Labor unions, whose numbers are at historic lows in the United States, help to build a culture of health in the workplace and beyond, according to a report from the University of Washington School of Public Health.

Labor unions not only advocate for healthy and safe work environments, but they also improve the lives and promote the health of workers, their families, the community and public health, researchers found after analyzing the contract-protected benefits and working conditions of union members from employers across the Pacific Northwest.
 

Parents born in certain countries are less likely than others to vaccinate their children, according to a study by the University of Washington School of Public Health.

The study, published online June 29 in Pediatrics, analyzed data on about 277,000 children living in Washington state. Almost a quarter of those studied had at least one parent born in Somalia, Ukraine, Russia, Mexico, or India.

Lisa Manhart, professor of epidemiology in the University of Washington School of Public Health, will serve as a member of the Clinical Research and Field Studies of Infectious Diseases Study Section in the National Institutes of Health’s Center for Scientific Review for the term beginning July 1 and ending June 30, 2020.

Children who suffer traumatic brain injuries, and who are from poorer families that don’t speak English well, may not get the critical care they need, according to a study from the University of Washington.

After a traumatic brain injury, children require physical therapy and mental health treatment that can last months or years. The study found that already disadvantaged children are further impacted by limited access to the rehabilitation services that can vastly improve long-term outcomes.

During the 2014 Ebola outbreak, medical personnel accounted for three of the four cases diagnosed in the US, where countless facilities scrambled to prepare medical staff for potential new cases.

In the wake of the mass shooting in Orlando, Shirley A.A. Beresford, senior associate dean for the University of Washington School of Public Health, issued a powerful school-wide statement. She expressed the School’s shock and grief for the victims of the tragedy, and she highlighted the bigger public health questions that surround gun violence and mental illness.

Growing up in Ethiopia, Mahlet Takele saw firsthand the vulnerability of poor health systems to epidemic disease.

Former School of Public Health Dean Gilbert S. Omenn knows a lot about the value of innovative, interdisciplinary faculty. Recruited to SPH in 1981 by former Dean Robert Day, Dr. Omenn eventually succeeded him and led this dynamic, science-based School for the next 15 years.

The Husky 100 recognizes 100 UW undergraduate and graduate students in all areas of study who are making the most of their time at the UW. These students know that education happens inside and outside of the classroom, and they are making a difference on campus, in their communities and for the future. In the inaugural year of the award, seven students from the School of Public Health were honored.

On campuses across the country, students, staff and faculty have been engaged in impassioned debate over race, diversity and equity. More than a year ago, University of Washington President Ana Mari Cauce launched a Race and Equity Initiative in which she challenged the UW community to confront bias and racism at all levels. Among other actions, the administration has announced increased funds to enhance faculty diversity.

This spring, University of Washington President Ana Mari Cauce invited the UW community and its partners in the Seattle area to develop a long-range vision for improving health and well-being across the planet.

Howard Frumkin, dean of the UW School of Public Health, lists 10 great books for summer reading. Here's what he says about them:

I’ve found 2016 to be a great year for reading fiction, as many of my favorite writers have new books out.

Geraldine Brooks published The Secret Chord late last year; it’s a beautifully imagined and written recreation of the life of the Biblical King David.  He emerges as deeply gifted and deeply flawed, and the voice of the narrator, David’s advisor, seer, and conscience, is unforgettable.

Senior Associate Dean Shirley A.A. Beresford issued the following statement in the wake of the mass shooting in Orlando:

Last Saturday night a mass shooting of horrendous proportions was inflicted by an individual at a night club in Orlando, Florida. As members of our larger Seattle community, and as School of Public Health staff, students and faculty, our shock and grief for the victims are quickly followed with questions.

Forty percent of food in the United States—much of it healthy and edible—goes uneaten. It ends up in landfills and produces methane emissions that are 25 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. Meanwhile, more than 48 million Americans aren’t getting the food they need and food banks are struggling to meet demand.

To reverse that trend, the City of Seattle enlisted the University of Washington School of Public Health to analyze current food waste prevention and recovery efforts and help develop local strategies.

The University of Washington School of Public Health honored a record batch of graduating students in a celebration led by Dean Howard Frumkin and public health titan Dr. William Foege.

Dean Howard Frumkin has announced the recipients of two new endowed appointments in the University of Washington School of Public Health.

Long-term exposure to air pollution has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, but the biological process has not been understood. A major, decade-long study of thousands of Americans found that people living in areas with more outdoor pollution —even at lower levels common in the United States — accumulate deposits in the arteries that supply the heart faster than do people living in less polluted areas.

September 28, 2015

Welcome to the Dean’s Dispatch!  I’ll be using this new format to communicate with the SPH community, monthly or more often as inspiration and events dictate.  In the Dean’s Dispatch I’ll share SPH news, reflections about public health and events of the day, and updates on some of what I’ve been doing.

The New School Year