News by Subject Policy & Ethics

Colorado researchers have published new findings in Emerging Infectious Diseases that take a first look at the use of SARS-CoV-2 mathematical modeling to inform early statewide policies enacted to reduce the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic in Colorado. Among other findings, the authors estimate that 97 percent of potential hospitalizations across the state in the early months of the pandemic were avoided as a result of social distancing and other transmission-reducing activities such as mask wearing and social isolation of symptomatic individuals.

Scientists show for the first time with a VR simulation and neurophysiology measurements that playback of slow music inside road tunnels keeps drivers alert, relaxed, and focused on safety. For maximal vigilance, alarm sounds like sirens should be played at the tunnel's entry and exit, where the risk of accidents is greatest. This study by the open access publisher Frontiers shows that background music has a role to play in preventing road accidents.

A project led by the universities of Bath, Cardiff and Essex finds people judge pandemic risk by magnitude of policy response

California experienced a 34% reduction in the rate of uninsured, non-citizen children in the first two years after an expansion in public health coverage, an SDSU School of Public Health study shows.

The Glasgow Face Matching Test has been updated to find super-recognisers who can help prevent errors caused by face recognition software.

A new report raises serious questions about the benefits, risks and ethics of a new service -- which the authors call "embryo selection based on polygenic scores," or ESPS -- that allows in vitro fertilization patients to select embryos with the goal of choosing healthier and even smarter children.

UTSA criminology and criminal justice professors Michael R. Smith and Rob Tillyer working in collaboration with University of Cincinnati Professor Robin Engel examined racial and ethnic disparities in the use of force by the Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD). One of the nation's largest county police departments, the FCPD serves Fairfax County, Va., a major metropolitan county near Washington, D.C.

A new study in Annals of Emergency Medicine highlights the importance of protecting physician residents -- early-career doctors still in training -- and emergency care teams from incidents of physical or verbal abuse.

A conclusive narrative review has found physical punishment of children is not effective in preventing child behavior problems or promoting positive outcomes and instead predicts increases in behavior problems and other poor outcomes over time. The study by an international group of scientists including a researcher from The University of Texas at Austin was published today in The Lancet.