Add BrightSurf on Google Email

HIV self-testing (HIVST) found safe, acceptable, and accurate

A community-based prospective study in Blantyre, Malawi found that HIV self-testing (HIVST) was widely accepted and accurate, with 94.6% of participants reporting high satisfaction. The study also showed that HIVST led to a low incidence of partner violence and suicides, and agreed with repeat HTC results in 99.4% of cases.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Medicine·DateSep 8, 2015

Rural Medicare beneficiaries receive less follow-up care

A study published in Medical Care found that rural Medicare beneficiaries have lower rates of follow-up care after leaving the hospital, which may lead to higher risks of emergency department visits and repeat hospitalizations. The research also highlights the need for policies to improve access to care for patients in rural areas.

SourceWolters Kluwer Health·JournalMedical Care·DateAug 14, 2015

Movie theaters in developing economies should consider the big screen

A new study from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business finds that movie house owners can maximize ticket sales by understanding the preferences of their local audience. The research reveals that urban markets with highly educated consumers prefer wider screens, while other regions favor more showtimes.

SourceUniversity of Chicago Booth School of Business·JournalQuantitative Marketing and Economics·DateAug 10, 2015

Residential location affects pregnant women's likelihood of smoking

A new study from Rice University finds that living in areas with lower socio-economic resources but higher social acceptability of smoking increases the likelihood of pregnant women smoking. Counties with higher socio-economic status have lower odds of women smoking during pregnancy, while neighboring counties' smoking prevalence signi...

SourceRice University·JournalSocial Science & Medicine·DateAug 3, 2015

Dengue mosquitoes hitch rides on Amazon river boats

A study by Emory University researchers found that large barges in the Amazon River are heavily infested with disease-carrying Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. These mosquitoes can transmit dengue fever and other diseases, highlighting the need for mosquito control programs on aquatic transportation.

SourceEmory Health Sciences·JournalPLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases·DateJun 16, 2015

Large urban hospitals disadvantaged by medicare/medicaid patient satisfaction rating system

A new study by Mount Sinai researchers found that large urban hospitals in densely populated regions of Washington DC, New York State, California, Maryland, and New Jersey have lower patient satisfaction scores due to demographic bias. The authors propose an adjustment formula to mitigate this bias, which, when applied to New York Stat...

SourceThe Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine·JournalJournal of Hospital Medicine·DateMay 19, 2015

Widening rural-urban disparities in youth suicides

A study published in JAMA Pediatrics found that rural youth suicide rates are significantly higher than urban rates, with firearm deaths being the leading cause of death in both sexes. The study analyzed national mortality data from 1996 to 2010 and found that rural areas had nearly twice the number of suicides as urban areas.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalJAMA Pediatrics·DateMar 9, 2015

The hidden burden of dengue fever in West Africa

A study by University of Miami researchers found dengue virus circulating in urban areas of Ghana, with 21.6% of malaria patients tested positive for long-lasting dengue IgG antibodies, indicating lifetime exposure. The findings suggest that up to one-third of all outpatient visits could be misdiagnosed as malaria.

SourceUniversity of Miami·JournalAmerican Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene·DateMar 2, 2015

Some sections of the San Andreas Fault system in San Francisco Bay Area are locked, overdue

Four urban sections of the San Andreas Fault system have stored enough energy to produce major earthquakes, according to a new study. Three fault sections – Hayward, Rodgers Creek and Green Valley – are nearing or past their average recurrence interval, indicating they are overdue for a significant quake.

SourceSeismological Society of America·JournalBulletin of the Seismological Society of America·DateOct 13, 2014

Study finds gallbladder surgery can wait

Researchers found that patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy during normal working hours were more likely to receive minimally invasive procedures. The study also revealed no significant differences in complication rates or length of stay between day and night surgeries.

The mobility model is closely linked to the city's characteristics

According to a study by the University of the Basque Country, the mobility model is closely linked to the city's characteristics. The study found that compact towns and cities have lower private vehicle use, better public transport offers lead to less car usage, and higher per capita income is associated with greater private car use. T...

SourceUniversity of the Basque Country·JournalJournal of Transport Geography·DateSep 17, 2014

High-stakes testing, lack of voice driving teachers out

A recent study found that standardized testing is a major contributor to teacher turnover, with many educators leaving the profession due to frustration with high-stakes testing. The study's findings suggest that a culture of high-stakes testing can lead to demoralization among teachers and a lack of quality instruction time.

SourceMichigan State University·JournalTeachers College Record The Voice of Scholarship in Education·DateSep 9, 2014

Penn study: Sepsis patients fare better in hospitals with higher case volumes

A new study from Penn Medicine found that patients with sepsis who are treated at high-volume hospitals have a 36% increase in their odds of inpatient survival compared to those treated at lower-volume hospitals. The study suggests that regionalized severe sepsis care centers may improve outcomes for critically ill patients.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Medicine·JournalAmerican Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine·DateSep 3, 2014

Ethnoburbs: Segregation in suburbia

A recent study by Indiana University researcher Samuel Kye found that suburban neighborhoods with a growing number of middle-class minority residents experience high levels of white flight and segregation. Despite their affluent status, these 'ethnoburbs' have lost a steady flow of white residents over the past 20 years.

Urban Aboriginal people face unique health challenges

A new study reveals striking disparities between urban First Nations individuals and the general population, highlighting elevated emergency room use, multiple barriers to healthcare access, and significant rates of chronic disease. The findings also show that geography is not the only health care barrier for First Nations people.

SourceSt. Michael's Hospital·JournalBMJ Open·DateJul 10, 2014

$2.4 million NIH center grant to develop a cleaner, healthier environment in Detroit

Wayne State University has received a $2.4 million NIH grant to develop a cleaner, healthier environment in Detroit through its Center for Urban Responses to Environmental Stressors (CURES) program. The program will explore the impact of environmental exposures on human health, particularly in vulnerable populations such as children an...

Lower asthma risk is associated with microbes in infants' homes

A new study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology found that infants exposed to a diverse range of bacterial species in house dust during the first year of life are less likely to develop asthma in early childhood. The study, led by UCSF researchers, suggests that immune responses may be shaped by exposures during...

SourceUniversity of California - San Francisco·JournalJournal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology·DateJun 6, 2014

Demographic of heroin users change in past 50 years

A study published in JAMA Psychiatry analyzed heroin use patterns from 1970 to 2014, revealing significant changes in demographics. The findings indicate that heroin users are becoming increasingly young, urban, and from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, reflecting broader societal trends.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalJAMA Psychiatry·DateMay 28, 2014