Health Sciences In The Media

Ricardo Correa, MD, program director of endocrinology fellowship and director for diversity at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, and colleagues provide perspective on the historical structural racism that has contributed to how disparities in diabetes are viewed by the medical establishment.

Scientific experts from across the United States will be answering the public's questions on the COVID-19 vaccine as more vaccines become available. University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson virologist Felicia Goodrum Sterling is a co-chair of this town hall series.

Dr. Sairam Parthasarathy, a professor in the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson and member of the university's BIO5 Institute, discusses the state of sleep health today and how UArizona researchers are contributing to a future of better sleep.

In a new report about the status of COVID-19 in Arizona, Joe Gerald, an associate professor in the University of Arizona's Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, said that as case positivity continues to decline and the number of vaccine doses continues to rise, Arizona could see herd immunity by late April or early May, adding that herd immunity is based on several factors including "vaccine efficacy, viral transmissible and natural immunity."

An experimental pill meant to combat COVID-19 could soon be used for widespread treatment. Jun Wang, an associate professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy, said the clinical trial results look promising.

Experts say local mobile vaccination clinics have been a success in bringing in people of color. Joe Gerald, an associate professor with the University of Arizona's Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, is interviewed.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is tracking variants of the coronavirus that it considers concerning. The variant traced to the United Kingdom is the most prevalent with more than 5,500 confirmed cases across the U.S., including 50 cases in Arizona. Felicia Goodrum, a virologist at the University of Arizona College of Medicine –Tucson, discusses how these variants evolve and whether the current vaccines available are effective at protecting people from serious illness or death.

While continuously listening to low decibel calming sounds at night doesn't appear be harmful, there also isn't much science behind how, why -- or even if -- sound machines help sleep. Michael Grandner, who directs the Sleep and Health Research Program at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson, explains how white noise machines work.

The University of Arizona College of Nursing is now ranked 30th in The Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research latest rankings.

Health experts say poor sleep can lead to poor brain and heart health. "One of the reasons sleep is important is that it impacts so many systems in the body," said Michael Grandner, director of the Sleep & Health Research Program and associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson.