Syracuse University Lerner Center

EMS workers face violent patient encounters on the job, but there’s no national system to track it. 65% of surveyed EMS workers say they've never even heard of reporting systems that exist. @maxwellsu.bsky.social #SULerner #PopHealth Learn more: surface.syr.edu/record/21415

Prof. Catherine García is among the scientists featured this fall in the MOST's Scientist Showcase Series. She studies how neighborhoods and opportunities shape health as people age, focusing on Hispanic and Latino communities in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

“We just won’t know any of that anymore,” Professor Scott Landes says of the proposed removal of questions dealing with memory, fatigue, arthritis, difficulty walking and climbing stairs, as well as others about the use of hearing aids, canes, wheelchairs and scooters.

The proposal is particularly alarming since the existing survey is already flawed, says Professor Scott Landes. “Studies using the survey’s own data show it misses about half of the disabled adults the federal standard for measuring disability identifies. @sulernercenter.bsky.social

As fewer people take tests or seek medical treatment for COVID infections, viral activity in wastewater has become a key way to measure transmission, says David Larsen, professor and chair of public health. “The wastewater becomes really essential,” he says. @cprmaxwell.bsky.social

“The push for institutionalization is based on the ableist argument that disabled bodies are burdensome to society. When societies accept this argument, those in power can justify segregating disabled people from everyone else,” writes Professor Scott Landes. @sulernercenter.bsky.social

Where you live in America can shape how long you live and how healthy you are. A study by Lerner Affiliate Jennifer Karas Montez finds the health gap between states is widening as power shifts to the states, hitting people with fewer resources hardest. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

“The U.S. must start thinking more about policies that promote population growth in addition to policies that help women control their fertility. Both are necessary for a healthy family planning program,” writes Professor Leonard Lopoo. @cprmaxwell.bsky.social

Professor Colleen Heflin and co-author urge states to measure food insecurity themselves using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey along with the USDA six-item food security module. @cprmaxwell.bsky.social @sulernercenter.bsky.social

Greater economic and overall policy liberalism in a state is linked to lower disability risk among midlife Latino adults. Learn more in this study coauthored by Lerner Affiliates Marc A. Garcia and Catherine García: link.springer.com/article/10.1...

A radio campaign costing ~$0.04 per child could increase childhood vaccination coverage by 134% and save an estimated 288,000 lives in Ethiopia. Learn more in this new study led by Lerner Affiliate Bernard Appiah: link.springer.com/article/10.1... @maxwellsu.bsky.social

Congrats to Lerner Affiliates Catherine García and Marc A. Garcia, whose co-authored article, "Heterogeneity in Healthy Aging Among U.S. Latinos: A Dual Functionality Perspective," was selected as the Editor’s Choice article by the Journals of Gerontology: Social Sciences!

Prescription medication misuse rises sharply with the # of chronic health conditions a person has: from 2.8% among U.S. adults ages 18-64 with no conditions to 11.7% among those with 3+. Learn more in this new @maxwellsu.bsky.social #SULerner #PopHealth data slice: surface.syr.edu/lerner/297/

Congrats to University Professor Jennifer Karas Montez on her appointment as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Health and Social Behavior, a flagship publication of the @asanews.bsky.social. 🎉 @sulernercenter.bsky.social @cprmaxwell.bsky.social

South Asian immigrants are often grouped together in health data, but that grouping can hide serious health disparities. Learn more in this new @maxwellsu.bsky.social #SULerner #PopHealth research brief: surface.syr.edu/lerner/296/

Because there's a lot of stigma around Ebola, Professor and infectious disease expert Brittany Kmush says “It's going to be very difficult to get all the contacts identified and followed properly, especially since the international aid community is really short on resources.” @cprmaxwell.bsky.social

Congratulations to Lerner Affiliate Katherine McDonald, who has received a Sesqui Award for Research from the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD)! Learn more: www.maxwell.syr.edu/news/article...

More than 1 in 3 US adults use AI tools weekly for mental health support. A study by Michiko Ueda-Ballmer found nearly 30% of those who had previously seen a therapist reported fewer visits after starting to use AI for the same purpose. @maxwellsu.bsky.social mental.jmir.org/2026/1/e88196/

“Drug seizure data measure interdiction activity, not actual trafficking volume,” says Professor Dessa Bergen-Cico. “As drug policy researchers have noted, no one knows how much goes uncaught, and changes in seizure data are insufficient to make definitive claims about policy outcomes.”

Change starts with understanding what shapes health, from local conditions to policies and programs. But research alone isn't enough. At the Lerner Center, we turn findings into plain-language briefs so policymakers, practitioners, and the public can act. Explore the series:

🖥️ After experiencing firsthand how demographic forms failed to acknowledge his multiracial identity, A&S professor Gabriel “Joey” Merrin created CATAcode, a free software tool to help researchers handle complex identity responses with greater care and transparency in surveys. #AcademicSky

Unintended home births (i.e., those without planning or medical support) carry high risk of adverse outcomes. Rates of unintended home births are 6–8% among White women but 33–61% among Black women, depending on region and metro status. @maxwellsu.bsky.social #SULerner surface.syr.edu/lerner/295/

Good health doesn’t just happen. It takes research, policy, and community action. This week, we're shining a light on the researchers, policies, and public health achievements that have shaped healthier communities, and the work still ahead. #NPHW

