Researchers have been unable to explain why after giving birth, Black patients are two to three times as likely to retain or gain additional weight compared to their white counterparts, even when pre-pregnancy weight and gestational-weight trajectories are comparable. A first-of-its-kind study by University of Pittsburgh epidemiologists points to the stress of lived experiences with racism and gender-based discrimination as a possible explanation. The study was reported today in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

About The Study: In this study, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), which include abuse, neglect, and family dysfunction, were prevalent among children with notable disparities across participant demographic characteristics and contexts. As principal antecedent threats to child and adolescent well-being that can affect later life prospects, ACEs represent a pressing global social issue. Effective early identification and prevention strategies, including targeted co-designed community interventions, can reduce the prevalence of ACEs and mitigate their severe effects, thereby minimizing the harmful health consequences of childhood adversity in future generations.

A consistent bedtime may be more important to a child’s ability to control their emotions and behavior than the duration or quality of their sleep, according to a new publication by researchers in the Penn State College of Health and Human Development and Penn State College of Medicine.

Climate governance is dominated by men, yet the health impacts of the climate crisis often affect women, girls, and gender-diverse people disproportionately, argue researchers ahead of the upcoming 29th United Nations Climate Summit (COP29) in Azerbaijan.

New research in Social Psychological and Personality Science identifies a widespread stereotype linking wealth to perceived trustworthiness across diverse cultures. The research, led by Mélusine Boon-Falleur from the Center for Research on Social Inequalities at Sciences Po in Paris, shows that individuals with fewer material resources are consistently viewed as less trustworthy.