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Impacts of COVID-19 school closures on Latino sibling dynamics
School closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic meant that many children spent much of their time at home in the spring of 2020. For most children, this meant more time spent with sisters and brothers, creating the potential to change family dynamics.
For family scholars like Xiaoran Sun, former…
Traffic and mobile phone data predict COVID case counts in rural Pennsylvania
How much people moved around town predicted COVID-19 cases in a rural Pennsylvania county in 2020, according to a new study by researchers at Penn State. The researchers approximated movement during the initial stay-at-home orders and subsequent restricted phases by using data from traffic cameras…
Penn State receives a five-year, nearly $6 million grant to study factors promoting early childhood development
The effects of genetics, home environment, and prenatal substance use on child health and brain development are largely unknown, even though pregnancy and early childhood are incredibly important periods of growth. To address this knowledge gap, Penn State…
How behaviors can inform COVID-19 health campaigns
As the pandemic continues, implementing effective public health campaigns to improve vaccination rates and encourage personal behaviors to control the spread of the virus may be necessary.
Penn State researchers are exploring behaviors for slowing and stopping the spread of COVID-19, such as…
COVID-19 and The Commonwealth: County-Level Differences in Vaccination and Death Rates
A recent policy brief by the Pennsylvania Population Network at Penn State shows the “great differences” in COVID-19 vaccination rates across the Commonwealth. Written by Cassandra Krencisz, Anna E. Shetler, Samiha Taseen and Raeven Faye Chandler, this report explores these differences and analyzes…
The U.S. Spends Less Than Nearly Every Country on Unemployment. That's Why People Can't Get Jobs.
By Sarah Damaske for Time
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported significant job growth in June: 850,000 new jobs. But with the unemployment rate stubbornly stuck at 5.9 percent, the debate about whether generous federal unemployment benefits keep people from returning to work continues. Last…
Behavior limits COVID-19 spread between University and community
When universities across the U.S. opted to return students to campus for in-person learning during the coronavirus pandemic in the fall of 2020, surrounding communities were understandably concerned that COVID-19 infections rates would significantly increase.
In response, several Penn State…
New book, 'The Tolls of Uncertainty,' examines the US unemployment system
In April 2020, soon after the pandemic forced the U.S. into lockdown, the unemployment rate reached 14.8%, the highest documented since data collection began in 1948. More than a year later, 4.2 million fewer women and 3.5 million fewer men are employed, compared to just before the start of the…
Penn State project enriches the student experience while documenting pandemic
The Data 4 Action (D4A) project is comprised of dozens of Penn State researchers who are documenting the impacts of COVID-19 in Centre County. While the goal of the project is to assess the biological, psychological, and social functioning of Penn State students and community members, the project…
New EIC Podcast on food insecurity during the pandemic
This month on the Evidence-to-Impact Podcast, we continue the Pandemic Perspective series and examine how the pandemic has revealed the “hidden crisis” of food insecurity throughout Pennsylvania and the rest of the country.
We spoke to Muzi Na, Ph.D., M.H.S., assistant professor of nutritional…
Sufficient knowledge but sense of information overload evident early in pandemic
Residents of central Pennsylvania had the information they needed to slow the spread of COVID-19 early on in the pandemic, but were overwhelmed with worries about mixed messages and distrust of some sources, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers. The researchers said the results…
Data4Action Project Update
The Centre County COVID-19 Data4Action Research Project phase three has wrapped up data collection for students and community participants. The retention rate was over 90 percent from the previous waves. Additionally, wastewater sampling for coronavirus on campus and in the surrounding community is…
Consequences of COVID-19 on adolescent behavior
Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have been widely reported, but less is known about the indirect consequences on health-related behaviors. Researchers recently discovered that while there was a decline in physical activity in adolescents during stay-at-home orders, there were no changes in the…
Are more parents letting their teens drink during the pandemic?
COVID-19 stay-at-home orders during spring 2020 dramatically changed daily life and created significant challenges for families. A new study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health found that 1 in 6 parents first allowed their adolescent children to have an alcoholic drink with their families…
Food Access and Insecurity During COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted our lives in ways beyond what we could have imagined. The disruption of essential elements of life, such as food, water, money, and housing, has been devastating to families and communities, particularly those most vulnerable. While some of the impact on the…
EIC Podcast on childcare during the pademic with Karen Grimm-Thomas and Philip Sirinides now available
This month, the Evidence-to-Impact Podcast returns to the Pandemic Perspective series and explore the state of the childcare system in Pennsylvania during the pandemic. We discuss the challenges and opportunities to funding, access, and quality for the childcare system.
We spoke to Karen Grimm-…
COVID-19 pandemic may have increased mental health issues within families
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, many families found themselves suddenly isolated together at home. A year later, new research has linked this period with a variety of large, detrimental effects on individuals’ and families’ well-being and functioning.
The study — led by Penn State…
What do I need to know about the J&J COVID-19 vaccine?
The FDA has paused use of the J&J COVID-19 vaccine after six people—out of the almost 7 million people who so far have received the vaccine—developed a rare blood clotting disorder. Experts do not yet know if the J&J vaccine is responsible for the blood clots, so even though six events in…
Penn State faculty offer tips on avoiding burnout amid pandemic
As employees and students of Penn State face the uncertain circumstances of the pandemic, University faculty offer advice on how to avoid burnout or, if you are already feeling sapped of energy and interest -- how to recover.
According to the World Health Organization, burnout is an…
Data4Action Project Update
As the Centre County COVID-19 Data4Action Research Project moves into phase three, the next round of clinic visits and surveys for the student participants is underway as of April 1, 2021 - please watch for emails with the information. For the community resident participants, scheduling…
COVID-19 Case Rates in Rural & Urban PA
When the COVID-19 pandemic became widespread in the United States, much of the discussion and attention centered on urban epicenters with rapid spread due to the high population density. While rural areas are less populous, other characteristics of rural America make those individuals living there…
When COVID-19 hits home: Understanding the fight with fear
When the first U.S. case of COVID-19 due to community spread was diagnosed in late February 2020, it set off a rapid series of events. As cases surged, many states issued stay-at-home orders, and schools and childcare centers shut down. With such rapid, widespread disruption, it’s no wonder that…
Data4Action Project featured in HHD magazine
Penn State's College of Health and Human Development features the Data 4 Action project in the latest edition of its annual magazine. SSRI, along with the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences and Clinical and Translational Science Institute, are providing support for the project. Read the article…
New online course engages middle, high-school students in ‘The Science of COVID-19’
With the coronavirus pandemic disrupting so many aspects of their lives, it is perhaps more important than ever for middle- and high-school students to understand how scientific knowledge is created and how this knowledge is translated into policy. A new and freely available online course created…
Data 4 Action Project Update
The Centre County COVID-19 Data 4 Action Research Project is continuing to study the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic in Centre County. After adult community members took an online survey about the impacts of the pandemic , they were presented with an opportunity to take part in follow-up…