June 21, 2022
16 healthcare innovators that you should know
"These 16 innovators are changing the face of healthcare. They are behavioral scientists, product leaders, academic researchers, statisticians, physicians, clinicians, strategists, experts in diversity equity and inclusion, implementation scientists, and tech leaders."
May 16, 2022
The role of healthcare providers and academics in addressing vaccine hesitancy
"Since the 21st century, vaccine hesitancy has been on the rise around the world, being listed as one of the top ten threats to global health by the World Health Organization (WHO) In 2019."
January 6, 2021
The world's biggest weight loss brand just launched its most flexible program ever
"One of the world's most influential weight loss brands has just unveiled a new program that's working to further turn the tide on how we think about weight loss and health."
November 18, 2021
Novel algorithm on wearable devices can detect irregular heartbeat, may prompt early care
"AHA study analysis of heartbeat data for half a million wearable-device users found the algorithm accurately detects irregular heart rhythms."
November 15, 2021
What students need this academic year
"As the pandemic trudges on, students and their families long for a college experience that feels engaging, safe, supportive, relevant, and valuable. But with continued uncertainty, what does that look like? And how can campus communities get there together?"
November 18, 2021
Leaked documents show Facebook put profit before public good
"A leaked trove of papers from inside Facebook shows that the social media giant’s internal research uncovered a host of problems on the platform related to public health and other issues, but did virtually nothing about it."
September 16, 2021
Apps to support your mental health
"'Technology today provides opportunities for mental health treatment that were historically impossible,'" says Cora B. Richter, associate clinical director for Rappore, a company that provides digital mental health services."
September 1, 2021
Do your clients need a social prescription?
"The medical world’s understanding of the value of socialization is undergoing a major reappraisal right now. More physicians, like Dr. Subramanian, are calling for 'social prescribing.'"
May 29, 2021
Breaking the mask habit: Why some people find it hard to let go
"Bailey Bruce runs a yoga studio. She’s still requiring her patrons to wear masks, at least 'for the time being.'"
May 28, 2021
Teens' physical activity declines during pandemic, substance use persists
“'A resilient, physically active lifestyle can be cultivated via two strategies,' Pagoto and Conroy wrote." Find out here!
April 8, 2020
Rethinking how we talk about obesity
"According to the CDC, 42% of adults in the United States are obese and that number is still climbing. [...] Weight is a very sensitive subject, but it needs to be addressed."
March 5, 2021
Doctors and techies are clashing at digital health companies, and one start-up exec is seeking a fix
"Doctors often join tech companies after working at hospital systems that can be very hierarchical, a sharp contrast to Silicon Valley, where work environments are more open and projects tend to be consensus-driven."
March 5, 2021
12 little things that will improve your health in just one minute
"No, you don't have to devote every minute of your life to getting healthy. Sometimes just one minute will do."
March 1, 2020
Dr. Sherry Pagoto discusses COVID-19 vaccine safety, efficacy
“'Each of us is a domino, but you can’t knock one over without knocking over many more. If you get infected, it is because the domino before you did, and just like that domino knocked you over, you will knock over the next one, and so on.'"
February 26, 2021
Body image: News 12 talks to clinical psychologist about Zoom and body dysmorphia
"All of this time on Zoom is giving us more time to look into what is essentially a mirror," says Dr. Sherry Pagoto.
February 16, 2021
Experts: Zoom meetings could cause body image issues
"The reliance on Zoom for work and school during the COVID-19 pandemic could be exacerbating serious psychological issues, experts say."
December 29, 2020
Could athlete vaccinations help America beat the pandemic?
"Society yearns for normalcy. Recapturing it will depend on widespread vaccine acceptance. And vaccine acceptance, experts say, is something sports figures can help foster in a variety of ways."
December 14, 2020
How influencers are being recruited to promote the COVID-19 vaccine
"Public health leaders and campaigns strategically encouraged and recruited those with large online followings to use their platforms for good."
