This summer, I completed an internship with the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) in Tallahassee, Florida, and Sarasota, Florida. The FDOH oversees all matters of public health and is comprised of a state health office in Tallahassee, and 67 local county departments. My internship comprised of serving at the state health office, as well as…
Tag: Health
Aging Today: Why Do Women Tend to Outlive Men?
This piece originally aired during WFSU’s Aging Today segment. American women can expect to live to age 81, compared with 76 years of age for men. Evidence of women’s biological advantage is found at the very outset of life, with male mortality in their first year exceeding that of females. But women’s greater longevity also…
New Abortion Laws Contribute to Sexist Environments that Harm Everyone’s Health
This piece first appeared in The Conversation. Nine states have passed laws in 2019 alone that restrict abortion at the earliest stages of pregnancy. Those of us who study public health are becoming increasingly concerned about the potential for negative health consequences of these kinds of policies on women. That’s because research has shown that laws limiting reproductive rights and services…
Parental Status and Biological Functioning: Findings from the Nashville Stress and Health Study
Our study should not be interpreted as suggesting the solution to the health risks of parenting is to avoid having children altogether. Rather, we believe the current findings signal a need for an increased attentiveness to the health risks of childrearing, particularly for parents with multiple children in the home. We hope the information provided here can inform parents and their healthcare providers of the potential health risks associated with parenting.
When Exactly is Flu Season?
At the start of the school year, I ran into a colleague in the elevator. Sam told me he enjoyed his summer break in spite of the hot and humid weather. His summer would have been perfect except for the severe flu he contracted a couple of weeks prior. This story might sound strange to…
Age, Perceptions of Mattering, and Allostatic Load
The present research adds to a growing base of evidence that suggests positive intimate relationships act as mechanisms that modify biological pathways associated with disease. For instance, social support, a key factor associated with one’s perception of mattering, is associated with regulation of immune function, including inflammation, which is related to a range of chronic conditions including heart disease.
Does Disability, Perceived Discrimination and Depression Vary by Race?
Although the African Americans experienced higher rates of physical disability compared to whites and Hispanics, the harmful psychological effects of having a physical disability did not alter the very strong statistical relationship between racial discrimination and depression.
STDs, Same Sex Contact, and Aging: The Research May Surprise You
This research calls for greater attention from policy makers and researchers because sexual orientation differences in STDs may exacerbate sexual minorities’ disadvantages in overall health status and quality of life in the older adult population.
Could the Flint Water Crisis Happen in Tallahassee?
The water problems in Flint were not the result of a few missteps; instead, Flint’s current fight for safe and affordable water is the product of long-term benign neglect of the space and the residents.
