News & Events Page
April 16, 2024
Lessons in Public Health Collaboration from Washington State’s Prison Outbreaks
Outbreaks in correctional settings are complex and resource intensive because pathogens, especially respiratory ones, can spread quickly in these often crowded and poorly ventilated spaces. Incarcerated individuals often have a higher prevalence of underlying health conditions compared to the general public, which puts those living in these settings at an increased risk for severe health…
February 14, 2024
Nutrition Study in the Navajo Nation Receives Recognition from American Journal of Preventive Medicine
The Navajo Nation is a sovereign nation of the Diné people, spanning parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado. Gardening and healthy eating are priorities in the Navajo Nation. Historically, the Diné people have sustained their food security through their connection to the land, but today the USDA classifies the majority of the Navajo…
January 3, 2024
Large language models outshine traditional natural language processing methods for identifying rare circumstances
Researchers have recently begun using Natural Language Processing (NLP) to analyze case files and other large batches of information more efficiently. However, traditional NLP requires a human to review case files and train the program to recognize nuanced or ambiguous language. For example, when a report says, “The patient reported that their head hurt,” the…
November 22, 2023
UW research finds that mailing HPV test kits directly to patients increases cervical cancer screening rates
Three years ago, the federal government set a series of targets to improve Americans’ overall health. Among the dozens of goals laid out in the plan, called Healthy People 2030, was a significant increase in the proportion of Americans who kept up to date with cervical cancer screening. That, in turn, would enable more people…
August 8, 2023
UW Epidemiology Alum Jeanne Marrazzo (MPH, ’94) named director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
The National Institutes of Health has announced Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo as the new director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). Marrazzo, an alum of the University of Washington School of Public Health’s (UW SPH) Department of Epidemiology, succeeds Dr. Anthony Fauci, who led NIAID for 38 years. She is expected to assume the director role…
June 5, 2023
Communities Disrupt Mass Incarceration
Clockwise from top left: Brandie Flood, Jamie Garcia, Hamid Khan, Tara Moss, Mienah Z. Sharif Together, we can center community voices to address structural racism When Brandie Flood and Tara Moss intercept someone on the brink of arrest, they have one central question for that person: “What do you need?” They ask because, when the…
May 31, 2023
The benefits of gender-affirming care
Photo of Transgender Flag overlayed on Supreme Court Building. Together, we can make health care inclusive for trans youth There’s a reason families across the country drive hundreds of miles to Washington state so their children who are trans can access gender-affirming care: extensive studies have found that this care benefits mental health. As state…
May 24, 2023
Epidemiology community members receive 2023 SPH Awards of Excellence
Several exceptional students, faculty, and staff from the University of Washington Department of Epidemiology (Epi) were honored at the 2023 University of Washington School of Public Health (SPH) Awards of Excellence. The SPH Awards recognize exemplary staff, faculty and students for their dedication, service and many contributions to the school. The following individuals were recognized…
May 22, 2023
Mental Health Matters
Illustration of people by Lea Hidaka Together, we can heal from the trauma of COVID-19 Since the pandemic, many professors in the University of Washington School of Public Health have shifted to starting class with a check-in. Sometimes professors ask students what color best matches their emotions. Other times, they ask what brings students energy,…
Removing Personal Belief Exemptions for the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella Vaccine School Requirement: The Effects on Immunization Rates
In 2000, the United States declared measles to be eliminated, however declining vaccination rates and the resulting increase in measles outbreaks have led to growing concern that the US may lose elimination status. Washington state experienced two large measles outbreaks in 2019, with the majority of cases cropping up among unvaccinated individuals. With 87 individuals…
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