November 17, 2020
Meaningful engagement key to weight-loss success in social media intervention programs
"'I began to wonder: Can we create online communities using social media platforms to actually deliver evidence-based lifestyle interventions?'" says Dr. Sherry Pagoto.
November 4, 2020
Q&A: Social media affects psoriasis education, acceptance
"Social media can be used to learn about new treatments, research, clinical trial opportunities and information about comorbidities."
October 20, 2020
UConn researcher receives CDC grant to develop social media-based intervention to prevent gun injury
University of Connecticut School of Social Work assistant professor Caitlin Elsaesser received an award "to research how social media conflict contributes to youth firearm violence and develop a social media-based intervention to address this pressing issue."
October 15, 2020
An open letter to university leadership
"Julia Marcus, Stefan Baral and more than 100 other scholars call on college leaders to take a more humane approach to students during COVID-19."
October 14, 2020
As QAnon conspiracy theories draw new believers, scientists take aim at misinformation pandemic
"Infodemiology seeks to understand how misinformation and conspiracy theories spread like a disease through a free-wheeling democracy like America's, with the ultimate goal of understanding how to stem its spread."
October 7, 2020
US colleges struggle to balance COVID-19 with classes
"So far, there is no unified national coordinated plan from higher education on how to handle the spread of the coronavirus on university campuses across the United States."
October 7, 2020
15 things therapists do when they're anxious watching the debates
"Here are mental health experts' tips for addressing anxiety and practicing self-care during election season (because even the pros need help right now)."
October 6, 2020
Coronavirus conversation: Why the pandemic matters in the 2020 election
"In order to better grasp the magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Crash Course team enlisted the help of professors who taught a free, one-credit class on the pandemic during UConn’s summer term."
September 22, 2020
What to do if your family or friends share misinformation on Facebook
"If you’ve been on Facebook the last few years, you’ve probably had an experience like this: You’re scrolling your news feed and you see that a family member or friend has posted something that you highly doubt is true."
August 30, 2020
Colleges vs. parties
"The big picture: The close to 2,000 campuses trying to reopen this fall are finding that it's nearly impossible to prevent outbreaks when you bring together thousands of undergraduates who've been starved of social contact all summer."
August 21, 2020
Will shame make students stop socializing?
"Shame and fear aren't the best motivators for public health campaigns, experts say. But colleges take that approach amid COVID-19 outbreaks as campuses reopen."
August 18, 2020
Higher Ed's moment of truth
"Colleges confront what it means to bring students back to campuses as their fall plans become realities. Will many institutions make it through the fall without outbreaks?"
August 12, 2020
Screen college students for COVID every 2 days, researchers advise
"U.S.-based colleges and universities continue to struggle with how they will receive students while containing the spread of COVID-19."
August 5, 2020
The class of COVID-19: Can US college students really go back?
"The attitude of some young people to risk will make a safe return to campus challenging."
July 27, 2020
As UConn plans for reopening in midst of coronavirus pandemic, students prepare for new college experience
"As UConn prepares to reopen in the fall, students balance a desire to return to campus with realistic expectations of what campus life will allow for during COVID-19."
July 17, 2020
A novel idea: Ask students what they think about returning to campus
Dr. Sherry Pagoto "recommends all institutions conduct focus groups for students to better understand their concerns and ideas for returning to campus."
July 9, 2020
After cruise ships and nursing homes, will universities be the next COVID-19 tinderboxes?
"A common misconception is that young people with COVID-19 don’t die and therefore college re-openings pose little risk. Sadly, this isn’t the case. COVID-19 deaths in the young are rare, but they happen."
June 3, 2020
So you want to have a virtual conference? Here's a UConn professor who did it -- and is planning to do it again
"Professor Sherry Pagoto talks about the challenges - and benefits - of hosting a multi-day academic conference entirely online."
May 26, 2020
How to stop friends and relatives from spreading misinformation about COVID-19
"What should you do if you spot people sharing falsehoods on social media? And is there a way to convince them otherwise?"
