New survey will determine whether and how Zika affects Americans’ travel
March 16, 2017 Dr. Jim Herrington is collaborating with RTI International to survey Americans about whether the threat of contracting Zika virus is affecting their spring and summer travel plans.
Gillings School is top public health school at public university for NIH funding
February 16, 2017 The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has announced that the Gillings School was the top public health school at a public university in receiving NIH funding during fiscal year 2016. The School received 107 awards, for a total of $65,454,312 in funding.
Obesity prevention education has positive impact on college students, study finds
Dr. Leslie Lytle led a weight-gain prevention intervention program for people in their first and second years of college. The results, reported in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, show that online social networking and support can help prevent weight gain in this group of young adults. Lytle is professor and chair of health behavior at the Gillings School.
Ribisl co-authors Surgeon General’s report on e-cigarette use by youth and young adults
Dr. Kurt Ribisl, professor of health behavior at the Gillings School, is a co-author of the 2016 Surgeon General’s report, “E-cigarette Use Among Youth and Young Adults.” Published by the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, the report calls for improved regulation of e-cigarettes and increased education about health risks related to e-cigarette use.
From health-care providers, announcements do more than conversations to improve HPV vaccination rates
In an effort to increase uptake of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, researchers at UNC evaluated the effectiveness of training health-care providers either to make presumptive announcements about the vaccine or to engage in participatory conversations with families. Study results showed that only the announcement training led to a meaningful increase in vaccine initiation.
Giving women HIV self-tests promotes male partner testing
Providing pregnant and postpartum women in sub-Saharan Africa with multiple HIV self-tests can make it more likely their male partners will be tested for HIV, found a study led by Dr. Harsha Thirumurthy of the health policy and management department.
New study brings awareness to overlooked immigration issues around higher education
In a recent study, researchers from the Departments of Health Behavior and Maternal and Child Health investigated how youth in North Carolina can be “locked out” of educational opportunities through complicated immigration policy.
Study raises concerns about timely follow-up to positive mammogram for the uninsured
Uninsured women under age 65 who received their mammogram at community screening clinics in North Carolina were less likely to get follow-up within a year of a positive mammogram, according to a study led by senior author Louise Henderson, PhD, adjunct assistant professor of epidemiology.
Study finds daily self-monitoring of weight and activity helps prevent weight gain among breast cancer survivors
A recent study co-authored by Drs. Carmina Valle and Deborah Tate of the Gillings School found that daily self-monitoring of both weight and activity may be a feasible and accessible approach to promote weight gain prevention in breast cancer survivors.
Study identifies most persuasive messages for parents considering HPV vaccine
Researchers from the Gillings School and UNC's Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center have identified which messages are most likely to motivate parents to get the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination for their children. The findings support physicians’ use of specific statements to increase uptake of the cancer-preventing vaccine series.
