Maternal and Child Health News
Chair of maternal and child health to co-lead grant investigating sexual/gender identity, socioeconomic status and health
October 2, 2017 A new award co-funded by National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, co-led by Dr. Carolyn Halpern, will explore how sexual orientation/gender identity and socioeconomic status intersect and contribute to health and disease across the life course.
Online calculator estimates the impact of changes in breastfeeding rates on population health
September 15, 2017 Dr. Alison Stuebe led a group of researchers who developed an online calculator to estimate the impact of changes in breastfeeding rates on population health. The research was published online Sept. 15 in the journal Breastfeeding Medicine.
UNC team awarded $3.25M grant to study role of placenta in children’s later-life health
September 13, 2017 Researchers from the Departments of Epidemiology, Maternal and Child Health, and Biostatistics have been awarded a large grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to investigate the role of the placenta as a driver of children’s later-life health.
Abstinence-only sex education policies ‘scientifically and ethically flawed,’ review finds
September 1, 2017 Policies and programs that promote abstinence as the only option for unmarried adolescents are scientifically and ethically flawed, reports an article co-authored by Dr. Ilene Speizer. The findings were published Aug. 22 in the Journal of Adolescent Health. Photo by Now Idonoa.
Gillings Merit Scholars and Gillings Dissertation Awards announced
August 29, 2017 Seventeen students were selected as recipients of Gillings Merit Scholarships or Gillings Dissertation Awards for the 2017-2018 academic year. The award funds, established in 2010 to help the Gillings School recruit and support graduate students with exceptional promise and potential, were made possible through the $50 million Gillings gift and are administered through the Gillings School’s Research, Innovation and Global Solutions office.
Alumnus recognized for outstanding contributions to social marketing
August 11, 2017 Mike Newton-Ward, alumnus and adjunct faculty member at the Gillings School, was honored recently with an award for his contributions to social marketing.
School leaders welcome new faculty members, announce promotions
July 27, 2017 This list includes new faculty members and faculty promotions for the period between December 2016 and June 2017.
Halpern selected for NIH study section
July 17, 2017 Dr. Carolyn T. Halpern has been named a member of the Community Influences on Health Behavior Student Section for the National Institutes of Health’s Center for Scientific Review, effective July 1.
Mental well-being essential for health professionals in complex emergency settings
June 28, 2017 A new commentary co-authored by Dr. Dilshad Jaff describes the value of ensuring mental well-being for medical and health providers who work in emergency settings – so as to maintain both their effectiveness and personal resiliency.
Physician researcher calls for end to destructive practice of female genital mutilation
June 9, 2017 A commentary by Dr. Dilshad Jaff calls for an end to the practice of female genital mutilation/cutting in Iraqi Kurdistan. More public health initiatives are needed, he says, to dissuade communities from employing the practice, which has lifelong physical, psychological and public health consequences for girls and women.
