Health Sciences In The Media

Experts say women of color have lower rates of cancer diagnosis, but higher rates of cancer-related deaths. According to the American Cancer Society, triple-negative breast cancer is twice as common for Black women than white women in the U.S. "Triple-negative breast cancer tends to be a more aggressive form of breast cancer, and it doesn't have the typically more successful treatment options like tamoxifen or an AI or something like trastuzumab," said Dr. Onyemaechi Okolo, an oncologist at the University of Arizona Cancer Center.

Students at the University of Arizona are taking part in a nationwide study involving more than 20 college campuses that aims to understand whether people vaccinated against COVID-19 can still transmit the disease as asymptomatic carriers. The study’s principal investigator, Dr. Elizabeth Connick, chief of infectious diseases at the College of Medicine – Tucson, explains how the study is being conducted and how the findings can serve the ultimate goal of ending the pandemic.

The Governor’s Arts Awards recently recognized a program that aims to bring creativity to medical students. The Art in Medicine program at the College of Medicine – Phoenix has been going on since 2014, and is the brainchild of Cindi Standley, a professor of physiology and the program’s director.

The state has opened what is expected to be the last large state-run vaccination site at Gila River Arena in Glendale. Dr. Elizabeth Connick, chief of infectious diseases at the College of Medicine – Tucson, believes herd immunity will be reached in time. "I think as more and more people see their friends and their family are going fine and they got the vaccine, they will be more willing to accept it," Connick said.

Researchers are learning new details about the long-term effects of COVID-19. A new study shows COVID-19 "long haulers" have a significantly higher chance of dying months after their infection. Dr. Shad Marvasti, a clinical associate professor with the College of Medicine – Phoenix, who was not involved in the study, is interviewed.

A return to a life resembling normalcy looks closer than ever now that, as of Monday, vaccines are available to every adult in America. Although case numbers have increased in recent weeks, Deepta Bhattacharya, PhD, an immunobiologist at the College of Medicine – Tucson, predicts “a smaller bump over the next couple months that should by the summer settle down to a pretty low level of cases.”

Researchers at the University of Arizona Health Sciences are studying the potential environmental and occupational health risks specific to women in the fire service. Funded by a $1.5 million FEMA grant, the study will examine how being a firefighter affects stress levels, reproductive health and cancer risk.

While everyone has different sleeping habits, the one habit most people have in common is the tendency to sleep under a blanket. Dr. Michael Grandner, director of the Sleep and Health Research Program at the College of Medicine – Tucson, explains why people sleep with a blanket even when it's hot outside.

Among veterans with premature atherosclerotic CVD, women received less aggressive secondary prevention treatments compared with men and demonstrated lower levels of statin adherence in ischemic heart disease. According to data published in JAMA Cardiology, additional disparities were observed for race, in which women with ASCVD were more often Black than white or Asian. Dr. Martha Gulati, professor and chief of the Division of Cardiology at the College of Medicine – Phoenix, provides perspective on the study.

Researchers at the University of Arizona are looking at the effects of taking the full course of one COVID-19 vaccine and then taking the full course of another one. Deepta Bhattacharya, an immunobiologist at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson, said there is no immunological reason why a person couldn't get two different shots.