Through the southern reaches of Texas, communities are scattered across a flat landscape of dry brush lands, ranches and agricultural fields. This large rural region near the U.S.-Mexico border is known for its persistent poverty. Over 25% of the families here live in poverty, and many lack access to basic services like water, sewer and primary health care. This is also home to the Eagle Ford shale, where domestic oil and gas production…
Sleep disparities in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic highlight the urgent need to address social determinants of health like the virus of racism
INTRODUCTION With enough intensity to make it difficult for all to sleep well at night, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread globally, and the health and social consequences of the virus—ranging from hospitalizations/death to joblessness—have differentially affected communities.1,2 Racial/ethnic minorities and other disadvantaged populations are more vulnerable to COVID-19 due to being disproportionately burdened by immune-compromising chronic conditions that are manifestations of a race-conscious society.3 Emanating from racial residential and labor market…
Coping with COVID-19: Sleep and Health
In this Coping with COVID-19 livestream on “Sleep and Health”, Dr. Marishka Brown, program director for sleep disorders medicine research at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and Dr. Chandra Jackson, investigator for environment and sleep research at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, share practical tips for getting adequate, restful sleep during the pandemic.
COVID-19, Disasters, & Infrastructure with Marccus Hendricks
New Article: Metals and Particulates Exposure from a Mobile E-Waste Shredding Truck: A Pilot Study
The US electronics recycling industry has introduced a novel mobile electronic waste (e-waste) shredding truck service to address increasing needs for secure data destruction of e-waste. These trucks can shred small electronics with data security concerns at remote locations for a wide variety of clients. Shredding jobs usually involve hand-feeding electronic waste (e-waste) for 4–10 h day−1, 1–5 days. Shredding of e-waste has been documented as a source of high…
This prof is shedding light on energy injustice — and how to fix it
JPB Fellow Tony Reames grew up in rural South Carolina in a “quintessential environmental-justice community,” as he puts it. After the textile industry collapsed in the 1990s, the region was saddled with both the state’s largest landfill and its largest maximum-security prison. It wasn’t until college that Reames, now an assistant professor at the University of Michigan, realized what had been going on in his own hometown — specifically, the…
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New Article: Everyday and major experiences of racial/ethnic discrimination and sleep health in a multiethnic population of U.S. women: findings from the Sister Study
Highlights • Everyday discrimination was associated with a 10% higher short sleep prevalence. • Major discrimination was associated with a 12% higher short sleep prevalence. • Both forms were associated with a 10% higher prevalence of insomnia symptoms. • Half (Black), 13% (Latina), and 1% (White) reported both forms of discrimination. • Racial/ethnic discrimination is a likely contributor to sleep health disparities. Read more about JPB Fellow Chandra Jackson’s research.…
The Transformative Power of Public Green Spaces
The past few months have forced us to take a deeper look at our own personal health, as well as the health of our society. With tensions running high from the COVID-19 pandemic, the healing power of nature and green space is an outlet that can provide release and mental clarity. AGNR assistant professor of Landscape Architecture, Naomi Sachs, takes this concept seriously and strives to show the many societal…
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How Trees Can Help Us Fight a Pandemic
As the world grapples with the devastation of the coronavirus, one thing is clear: The United States simply wasn’t prepared. Despite repeated warnings from infectious disease experts over the years, we lacked essential beds, equipment, and medication; public health advice was confusing, and our leadership offered no clear direction while sidelining credible health professionals and institutions. Infectious disease experts agree that it’s only a matter of time before the next pandemic hits,…
Study Links Gas Flares to Preterm Births, With Hispanic Women at High Risk
Expectant mothers who lived near flaring sites had higher odds of giving birth prematurely than those who did not, researchers found. The adverse outcomes fell entirely on Hispanic women. Across the United States, gas flares light the night skies over oil and gas fields — visible symbols of the country’s energy boom. They also emit greenhouse gases, making them symbols of climate change that many environmental groups would like to…
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