Health and wellbeing

In light of the Los Angeles-area wildfires, Stanford experts spanning the fields of environmental science, medicine, and public health discuss what we know about wildfires’ health impacts, what remains a mystery, and how communities can better protect themselves from the increasingly common threat.

Influenza or flu virus remains infectious in refrigerated raw milk for up to five days, according to a new Stanford study. The findings come at a time when outbreaks of bird flu – a different subtype of the same influenza virus – in dairy cattle have raised concerns about the potential for a new pandemic.

A collaboration between Stanford researchers and Albert Einstein Hospital in São Paulo, Brazil is turning tons of hospital textile waste into new products through upcycling. This innovative initiative not only reduces environmental impact but also empowers local seamstresses, creating economic opportunity for vulnerable communities.

Stephen Luby and Jenna Forsyth have spent years examining the widespread presence of lead, including in some commonly consumed products. They discuss the prevalence of lead and share insights on food safety policies, education, and lead-free alternatives.

The Chinese Academy of Sciences-based Natural Capital Project researcher discusses efforts to assess the effects of urban nature on mental health and wellbeing.

The director of the Stanford Center for Innovation in Global Health and senior fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment says increasing women’s participation in discussions about climate change and health is key to finding solutions that will benefit a broad range of people.

U.S. tropical cyclones, including hurricanes, indirectly cause thousands of deaths for nearly 15 years after a storm. Understanding why could help minimize future deaths from hazards fueled by climate change.

Soil-packed floors common in rural, low-income households in developing countries are breeding grounds for intestinal diseases. Stanford epidemiologists and engineers are developing a lower-emission concrete flooring that could improve families’ well-being with less environmental impact.

In Brazil, climate and other human-made environmental changes threaten efforts to fight schistosomiasis, a widespread and debilitating parasitic disease. Stanford and Brazilian researchers have now developed models that can predict how disease risk will shift in response to environmental changes.

New Stanford program works to better understand connections between the environment and human health, and to pursue ecological solutions to public health challenges.

A new study reveals social factors that increase the risk of dying from air pollution and finds stark racial disparities.

Stanford researchers and others are assessing an innovative curriculum and infrastructure maintenance program that could provide a blueprint for more effective school-based sanitation and hygiene interventions.

Stanford researchers are developing a technology to analyze wastewater for a range of pathogens. Their approach could lead to more timely and comprehensive public health guidance on issues such as drug-resistant pathogens and emerging diseases.

Researchers, educators, industry professionals, and policymakers discussed the health impacts of pollution at a recent conference, which was a collaboration among the Graduate School of Business, Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, and School of Medicine.

Residents of the wildfire-choked San Joaquin Valley desperately want something done about their air quality – but they want researchers to approach the work in a new way.

A new study of air pollution in U.S. homes reveals how much gas and propane stoves increase people’s exposure to nitrogen dioxide, a pollutant linked to childhood asthma. Even in bedrooms far from kitchens, concentrations frequently exceed health limits while stoves are on and for hours after burners and ovens are turned off.

Planetary Health Postdoctoral Fellow Alandra Lopez investigates toxins in the environment that affect the health of people living or working nearby.

New research from Stanford University shows wildfires can transform a natural element in soils into a cancer-causing and readily airborne metal known as chromium 6.

Researchers at Stanford have designed an open-source process for turning sisal fibers into absorbent material for menstrual pads, creating an opportunity for the local, sustainable manufacture of hygiene products that many communities need.

Stanford researchers highlight the urgency and importance of acknowledging emotions about climate change in research and education

Two new reports could help decision-makers allocate resources to mitigate the health impacts of wildfire in public TK-12 schools in California.

Pioneering epidemiology project WastewaterSCAN has added parainfluenza, rotavirus, adenovirus group F, enterovirus D68, Candida auris, and hepatitis A to the list of infectious diseases it can monitor for public health.

Stanford researchers examined how often Californians visit emergency departments and found that people tend to avoid the hospital on the smokiest days.