Non-medical drivers of health, also known as social determinants of health, have a significant impact on health outcomes. As fellow Sandra McKay and her co-authors explain, adequate funding to identify and address non-medical drivers — housing and food insecurity, transport issues, and financial strain — can improve patients’ health and health care delivery systems, while also reducing costs.
Latinos are the largest and most rapidly expanding minority group in the U.S. Our latest brief describes the overall state of health and wellness among Latino children and the broader community — including indicators of obesity, mental health, and kindergarten readiness.
Sandra McKay, Christopher F. Kulesza, Katarina ReyesMarch 14, 2024
Narcan, the nasal spray that reverses an opioid overdose, is now available without prescription. But how easy is it to get? In this quick take, Rice University students and fellow Katharine Neill Harris investigate the reality of over-the-counter (OTC) access to the live-saving drug naloxone.
Jeffery Liu, Bianca Schutz, Skye Fredericks, Imani Hill, Gautam Chaudhry, Katharine Neill HarrisFebruary 2, 2024
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the academic trajectories of students and exacerbated disparities among our youths. In a new conference report, read how policymakers, educators, parents, and researchers propose to close the COVID-19 achievement gap in schools.
Sandra McKay, Christopher F. Kulesza, Katarina ReyesDecember 21, 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
The COVID-19 pandemic revealed a gap in our ability to track and stop the spread of infectious diseases. With funding from the National Science Foundation, a Rice University research team is engineering bacteria to sustainably and continuously monitor wastewater for viruses.
Alicia L. Johnson, Kirstin R.W. Matthews, Caroline SniderNovember 1, 2023
Six years after Hurricane Harvey deluged the Texas Gulf Coast, how exposed are Houston and Harris County to flooding risk? Jim Blackburn and Jennifer Borski examine key challenges and changes needed going forward.
Some court losses turn into wins. This paper explores two Texas coast cases with wider environmental implications for any community concerned about flood control, water recycling or endangered species.
Regulating firearms under the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA) — just like any other product — could enhance their safety, writes fellow Sandra McKay. She explains how the CPSA could investigate misfirings and require safety information to be distributed with every gun sale.