May 18, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic affects all college students, but probably not equally
“'By understanding what makes a positive home learning environment, universities can help students make choices about whether online learning is right for them,'" -Nathaniel Brown, professor of mathematics
May 7, 2020
Face-aging selfies help modify risky skin behaviors for teens
"Trial looked at effects of a free 'UV-selfie' app."
April 9, 2020
Do you still need sunscreen if you're spending the day inside?
"Stuck inside more than ever before? That doesn't mean your skin should suffer."
January 8, 2020
It's messed up that so many gyms have tanning beds
"Despite all of the known health risks, tanning beds can be found at more than three-quarters of some of the country's biggest fitness chain."
January 7, 2020
Many popular gyms offer unhealthy indoor tanning
"More than three-quarters of commercial gyms surveyed offered tanning beds, undermining public health warnings about the dangers of indoor tanning, according to a study of three of the largest U.S. gym chains."
January 6, 2020
Gyms across America promote risky tanning beds with health and wellness
"Fitness chains across America are offering tanning beds as an added amenity for some memberships despite the reported risk for malignant melanoma, a serious form of skin cancer."
December 23, 2019
Despite danger, tanning beds still a fixture in many gyms
"Widely condemned for driving up skin cancer risk, tanning beds remain common in that shrine to healthy living: gyms."
December 23, 2019
Despite danger, tanning beds still a fixture in many gyms
"'To me, it's an oxymoron to go to a gym or health club to be healthy, only to then use a tanning bed and severely damage your skin.'" -Dr. Deborah Sarnoff
December 20, 2019
Popular gyms undermining health with tanning beds, UConn researcher says
“'Because people associate gyms with health, gyms are essentially putting a ‘health halo’ on tanning beds.'" -Dr. Sherry Pagoto
December 20, 2019
Popular gyms undermining health with tanning beds
"Little is known about how pervasive the presence of tanning beds is in gyms. In seeking better understanding, Pagoto's team sampled locations from three of the six largest national gym chains in the United States -- Anytime Fitness, Gold's Gym, and Planet Fitness."
July 29, 2019
Facebook urges gay men to give blood, which can be a painful reminder they aren't allowed to
"In about 20 countries around the world, men who have sex with other men are banned from giving blood altogether."
May 20, 2019
The homemade sunscreen you find on social media is a recipe for sunburn
"This may sound obvious, but a new study makes it clear: Don’t use recipes you find online to make homemade sunscreen."
May 8, 2019
Obesity is on the rise in rural communities worldwide
While 'the prevailing belief' is that urban areas are hotbeds for weight gain and sedentary habits, The Verge reported the truth is that more than 55 percent of the rise in obesity from 1985 to 2017 came from rural areas."
March 10, 2019
The role of diet in promoting health
"Doctors and other health professionals discuss what we know and don't know."
November 17, 2018
How to build up your workout -- and your health -- in small steps
"Let’s be honest: Physical activity guidelines can be tough. As behavioral scientists with expertise in exercise motivation, we will be the first to admit that maintaining a physically active lifestyle isn’t easy."
November 13, 2018
Move more, sit less -- great advice, but how can we make time for exercise?
"The guidelines recommend that all adults do at least 150 minutes per week of physical activity at an intensity that elevates the heart rate."
November 8, 2018
Does work/life balance exist in the gig economy?
“'A lot of family life depends on negotiation. People who are facing scarcity of time or money do not have those skills.'" -Stephanie Coontz, professor of history and family studies at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington
October 22, 2018
Tanning beds may be popular in gyms, but they’re unsafe
"Exercising regularly — whether at a health club or elsewhere — is one of the most effective ways to improve your health. But plenty of gyms, according to a recent study, have tanning beds, which many experts advise people to avoid."
July 27, 2018
Gyms With Tanning Beds Send Mixed Message
"Gym rats are trying to get healthy. So why do so many U.S. gyms have tanning beds, researchers want to know."
