Health Equity Results

How biostatistics can improve cancer care, pediatric heart health and health equity

A University of Michigan researcher explains how data, teamwork and statistical science can reveal disparities, guide care and improve health outcomes

University of Michigan biostatistician Mousumi Banerjee discusses her journey from Kolkata and mathematics to public health, cancer research, pediatric heart care and health equity. In this Q&A, she explains how biostatistics, machine learning and global partnerships can turn complex health data into evidence that improves care and lives for communities.

On the Heights: March 2026

March highlights include a successful poster session celebrating student research and internships, faculty leadership of a new open access environmental journal, and ASPPH awards and committee appointments.

Maternal mortality's narrowing racial gap masks a deepening crisis for less-educated women

The racial gap in maternal mortality is narrowing — but not because outcomes are improving. Climbing death rates among less-educated white women, combined with a persistent crisis for Black mothers at all education levels, reveal a deepening public health emergency, according to new University of Michigan research.

On the Heights: January 2026

January highlights include groundbreaking research on structural racism and environmental health, new Impact Institute and sustainability funding awards, and faculty expertise featured in national media coverage and global health initiatives.

Lingering legacy: Brazil's 'dictatorship gen' faces premature aging

A new University of Michigan study reveals that for many Black and Brown Brazilians, difficulty with mobility, memory, vision and hearing is worse amongst those in their 50s than in their 80s.

Empowering communities: Transforming mental health care in Honduras

University of Michigan researcher scales mental health interventions globally by training local leaders as community facilitators

A University of Michigan program trains community leaders in Honduras to provide mental health support using cognitive behavioral therapy techniques. The initiative helps vulnerable populations access care in a country where clinical mental health services are scarce.