By Andrew Wu One of the greatest current humanitarian catastrophes is the worsening refugee crisis caused by the conflict in Syria, which has many unfortunate implications in public health, especially pediatric care. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), there are around […]

By MaryAnn Placheril According to a recent UNICEF report, the newborn mortality rate in Bangladesh has significantly decreased. Back in 1990, when the mortality rate was 64.2 for every 1,000 newborns, births were assisted by family members without medical training. In these conditions, asphyxia was […]

By Andrew Wu Climate change has many implications for public health, particularly on the transmission of infectious diseases. Changes in humidity can lead to an increased risk of illnesses that spread through bodily fluids. Vectors such as mosquitoes can become more abundant and affect larger […]

By Devorah Saffern Ultraviolet (UV) light kills cells by causing thymine bases in the cell’s DNA to interact and form dimers, which are then removed by the DNA’s own correction mechanisms. Increased exposure to UV light increases the chances of these mechanisms incorrectly replacing the […]

By Nicholas Persaud The United States has faced many epidemics in which diseases and illnesses have had adverse effects on the health and wellbeing of Americans. When we think of epidemics we typically think of Ebola, malaria, the flu, or anything that is infectious. However, […]

By Sharon Washio Migraines are most commonly defined by their excruciating, pulsating pain. It is a prevalent disorder, with over 38 million Americans affected, of which approximately 28 million are women. It isn’t just your ordinary headache—some say that it feels like the side of […]

The American public, along with state and federal government officials, had sufficient cause to be frightened when the first case of Ebola knocked at its doorsteps. Amidst the panic and frenzy in response to the Ebola outbreak, a controversial quarantine was issued against 33-year-old nurse […]

Want your questions about meningitis answered? After reviewing the literature, consulting information from the CDC, and/or speaking with experts, an editor from PPHR will respond to posts on this page within 48 hours. We encourage all questions as well as a productive discussion about the […]