Rise in Rattler Calls Sends Tucson-Area Snake Crews Scrambling Oct. 9, 2021 The month of October is when young rattle snakes go looking to hibernate in places where homeowners might not want them. These calls have not coincided with an increase in the number of people getting bitten by snakes, according to the UArizona Poison and Drug Information Center, which collects such data for all of Arizona except for Maricopa County. As of October 6, 146 bites had been reported statewide. That’s down from 162 at this time in 2020. The Arizona Daily STar
At Least 140K US Children Have Lost Caregivers to COVID-19. Children of Color Have Taken the Brunt of It. Oct. 7, 2021 Indigenous children also suffer unique challenges compounding the deaths, said Hopi tribe member Felina Cordova-Marks, DrPH, MPH, an assistant professor at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. “The loss of a caregiver will definitely impact mental health and all aspects of health among American Indian children, as it may compound historical trauma. As Native Indigenous people, we look at health holistically with a loss of life and loss of culture affecting all of these,” said Dr. Cordova-Marks, who founded the Southern Arizona Urban Native Indigenous COVID Relief program. USA Today
Diesel to Electric: Local Officials Push for Funds to Change School Buses Oct. 7, 2021 City officials spoke today about the lasting impact that our school buses have on students’ health. They're pushing for state representatives to do something about it. According to the American Lung Association, Tucson’s air quality is among the worst in the nation. “Arizona and Tucson rank particularly poorly when it comes to poor air quality,” said Lynn Gerald, PhD, MSPH, a professor of public health at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. KGUN-TV (Tucson, AZ)
UArizona Nursing Gets Top Marks in Inaugural U.S. News & World Report Ranking Oct. 7, 2021 As part of its 2022 Best Colleges list, U.S. News & World Report for the first time ranked undergraduate nursing bachelor’s degrees on the Best Bachelor of Science in Nursing Programs list, and the UArizona College of Nursing excelled in several categories. Out of 694 schools, the College of Nursing’s BSN program ranked No. 23 overall, No. 16 among public universities and No. 1 in Arizona. BizTUCSON
Primary Care Scholarship Fuels Future Physician’s Dreams Oct. 6, 2021 A series of unexplained medical scares led Amy Arias to pursue a dream later in life than most of her peers. Read more Thumbnail
Conference Explores How to Build a Teaching Health Center Program Oct. 6, 2021 The University of Arizona Center for Rural Health is hosting a conference for health professionals, “Teaching Health Center: Is it the Right Fit for Your Organization?” on Oct. 8-9. Read more Image
Barnes, Heeke To Speak at UArizona Arthritis Center ‘Bear Down Celebration’ Oct. 6, 2021 UArizona Women’s Basketball Head Coach Adia Barnes and Vice President and Director of Athletics Dave Heeke will headline the annual Arthritis Center fundraiser. Read more Image
Lifting Up Future Health Professionals Through Mentorship Oct. 6, 2021 Health Sciences faculty say mentorship clears the path to success and is a ‘two-way street’ between mentors and mentees. Read more Image
Booster Shot Improves Immune Response of Chemotherapy Patients; Post-COVID Depression Helped by Widely Used Drugs Oct. 6, 2021 A new study helps quantify the improved protection against COVID-19 achieved with a third booster dose of the vaccine from Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE in cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy. “Chemotherapy can weaken the ability of cancer patients to fight off infections and to respond appropriately to vaccines,” said Deepta Bhattacharya, PhD, and immunologist at the College of Medicine – Tucson and co-author of the study reported in Nature Medicine. Reuters