Health care costs in the U.S. have climbed dramatically in recent decades. Elevated prescription and premium prices have left more Americans at risk of being unable to afford basic health care services. Our experts discuss key factors leading to medical unaffordability and steps policymakers must take to address the issue.
Recent attacks by the Yemeni armed militant group, the Houthis, against commercial ships signal new tensions are escalating in the Red Sea and the broader Middle East. A series of events in recent weeks indicate the potential for a broader war in the region — escalating the conflict between Israel and Hamas beyond Gaza.
Kelsey Norman, Mohammad Ayatollahi Tabaar, Kristian Coates UlrichsenDecember 19, 2023
Synthetic biology is an emerging field with many possibilities to improve health, energy, the environment, and our food systems. This one-pager defines and describes what a synthetic biology project could look like.
Alicia L. Johnson, Kirstin R.W. Matthews, Caroline SniderDecember 15, 2023
Recent findings from research focus groups show that business owners in Houston’s Third Ward feel excluded from economic development processes happening in their community. Plans to revitalize the neighborhood are ongoing, but current business owners agree that the revitalization process has done little to benefit existing businesses.
Alisha Small, TaCorra Brooks, Lebena Varghese, Ana HoganDecember 15, 2023
“Nearly one billion travelers pass through U.S. airports each year,” writes Alicia L. Johnson, civic science postdoctoral associate. In a new commentary, she outlines how the CDC’s genomic surveillance program, which monitors airport wastewater for traces of infectious disease, must balance public health and privacy concerns.
Legalizing recreational marijuana was intended to remedy the racially disparate effects of cannabis prohibition. But new research from our experts finds persistent racial disparities in the legal system’s practice of mandating treatment for cannabis use.
Katharine Neill Harris, Christopher F. KuleszaDecember 12, 2023
Baker Institute Rice faculty scholar Luz M. Garcini and co-authors analyze existing research on the compounded stressors and health risks faced by undocumented Latino older adults in the United States. Using a Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) lens, they examine the environments, conditions, and social structures that influence health risks, and provide policy and advocacy recommendations to address the issues.
Luz Maria Garcini, Vyas Sarabu, Elizabeth Buchwald, Lauren Rahman, Jin YanDecember 7, 2023
This paper examines the evolution of academic research on the effects of the property tax over the past 75 years, with a special emphasis on articles that have appeared in the National Tax Journal over that time period.
Armed conflicts in the Middle East and Europe and a strained relationship with China mean that U.S. foreign policy is currently operating in crisis mode. Fellow Joe Barnes discusses the many challenges we face and how multiple issues are contributing to this perfect storm.