Health

The erotic lives of senior citizens are typically made invisible by our culture, which can lead to confusion and misinformation. Dr. Pepper Schwartz, the love and relationships columnist for AARP, joins the Dear Sugars podcast to dispel certain myths about sex and aging. Pepper Schwartz, professor of sociology at the UW, is interviewed.

A city program that gives low-income households $40 a month to buy fruits and vegetables significantly improved their food security, a new University of Washington study found. Melissa Knox, UW teaching professor of economics, is quoted.

Couples are using (and loving) AI-powered apps for everything from conversation starters to sex tips. Therapists are less convinced they can replace the human touch. The UW's Nicholas Velotta, doctoral student of sociology, and Pepper Schwartz, professor of sociology at the UW, are mentioned.

When the Peninsula School District implemented one of Washington's first bans on cell phones in the classroom two years ago, Keyna Houston said it could not have come soon enough. Unsurprisingly, teachers have had by far the most positive reaction to these policies, reporting less stress, better ability to manage their classrooms and perceived social benefits for their students, according to new research out of the UW. Luca Magis-Weinberg, assistant professor of psychology at the UW, is quoted.

A new study from the University of Washington shows that households enrolled in the City of Seattle's Fresh Bucks program experience a 31% higher rate of food security and consume at least three daily servings of fruits and vegetables 37% more often than those assigned to a program waitlist. Fresh Bucks, a $40 a month benefit, works with local partners to help residents access fresh food.

WRF planning grant fuels effort to unify and elevate research on the brain across the university.

"Empathy can make people weaker both physically and practically, according to social scientists. Consider the phenomenon known as empathy fatigue, a major source of burnout among counselors, nurses and even neurosurgeons. These professionals devote their lives to helping others, yet the empathy they feel for their clients and patients wears them down, making it harder to do their jobs," co-writes Colin Marshall, associate professor of philosophy at the UW.

"The Trump administrations cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development and other aid funding for global health are cruel and catastrophic. One estimate just published in the journal Nature suggests that up to 25 million people could die over 15 years because of the cuts to TB, HIV/AIDS, family planning, and maternal and child health programs. Cancellations of National Institutes of Health funding for global health research contribute to the devastation," writes James Pfeiffer, professor of global health and of anthropology at the UW.

With School of Drama students performing the roles of patients and their loved ones, simulations of clinical scenarios help UW Medicine neurology residents hone their skills,

Autism rates are rising, but RFK Jr. is wrong about the reasons. Heres what the science says. Annette Estes, director of the UW Autism Center and a research professor of speech and hearing sciences, is quoted.

Roughly 20 states now have laws permitting families to place cameras in the rooms of loved ones. Facility operators are often opposed. Clara Berridge, associate professor of social work at the UW, is quoted.

It was the little pill that could a medical breakthrough that changed the way Americans thought and talked about sex and aging. Thursday marks 27 years since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the sale of Viagra, the nations first oral medication for whats now commonly known as erectile dysfunction. Pepper Schwartz, professor of sociology at the UW, is quoted.

Hearing aid technology is improving all the time with the help of AI, thanks to researchers like Yi Shen, professor of speech & hearing sciences. 

Massachusetts attorney general is championing a bill this legislative session that would ban students from using their cellphones and other personal electronic devices during the school day. Luca Magis-Weinberg, assistant professor of psychology at the UW, is quoted.

A combination of enduring holiday stress and seeking a New Years change drives interest in information about ending marriages. Julie Brines, associate professor of sociology at the UW, is quoted.