While temperatures in the Pacific Northwest are generally perceived as moderate, when heat events do occur, the area may be vulnerable. New findings from the University of Washington School of Public Health show increased risk for heat illness and dehydration on hotter days for the working-aged population between the ages of 15-64.

Short-term return visits to the emergency department (ED) are increasingly used as a measure of hospital performance. The theory is that people who return for treatment and admission must have received poor quality care or were improperly discharged the first time.

A new study by the University of Washington Schools of Medicine and Public Health and collaborating institutions found just the opposite.

A vaginal ring containing an antiretroviral drug reduced the risk of HIV infection among African women, according to a study co-led by a University of Washington School of Public Health professor.

Work in a community health clinic during his junior year at UW convinced Rogelio Riojas that he could create more impact as a public health professional than as a lawyer. Instead of entering law school, he completed the Master in Health Administration program in 1977 and a year later founded Sea Mar Community Health Centers to serve diverse communities, especially Latinos.

Led by Jeff Lehman (MHA 1974), president of Dialysis Consulting Group in Seattle, a committee of alumni from the Master of Health Administration (MHA) program is raising endowment funds in honor of health care leader and UW Health Services Emeritus Professor William “Bill” Dowling. This endowment, with the initial leadership gift from Lehman, will provide support for faculty in the MHA program.

The SPH Double Eagle Endowed II Scholarships support undergraduate students in public health who are committed to ensuring healthier communities in our region and abroad. Each student receives funding that can be used for tuition, travel, books, fees, and other educational needs.

Photo: Katherine Turner

Want to know how many healthy years you have left if you are 65 or older? SPH researchers have created an online calculator to help you figure it out. Their online Healthy Life Calculator is based on data from the Cardiovascular Health Study at UW, which collected health info from almost 6,000 participants for 20 years beginning in 1990.

SPH is honored to welcome physician, epidemiologist, mentor, teacher, and humanitarian William Foege as its graduation speaker on Wednesday, June 8. Dr. Foege is a true titan of public health. He was instrumental in the successful campaign to eradicate smallpox from the world. He has played key roles in global health at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Carter Center in Atlanta founded by former President Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Task Force for Global Health, and Emory University.

SPH researchers seek to reduce deaths and injuries

When he moved to the U.S. from Iran in 2003, Ali Rowhani-Rahbar was peppered with questions from his new acquaintances about culture shock.

A multimedia HIV testing campaign targeting Latino men who have sex with men (MSM) had a “significant and immediate impact” on beliefs and behavior, with HIV testing rates increasing over time, according to a new UW study.

The difference between eating well and a low-quality diet in the U.S. is only about $1.50 per person per day, a University of Washington professor told a White House audience on Wednesday.

As a young girl, Kelsey Schmidt was teased for being “chubby.” The taunts made her sad, led to overeating, and stuck with her as she grew up.

Kelsey Schmidt

Now, as the new Miss Washington USA, Schmidt relishes the chance to inspire other young women who may not feel so good about their bodies.

A new systemic review finds that when gun owners are given a safe storage device and some counseling, they will likely practice safe firearm storage. In cases where gun owners are provided counseling only, the interventions don’t work as well.

Researchers from the University of Washington School of Public Health and the UW’s Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center analyzed studies of household firearm safety interventions that educated or counseled gun owners on safe firearm storage.

An American Cancer Society program, The CEOs Challenge, increased health promotion efforts at large companies, according to a University of Washington School of Public Health study.

The study of 17 large companies in Washington state found a substantial increase in the use of evidence-based health promotion practices after the first year of the program. Scores for healthy eating and cancer screening increased the most, while efforts to promote physical activity and tobacco cessation also improved.

Steven G. Gilbert was recognized by the Society of Toxicology with its Public Communications Award for broadening the public’s understanding of toxicological issues. He is one of two recipients who will receive the award at the Society’s Annual Meeting and ToxExpo in March. Gilbert is a former member of the faculty and now an affiliate professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences.

For efforts around faculty hiring and retention, training for program directors, and workshops on undoing racism, the SPH Diversity Committee has been awarded the 2016 Martin Luther King, Jr Community Service Award by UW Health Sciences. Co-Chairs India Ornelas and Laura Martinez accepted the award on behalf of the committee at an MLK celebration January 13.

Rogelio Riojas (MHA 1977) has been named the UW School of Public Health’s 2016 Distinguished Alumnus, the highest award given by the School. He is a leader in the field of public health, a dedicated community advocate, and an inspiring example of the impact of SPH alumni in ensuring the well-being of communities.

As the giant bucket of scrap metal dumped its load into a furnace of molten steel, an explosion reverberated through the plant. Flames and sparks erupted like lava from a volcano.

That’s what happens when cold, wet metal hits a stew of its liquefied counterpart at 3,127 degrees F.