Blog

Depressive disorders stand as prominent contributors to the global burden of disease, ranking among the primary causes. In adolescents, they emerge as the third most prevalent source of disability-adjusted life-years lost (Caldwell et al., 2019). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 2.7 million children aged 3-17 years were diagnosed with depression between 2016 and 2019, accounting for 4.4% of this population (CDC, 2023a). The repercussions of mental...

In the United States in 2021, 1 in 6 infants were born to a woman receiving late or no prenatal care (March of Dimes Foundation, 2022). The March of Dimes Foundation also found that on average from 2019 to 2021 9.2% of Black women received late or no prenatal care compared to 4.6% for white women. Infants born to mothers that did not receive prenatal care are three times more likely to have a low birth weight (Novoa, 2020). Low birth weight in infancy contributes to various health-related...

Substance abuse is a persistent and growing health concern in the United States, with more than 45 million Americans age 12 and older meeting the DSM-V criteria for Substance Use Disorder in 2021 (SAMHSA National Survey of Drug Use and Health, 2021). Substance abuse is particularly insidious because it affects multiple factors of a person's life - their health, financial/economic resources, emotional wellbeing, and their relationships (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2022; Daley, 2013).

Children in the juvenile justice system have greater chances of experiencing various and multiple forms of childhood trauma, and oftentimes experiences increase their risks for criminal involvement (Dierkhising et al., 2013). 90% of youth in the juvenile justice system have had exposure to traumatic events (Dierkhising et al., 2013). Children of color are overrepresented in the juvenile justice system and are more likely to be detained and committed than their non-Hispanic white counterparts...

Due to historical disadvantages, the Black community has long been marginalized and stereotyped in the media. This lack of representation and negative portrayals have perpetuated biases and hindered the progress of the community (Bleich et al., 2019). However, a rising trend towards inclusivity and representation has sparked the need for a multi-level resilience-building intervention. This intervention aims to promote positive narratives and accurate depictions of the Black community,...

In 2021, around 29 million people were diagnosed with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) (National Institute on Alcohol and Abuse, 2023). Sexual abuse victims are thirteen times more likely to participate in alcohol abuse (Rivers, 2015). Women who have experienced sexual assault during childhood are more likely to be heavy drinkers compared to other women (Abbey et al., 2004). Women are more likely to make up the demographics of sexual violence victims in the emergency department (Loder &...

Emma Crall and Gabriella Grillo: According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, hurricanes and tropical cyclones have caused more fatalities and damage than any other weather disaster (n.d.). These destructive phenomena can have lasting, negative consequences on a community, resulting in deaths, injuries, and damage to property and infrastructure (Waddell et al., 2021). These consequences often displace communities from their homes. In the United States, 1,965 individuals...

Emotional abuse is one of the most commonly experienced adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), with a 2015 study discovering that more than 3 out of every 4 young children have experienced emotional abuse while growing up (Kerber et al., 2015). This emotional abuse can take a toll on the child, as it increases the likelihood that the child will develop depression, anxiety, and stress compared to a child who wasn't abused (Dye, 2019). It is also important to recognize that these negative...

There are over 9 million people in the United States who regularly vape (Drew, 2023). This is equivalent to saying that every single person that lives in New York City vapes regularly. Vaping is an increasingly popular health behavior, particularly among young adolescents (Drew, 2023). In fact, teenagers between the ages of 15-17 have a 1600% higher likelihood of vaping than adults between 25-34 do (Drew, 2023). Within the last month alone, over 2 million high school students reported using...

Maternal health is a significant public health issue in the United States. “Women in the U.S. are more likely to die from childbirth than women living in other developed countries” (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d.). Unfortunately, mortality is just a small part of the issue. For every maternal death, there are up to 100 occurrences of Severe Maternal Morbidity. Severe Maternal Morbidity or SMM refers to complications and health conditions attributed to pregnancy, such as...

Over 352,000 students have experienced a school shooting since Columbine in 1999 (Cox et al., 2023). School shootings have also been on the rise in the U.S. in recent years, with 46 just in 2022 alone. This is the highest number in the history of the U.S., however, shootings in the first three months of 2023 significantly outpaced those in 2022 within the same time frame (Modan, 2023). While school shootings are mainly carried out by white male gunmen, students of color are most affected by...

Gun violence threatens public health and is the leading cause of premature deaths in the United States (Gramlich, 2023). According to the American Public Health Association (APHA), guns kill more than 38,000, and 85,000 are injured annually (APHA, n.d.). Homicides account for the largest part (60%) of gun deaths for teens younger than 18, with boys being more likely to die by gunfire (83%) compared to girls (17%)( Gramlich, 2023). There are noted racial and ethnic differences in gun deaths,...