Health Lab Articles

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Health Lab

100 Years of Stopping Contagion with Science

Even before scientists understood what caused them, or developed drugs or vaccines for them, U-M offered advanced care for infectious diseases.
Coronavirus sign with pills and face mask
Health Lab

COVID-19 Coverage

The latest stories from the Michigan Health and the Michigan Health Lab on the coronavirus outbreak.
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Health Lab

How a New Valve Therapy for COPD Helped One Patient Breathe Easier

Janice Bright describes how minimally invasive treatment for advanced COPD improved her quality of life. 
dental xray with red spot noting infection
Health Lab

Ouch: Patients Prescribed Opioids After Tooth Extraction Report Worse Pain

Dental patients who receive opioids after getting a tooth pulled have no less pain, and no more patient satisfaction, than those who receive non-opioid painkillers.
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Health Lab

Is Your Excessive Sleepiness Actually Narcolepsy?

Are you tired all the time? For some people, narcolepsy could be the culprit. Two Michigan Medicine sleep medicine specialists discuss the types, symptoms and available treatments for this sleep disorder.
Blood types
Health Lab

Need to Get Out of the House? Give Blood – It’s Needed More Than Ever

Blood donations are down because of coronavirus, and it may get worse. Giving blood is an important thing to do now in the face of shortages at major hospitals.
Graphic image with a scheduler, books, music notes, greenery, phone, pencil, schedule and mop
Health Lab

Stuck at Home? 6 Ways to Keep Your Kids Healthy and Happy

As the coronavirus keeps families homebound, a childhood development expert shares ways to have productive days together.
Health Lab

How Scientists Quantify the Intensity of an Outbreak Like COVID-19

An epidemiologist explains the term "R0" and how many people one person can infect if they have the coronavirus.
US census country
Health Lab

Why Filling Out Your Census Form Could Be Good for Your Health

Census forms are arriving in mailboxes nationwide and can be filled out online. The data helps decide how much money hospitals, health agencies and others receive from the federal government – including for response to situations like COVID-19.
Mother-child-ipad
Health Lab

Screen Time Tips When Stuck at Home

Tips to help parents ensure that this media use is positive and helps the family and community...
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Health Lab

Coronavirus, Kids and School Closings

A public health expert answers four questions on many parents minds.
purple globe with orange dots on the map
Health Lab

How Quickly Does Coronavirus Spread?

Modeling emerging diseases like COVID-19 can be difficult and potentially inaccurate with traditional reporting methods alone. One U-M researcher has been using her expertise in forecasting epidemiological trends to collaborate with researchers in China t
hospital beds in different colors
Health Lab

What Can Hospitals Do to Prepare for COVID-19 Cases?

Hospital preparedness for COVID-19 cases caused by coronavirus has to happen now, including preparation for bed capacity increases and use of scarce resources.
Pregnant women in pink with medical symbol and check mark next to her
Health Lab

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Insurance Access Impact Maternal-Infant Health

Disruptions in insurance coverage disproportionately affect racial and ethnic minority women before, during and after pregnancy.
caregiver giving groceries to elderly gentleman
Health Lab

Feeling Helpless Because of Coronavirus? Here Are 11 Things You Can Do

The COVID-19 outbreak is causing a lot of fear and anxiety. Here are 10 actions you can take to help yourself and others in your community as the coronavirus pandemic continues.