Headlines featuring UW SPH people and research.
SPH in the News
January 13, 2025
NPR
Tens of thousands of people are currently without power in California, Texas and Arkansas, as wildfires ravage the West and a winter storm hits the South. Research shows when the power fails, it also raises the risk of a host of health concerns — from gastrointestinal illness to heart attacks and even burns. Joan Casey, associate professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW, is quoted.
January 10, 2025
Salon
Climate change is making wildfires more common and more severe. The pollution is killing us. Joan Casey, associate professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW, is quoted.
January 9, 2025
Reuters
Multiple massive wildfires are raging in Los Angeles, blanketing the surrounding regions under a pungent haze caused by smoke carrying noxious gases and particulate matter that pose serious health risks. Joan Casey, associate professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW, is quoted.
January 7, 2025
Fox News
A registered dietitian shares cautions about eating soft-boiled or ‘runny’ eggs while avian flu persists. Dr. Anna Wald, professor of medicine, epidemiology and of laboratory medicine and pathology in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
January 3, 2025
Oregon Public Broadcasting
A new study, led by researchers at the UW, has linked exposure to wildfire smoke with a higher risk of developing dementia. The study followed more than 1.2 million Kaiser Permanente Southern California members from 2008 to 2019. It also found that minority communities and those living in higher-poverty census tracts were more likely to be diagnosed with dementia than white or higher-income patients. Joan Casey, assistant professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW, is interviewed.
December 28, 2024
Axios
Seed oils are being targeted by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and influencers claiming they are linked to chronic illness and other health concerns. But many health experts say the oils are simply caught up in the real problem: Americans’ diet and overconsumption. Judy Simon, clinical instructor of health systems and population health at the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
December 10, 2024
STAT
Portugal has come a long way in a relatively short time. In 1950, life expectancy here was closer to 60, among the lowest for developed nations. In the U.S. that year, it was 70, stellar for the time and among the highest in the world. Today, the two countries have swapped places. Why? Dr. Stephen Bezruchka, associate teaching professor of global health and of health services at the UW, is quoted.
December 9, 2024
The Washington Post
Michal Freedhoff, EPA assistant administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, said the bans will protect workers, consumers and residents from the chemical’s harms. Diana Ceballos, assistant professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW, is quoted.
December 6, 2024
The Guardian
New research estimates a 32% increase in deaths of people under 35 if greenhouse gases not radically cut. Kristie Ebi, professor of global health and of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW, is quoted.
December 5, 2024
KUOW
As a record number of baby boomers turn 65, the percentage of Americans living with some form of mental decline – severe enough to interfere with daily living – is expected to rise. A new study identifies wildfire smoke as another factor impacting dementia risk. Joan Casey, assistant professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW, is interviewed.
December 5, 2024
MyNorthwest
Imagine you’re at the doctor’s office worried about an illness, and the physician turns to his computer and pulls up Artificial Intelligence for a diagnosis. We’re not far from that happening and that could be a good thing, but it comes with pitfalls. The UW’s Dr. Gary Franklin, research professor of environmental and occupational health sciences; and Lucy Lu Wang, assistant professor in the Information School, are quoted.
December 3, 2024
KUOW
Since the late 1800s, logging has been a major industry in the Pacific Northwest, and its impact on the region’s economy and environment have been significant. Marissa Baker, assistant professor of environmental & occupational health sciences at the UW, is interviewed.
November 26, 2024
NPR
Breathing wildfire smoke can increase the risk of developing dementia. That’s the headline from a study published this week in the journal JAMA Neurology. Joan Casey, associate professor of environmental & occupational health sciences at the UW, is quoted.
November 22, 2024
The New York Times
In southwestern Oregon, semi trucks loaded with logs snake along roads through dark, lush forests of Douglas fir. The logging industry has shaped and sustained families here for generations. Marissa Baker, an assistant professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW, is quoted.
November 20, 2024
The New York Times
"As a virus scientist in South Africa, I’ve been watching with dread as H5N1 bird flu spreads among animals in the United States. The pathogen poses a serious pandemic threat and has been detected in over 500 dairy herds in 15 states — which is probably an undercount. And yet, the U.S. response appears inadequate and slow, with too few genomic sequences of H5N1 cases in farm animals made publicly available for scientific review," writes Tulio de Oliveira, affiliate professor of global health at the UW.
