Maxwell School News and Commentary
Filtered by: Health Policy
Childhood Speech Impairment and Dementia Risks Among US Older Adults
In this study, Assistant Professor of Sociology Haowei Wang and co-authors investigate how the experience of speech problems before age 16 are associated with the risk of dementia among older adults aged 50 and older. Published in Innovation in Aging.
See related: Aging, Health Policy, Mental Health, United States
Research Studies by Engelhardt and Montez Cited in 2025 Economic Report of the President
Separate research studies by Professor of Economics Gary Engelhardt and University Professor Jennifer Karas Montez were referenced in Chapter 4 of the report, “Expanding and Strengthening U.S. Health Insurance Coverage.”
See related: Economic Policy, Federal, Health Insurance, U.S. Health Policy, United States
Heflin Weighs In on Whether or Not RFK Jr. Can ‘Make America Healthy Again’ in BBC Interview
“RFK simply doesn't have jurisdiction over most of the policy levers that he would need to make America healthy again,” says Colleen Heflin, professor of public administration and international affairs.
See related: Federal, Nutrition, U.S. Health Policy, United States
Beyond Social Determinants: Fiscal Determinants of Overdose Death in US Counties, 2017–2020
Michah Rothbart, associate professor of public administration and international affairs, and co-authors examine the ways in which county fiscal constraints may be associated with responses to the opioid epidemic. Published in Social Science & Medicine.
See related: Longevity, Opioids, State & Local, U.S. Health Policy, United States
Gadarian Quoted in ABC News Article on RFK Jr.’s Intent to Regulate Farms and Food as Head of HHS
“If all of a sudden HHS is now in the business of passing more regulations on the food industry, on agriculture, we might see that a Republican Senate majority and a Republican House is less interested in allocating a budget to HHS that then would be under a different leadership,“ says Shana Gadarian, professor of political science.
See related: Federal, Nutrition, U.S. Health Policy, United States
Social Impact Pitch Competition to Address Public Health Misinformation Among College Students
The Maxwell School's Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion and Population Health is inviting students and others to offer ideas to be judged on creativity, feasibility, impact and scalability.
See related: Health Policy, Media & Journalism, Student Experience
Does the Reference Period Matter When Evaluating the Effect of SNAP on Food Insecurity?
In this paper, Colleen Heflin and co-author examine if protective effects of SNAP against food insecurity are obtained whether using the 30-day or 12-month food insecurity scale. Results indicate comparable average treatment effects across both reference periods. Published in Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy.
See related: Food Security, U.S. Health Policy, United States
Colleen Heflin Appointed to Committee on National Statistics
The committee is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and provides guidance to the federal government.
See related: Federal, Food Security, Nutrition, Promotions & Appointments, U.S. Health Policy
Montez Featured in American Prospect Article on State Policies and Differences in Health Outcomes
“You have two states that [we]re the same, were pretty middle-of-the-road in terms of life expectancy, but they take opposite trajectories,” says University Professor Jennifer Karas Montez. Some states, she says, took action to “invest in [the state] population’s overall economic well-being and health. And you had other states that took a...very different approach.”
See related: Economic Policy, Government, Health Policy, Political Parties, State & Local, United States
Heflin Quoted in Newsweek Article on the Farm Bill Reauthorization and Its Impact on SNAP Benefits
“If the appropriations bills are not passed by the end of December, January benefits will still go out because SNAP benefits are obligated in the prior month (December),” says Colleen Heflin, professor of public administration and international affairs.
See related: Agriculture, Food Security, Nutrition, U.S. Health Policy, United States