July 26, 2018
Gyms entice new members with tanning beds, despite the known cancer risks
"A single indoor tanning session raises the risk of melanoma by about 20 percent, and each additional session during the same year increases the risk by about 2 percent."
July 19, 2018
Study: Tanning Bed Addictions More Likely When Used At Gym
"Researchers at the University of Connecticut have found that tanning bed addictions can be encouraged by gyms."
July 18, 2018
The tanning bed in your gym is worrying dermatologists
"While a visit to the gym followed by a relaxing tanning session might sound to some like just two facets of self-care, Sorrentino and his fellow GT aficionados are placing themselves at higher risk of skin cancer every time they get into a tanning bed or booth."
July 18, 2018
Gyms are fueling cancer with tanning beds
"Gyms market themselves as the holy grail of health, a place to go to turn your life around for the better. But more than half of US gyms also promote an addictive habit that could give you cancer: tanning beds."
July 18, 2018
Tanning Beds in Gyms Are Popular but Unsafe
“'These facilities are offering their customers one very healthy behavior and one very unhealthy behavior under the same roof,'” says the lead author, Sherry Pagoto, Ph.D"
July 18, 2018
People Who Tan At A Gym More Likely To Become Addicted To It
"A new study calls tanning beds potentially addictive and says putting them in gyms might actually make things worse."
July 18, 2018
Health clubs using tanning beds to attract members despite cancer risks, new study shows
"Many gyms offer access to tanning beds, a known carcinogen, to their patrons. We would be astounded if gyms provided tobacco to patrons, so we must pose serious questions to gyms who provide ultraviolet radiation."
May 30, 2018
Is digital health a behavioral science?
"If the digital health space does not start embracing transdisciplinarity, it risks further widening the hype-evidence gap."
May 23, 2018
How online data is helping predict your next move
"Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, went before lawmakers in Europe this week to address concerns about the social media site and the collection of user data."
Mar 02, 2018
Beyond Quantified Self: Three Behavior Change Strategies that Work
"In spite of how far technology has come in quantifying everything the body does, we have not seen long term engagement and we have pretty tepid data regarding behavior change."
Feb 28, 2018
How diet can affect mental health: the likely link between food and the brain
"What people choose to eat doesn’t just affect their waistlines, but maybe also the way they think and feel, according to a growing body of research."
Jan 19, 2018
Rethinking Quantifying Behavior Change: A Case for New Uses, Measures, and Analysis
"What if the problem was actually not how we quantify behavior with technology but rather how we use, measure, and analyze behavior change data?"
Nov 17, 2017
How Do You Change Behavior?
"As a clinical psychologist, I get asked this question all the time. The short but unsatisfying answer is 'it’s complicated.'"
Nov 8, 2017
Some Guys Can't Stay Away From Tanning Beds
"Indoor tanning appears to be more addictive for men than women, even though they use tanning beds less than females, a new study finds."
Nov 3, 2017
Men's tanning behaviors riskier than women's, says new study
"The stereotypical indoor tanner is a young woman, but men tan, too. And while men may use tanning beds less often than women, new research has found they do it in riskier ways."
Aug 28, 2017
Fitbit Announces New Premium Guidance and Coaching Offering Based on Your Data
"Fitbit’s new premium guidance and coaching offering launches with Fitbit Coach, Audio Coaching sessions and Guided Health Programs which offer dynamic, personalized and goal-based curriculums to drive positive health outcomes."
June 8, 2017
Tanning bed use declining among U.S. adults
"The number of U.S. adults using indoor tanning machines decreased by a third between 2010 and 2015, a recent study suggests."
Dec 26, 2016
Obesity: Could a new smartphone app prevent overeating?
"Scientists have designed a smartphone app that may help in the fight against obesity. While apps that aim to assist with weight loss are not new, this app — known as SlipBuddy — takes a unique three-pronged approach to combat overeating."