November 20, 2024
KUOW
Bird flu has spread at astonishing speed and with little discretion for what it infects. Since first emerging, the strain of H5N1 has infected wild birds, commercially raised chickens, seals, dairy cows, and, yes, even humans. Dr. Peter Rabinowitz, professor of environmental and occupational health sciences and director of the Center for One Health Research at the UW, is interviewed.
November 19, 2024
The New York Times
Their moment in the spotlight has arrived. Let’s take a look at their best qualities. Judy Simon, clinical instructor of health systems and population health at the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
November 17, 2024
USA Today
Dengue fever, a potentially fatal virus spread by mosquitoes, is sweeping across the Americas, breaking records with a skyrocketing rate of infections. Kristie Ebi, professor of global health and of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW, is quoted.
November 14, 2024
KOMO News
KOMO News interviewed Professor Emeritus Amy Hagopian of HSPop on their system that more accurately fills in the gaps of assessing the size of the homeless population.
November 6, 2024
Science
Climate chamber experiments in older people offer conflicting answers. Kristie Ebi, professor of global health and of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW, is quoted.
November 5, 2024
The Seattle Times
"This week, the Washington State Department of Health reported that so far this year 1,099 cases of whooping cough have been reported compared to just 45 at the same time last year," write Dr. Helen Chu, professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, and Collrane Frivold, a doctoral student in epidemiology at the UW.
October 28, 2024
USA Today
When buying deli meat in bulk, storing it in the freezer seems like a no brainer. But how long can it last in there, and how do you know it is safe to eat once thawed? Judy Simon, clinical instructor of health systems and population health at the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
October 24, 2024
KING 5
King 5 interview with Professor Peter Rabinowitz of DEOHS and DGH on the recent cases of bird flu in Franklin County
October 22, 2024
NBC News
Four cases in Washington farmworkers are the latest in a drumbeat of human infections across the U.S. as the virus continues to spread among farm animals. Dr. Peter Rabinowitz, professor of environmental and occupational health sciences and director of the Center for One Health Research at the UW, is quoted.
October 22, 2024
NBC News
NBC News quoting Professor Peter Rabinowitz of DEOHS and DGH on bird flu and protecting farmworkers
October 22, 2024
Scripps News
Scripps News reporting on a study led by Associate Professor Jessica Jones-Smith of HSPop and Epi that found that taxing sweetened drinks decreased consumption in lower-income households by 50%
October 21, 2024
The Seattle Times
The Seattle Times quoting Affiliate Professor Andrew Dannenberg of DEOHS on Seattle’s Vision Zero policy and the $1.55 billion transportation levy aiming to make Seattle's streets safer
October 21, 2024
The Seattle Times
Nine years have passed since the city of Seattle vowed to end all traffic deaths and major injuries on its nearly 4,000 miles of roads. housing and social inequities, an aging population, hazardous chemical exposures, urbanization and others. Dr. Andrew L. Dannenberg, an affiliate professor of urban design and planning and of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW, is quoted.
October 15, 2024
FOX 13
Health experts are raising alarms as declining childhood vaccination rates fuel a resurgence of whooping cough and other preventable diseases. Dr. Helen Chu, professor of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, and Dr. John Lynch, associate professor of medicine and of allergy and infectious diseases in the UW School of Medicine, are quoted.
October 12, 2024
Everett Herald
Everett Herald mentioning Professor Joel Kaufman of DEOHS and Epi in a story about a A new tool being used in Snohomish county that shows residents with asthma disproportionately live in neighborhoods with poor air quality.
September 28, 2024
NBC News
The wobbly devices are all the rage, but experts say they probably won’t shake up your workout routine all that much. Peter W. Johnson, professor emeritus of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW, is quoted.
September 18, 2024
KQED
Experts say California’s fire season could get worse before it gets better. A panel offers updates on the fire, the latest research on the health effects of wildfire smoke, and what you can do to protect yourself. Joan Casey, assistant professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW, is interviewed.
