February 27, 2023
Pitt Public Health experts weigh in on East Palestine derailment
A train carrying toxic materials derailed in East Palestine, Ohio on February 3. Since the derailment, faculty members at Pitt Public Health have been interviewed by numerous media outlets to provide their expertise on the situation. Read the news stories below. (Subscription may be required for some outlets).
February 21, 2023
The connection between menopause and cardiovascular disease risks
"As women transition through menopause, they experience a lot of changes," said Samar El Khoudary, a professor of epidemiology.
February 20, 2023
New workshops will focus on ‘under-acknowledged’ single moms in higher ed
"There is a lot of data on single mothers attending college but not how many work in higher education," notes Christine McClure, senior research scientist in Health Policy and Management.
February 20, 2023
Officials burned off toxic chemicals from Ohio train. Was it the right move?
“From a vulnerability perspective, the greatest risk of exposure is in the train workers as well as the responders, the people who did the burn," said Dean Lichtveld.
February 17, 2023
How vinyl chloride, chemical released in the Ohio train derailment, can damage the liver – it’s used to make PVC plastics
Vinyl chloride – the chemical in several of the train cars that derailed and burned in East Palestine, Ohio, in February 2023 – can wreak havoc on the human liver.
February 16, 2023
Who should be on Allegheny County’s new board of health?
Experts weigh in on what types of appointees are needed to build a healthier Pittsburgh and surrounding county.
February 15, 2023
Pitt Public Health career spotlight
Alumnus finds passion in detecting, preventing infection outbreaks
Within months of Alexander Sundermann’s MPH graduation (IDM ‘14, '22), the new UPMC infection preventionist and his colleagues were faced with a spate of severe fungal infections—some fatal—among transplant patients. The outbreak was traced to a Clearfield County commercial laundry service, where hospital linens were determined to have been contaminated by molds.
February 15, 2023
Pitt lands $14.3 million for research linking dementia and cardiovascular disease
A team led by professor of Epidemiology, Anne Newman, will launch a first-ever clinical trial to see if an immune regulator can reduce the deleterious aspects of aging in older but otherwise healthy adults.
February 13, 2023
The Ohio measles outbreak and the danger of losing herd immunity
Though measles was eradicated in the U.S. in 2000, outbreaks have occurred since, including a recent one in Columbus, Ohio.
February 13, 2023
A benefit of filing your Pennsylvania taxes? Another shot at subsidized health insurance
Assistant professor of Health Policy and Management Coleman Drake, says now is a good time for states to expand outreach efforts and make the most of those federal dollars.
February 10, 2023
The bizarre Americanness of prescription drug commercials
“But there could be a class of medications advertised where there could be cheaper alternatives, or lifestyle changes could be beneficial,” said professor of Health and Policy and Management, Julie Donohue.
February 8, 2023
What is vinyl chloride, the chemical released from the East Palestine train cars?
“The cloud that was really being produced was not vinyl chloride but what it was being turned into — the combustion product,” said James Fabisiak, associate professor of Environmental and Occupational Health.
February 6, 2023
Somerset County Chamber recognizes community movers and shakers
Behavioral and Community Health Sciences student Alyce Palko received the Harold W. Wheeler Jr. Memorial Humanitarian Award.
January 25, 2023
Christine McClure was named a Multiplying Good Pittsburgh ChangeMaker
Dr. Christine McClure is part of the spring 2023 cohort of Multiplying Good Pittsburgh ChangeMakers.
January 19, 2023
Availability of recreational cannabis reduced demand for prescription codeine
A new study discovers how recreational cannabis laws (RCLs) affect the dispensing of prescription opioids.
States that permit recreational use of cannabis see a reduction in demand for prescription codeine, an opioid with a high potential for misuse, according to a new multi-institutional study led by University of Pittsburgh and Cornell University scientists.