Faculty,Health Behavior and Health Equity

Structural Racism Is Not an Exemption from Accountability

In February 2021, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) tweeted, “No physician is racist, so how can there be structural racism in health care?” The tweet was designed to promote a podcast that was ostensibly focused on structural racism yet did not include experts on the topic. The subsequent uproar highlighted the harm caused by deep intentional ignorance of the term structural racism, defined in the American Journal of Public Health as “policies and practices…that confer advantages on people considered White and ideologies that maintain these advantages, while simultaneously oppressing other racialized groups.”

Widely Used Herbicide Linked to Preterm Births

New research from John Meeker

Exposure to a chemical found in the weed killer Roundup and other glyphosate-based herbicides is significantly associated with preterm births, according to a new University of Michigan study.

Severe COVID-19 May Be Linked to Long-Haul Symptoms

New research from Jana Hirschtick

People who experience very severe COVID-19 illness have a higher prevalence of persistent symptoms, according to a new University of Michigan study.

Even Small Bills for Health Insurance May Cause Healthy Low-Income People To Drop Coverage

New research from Betsy Cliff, Richard Hirth, and John Ayanian

Twenty dollars a month might not seem like a lot to pay for health insurance. But for people getting by on $15,000 a year, it’s enough to make some drop their coverage – especially if they’re healthy, a new study of Medicaid expansion participants in Michigan finds.

COVID-19 Vaccine: Understanding Herd Immunity, Vaccine Hesitancy

Q&A with Abram L. Wagner

Since the beginning of the pandemic, herd immunity has been portrayed as the holy grail to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic. Abram Wagner, research assistant professor of Epidemiology, explains why reaching herd immunity might not be as simple as we thought, and what vaccine hesitancy and availability have to do with it.

Truck Noise in Southwest Detroit Adds to Public Health Concerns

New research from Stuart Batterman

Researchers at the University of Michigan joined forces with the Southwest Detroit Community Benefits Coalition and local community members to evaluate the noise impact of trucks on Southwest Detroit. Currently, trucks are being rerouted as part of the new Gordie Howe International Bridge construction.