UW Epidemiology

A Changing Picture of Teen Sexuality Puts UW Study on JAH’s Distinguished Dozen Teenage sexuality in the United States is shifting. A study by University of Washington Department of Epidemiology PhD candidate Kendall Lawley and colleagues at UW and the Centers for Disease…

A study led by UW Epi PhD candidate Kendall Lawley was named a Distinguished Dozen paper by the Journal of Adolescent Health. Using 61K+ Youth Risk Behavior Survey responses, it shows why a broader understanding of teen sexuality is critical for adolescent health.

What is the portfolio diet and how can it help lower cholesterol? UW Epi faculty Hyunju Kim discusses what makes this diet flexible and doable for most. buff.ly/HTBaV7Z

Don't miss Austin Hammermeister Suger's #EpiDissertation defense. Austin will be discussing "Rare genetic variant contributions to multiple cancers." Come show your support TOMORROW, and congratulations, Austin! Event details: buff.ly/xmsmVCc

One Vaccine-Schedule Change That Actually Makes Sense A Vaccine-Schedule Change Just Made H.P.V. Easier to Prevent

The human-papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, which protects against cervical cancer, was previously given as a series of two or three vaccinations; now it will be just one. Epidemiologist and UW emeritus professor Laura Koutsky designed a breakthrough clinical trial to help make it happen

New tool helps health providers protect patients from extreme heat and wildfire smoke | UW School of Public Health MPH student practicum turned public health research into innovative tool.

Epi MPH student Carolyn Graham created a new toolkit helping clinicians protect patients from extreme heat and wildfire smoke. Developed during her practicum, it turns climate & health research into practical tools for real-world care.

New research is shedding light on global trends in adolescent loneliness. Using data from 1.2 million teens across 38 countries, UW Epi researchers found certain societal factors play an important role in shaping loneliness. Read more in The Daily: buff.ly/c51btdU

Duwamish Valley Organizers Appeal Permit Allowing Ash Grove to Burn More Tires South Seattle organizers appeal a permit allowing more tire burning at a cement plant, warning it could worsen air quality and deepen health harms in the Duwamish Valley.

UW epidemiologist Anjum Hajat warns that long-term exposure to air pollution can harm health as South Seattle residents appeal a permit allowing a cement plant to burn more tires. “The goal is to keep it as low as possible.”

Rejecting Decades of Science, Vaccine Panel Chair Says Polio and Other Shots Should Be Optional Dr. Kirk Milhoan, a pediatric cardiologist who leads the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, said a person’s right to refuse a vaccine outweighed concerns about illness or death from…

Dr. Helen Chu, a UW vaccine expert and former A.C.I.P. member, rejected the idea of a conflict between personal choice and public health, noting that vaccination both reduces transmission and primarily protects the individual.

Can Redeveloping Vacant Land Reduce Neighborhood Violence? In many cities, vacant lots are part of the everyday landscape. For people living nearby, these spaces can symbolize neglect and raise real concerns about safety. A new study published in the…

Can redeveloping vacant land reduce violence? An AJPH article authored by UW Epi PhD candidate Nicole Asa finds that turning vacant lots into housing or businesses was linked to large drops in aggravated assault and firearm violence, without displacing crime nearby.

WA doctors weigh-in on CDC child vaccination changes: HealthLink The WA Department of Health also stated its statewide vaccination recommendations will remain aligned with the American Academy of Pediatrics.

UW Epidemiology’s Dr. Helen Chu responds to CDC changes to childhood vaccine guidance, calling the timing “shocking” amid a severe flu season. She warns that weakened universal recommendations create confusion for parents and pediatricians. buff.ly/uaq885A

RFK Jr. overhauls childhood vaccine schedule to resemble Denmark's in unprecedented move The new U.S. guidelines recommend all children get vaccines for 11 diseases, compared with the 18, including Covid, previously on the schedule.

Physician and UW Epidemiology professor Dr. Helen Chu warns that the sudden overhaul of the new childhood vaccine schedule is “alarming” and could endanger children’s health. Experts stress the need for transparency, evidence, and trust to maintain strong vaccine protection. buff.ly/rkchHi4

Flu season is ramping up, and some experts are "pretty worried" Doctors and scientists say this year's influenza season could be tougher than usual, with a new version of the flu virus, called H3N2, spreading quickly.

“This flu season is no joke.” UW Epidemiology professor Dr. Helen Chu warns a fast-moving H3N2 strain could make this year’s flu season more severe. Flu shots still help reduce serious illness—and it’s not too late to get vaccinated.

Would You Use a Digital Vaccine Record? Here’s What Washingtonians Decided When Washington State launched its digital vaccine verification tool, WA Verify, during the COVID-19 pandemic, it was designed to make sharing proof of vaccination faster and more convenient. But…

A study led by UW Epi PhD candidate Andrea Molino shows how trust, privacy, and tech access shaped who used digital public health tools.

With community fridges, neighbors feed each other DEOHS faculty members Emily Hovis and Marie Spiker collaborate with UW Urban Freight Lab to improve safety and efficiency of hyperlocal food sharing

UW Epidemiology’s Marie Spiker is helping shape safer, smarter hyperlocal food sharing. Her research explores how people use community fridges and micropantries so new sensor tech supports real community needs—reducing waste and improving access.

