Rollins School of Public Health

Brain Study Unlocks Roadmap to Understanding Alzheimer’s Disease Research findings provide a biological roadmap of what's really happening in the brain, which could help solve the puzzle of Alzheimer's disease

Rollins researchers have brought us one step closer to unlocking the complexities of Alzheimer’s disease in a new study.

sph.emory.edu/news/brain-s...

Three Rollins faculty members collectively contributed five systematic reviews and a commentary to this BMJ Global Health supplement on hand hygiene in community settings.

‼️ Join the launch event this Thursday, September 18, at 11:00 a.m. EST to hear more about their work and its impact!

Health Wanted Health Wanted brings you each week’s need-to-know public health headlines and breaks down the science behind trending topics. Hosted by social media science influencer Laurel Bristow.

This week on Health Wanted, host Laurel Bristow dives into the controversial rise of kratom, the compound that’s being dubbed the “next opioid crisis.” Then, she is joined by guest Oliver Grundmann, PhD, to explore whether these products are a harm-reduction tool or a danger to public health.

This week on Health Wanted, Laurel Bristow and Dayna Johnson talk about why we sleep, the importance of sleep quality, and how to get the most out of your body’s time at rest.

WABE: www.wabe.org/podcasts/hea...
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Affordable Programs Prevent Youth Substance Misuse Researchers at Rollins School of Public Health partnered with Cherokee Nation Behavioral Health to design and implement programs to help prevent youth substance use in their community.

Rollins researchers partnered with Cherokee Nation Behavioral Health to create and apply two new evidence-based interventions aimed at preventing youth substance use. After program implementation in high schools, the results showed reductions in alcohol, cannabis, and prescription opioid misuse.

Did you know we have a weekly newsletter? Rollins Public Health News brings insights about the week's top public health headlines to your inbox every Wednesday.

Read the latest (presidential fitness testing, child policy polling, and more) here: emory-university.read.axioshq.com/p/rollins-pu...

Editorial: Science, interrupted

Patrick Sullivan, PhD, recently published an editorial piece in the Annals of Epidemiology that outlines the consequences of halting public health research projects. The countless projects that have been put on hold in 2025 have resulted in ethical violations, data loss, and weakened public trust.

Poll: Americans Largely Don't Support Federal Changes to Child Health Programs A new national survey from Rollins School of Public Health revealed how American adults view recent federal actions and proposals that affect children's health and nutrition.

The new Emory-Rollins National Child Policy Poll reveals how U.S. adults view recent federal actions and proposals that affect children's health.

"Cuts to critical public health programs that serve the nation’s children are unpopular across the political spectrum.” - @stephenwpatrick.bsky.social

This week on Health Wanted, Laurel Bristow and Megan Greenwell explain how private equity can lead to lower-quality care for patients and financial instability for hospitals.

WABE: www.wabe.org/podcasts/hea...
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Medina Court Case and Spending Bill Carry Consequences for Reproductive Health Care Recent federal decisions could have significant implications for people’s access to reproductive health care in the United States—especially people in the lowest income brackets.

Recent federal actions threaten to cut Medicaid funding to reproductive health providers. Rollins researchers share how these changes could lead to worsening health disparities through clinic closures, reduced access to sexually transmitted infection testing, cancer screenings, and contraceptives.

This week on Health Wanted, Laurel Bristow and guest James LeBrecht review the history of the disability rights movement and the importance of continuing to advocate for equality.

WABE: www.wabe.org/podcasts/hea...
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Community fighting for funding for Superfund Research Center to expand toxic blood study A study that showed high levels of polluting chemicals in the blood of local folks spawned an idea to open a Superfund Research Center in Glynn County to look deeper

After they found high levels of toxic chemicals in the blood of Glynn County residents, Rollins researchers proposed a Superfund Research Center to study health impacts and limit exposure. The project’s future is uncertain, as funding availability from the National Institutes of Health is unknown.

Study: Pregnancy Offers Critical Opportunity to Address Vaccine Uncertainty A new study led by researchers at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health found that nearly of half of first-time expectant mothers in the U.S. were unsure if they would fully vaccinate the...

A new study led by Lavanya Vasudevan, PhD, found that almost half of first-time pregnant people are unsure about vaccinating their child. This research shows that the pregnancy period could be a key time for health care providers to offer education around childhood vaccines to expecting parents.

