The SNAP program — the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps — is a federal program designed to reduce food insecurity and help families obtain nutritious foods. But a new study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health suggests that SNAP, which serves one in seven Americans, may also be subsidizing…

From assessing what motivates women in rural Zanzibar to give birth at a health facility rather than at home, to studying what fuels obesity rates among Tanzanian women before and during pregnancy, nine Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health students spent the summer in seven countries doing internships in maternal health. They spoke about…

Daily physical activity — including household chores and walking to work — may help lower colorectal cancer risk, according to a new study. Strong evidence also suggests that consumption of whole grains, other foods with dietary fiber, dairy products, and calcium supplements may also lower risk. On the flipside, the researchers found that processed meat,…

On Sept. 13 the members of the Faculty Council of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences nominated a Parliamentarian for the fall term of 2017 and a Parliamentarian for the spring term of 2018. They also spoke with the Committee on Unrecognized Single-Gender Social Organizations and discussed proposed legislation. The Council next meets on Sept.…

Wide cycle tracks that separate bicyclists from other traffic and bike parking facilities with security guards or cameras are among the factors that motivate college students in China to bicycle, according to a study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Peking University. The study was published online Aug. 18, 2017 in the…

The Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD) announces the opening of WE ALL, an inaugural design-build installation at the Grove in North Allston. WE ALL is first built project to occupy a newly expanded section of the Grove, a site at the intersection of North Harvard Street and Western Avenue. WE ALL presents a communal…

A new Massachusetts Department of Public Health report showing a decline in the number of opioid overdose deaths for the first half of 2017 is encouraging news for health officials who hope the state is starting to make inroads on the opioid epidemic. Many health experts believe the number of deaths from the epidemic in…

A crowd of faculty, staff, and students gathered at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health on Sept. 6, 2017 for the unveiling of a portrait of David Hunter, Vincent L. Gregory Professor in Cancer Prevention, Emeritus and former Dean for Academic Affairs and Acting Dean. The event was held in the Kresge Building’s Rosenau…

Tropical storm Harvey has wreaked devastation on Houston, Texas since making landfall as a hurricane on Aug. 26, 2017. Richard Serino, distinguished visiting fellow at the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative (NPLI) at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Harvard Kennedy School and former deputy administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), spoke…

As Peruvian researcher Jaime Miranda described the administrative hassles and corruption standing in the way of better cardiovascular care in his country—including long lines and days of missed work for the poor and excessive prescriptions from specialists for the wealthier and better-connected — his colleagues in the room, physicians and public health professionals from developing…

HILT Annual Conference 2017: Evaluating Teaching Wednesday, Sept. 20 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Wasserstein Hall Program Registration HILT’s sixth Annual Conference will explore various facets of evaluating teaching effectiveness at Harvard and beyond that incorporate partnerships between academic professional staff and faculty toward improving teaching and learning. Open to the Harvard community. Registration required. Questions?…

As a Rappaport Fellow, you were able to engage in public service as an intern with the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing at the Mass. State House, while also fulfilling your practice requirement.  Tell us about that experience. I had a fantastic summer working with my state representative Jeffrey Sanchez, House Chairman of the…

On Aug.30 the Faculty Council welcomed new members, reviewed history and policies, elected subcommittees for 2017–2018, and discussed the work of the Council in the new academic year. The Council next meets on Sept. 13. The preliminary deadline for the Oct. 3 meeting of the Faculty is Sept. 19 at 12:00 p.m.

Food marketing targeted at children is a billion dollar industry, often promoting foods and beverages that are calorie-dense and low in nutrients. Schools are a significant source of food for a child, providing up to two meals daily and access to snacks from cafeterias, vending machines, school stores, and in some cases fundraising events. Because…

Evidence suggests that patients’ health and quality of life could benefit if their doctors gave more attention to spiritual health — and this could even help the doctors themselves, according to experts from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. In a July 27, 2017 JAMA Viewpoint article, Harvard Chan School’s Tyler VanderWeele, professor of…

The Harvard Ed Portal, located at 224 Western Ave. in Allston, and the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies are proud to present the latest Crossings Gallery exhibition Romance and Reality: Posters from the Russian Revolution. When the October Revolution overturned the longstanding Russian Empire 100 years ago, posters were particularly useful for getting messages…

Community health worker (CHW) programs can play a key role in providing HIV services in Africa. But such programs are often fragmented, poorly integrated into national health systems, and lack support, according to a new study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The study was published Aug. 8, 2017 in PLOS Medicine. Researchers…

It’s deep summer in Boston. Oppressive humidity slows you down. Sidewalks radiate heat. Droning insects and city traffic hum. Just across the courtyard from the Kresge Building of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, you happen upon a place of respite in your otherwise stressful day. It is a place of cooling shade,…

The young woman strides down a city sidewalk gripping a textbook and folder. Maybe she’s worrying about missing class, but probably not about being photographed. Nevertheless, she is caught in a camera’s viewfinder. The lens zooms in, focusing on the body part that will come to define her — a fold of belly revealed by…

Women who live in areas with higher levels of outdoor light at night may be at higher risk for breast cancer than those living in areas with lower levels, according to a large long-term study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The link was stronger among women who worked night shifts. The study…

The Burj el-Barajneh refugee camp sprawls on the southern outskirts of Beirut. Crumbling brick buildings are piled haphazardly upon one another. The narrow alleys between are strewn with trash and strung with water conduits and electricity cables that provide only sporadic running water and power. Housing more than 30,000 inhabitants within one square kilometer, the…

A new in-depth analysis of results from 27 national public opinion polls by 12 survey organizations finds that the failure of the recent U.S. Senate debate over proposals to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) relates to deep divisions among Republicans, as well as between Republicans and Democrats, on the future of the…