Come support Zeruiah Buchanan's dissertation defense TOMORROW on "Black Youth Suicidality Through The Lens Of Intersectionality & Policy." Congratulations, Zeruiah! #EpiDissertation Event details: buff.ly/xZRcaPl

CDC Vaccine Panel Scraps Guidance for Universal Hepatitis B Shots at Birth New guidance from the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel would do away with a decades-old universal birth dose recommendation for hepatitis B that helped cut infections by 99 percent in the U.S.

UW Epidemiology’s Helen Chu warns that delaying hepatitis B vaccination leaves newborns vulnerable. As ACIP moves to end universal birth-dose guidance, experts stress what’s at stake for infant protection.

Don't miss Jessica Culhane's #EpiDissertation defense: "Mixed Neuropathology and Associations with Cognitive Impairment in Autopsied Older Adults." Come show your support tomorrow afternoon, and congratulations, Jessica! Event details: buff.ly/adVGMuQ

A New Flu Variant May Make Cold Season Brutal This Year U.S. flu rates remain low, but experts are keeping an eye on a new strain that’s been linked to unexpectedly early and severe seasons in several other countries

How bad will flu season be this year? While U.S. flu rates remain low, experts are keeping an eye on a new strain that’s been linked to unexpectedly early and severe seasons in several other countries.

Los Angeles wildfires prompted significantly more virtual medical visits, UW-led research finds When uncontrolled wildfires moved from the foothills above Los Angeles into the densely populated urban areas below in January 2025, evacuation ensued and a thick layer of toxic smoke spread across...

New UW–Kaiser research shows virtual care soared during the 2025 LA wildfires, especially for respiratory, cardiovascular, injury, and neuropsychiatric symptoms. The study highlights how telehealth becomes essential during climate disasters.

REMINDER: We have two dissertation defenses going on today from Susana Lozano's Esparza and Linxuan Wu. See December 1 events for details: buff.ly/9kDhDLq

People at holiday gatherings often share bugs. Now volunteers are needed to help UW researchers figure out how viruses spread in households and communities. Dr. Helen Chu, professor of epidemiology and of medicine in the UW School of Medicine, is interviewed. buff.ly/TDWjXd4

Another dissertation defense after the break! Linxuan Wu will be presenting on "Advancing PrEP Use among Pregnant Women in Sub-Saharan Africa." Best of luck, Linxuan! #EpiDissertation Event details: buff.ly/qjVJPgZ

Come join us after the Thanksgiving holiday on December 1 for Susana Lozano Esparza's dissertation defense: "Polycystic ovary syndrome in Mexico: From adolescence to adulthood. Best of luck, Susana #EpiDissertation Event details: buff.ly/edUZZtB

Training competencies and recommendations for the next generation of public health genetics: Reflections from current leaders in the field Public health genetics training programs must evolve to meet the changing public health landscape and ever-growing data availability.

A new study in AJHG led by UW Epi professor Alison Fohner shows what students truly need in the AI era: critical thinking, data discernment & cross-disciplinary teamwork—plus 17 actionable competencies to help graduate programs future-proof training.

A stink and an ‘instant headache’: Seattle neighborhood endures pungent smell Over 100 complaints of a pungent smell have been reported to the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency. The source has been a bit of a mystery.

What’s that rotten egg smell in Seattle’s South Park neighborhood? Seattle Times reporting points to a drywall recycler and highlights broader air-quality concerns. UW Epi’s Anjum Hajat underscores the clear links between pollution and health risks and the need for faster action.

Participants sought for new study of how viruses spread - UW Medicine | Newsroom Participants [...]

A new SeaPrep study, led by UW physician and epidemiologist Helen Chu, is enrolling participants across King, Snohomish, and Pierce counties to track how respiratory viruses spread. The study is compensated and completed from home.

A ‘mind-blowing’ trip from Seattle to Portland: 12 hours on buses and trains Along the way, he said, Simon Sandh found how those small, rural transit systems serve as the "connectors" for so many communities.

The Seattle Times picked up earlier reporting on UW Epi’s Simon Sandh, who traveled Seattle to Portland using only buses and trains. His 11-hour trip shows how rural transit connects communities and supports access to work, services, and public health.

TOMORROW: Sophie Freije will defend her dissertation: "Correlates and Metabolic Health Outcomes of Adolescent Loneliness." All are welcome to attend. Good luck tomorrow, Sophie! Event details: buff.ly/l5QgjEA

Trying to get more protein? UW Epidemiology’s Adam Drewnowski found that dairy offers the most affordable source of complete, high quality protein, with milk costing less per 50 grams than eggs, chicken, or plant based options.

How a simple, cost-effective intervention can save lives from cervical cancer | UW School of Public Health UW research shows cost-effectiveness of at-home test kits to prevent cervical cancer.

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cause of cancer in women around the world, but it’s largely preventable. Now, a new low-tech, affordable intervention can help people get screened. UW Epi's Rachel Winer is quoted: