitors: The Cure to Antimicrobial Resistance?Marissa Pennino, April 1 2021
The race against antimicrobial resistance has left the future of science and medicine looking bleak. Within the past century, the rise in the use of antibiotics, or drugs that target and kill certain bacteria, has in turn produced resistant bacteria and rendered many modern antibiotics ineffective. However, the recent discovery of a new class of antibiotics has sparked hope for the future of medicine and health. These prodrugs are called IspH inhibitors, meaning they work to specifically block the activity of the enzyme IspH.
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Weight Stigma Amidst the COVID-19 PandemicNika Gladkov, April 1 2021
The normalization of weight stigma, or discrimination and stereotyping based on weight, in daily life has significant negative impacts on the health of those who experience it. Along with psychological repercussions, it has been linked to weight gain, lower physical activity, and unhealthy eating habits. In order to learn more about the effects of weight stigma on health behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers at the University of Connecticut investigated how experiencing weight stigma affected the likelihood of health consequences such as disordered eating, unhealthy exercise habits, and psychological distress.
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COVID-19 Natural Immunity, Reinfection, and VaccinationJanet Nguyen, April 1 2021
As the coronavirus pandemic continues, millions have contracted the disease, and more will continue to do so. Those who have recovered may wonder if they are now immune to the virus and whether they even need the vaccine. In other words, is reinfection with COVID-19 possible in recovered patients, and will the vaccine provide protection against such reinfection? Researchers in South Korea attempted to answer the first of these questions about COVID-19 reinfection using six patients who retested positive for COVID-19 following recovery.
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How the Gut Impacts DepressionMaria Bajenov, April 1 2021
Rates of depression, a disorder in which a person feels constant sadness and lack of interest, have been increasing worldwide. In response to this growing trend, the medical community has embraced a more holistic approach to identifying causes and treatments, including a focus on the microbiome. The microbiome consists of all the different microbes, such as bacteria, present in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The microbiome interacts with the immune, endocrine, and nervous systems, each of which play a role in depression and demonstrate the connection between the gut and the brain.
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The Health Impact of the Water CrisisTiffany Chen, Jan 6 2021
Inaccessibility to safe drinking water and sanitation has been an ongoing global issue with nearly two-thirds of the population experiencing long periods of water scarcity annually. In the United States, the population without access to safe drinking water and sanitation is expected to jump from less than 1% to 35% within the next two years. A recent study in Detroit, Michigan has reported that this water insecurity not only negatively impacts physical health, but also mental health and overall well-being.
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How Extreme Heat will Impact CaliforniansKyra Benowitz, Jan 6 2021
Many Californians are cognizant of the hazards posed by a longer and more destructive fire season and rising sea-levels on the coast. A looming threat that must be mitigated to prevent the loss of life is the increasing number of extreme heat events. California utilizes an index, CalEnviroScreen (CES), to identify communities that receive funding for adaptations to address the impacts of climate change and pollution. However, the because the CES primarily focuses on air and water pollution, its ability to accurately assess heat vulnerability is questionable.
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A New Approach to Antibiotic PrescriptionsMaria Bajenov, Jan 6 2021
In 2014, over 250 million antibiotics were prescribed to patients not admitted to a hospital, and at least 30% of those were unnecessary. The CDC outlines policies and guidelines in an effort of antibiotic stewardship, which works to measure and improve antibiotic prescriptions. However, the issue of overprescription remains and needs to be addressed. A recent study investigated whether combining the individual prescription recommendations of multiple professionals resulted in improved adherence to international guidelines.
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Improving Patient-Centered Care in Planning End-Of-Life TreatmentMenna Sun, Jan 6 2021
The intensive care unit (ICU) is a specialized department of the hospital that cares for patients with life-threatening conditions. Treatment for the critically ill, however, is often complicated by a dilemma between reducing suffering and saving lives. Many such patients, especially the elderly, express interest in palliative or hospice care, prioritizing their quality of life over recovery. Currently, this need can be fulfilled in part by using the Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) form, a nationally developed system for patients to communicate their goals and expectations of treatment to doctors as medical orders.
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Racial Disparities in Maternal Morbidity Melody Zaki, Jan 6 2021
Black women in the United States are two to three times more likely than white women to experience maternal morbidity, defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the death of a woman during pregnancy or within 42 days of the pregnancy’s termination. Although socioeconomic status, access to healthcare, and geographical location do contribute to this difference in morbidity, social determinants are not the sole pioneers of this disparity. Systematic racism plays the biggest role in this discrepancy. Today, black women are two to three times more likely to die from childbirth and other pregnancy-related complications as compared to white women according to the CDC.
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The Burden of Weight Bias on Reproductive Healthcare Nika Gladkov, Jan 6 2021
Weight stigma is a pervasive issue in the healthcare industry. This stigma refers to the adverse treatment of people who do not meet societal standards of weight. Many physicians subscribe to the common-sense beliefs regarding obesity: weight can be controlled by following proper health practices, and people who are overweight have difficulty finding the means to do those practices. In this model of obesity, presenting the risks and encouraging weight loss is the most straightforward way to combat it. Although rooted in concern, this approach often evolves into fat-shaming, and ultimately results in anxiety, disordered eating, and weight gain.
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Masked Exercise in the Age of COVID-19Lekha Yaramada, Jan 6 2021
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic and masking efforts, many people have significantly reduced their daily amount of outdoor physical activity. The closure of gyms and other indoor fitness facilities means that it is even more important for people to find alternate ways to workout. Decreased physical activity can have long-term implications on health, especially since social distancing efforts won’t be reduced anytime soon. Lack of exercise has been linked to a variety of chronic diseases, including diabetes, liver disease, and heart disease. Now that many schools and jobs are remote, it is especially important to find a way to remain active.
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The Dangers behind the World’s Largest and Fastest Growing SportNeel Sharma, Jan 6 2021
Until recently, soccer often had a secondary status within the hierarchy of America’s favorite sports and pastimes. Yet the rise of exciting new homegrown talent making a mark around the world and the success of the US Women’s National Team has brought the sport to new heights in the United States. As the player base rapidly grows, it is imperative to examine the possible health concerns from the game. Despite common perception, soccer is not a low-risk sport. Sports-related concussions (SRC) and mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) are areas of concern--given the physicality of soccer and the frequency of heading, it is imperative to understand the risk of head injury in soccer.
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The Effects of Unregulated Advertising on Children's Dietary HabitsMahima Kunani, Jan 6 2021
YouTube, the second most visited site on the web, has become a major source of entertainment for children. The YouTube industry has grown to include incredibly niche content, but perhaps the most abundant area of content creation comes from kid influencers. Since these videos by kid influencers garner billions of views from other kids, these videos are especially attractive to advertisement companies. Food and beverage companies spend $1.8 billion dollars per year advertising their products to young children on YouTube. Because of this, researchers at New York University School of Global Public Health and New York University (NYU) Grossman School of Medicine explored the effect of product placement in children’s content.
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Detecting SARS-CoV-2: Comparing Molecular and Antigen TestingAbi Hodgdon, Jan 6 2021
In order to contain the spread of COVID-19, it is critical to identify infected individuals as early as possible. This can only be done through diagnostic testing of the target population, which can show if someone is actively infected. Currently, there are two types of diagnostic tests used in the US to detect SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. One type is the molecular test, which looks for SARS-CoV-2 genetic material in the body, and the other is the antigen test, which looks for the presence of viral proteins. According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Virology, there are different benefits and potential risks associated with each test. Since reliable tests are vital to prevent the virus’s spread, this research is essential for establishing testing sites and identifying COVID-19 hotspots.
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What’s Stopping People From Getting STI Treatment, Even After Testing Positive?Pearl Doan, Jan 6 2021
Every day, nearly one million people contract a sexually transmitted infection (STI). As common as STIs are, there are several barriers to STI testing including stigma, high costs, and lack of accessibility. For those who do have access to testing, treatment of STIs follows shortly after to treat the infection. However, there is a disconnect. Sometimes, people who get tested fail to return to receive their STI results, which can take between a few hours to a week to generate. Thus, these individuals never receive treatment for their disease.
In a study conducted by the Fernand Widal Hospital in Paris, researchers wanted to find out which types of people failed to show up to their STI treatment appointments after receiving a positive result. |
The Unknown Long-Term Neurological Impact of COVID-19Diviya Khullar, Jan 6 2021
There have been two other coronavirus epidemics in the past, SARS-CoV in China in 2002 and MERS-CoV in the Middle East in 2012, and in both instances, there have been some cases of the disease in the central and peripheral nervous systems that followed. The most common of the conditions is encephalitis, which is inflammation of the brain. However, because the SARS-COV-2 virus is under ongoing investigation, the long-term neurological effects of this virus are relatively unknown. Estimates from the American Academy of Neurology have shown that in some parts of the world, up to 57% of people with COVID-19 developed neurological symptoms, with the most common symptoms being headache and dizziness.
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A “Safe” Party Drug? The Effects of Ecstasy Drug Interactions Janet Nguyen, Jan 6 2021
Twenty percent of high school seniors attend raves, 7.7% on a monthly basis, and over 35% of those attendees have admitted to using drugs besides marijuana. Among rave drugs, MDMA (ecstasy) is the number one drug of choice. MDMA is a psychostimulant that causes feelings of euphoria, well-being, and empathy. Despite its reputation as a generally “safe” drug, the greater risks of MDMA are its usage in combination with other drugs. Because of MDMA’s widespread recreational use, as well as its emerging potential as a therapeutic drug for psychotherapy and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), examining the possible dangers of MDMA-DIs is extremely important.
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Exploring the Link Between Vitamin D and COVID-19Marissa Pennino, Jan 6 2021
Headlines are slammed daily about COVID-19: new dangers, breakthroughs, risks, long-term effects, and so on. A new development, however, has shown a link between vitamin D and the incidence of COVID-19 that proves to be hopeful for the future of this pandemic. Researchers have found that vitamin D potentially reduces the risk and severity of COVID-19 in various ways: it halts the virus through the production of antiviral antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), reduces proinflammatory cytokines in the immune system, and increases angiotensin-converting enzyme II (ACE2) activity that reduces the risk of developing acute respiratory disease syndrome (ARDS).
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COVID-19 and Pregnancy: What You Need to Know Ayushi Banerjee, Jan 6 2021
Nearly 18.7 million people in the United States have been infected with COVID-19, and more than 330,000 people have died due to complications from the virus. Pregnant individuals make up nearly 3% of the population in the US and are considered a high-risk group for becoming severely ill if infected with the novel virus. With over 49,000 cases of pregnant persons with COVID-19 in America, it is essential to better understand the symptoms of becoming infected during pregnancy. This article will review some key findings from the last months of research.
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How Telemedicine can Support HIV PreventionKyra Benowitz, July 14 2020
The state of HIV prevention has changed drastically in the last decade, particularly due to the FDA’s 2012 approval of Truvada for use as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). PrEP is a way to prevent HIV infection before it occurs and has been particularly effective in the United States, where HIV incidence has decreased from 13.2 per 100,000 people in 2012 to 11.8 in 2017. This decrease in diagnosis, however, has not been equitable across all populations. Young Black and Latino men who have sex with men have been largely isolated from the benefits of PrEP, despite being disproprotionately represented by new HIV cases. Telemedicine, the use of electronic information and communication to support long-distance clinical care, has been used in an attempt to combat these disparities.
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Intersecting Realities: The Impact of Social Distancing on Mental HealthLucy Xu, July 14 2020
“Social distancing” is a public health practice that has been implemented nationally to slow the spread of COVID-19. While necessary to reduce the burden on the healthcare system and maximize public safety, stay-at-home orders have drastically disrupted the way in which people function on a daily basis. Distancing radically defies the universal norm of prosocial behavior, which is a driving force of good mental health. Though the pandemic has affected us in unique ways, prolonged social isolation may have enhanced consequences for individuals who suffer from mental health conditions. According to one publication from the International Journal of Mental Health, social isolation can cause individuals with mental illness to experience worsened feelings of anxiety and anger.
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An Imperfect Condition: The State of COVID-19 TestingMaria Bajenov, July 14 2020
Global headlines have now been dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic since December, and what was likely a distant threat has now reached our own communities. In response, governments and public health institutions have ordered people into quarantine while scrambling to implement testing procedures. With rapidly evolving information released by both these organizations and the media, it is necessary for the public to understand how testing plays a role in disease control and the difficulties it presents—inaccurate testing and lack of access enable the spread of COVID-19. Since testing allows for isolation and contact tracing, many view it to be a key component in slowing the virus’s spread. However, concerns exist about the possibility of individuals becoming infected more than once or receiving inaccurate test results.
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Polypharmacy: An Unnecessary Treatment For Chronic DiseasesAyushi Banerjee, July 14 2020
Polypharmacy, simultaneously using different medications, has become a common trend for many individuals suffering from multiple chronic diseases. Although polypharmacy is becoming increasingly prevalent in modern medicine, it greatly augments the risk of hospitalization from detrimental reactions between incompatible drugs. This risk is especially exacerbated in older adults as their bodies are weaker, making it significantly harder for them to mediate such damaging interactions. Adverse drug reactions are serious—they are the seventh leading cause of death in American adults over the age of 65. A recent study conducted in Denmark sought to uncover new ways to decrease the incidence of polypharmacy reactions in older adults.
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Loss of Smell and Taste Are Identified as COVID-19 SymptomsKate Santoso, July 14 2020
One important strategy for containing the COVID-19 pandemic is to detect infections by understanding and testing for symptoms of the deadly virus. To this end, the COVID RADAR Symptom Tracker app-based community survey in the United Kingdom (UK) recorded daily changes to symptoms experienced by COVID-19 patients. This identified anosmia, or loss of smell, and loss of taste as novel predictors for COVID-19 infection. As a result, this study strongly recommends the World Health Organization to include loss of smell and taste in their COVID-19 symptoms list.
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A Tale of Two Viruses: Comparing COVID-19 to the Swine FluMelody Zaki, July 14 2020
People everywhere are currently living through a global pandemic of COVID-19, a respiratory disease caused by the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus. The virus, which originated in China and has since spread throughout the world, has infected 1.67 million and killed over 124,000 individuals in the United States alone (as of June 23, 2020). As societies try to understand the strict regulations imposed by the U.S government, including orders to stay inside and practice social distancing, many have begun looking at the last major pandemic for answers: the 2009 H1N1 “Swine Flu” pandemic.
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Probiotics: Are They Just a Dietary Supplement?Maria Bajenov, April 8 2020
Probiotics have become more and more mainstream. Headlines often discuss how these beneficial bacteria are found in fermented foods and pills. Store shelves are stocked with kombucha and pills that advertise more than 50 billion live cultures. More people are buying probiotic pills and discussing how it can benefit and support digestive and reproductive health. However, as research on the gut continues, specifically on what bacteria is essential and what role probiotics can play in medicine, there are important considerations to take into account when deciding to take probiotics.
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