Brown SPH in the news

In the US, 73 percent of white Americans owned a home in 2019, compared to 42 percent of Black Americans. But in Rhode Island, 62 percent of all residents owned a home in 2019, compared to just 34 percent of Black Rhode Islanders.

“The paradigms around willpower don’t work,” said Dr. Judson Brewer, an associate professor in behavioral and social sciences at the Brown University School of Public Health who has studied mindful eating practices. “You have to start by knowing how your mind works.”

The findings about the causes and characteristics of overdose deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic may be used to inform policies that could lower death rates even after COVID-19 is under control.

Do the hospitals near you require staff vaccinations? Help us track hospitals’ decisions on vaccine mandates.

Facilities that serve single types of skilled nursing patients —and a payment system that differentiates and reimburses accordingly—would improve care for seniors and benefit providers, according to preeminent long-term care researcher Vincent Mor, professor of health services, policy and practice.

A team of researchers in the Center for Gerontology & Healthcare Research has identified the factors that put nursing home residents at highest risk of dying from COVID-19. The study informs prevention practices and provides insight on ways to reduce fatality rates in this vulnerable population.

Brown University’s Graduate Student Council and Counseling and Psychological Services are collaborating on new programming to address graduate student mental health needs.

A research team led by Brandon Marshall, an associate professor of epidemiology at Brown University's School of Public Health, found a 25 percent increase in fatal opioid overdoses after periods of freezing temperatures compared to days with an average temperature of 52 degrees. One possibility is that opioid use and exposure to cold weather could combine to create a negative biological effect, said William Goedel, a doctoral student at the School of Public Health, who spearheaded the analysis.