@megansouza17.bsky.social
Population Health PhD student at Northeastern University. Research focus areas include mental health, trauma, and violence.
3 people and a dog. 2 people holding signs saying, "Our oceans are rising and so are we" and "Science saves lives."
4 interdisciplinary huskies at the Boston #standupforscience protest! Representing @northeasternu.bsky.social's Marine and Env Sciences, Psychology, and Public Health. @megansouza17.bsky.social
10.03.2025 15:16 — 👍 2 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
Sec. Kennedy, you're incorrect. This *is* an unusual year for measles. This year has already passed 8 out of the past 15 years' *annual* counts. And we are only 2.5 months into 2025.
Rather than falsehoods, you should publicly state support for MMR. Today marks the first measles death in 10 years.
RFK Jr. thinks that a clinical trial should be done for the entire childhood vaccine schedule. Here’s why that will never happen.
1. You can’t do a randomized trial of something that we already know is safe and effective. There would have to be a placebo group that didn’t get vaxxed. Unethical.
Figure 1. Trends in Biannual US Infant Mortality Rates, 2012-2023
🧵 US states that implemented abortion bans saw higher than expected infant mortality rates, with larger increases among Black infants and those in southern states, according to this analysis of US national vital statistics data from 2012–2023.
ja.ma/4aVchPn
#MedSky
The CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey has monitored the wellbeing of America’s high school students since 1991.
Since 2015, it’s been a vital source of data on LGBQ youth. In 2023, it provided the first ever nationally representative sample of transgender teens.
As of this morning, it’s gone.
From a journalist friend: Just spreading the word. The CDC is purging data, so people should archive their favorite CDC datasets today, namely ones around race/ethnic diversity, LGBTQ, and reproductive health. Also health data involving climate. The youth risk behavior survey has already gone down.
31.01.2025 15:43 — 👍 4843 🔁 3105 💬 158 📌 294
In a small piece of bright news: exciting news today for everyone who wishes there were a non-addictive, effective way to treat pain.
The first in a new class of medications was approved by the FDA 🛟🩺🧪
(Nb: The RCTs for approval focused on acute, not chronic, pain.)
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/30/h...
**screams in early career scientist**
28.01.2025 03:00 — 👍 223 🔁 29 💬 6 📌 1
The NIH Sexual & Gender Minority Research Office website has been taken down.
LGBTQ+ people are disproportionately subjected to violence, discrimination & stigma, affecting their health outcomes.
Ignoring these facts endangers us all.
#MedSky #LGBT #LGBTQ #NIH #research #science
Another great post from @kkjetelina.bsky.social on the uncertainty in public health right now and how we can move forward.
open.substack.com/pub/yourloca...
New: Trump officials have paused all external communications at health agencies like CDC, FDA, NIH.
No health alerts and the famed MMWRs; no updates to key websites or social media posts.
And no indication how long the pause will last.
With @rachelroubein.bsky.social + Lena Sun.
WHO comments on United States announcement of intent to withdraw The World Health Organization regrets the announcement that the United States of America intends to withdraw from the Organization. WHO plays a crucial role in protecting the health and security of the world’s people, including Americans, by addressing the root causes of disease, building stronger health systems, and detecting, preventing and responding to health emergencies, including disease outbreaks, often in dangerous places where others cannot go. The United States was a founding member of WHO in 1948 and has participated in shaping and governing WHO’s work ever since, alongside 193 other Member States, including through its active participation in the World Health Assembly and Executive Board. For over seven decades, WHO and the USA have saved countless lives and protected Americans and all people from health threats. Together, we ended smallpox, and together we have brought polio to the brink of eradication. American institutions have contributed to and benefited from membership in WHO. With the participation of the United States and other Member States, WHO has over the past 7 years implemented the largest set of reforms in its history, to transform our accountability, cost-effectiveness, and impact in countries. This work continues. We hope the United States will reconsider and we look forward to engaging in constructive dialogue to maintain the partnership between the USA and WHO, for the benefit of the health and well-being of millions of people around the globe.
WHO comments on United States announcement of intent to withdraw bit.ly/4hrbeJ7
21.01.2025 10:38 — 👍 4880 🔁 1980 💬 252 📌 284
Women: You are invited to participate in a study of how identity characteristics influence women’s experiences of bias at work. Fill out the brief survey here: amy-diehl.com/study
(And please repost and share this link).
Reminder. There is no health without mental health.
There is no health without #MentalHealth💚
In 2025, let's make sure mental health is given the same priority as physical health by standing up against stigma and ensuring more people can access the support they need.
We are recruiting LGBQ+ Veterans in the Boston area for a study testing a brief intervention for anxiety and depression. Please spread the word! 🌈
#LGBTQhealth #LGBTQResearch #VeteransHealth
Immunization is a game-changer! It ensures babies not only celebrate their first birthdays but also thrive into healthy adulthood.
In 2024: - 17 countries introduced the malaria vaccine - The WHO HPV vaccine single-dose schedule enabled more girls to be protected against cervical cancer - A new meningitis vaccine offered a powerful shield against the five major strains of the meningococcal bacteria in a single shot
Global immunization efforts have saved an estimated 154 million lives – that is 6 lives every minute – since the founding of the Expanded Programme on Immunization, 50 years ago.
bit.ly/4gpxQJK
With flu season having started, the US is entering its most dangerous period when it comes to H5N1 bird flu's ability to adapt into a virus that can more easily be transmitted between humans.
If a person gets flu and bird flu at the same time, the viruses can swap genes.
I guess we should start a running list of all the absurd ways in which politics is restricting the public's ability to make evidence-based health decisions.
Latest ex: LA halts all flu, mpox & C19 vaccination comms from one of their most trusted sources of health info: Public health departments
There has been a groundswell of support for making America healthier. But let’s be sure we don’t lose the forest for the trees. While individual improvements are necessary, many claims are based on falsehoods. And we cannot ignore the powerful external forces that shape behavior.
Our latest at YLE:
It's not a good sign when there are so many infectious disease outbreaks happening at the same time that it's difficult to keep track of everything.
06.12.2024 22:29 — 👍 215 🔁 28 💬 7 📌 4
Hot off the presses: We @yalesph.bsky.social collaborated w/ @kkjetelina.bsky.social & Your Local Epidemiologist to answer 12 common questions about vaccines. Please read & share!
If you have more q’s, let us know…This is just the beginning 💉🩺🛟🧪
yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/p/the-dose-n...
Exciting to see Bluesky grow! I created a starter pack for folks interested in all things traumatic stress. Please don’t hesitate to add: go.bsky.app/MHqLdaG
14.11.2024 19:54 — 👍 51 🔁 30 💬 27 📌 2Would love to be added! Thanks!
20.11.2024 18:35 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0Created an IPV, Sexual Assault, & Violence Research starter pack! Let me know if you’d like to be added 😊
go.bsky.app/EGwNNrS
I'd love to be added!
19.11.2024 04:42 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0I made one for 'types of paper in epidemiology and public health'
#EpiSky
