COVID-19 Long-Haulers

Some people who have had COVID-19 can experience prolonged symptoms months after having the virus, health experts have learned. These people are often referred to as long-haulers. The most common long-term symptoms of the virus: extreme fatigue, shortness of breath, a chronic cough and chest discomfort, said Dr. Jane Weida, a family medicine physician at…


Mission Moment:
Improving Health in Your Community

Members of the Tuscaloosa community have the opportunity to learn about trends in medicine and health and advances in medicine and research as part of the Mini Medical School program. Mini Medical School is a lecture series for The University of Alabama’s OLLI program provided by University Medical Center physicians. Eight lectures are presented each…


The Elderly, Mental Health and COVID-19

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been concern about the toll the virus is taking on the mental health of elderly individuals, but older adults appear to be weathering the virus better than people might think, according to several recent studies. “The conclusion is that while older people are vulnerable, they have remarkable coping skills…


High Blood Pressure Creates Health Risks but Can Be Controlled

High blood pressure is a significant risk factor for stroke and heart disease and has likely increased among people during the COVID-19 pandemic, said Suzanne Henson, a dietitian at University Medical Center. Henson said data from 2018-19 showed 68 million people nationwide with high blood pressure, or hypertension. She estimates that number is probably higher…


Celebrating Black History Month:
COVID-19 Vaccines and the Importance of Trust

Mistrust of the medical system has made some Black Americans hesitant to get a COVID-19 vaccine. It’s a mistrust rooted in history, and that includes the infamous U.S. study of syphilis that left Black men in Tuskegee, Alabama, to suffer from the disease. Dr. David Hodge, lead ethicist at the National Center for Bioethics and…


Accolades February 2021

A paper co-authored by Dr. Dan Avery, professor emeritus at The University of Alabama College of Community Health Sciences, was chosen as the STFM Research Paper of the Year. The award also acknowledges Dr. James Leeper, a biostatistician and professor emeritus at the College. The paper is titled “Who REALLY goes into primary care? Contributions…


Mini Medical School

Members of the Tuscaloosa community have the opportunity to learn about trends in medicine and health and advances in medicine and research as part of the Mini Medical School program. Mini Medical School is a lecture series for The University of Alabama’s OLLI program provided by University Medical Center physicians. Eight lectures are presented each…


Accolades January 2021

Dr. Pamela Payne-Foster, professor of community medicine and population health at The University of Alabama College of Community Health Sciences, was awarded the 2020 Linda Mays Volunteer of the Year Award for her services in support of the Alabama Office of Women’s Health. “Your dedication to the health and wellbeing of women in Alabama is…


CCHS Part of National Effort to Strengthen Coronavirus Vaccine Rollout

Five faculty members from The University of Alabama, including one from UA’s College of Community Health Sciences, are part of a research coalition working to strengthen the community’s role and involvement in an equitable COVID-19 vaccine campaign. Alabama is one of five sites of the CommuniVax initiative – a rapid ethnographic research project examining facilitators…