The One Big Beautiful Bill will deepen the farm crisis, not solve it. Learn more in this new @maxwellsu.bsky.social #CPRMaxwell policy brief #OBBB #OBBBA #farmcrisis: surface.syr.edu/cpr/529/

Where you live may have shaped your #COVID19 vaccination decisions. Conservatives in liberal communities had lower vaccine hesitancy and higher vaccine uptake than conservatives in conservative communities. Learn more in this new @maxwellsu.bsky.social #SULerner brief: surface.syr.edu/lerner/293/

“They’re not passing it along to the workers in the form of higher wages. They’re just sort of being like, ‘Awesome, I got more money,’” says Professor Sarah Hamersma, who studied the WOTC as a grad student and also found it didn't work. @cprmaxwell.bsky.social @sulernercenter.bsky.social

Congratulations to Lerner Affiliate Gabriel "Joey" Merrin, who has been selected as the inaugural Syracuse Association of Zeta Psi Endowed Faculty Fellow! This fellowship supports scholarly work focused on men’s mental health and related issues. Learn more: news.syr.edu/2026/03/04/m...

From 2000 to 2016, the average disability rate among Latinos ages 45-85 in the U.S. was 21.6% in states with the most conservative labor policies vs. 17.6% in states with the most liberal policies. Learn more in this new @maxwellsu.bsky.social #SULerner #PopHealth brief:

360 of 1,500 surveyed young adults reported using AI for romantic companionship. Lerner Affiliate Rebecca Ortiz and colleagues find both potential benefits and concerning patterns with the technology. @syracuseutoday.bsky.social Learn more: news.syr.edu/2026/02/05/r...

Are the kids alright? 🧠 Maxwell School faculty met in Washington, D.C., to explore youth mental health, risky behavior and how social and economic changes are affecting young people today. @johncawley.bsky.social @cprmaxwell.bsky.social

Wastewater testing and student surveys produced similar estimates of cocaine use on campus. This study coauthored by Dessa Bergen-Cico & David Larsen shows anonymous, community-level data could help track public health trends more efficiently. @maxwellsu.bsky.social journals.plos.org/plosone/arti...

WATCH: Professor Colleen Heflin discusses Ag Sec. Rollin's $3 meal claim. “I was very confused. USDA has several established meal plans that they estimate the cost of each month. And none of those comes out to $3,” she says. @cprmaxwell.bsky.social @sulernercenter.bsky.social https://bit.ly/46etCla

CATAcode is a new free tool that helps researchers systematically handle multiracial and multi-identity data in health research. Learn more in this new @maxwellsu.bsky.social #SULerner brief: surface.syr.edu/lerner/291/

February is American Heart Month. Show your heart some love by adding more plants to your meals. Focus on whole grains, fiber-rich foods, plant-based proteins, colorful fruits and vegetables, and whole foods when possible. Learn more: buff.ly/Br8xi94

COVID-19 masking requirements and activity restrictions were linked to increased gun violence during 2020-2021. Learn more in this new @maxwellsu.bsky.social #SULerner brief: surface.syr.edu/lerner/290/

Today at 7pm! A panel of experts, including CPR Senior Research Associate @johncawley.bsky.social, will examine how government regulation, labeling practices and industries shape public policies. Learn more or register: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

“It’s really important for states to be thinking about the administrative burden,” says Lerner Affiliate Colleen Heflin. “All these things become a little bit harder as people become older, and they may have declines in hearing, sight or cognitive function.” www.motherjones.com/food/2026/01...

Professor Laura-Anne Minkoff-Zern's new book “goes under the hood of the Fair Food Program to tell a remarkable story of transformation and hope,” says the CIW. @cprmaxwell.bsky.social @sulernercenter.bsky.social

A major shift is underway in U.S. agriculture: 70% of farmland is expected to change hands over the next 20 years, raising urgent questions about access and equity. Learn more in this article led by Lerner Affiliate Laura-Anne Minkoff-Zern:

How do child care subsidies affect work and income? 👶📊 Maxwell Professor Colleen Heflin is part of a research team studying how changes to Virginia’s Child Care Subsidy Program influenced employment and earnings outcomes for families. @cprmaxwell.bsky.social

“I think it's important to note that while poverty is a really significant risk factor for food insecurity, there are more people that live above the poverty line, actually, who are food insecure,” says Professor Colleen Heflin. @cprmaxwell.bsky.social @sulernercenter.bsky.social

Only 55% of eligible older adults received SNAP benefits in 2022, compared to 88% of adults overall. In a new article, Lerner Affiliates Colleen Heflin and Madonna Harrington Meyer examine three flaws in SNAP's design when it comes to older adults: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

Latin American refugees to the U.S. have a 62.4% probability of experiencing discrimination, the highest rate among all refugee groups. Learn more in this new @maxwellsu.bsky.social #SULerner data slice: surface.syr.edu/lerner/289/

As we look back on 2025, we're excited to share our most downloaded Population Health Research Briefs of the year! To view these briefs and more, visit: surface.syr.edu/lerner/

“The food system perspective is really important here. It's not just about how do they pay for labor costs and compete, but why do we have this system where so little of the money is going to farmers,” says Professor Laura-Anne Minkoff-Zern. @cprmaxwell.bsky.social @sulernercenter.bsky.social

Maxwell’s Public Health Department, by the numbers: 🍊 125 undergraduates 🍊 27 graduate students 🍊 21 countries in which alumni live and work 🍊 43 U.S. states and territories in which alumni reside ➡️ Read more about what the department brings to our school: https://bit.ly/48yGiF5