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Michael J. Klag, MD, MPH, dean of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, will award the Dean’s Medal to Suzanne and Bob Wright, co-founders of Autism Speaks, for their worldwide advocacy on behalf of individuals with autism. The Dean’s Medal is the Bloomberg School’s highest honor and celebrates individuals who have made a significant contribution to the field of public health. The Wrights will be presented with the Dean’s Medal at the Bloomberg School in Baltimore, Md. on October 15 during the Inaugural Symposium for the Wendy Klag Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities.

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A new study from the Institute for Global Tobacco Control at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health shows the wide reach of global tobacco marketing. The study, led by Dina Borzekowski, EdD, a public health professor at the University of Maryland, College Park, and an adjunct professor at the Bloomberg School, shows that the majority of very young children from certain low- and middle-income countries are familiar with cigarette brands—close to 68 percent of the 5- and 6 year olds were able to identify at least one cigarette logo. This study’s findings suggest that more effective measures are needed to restrict tobacco marketing.

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For the first time researchers have found an association between living in proximity to high-density livestock production and community-acquired infections with MRSA. Their analysis concluded that approximately 11% of community-acquired MRSA and soft tissue infections in the study population could be attributed to crop fields fertilized with swine manure. The study is the first to examine the association between high-density livestock operations and manure-applied crop fields and MRSA infections in the community.

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A new study led by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health finds that during a decade when prescription opioid use has skyrocketed, the identification and treatment of pain has failed to improve, and the use of non-opioid analgesics has plateaued, or even declined. The study was published online September 13 in the journal Medical Care.

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New study finds a decline in the number of minority patients with Medicare receiving bariatric surgery after the Medicare Center of Excellence Policy was implemented.

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A new, international study found that use of blood levels of cystatin C to estimate kidney function—alone or in combination with creatinine—strengthens the association between kidney function and risks of death and end-stage renal disease. The findings suggest that the use of cystatin C as a measurement of kidney function could lead to better staging and risk classification of chronic kidney disease.

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Fewer states are holding alcohol retailers liable for harms caused by customers who were served illegally, according to a new report from researchers at Alcohol Policy Consultations and the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Published online by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, the legal research study documents the gradual erosion of commercial host liability from 1989 to 2011.

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As part of its growing online educational program, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health is launching eight new Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) in collaboration with Coursera. This announcement marks the one-year anniversary of Johns Hopkins University’s partnership with Coursera.

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A new study found drug-resistant bacteria associated with livestock in the noses of industrial livestock workers in North Carolina but not in the noses of antibiotic-free livestock workers. The drug-resistant bacteria examined were Staphylococcus aureus, commonly known as “Staph,” which include the well-known bug MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus).

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The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has appointed four new members to its Health Advisory Board. Robert Carr, William Clarke III, Kathleen Ludwig, and Stephen Moore will bring their expertise and insights to the 35-member board, which advises the Bloomberg School’s leadership on critical issues.

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When it comes to confronting childhood obesity, researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health conclude that community-based approaches are important. A systematic review of childhood obesity prevention programs found that community-based intervention programs that incorporate schools and focus on both diet and physical activity are more effective at preventing obesity in children. The results of the study appear online in Pediatrics.

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Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, in cooperation with the Indian Institute of Health Management Research (IIHMR), will be enrolling students to its Master of Public Health (MPH) degree program in Jaipur, India, beginning in fall 2013.

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A recent study, led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, has identified a new mechanism for PZA-resistance, which provides new insight into the how this mysterious drug works. The study is available online June 12 in the journal Emerging Microbes and Infections.

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A study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has for the first time found that a mother’s higher exposure to some common environmental contaminants was associated with more frequent and vigorous fetal motor activity. Some chemicals were also associated with fewer changes in fetal heart rate, which normally parallel fetal movements.

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A new Lancet series on maternal and childhood nutrition finds that over 3 million children die every year of malnutrition—accounting for nearly half of all child deaths under 5. Along with state-of-the-art global estimates on the long-term burden of malnutrition, the series presents a new framework for prevention and treatment that considers underlying factors, such as food security, social conditions, resources, and governance.

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In conflict-ridden countries around the world, rape and other forms of sexual violence are being used as weapons of war. In these settings, treatment services for victims are limited. A trial found an evidence-based group psychotherapy treatment for sexual violence survivors in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). According to the study, this group therapy achieved more dramatic results in reducing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety compared to individual support services.

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New study indicates overweight and obese patients trust weight-related counseling from overweight physicians more than normal weight physicians and patients seeing an obese primary care physician were more likely to perceive weight-related stigma

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While occupational homicides continue to decline in the U.S., law enforcement remains one of the deadliest jobs in America. A new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health The report found documents that 93 percent of homicides of law enforcement officers between 1996 and 2010 were committed with firearms. Among those homicides, 10 percent were committed using the officer’s own service weapon. The findings could help develop new procedures to reduce risk to officers.

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Camp will serve more than 800 Native-American youths in grades 3 to 12.

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A study conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that non-communicable diseases accounted for 48 percent of 1,107 investigated female deaths in rural Bangladesh between 2002 and 2007. The findings lend urgency to review global health priorities to address neglected and potentially fatal non-communicable diseases affecting rural women in South Asia.

