Research News

  1. County by county, study shows social inequality’s role in COVID-19’s toll

    Researchers found the higher a county’s score on a national index of social vulnerability, the more COVID cases and deaths per 100,000 occurred in that county — highlighting the role of social factors in the spread of coronavirus.

  2. Exposure to violence in adolescence linked to intimate partner violence, mental distress later in life

    Researchers found individuals who are exposed to high levels of violence in adolescence — a notable adolescent stressor — were at higher risk for intimate partner violence exposure 15 years later.

  3. Virtual training gives young adults with autism stronger interview skills to obtain jobs

    Virtual training sessions and separate preemployment assistance reduced anxiety and improved candidates’ access to jobs within six months compared to their counterparts who only received preemployment information.

  4. Study: Biodiversity protects bee communities from disease

    A new analysis of thousands of native and nonnative Michigan bees across 60 species shows the most diverse bee communities have the lowest levels of three common viral pathogens.

  5. Is having bad information worse than having no information?

    The move by social media companies to remove or suspend Donald Trump’s accounts and the decisions that led to the shutdown of Parler raise questions about the unchecked power of social media and its future.

  6. 10 pandemic tips for older adults (and those who love them)

    Even as production of the COVID-19 vaccine ramps up, mutated forms of the virus are on the rise. For older folks, added risk requires special care.

  7. COVID forced psychiatric care online, and many patients want it to stay there

    Most patients opted for video, but the future of virtual mental health visits is less certain due to reimbursement.

  8. Museum scientists: Prepare for next pandemic by preserving animal specimens now

    The emergence of infectious diseases attributed to novel pathogens that “spill over” from animal populations into humans is on the rise. Museum specimens hold important clues.

  9. How do we manage the unchecked power of social media?

    Professor of Information Cliff Lampe ponders the future of social media in the wake of several platforms’ decisions to ban Donald Trump after the Jan. 6 insurrection at the nation’s Capitol.