Millions of people across the US use well water, but very few test it often enough to make sure it’s safe

Providing information about risks and easy-to-use test strips made people more likely to check their water quality. But there’s not much support for people whose water turns out to be tainted.

Gabriel Lade, Associate Professor of Economics, Macalester College • conversation
Oct. 11, 2024 ~11 min

Harris proposes that Medicare cover more in-home health care, filling a large gap for older Americans and their caregivers

Her proposal is aimed at easing the burden for family caregivers. She says that negotiating lower drug prices for Medicare could cover the cost of this expansion of benefits for older Americans.

Marc Cohen, Mel King Fellow, MIT CoLab; Clinical Professor of Gerontology and Co-Director LeadingAge LTSS Center, UMass Boston • conversation
Oct. 8, 2024 ~9 min


Study finds mercury pollution from human activities is declining

Models show that an unexpected reduction in human-driven emissions led to a 10 percent decline in atmospheric mercury concentrations.

Adam Zewe | MIT News • mit
Oct. 8, 2024 ~9 min

Health risks are rising in mountain areas flooded by Hurricane Helene and cut off from clean water, power and hospitals

Weather disasters, particularly floods, can create health threats that linger for months, from infected cuts to mold growth to mental stress.

Jennifer Horney, Professor of Epidemiology and Core Faculty of Disaster Research Center, University of Delaware • conversation
Oct. 1, 2024 ~7 min

Health risks are growing in mountain areas flooded by Hurricane Helene and cut off from clean water, power and clinics

Weather disasters such as floods create health threats that can linger for months, from infected cuts to mold growth to mental stress.

Jennifer Horney, Professor of Epidemiology and Core Faculty of Disaster Research Center, University of Delaware • conversation
Oct. 1, 2024 ~7 min

Toxic chemicals from Ohio train derailment lingered in buildings for months – here’s what our investigation found in East Palestine

A lot went wrong in the scramble to respond after a train carrying highly volatile vinyl chloride and other chemicals derailed in 2023. The lessons can help ensure safer responses in the future.

Andrew J. Whelton, Professor of Civil, Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Purdue University • conversation
Sept. 30, 2024 ~11 min

Companies keep selling harmful products – but history shows consumers can win in the end

Health leaders, researchers, advocacy groups, companies and the public have saved millions of lives by reducing the consumption of unhealthy products.

Eszter Rimanyi, Chronic disease and addiction epidemiologist, Duke University • conversation
Sept. 30, 2024 ~8 min

Airdropping vaccines to eliminate canine rabies in Texas – two scientists explain the decades of research behind its success

Two rabies epidemics in animals spurred a state health emergency in Texas and a program that oversees annual mass wildlife vaccination. Millions of doses have been distributed since the ‘90s.

Charles Rupprecht, Affiliate Professor of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University • conversation
Sept. 26, 2024 ~9 min


Study evaluates impacts of summer heat in U.S. prison environments

MIT researchers identify facility-level factors that could worsen heat impacts for incarcerated people.

Jennifer Chu | MIT News • mit
Sept. 24, 2024 ~10 min

Half of Black gay men will be diagnosed with HIV, despite highly effective preventive treatments − why?

PrEP can reduce the risk of sexually transmitted HIV infection by 99%. Discrimination and distrust are two barriers Black gay men face in accessing this lifesaving treatment.

Joy Edeh, Master's Student in Epidemiology, University of Iowa • conversation
Sept. 20, 2024 ~8 min

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