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Chickens likely raised with arsenic-based drugs result in chicken meat that has higher levels of inorganic arsenic, a known carcinogen, according to a new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future at the Bloomberg School of Public Health.

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New study finds insomnia may be an important indicator of future hospitalization among middle-aged and older adults.

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Researchers suggest simple and innovative measures at the state and local levels could play a significant role in promoting healthier eating habits.

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A new article available online in the American Journal of Public Health by two Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health faculty makes a compelling case that end-of-life care issues need to become an integral part of the public health agenda. Dan Morhaim, MD, and Keshia Pollack, PhD, point out that the low rate of completion of advance directives in the minority population can be identified as another health care disparity.

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The Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future (CLF) announced it is conducting an assessment and analysis of the continued relevancy of the original Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production (PCIFAP) recommendations to address the public health, environment, animal welfare and rural community problems caused by industrial food animal production.

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New study finds when assessed for major depressive episodes using a structured interview, only 38.4 percent of adults with clinician-identified depression met a 12-month criteria for depression, despite the majority of participants being prescribed and using psychiatric medications.

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Aim is to create program that can be replicated elsewhere around globe.

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On May 1-2, 2013, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the Advisory Council on Child Trafficking (ACCT) and the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women will host a symposium to address the needs of victims of child sex trafficking. The symposium is part of a White House initiative to bring together leading researchers, bipartisan policy makers and advocates to identify gaps in research, best practices, and evidence to improve the lives of sexually exploited children.

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On April 23, Johns Hopkins University will host a major symposium to examine the social factors that drive the health inequalities in Baltimore and other urban communities. In the United States, social inequalities help explain why Americans still have poor outcomes on broad measures of health despite the billions of dollars spent nationally on medical care.

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Despite potential, many public health agencies unaware of how to use regulation of alcohol density to address excessive drinking.

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New study indicates the effects of tobacco smoke on kidney function begin in childhood.

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New study finds temperatures remain dangerously high for a significant proportion of homes, presenting a scald hazard for young children and the elderly.

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The Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health announced a new collaboration today to bring leading global health journalists to the Johns Hopkins campus and offer public health students funds to complete an international reporting project with the Pulitzer Center.

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First study to confirm influence of media portrayals of mass shootings involving a shooter with mental illness on attitudes towards persons with mental illness.

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The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has added new personnel to its communication and development teams. Susan Sperry joins the Bloomberg School as Senior Director of Marketing and Communications, and Karen Kruse Thomas has been added as Communications Associate for development and School Historian.

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A new report from the Johns Hopkins Institute for Policy Studies reveals that nonprofit organizations are major employers and major sources of employment growth in countries throughout the world. The report draws on new data generated by statistical offices in 16 countries that have implemented a new United Nations Handbook on Nonprofit Institutions. This Handbook calls on national statistical offices to report on the economic scale and composition of nonprofit organizations in their countries for the first time.

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The pharmaceutical industry has pulled back on marketing to physicians and consumers, yet some enduring patterns persist. According to a new study, advertising peaked in 2004, with industry promotion to physicians declining nearly 25 percent by 2010, to $27.7 billion or 9 percent of sales. Similar declines were seen in direct-to-consumer advertising, which remains concentrated among a small number of products.

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Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute have developed a new method for studying the complex molecular workings of Anopheles albimanus, an important but less studied spreader of human malaria.

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New study suggests that exposure to diverse types of traumatic events among protective services workers is a risk factor for new onset of psychopathology and alcohol use disorders.

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A review of malaria elimination conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute and other institutions suggests stopping malaria transmission completely has longlasting benefits for many countries and that once eliminated, the disease is unlikely to reemerge over time.

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A team of researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and School of Medicine recently undertook a multi-year analysis of health insurance claims data to examine this question and found that although the procedure’s success rate is well documented, it does not have a similar impact on health care costs.

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Alfred Sommer, Johns Hopkins University Distinguished Service Professor and dean emeritus of the Bloomberg School of Public Health, has been named a Dan David Laureate for his groundbreaking research into vitamin A. Sommer’s studies determined that vitamin A supplementation could save millions of children's eyesight and lives, and is considered among the most cost-effective health interventions in the world.

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First national survey examining brand preferences among underage youth.

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New study indicates that physicians who believed over consumption of food to be a major contributor to obesity were significantly more likely to counsel their patients to modify nutritional habits.

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With seasonal influenza activity high across many states in the United States, one question frequently asked is how to prevent the spread of flu among children. Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the University of Pittsburgh are currently investigating how the flu the spreads in schools based on how children interact with each other. They are seeking participants of all ages to take a brief online survey to aid this research.

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Researchers examined the role of local and state health departments in responding to and preventing community-driven concerns associated with animal production sites.

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A new study from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Chronic Kidney Disease Prognosis Consortium (CKD-PC) found that in general chronic kidney disease is similarly associated with a higher risk of death and end stage renal disease for both women and men. The findings were released online in advance of publication in BMJ.

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Just like a comic book super hero, you could say that the enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD1) has a secret identity. Since its discovery in 1969, scientists believed SOD1’s only role was to protect living cells against damage from free radicals. Now, researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have discovered that SOD1 protects cells by regulating cell energy and metabolism.

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The majority of Americans support a broad array of policies to reduce gun violence, according to a new national public opinion survey conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.