Rollins Launches Master of Health Administration Program Students can apply for the Master of Health Administration program at Rollins starting in August 2025.

Beginning in fall 2026, Rollins will launch a two-year, part-time Master of Health Administration degree program. The program is hybrid and designed for mid-career professionals to expand their expertise in health care management.

How to apply: sph.emory.edu/admissions/h...

This week on Health Wanted, host Laurel Bristow and guest Rachel Volberg, PhD, discuss the rise in problem gambling and why it is a public health issue.

Listen to the episode now!

WABE: www.wabe.org/podcasts/hea...
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This week on Health Wanted, Laurel Bristow and Steve Mackessy, PhD, dig into the history of snakes in health care and recent breakthroughs in venom research.

Listen in now!

WABE: www.wabe.org/podcasts/hea...
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Figure. Kaplan-Meier Survival Curves Before and After US Food and Drug Administration Approval of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICIs) and Health Insurance Coverage Type

The introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors was associated with improved survival for advanced-stage melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, and renal cell carcinoma across all insurance types. https://ja.ma/404o3Tn

School's Out for Summer. For Some Kids, So Is the Food. Food insecurity is a major issue facing American kids. The passage of Trump's budget bill may make things worse.

Read more insights on childhood hunger, SNAP, and Trump's mega bill from Megan Winkler, PhD, assistant professor of behavioral, social, and health education sciences, here: sph.emory.edu/news/snap-ch...

❓How can legislators address food security?

👉"There are a lot of policy tools that we can use, because food security is economic insecurity. Any tool we can use to improve economic security is a tool we should use."

❓Where does Trump's mega bill leave us in terms of childhood hunger?

👉"As a community, we have to mobilize to support families. Educators are going to be one of those in the first line position to help us do that. It might be thinking about how they start/expand their school’s food pantry program."

❓How will the passage of Trump’s mega bill will impact SNAP and child hunger?

👉"The bill cut the SNAP program down dramatically...They’ve also changed the work requirements for SNAP. So now it will likely be harder for families with school-aged children to access benefits."

This week on Health Wanted, Laurel Bristow and George McKeehan go over safety tips for Fourth of July activities like swimming, spending time outside, and enjoying firework shows.

WABE: www.wabe.org/podcasts/hea...
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Gender-affirming care is life-saving care: a response to international funding cuts for trans people in South Africa

The call to action:
👉 South Africa must prioritize gender-affirming care in response to funding cuts.
👉 Declines in international public health funding threaten the sustainability of gender-affirming care.
👉 Without gender-affirming care, no strategy can meaningfully address trans health needs.

In a new commentary in The Lancet Global Health, Don Operario, chair of the Department of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences, explains how U.S. funding cuts are impacting care for trans people in South Africa.

Despite this, it is no longer used in most vaccines and has not been included in childhood vaccines for more than 20 years.

The mercury-based preservative used to be widely used to prevent bacterial or fungal growth in combined vaccines. For more than 20 years, researchers have repeatedly shown that there is no connection between thimerosal exposure in childhood and neurodevelopment issues or autism spectrum disorder.

Thimerosal is an agenda item during tomorrow's Meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Why is it a topic of conversation? Due to misinformation claiming it causes autism.

This week on Health Wanted, Laurel Bristow, Mark Spencer, and Wanda Bertram discuss the current state of health services for incarcerated individuals in the United States.

WABE: www.wabe.org/podcasts/hea...
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/3xUnxkV...
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Federal Health Data Pauses and Staff Cuts Will Harm American Mothers and Babies  | Milbank Memorial Fund The health and well-being of all Americans — but especially women and babies — relies on timely and accurate data. Pregnancy and early childhood are particularly vulnerable periods that require carefu...

Recent program cuts to the CDC’s Division of Reproductive Health pose a serious threat to the health of women and babies.

Lauren Christiansen-Lindquist cautions the harms that data pauses will have on mothers, babies, and families in an op-ed featured on the @milbankfund.bsky.social blog.

This summer, three Rollins students will use the Maternal and Child Health Hogue-Hargraves Internship award to fund their applied practical experiences in an area aiming to reduce racial and/or ethnic disparities among women, infants, or children.