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Latest news and updates

Latest news and updates

Fueling the flame: Initiative pilot grant studies health risk of increasing heat and wildfires

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Agricultural communities in the western portion of the U.S. are becoming more exposed to extreme heat and wildfire smoke (WFS) as a result of climate change, adversely impacting the health of the general population and posing a greater risk to outdoor crop workers. Washington state leads the U.S. in apple, blueberry and cherry production, with an estimated 100,000 documented crop workers in 2021. While there is limited research on the impact of climate change induced heat and WFS events on…

UW faculty discuss how the H5N1 bird flu outbreak could impact humans, our ecosystems

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A major outbreak of a new strain of bird flu began circulating the world in 2020 and has killed millions of wild birds and infected poultry, dairy cattle and domestic cats to date. A few humans have also died from bird flu infection. Federal health officials have deemed the Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 a low risk to public health despite four humans contracting the virus, with the most recently confirmed case experiencing flu-like respiratory symptoms. UW News spoke with…

Initiative-funded project seeks to understand impact of climate change on mental health

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The continued rise in focus on climate change comes as a result of increasing temperatures, extreme storms and wildfires. Distress experienced as a result of an awareness that climate change underlies these changing weather patterns can be referred to as “climate change distress” (CC-D), which is elevated among young adults and could be linked to adverse health outcomes. Research on CC-D has remained limited though in epidemiological studies due to an absence of a brief measure suitable for large health…

Initiative-funded project studies how culturally sensitive communication styles affects health AI

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The capabilities of conversational artificial intelligence (AI) have improved dramatically in healthcare settings, with the potential to promote mental health and increase adherence to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. However, current AI-based chatbots lack the understanding of cultural differences needed to support communication with patients and ensure positive health outcomes. Communication styles vary across cultures and prove significant when it comes to evaluating the likelihood of adherence to physicians’ recommendations. In spring 2023, an interdisciplinary team of University of Washington researchers received…

Applied Research Fellowship project explores local King County business landscape

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The 2024 University of Washington Population Health Initiative Applied Research Fellowship program recently concluded their research assessing trends in the local business landscape in King County through the use of novel data sources. Their findings offer useful insights for King County policymakers regarding future resource allocations. In its fifth year, the program is a collaboration with the UW’s Center for Studies in Demography & Ecology and King County. This year’s five student fellows were a mix of graduate and undergraduate…

Awardees of 2022 Tier 3 pilot grants share their final project outcomes

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Five teams of University of Washington investigators were awarded Population Health Initiative awarded five Tier 3 pilot grants in June 2022. These project teams represented seven different UW schools and colleges, as well as several community-based partners, and were intended to support faculty and PI-eligible staff to create follow-on opportunities for impactful projects that had realized proof-of-concept and were seeking to scale their efforts and/or expand the scope of their work. Each research team has now completed their respective project…

Awardees of winter 2023 Tier 1 pilot research grants report final project outcomes

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The Population Health Initiative awarded four Tier 1 pilot grants in winter 2023 to interdisciplinary University of Washington research teams. These teams represented researchers from the UW’s College of Arts & Sciences, College of Education, School of Medicine, School of Nursing & Healthcare Leadership (UW Tacoma) and School of Public Health, plus several community-based partners. These awards from the initiative’s Tier 1 pilot grant program were intended to support researchers in laying an interdisciplinary foundation for a future project to…

UW researcher’s six year permafrost study includes science instruction for foster youth

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Joel Eklof, a University of Washington civil & environmental engineering doctoral student, recently discussed his six-year study of the climatic impact of thawing permafrost in Alaska, as well as his pursuit to expand science and leadership skills in foster care youth through the Fostering Science Program. Eklof’s research has found variations in weather conditions at the Fairbanks site, contributing to meaningful data towards questions of why soil temperatures and permafrost thaw rates vary and the impact of water, energy and…

Initiative-funded AI pilot project looks to create datasets that spot and predict future pandemics

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The origins of the COVID-19 pandemic reflect a larger trend of increasingly frequent, severe and widespread human disease transmission caused by changes in global biotic and abiotic systems. These changes are a result of climate change, land-use change, globalization and urbanization, all of which are causing unprecedented shifts in ecosystems that result in a greater risk for zoonotic spillover. In summer 2024, a team of interdisciplinary researchers at the University of Washington were awarded an artificial intelligence-focused pilot grant from…

Summer 2024 Social Entrepreneurship Fellows finish their projects and report out findings

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The Population Health Initiative’s summer 2024 Social Entrepreneurship Fellows Program concluded in August with the fellows presenting their findings to students, faculty and staff from schools and colleges across campus. The fellows spent 10 weeks working on population health innovations developed by University of Washington researchers to determine how these innovations could be financially sustainable while also having a substantial societal impact. The Social Entrepreneurship Fellows Program was developed to expand opportunities for students from all disciplines to gain real-world…