Kara Gavin
Research and Policy Media Relations Manager
Gavin draws on more than 25 years of experience in communicating about science, medicine and health policy. She focuses mainly on the health services research done by members of the U-M Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, who work to understand and improve the safety, quality, equity and affordability of health care. As part of the Michigan Medicine communication team, she has lead responsibility for primary care and mental health topics. Contact: [email protected]; Twitter: @Karag
Health Lab
Michiganders now rely on telehealth for care. What’s next?
The rapid rise in telehealth and telemedicine use during the pandemic helped increase access to care for people in rural areas especially those with mental health provider shortages.
Health Lab
Expanding Medicaid improved care without crowding out other patients
Medicaid expansion associated with rise in doctor’s appointments that included high value care, while not leading to a reduction in visits by people with other forms of insurance.
Health Lab
Study suggests need for iron tests in teen girls & young women
A national study of blood ferritin and hemoglobin levels from tween, teen and young adult females suggests routine screening might be needed for iron deficiency and anemia
Health Lab
Could low iron make mental health symptoms worse?
Iron levels in the blood – and specifically, a type of iron storage called ferritin – have been linked to mental health symptom severity
Health Lab
More older adults are using patient portals, but access and attitudes vary widely
Use and confidence are lower in those with lower incomes or lower levels of physical or mental health
Health Lab
New blood donation rules to know
Blood donation guidelines based on individual risk rather than broad bans increase the number of people eligible to give and save lives.
Health Lab
Higher blood sugar linked to faster loss of brain power in stroke survivors
Research finds higher blood sugar linked to faster loss of brain power in stroke survivors.
Health Lab
11 things to know now that COVID-19 isn’t an “emergency” anymore
The end of the public health emergency for COVID-19 brings changes, but does not change how individuals should protect themselves and others
Health Lab
COVID-19 linked to financial toll on patients
COVID-19 hospitalization is especially linked to an impact on patients’ financial health
Health Lab
Study: Treatment for opioid addiction lags despite policies designed to increase it
A Michigan Medicine study shows the rate of people starting on buprenorphine remained flat from 2019 through 2022, while the percentage of patients who stayed on buprenorphine for at least six months hovered at just over 20% from 2016 through 2022.
Health Lab
"Deprescribing" medicines for older adults: Patient-provider dialogue needed
Stopping or reducing doses of prescription medicine, also called deprescribing, is something many older adults would like to do, and some have already done without medical guidance. Medication reviews could help.
Health Lab
When pills and talk therapy aren’t enough, these options may help
Interventional psychiatric care involving brain stimulation and infused or inhaled medicine can offer different options for patients.
Health Lab
Education and peer support cut binge-drinking by National Guard members in half
Alcohol overuse by members of the National Guard was reduced by a targeted intervention of web-based education and phone-based peer support.
Health Lab
How one state beat national surgery opioid trends
Medication guidelines for post-surgical opioid prescribing were associated with a lower rate of long-term opioid use and much lower amounts of opioid prescription fills in Michigan compared with the rest of the U.S.
Health Lab
Loneliness is down, but still high, among older adults
Older adults are less likely to feel isolated now than at the height of the pandemic, but levels of loneliness are still high.
