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
News Release
More than half of patients in pain management study took no opioids after operations
The opioid epidemic has become a public health crisis in the U.S. While primary care physicians have been writing fewer opioid prescriptions over the last several years, new opioid prescriptions by surgeons increased 18 percent from 2010-2016.
Health Lab
As Opioids Kill More Veterans, Study Shows Treatment Needs
Most of those overdosing haven’t received prescription opioids recently, suggesting a need for more opioid use disorder screening and treatment.
Health Lab
Discovery in Mice Could Remove Roadblock to More Insulin Production
New research shows that a combination of two immune-system factors could open up new avenues for treating diabetes and obesity.
News Release
Champion of surgical quality named chair of U-M Department of Surgery
The University of Michigan Board of Regents today approved Justin B. Dimick, M.D., M.P.H. as the next chair of the Department of Surgery at the U-M Medical School.
Health Lab
Despite Worry, Older Americans Don’t Ask Doctors About Dementia
Many people in their 50s and early 60s buy supplements or do puzzles in hopes of staving off memory loss and dementia. But without mentioning their concern to health providers, they may miss out on proven strategies that protect brain health.
Health Lab
New Doctors’ DNA Ages 6 Times Faster Than Normal in First Year
A new study finds that the long work hours of an intern’s first year of medical residency are associated with accelerated cellular aging. It’s the first longitudinal study of people exposed to such prolonged stress.
Health Lab
Opioid “Doctor Shoppers” May Not Have to Look Far for Drugs
Insurance records reveal patterns of opioid prescribing to patients whose family members “shop” for opioids from multiple sources
Health Lab
Stark Racial, Financial Divides Found in Opioid Addiction Treatment
Thirty-five times more white patients than patients of color receive buprenorphine, and three-quarters of prescriptions go to those who pay cash or have private insurance
News Release
Fighting the opioid epidemic with new knowledge: U-M teams up with Harvard, National Academy of Medicine
With 130 Americans dying every day from opioid overdoses, and 2 million suffering from disorders related to prescription and non-prescription opioids, the University of Michigan is ramping up efforts to make an impact on the opioid epidemic through the research and expertise of its faculty and their teams.
News Release
Life science researchers across Michigan to pitch innovation ideas at 2019 Biomedical Innovation Cup
What if a stroke could be treated faster and more completely? Or what if cancer treatment options could be improved for patients with resistant tumors?
Health Lab
Why women get autoimmune diseases far more often than men
Researchers cause a lupus-like disease in mice by amplifying the amount of a single “master regulator” factor — suggesting both a root cause for known differences between the sexes and a target for new treatments.
Health Lab
Taking Care of People with TBI: Tool Could Help Caregivers
Standardizing measurement of the physical, social and emotional effects experienced by caregivers of people with a traumatic brain injury could lead to better support for an overlooked group.
News Release
Spring cleaning time: April 27 event helps Michiganders get opioids & more out of their homes
It’s spring cleaning time, time to get rid of clutter and make a fresh start. That goes for medicine cabinets, too -- especially in the face of a growing epidemic of misused prescription drugs such as opioid painkillers.
Health Lab
New DNA ‘Shredder’ Technique Goes Beyond CRISPR’s ‘Scissors’
A tool borrowed from bacteria successfully seeks out, cuts and destroys long stretches of human cells’ DNA, opening doors to new uses in research and treatment.
Health Lab
‘Superbugs’ Found on Patients’ Hands and What They Touch
Hospitals have put a lot of effort into encouraging good hand hygiene among their staff. But new findings about multidrug-resistant organisms suggest a new frontier for preventing transmission.
