Study finds menthol cigarette marketing targets African-Americans
August 31, 2018 It may seem surprising that more than 80 percent of African-American smokers use menthol cigarettes – compared to just 29 percent of white smokers – until you learn more about how cigarette companies market their products. A new study led by UNC researchers has reported that the leading menthol brand has a unique pattern of targeting their marketing to African-Americans.
Chen selected for AAUW award focused on ‘expanding women’s potential’
August 7, 2018 Elizabeth Chen, doctoral student in health behavior, was awarded an AAUW American Dissertation Fellowship by the American Association of University Women. Chen is developing a scale to measure the acceptability of mobile health (mHealth) interventions among teens.
NC appropriates $5M for multi-university study of GenX; Surratt to serve as lead investigator
July 30, 2018 The N.C. Policy Collaboratory has received a $5 million appropriation from the N.C. General Assembly to support water quality testing for a set of chemicals including GenX, a potentially toxic industrial compound that has been detected in the Cape Fear River. The Gillings School will manage the study, and Dr. Jason Surratt will serve as lead investigator. Graphic courtesy of The Intercept.
Dr. Steven Zeisel: A chance I might discover something
July 23, 2018 A feature on Dr. Steve Zeisel describes his groundbreaking research on the micronutrient choline. It is reprinted here with permission from the Carolina Alumni Review. Photo courtesy of the Carolina Alumni Review.
Alice Ammerman: Hometown health hero
July 19, 2018 An article in UNC's Endeavors magazine features Dr. Alice Ammerman, praising her for being "a powerful force for nutrition research and community-based health promotion."
Former inmates at high risk for opioid overdose following prison release
July 19, 2018 A recent study in North Carolina found that, in the first two weeks after being released from prison, former inmates were 40 times more likely to die of an opioid overdose than someone in the general population.
By sending tests in the mail, researchers boost colorectal cancer screening
July 19, 2018 Recent research found that mailing colorectal cancer screening tests to people insured by Medicaid increased the likelihood that they would undergo the cancer screening. Dr. Stephanie Wheeler is senior author of the study.
Gillings researchers fight emerging diseases
July 5, 2018 Utilizing the expertise of the Baric Lab at the UNC Gillings School, Gilead Sciences is making breakthroughs in developing drugs to fight some of the world’s deadliest viruses. The Gilead broad-spectrum treatment that was tested and proven in the Baric Lab, now known as Remdesivir, was deployed for use in the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
NC’s local health department accreditation program reaches new milestone
July 5, 2018 The Gillings School's North Carolina Institute for Public Health has announced that all 84 local health departments in North Carolina have achieved reaccreditation status through the N.C. Local Health Department Accreditation Program. The program is a collaboration of the Institute and the N.C. Association of Local Health Directors.
UNC, RTI International researchers assess US travelers’ knowledge of Zika virus, willingness to take hypothetical vaccine
July 2, 2018 A collaboration between researchers at the Gillings School, RTI International and UNC's School of Medicine has resulted in the first study to assess and compare United States travelers’ knowledge levels about the Zika virus across three regions, as well as their willingness to take a prophylactic Zika vaccine that currently is in development.