September 13, 2024
USA Today
Soy lecithin is a common food additive that’s often used to improve the consistency and quality of packaged foods. Judy Simon, clinical instructor of health systems and population health at the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
September 13, 2024
KIRO 7
Health professionals have long debunked claims vilifying monosodium glutamate, or MSG, but misunderstandings and myths remain. Now, a coalition of cookbook authors, chefs, influencers and more are leading an effort to address what they say is one of the root causes. Judy Simon, clinical instructor of health systems and population health at the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
September 9, 2024
Scientific American
By vastly understating the number of heat-related deaths, medical officials make it harder to improve heat safety and save lives. Kristie Ebi, professor of global health and of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW, is quoted.
August 28, 2024
Tacoma News Tribune
A 32-year-old Tacoma man who used a steak knife to fatally stab his mother may spend the rest of his life in a state mental hospital after he was declared not guilty of the murder by reason of insanity. Michael Stanfill, clinical assistant professor of health systems and population health at the UW, is quoted.
August 27, 2024
Popular Science
A growing body of research indicates that aging pipes and wastewater systems, combined with heavy rain events made more common with climate change, can boost your risk of becoming ill. Karen Levy, professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW, is quoted.
August 27, 2024
The Seattle Times
Researchers estimate that heat kills more people than any other extreme weather event, and the number of heat-related deaths reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has steadily risen in recent years. Kristie Ebi, professor of global health and of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW, is quoted.
August 26, 2024
USA Today
An Aug. 17 Instagram post includes a video of a woman making an assertion about the real nature of mpox. Dr. Christopher Sanford, associate professor of global health and of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is quoted.
August 23, 2024
The New York Times
As heat waves become more frequent and intense, researchers and activists say the lack of precise data is leading to needless fatalities. Kristie Ebi, professor of global health and of environmental and occupational health sciences at the UW, is quoted.
August 23, 2024
HealthDay
There’s a strong association between a state’s policies and laws around the rights of transgender people and the mental health of transgender residents, a new study shows. Arjee Restar, assistant professor of epidemiology at the UW, is quoted.
August 12, 2024
The Conversation
"Nearly half of all dementia cases could be delayed or prevented altogether by addressing 14 possible risk factors, including vision loss and high cholesterol. That is the key finding of a new study that we and our colleagues published in the journal The Lancet," co-writes Dr. Eric Larson, clinical professor of health services at the UW and an affiliate professor of medicine at UW Medicine.
August 12, 2024
CBS News
Over 47,000 people died in Europe last year due to heat, a new report published Monday in Nature Medicine estimates. CBS News quoted Professor Kristie Ebi of DEOHS and DGH.
August 6, 2024
The Seattle Times
The Seattle Times quoting Professor Jeremy Hess of DEOHS, DGH and emergency medicine on how King County's heat plan can decrease the demand for health care during extreme heat
August 1, 2024
HealthDay
The wildfires that are increasing with climate change could harm the future brain health of humanity, a new study suggests. HealthDay quoted Associate Professor Joan Casey of DEOHS on the connections between smoke exposure and dementia risk.
July 25, 2024
Associated Press
After three of Earth’s hottest days ever measured, the United Nations called for a flurry of efforts to try to reduce the human toll from soaring and searing temperatures, calling it “an extreme heat epidemic.” Professor Kristie Ebi of DGH and DEOHS quoted on record breaking heat and its serious health affects.
July 16, 2024
NY Times
Health concerns have been mounting for decades. Here’s what the research suggests. Jim Krieger, Clinical Professor Emeritus, in Health Systems and Population Health was quoted.
July 11, 2024
NPR
NPR quoting Associate Professor Joan Casey of DEOHS on climate change and frequency of severe weather events.
July 10, 2024
The Seattle Times
Op-ed on the need for time and investment in violence intervention programs in order for them to show their impact. Doctoral student Julie Schleimer of Epi is a coauthor of this op-ed.
July 8, 2024
The Seattle Times
"Amid racial injustices laid bare in COVID-19 morbidity and mortality, police violence and community turmoil, governments started to invest in a different kind of public safety strategy. This approach capitalizes on community insights and relationships and focuses on healing and prevention rather than punishment," co-write the UW's Kristian Jones, assistant professor of social work, and Julia Schleimer, doctoral student of epidemiology.