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
Most older adults don’t know about resources for navigating aging and caregiving
Social and health services aimed at older adults have low awareness rates among people over 50, suggesting more effort is needed to spread the word to patients and caregivers.
Health Lab
Adding obesity experts to primary care clinics improves patients’ weight loss outcomes
A weight navigation program for primary care patients with obesity led to more use of proven weight management strategies and more weight loss
Health Lab
The doctor is in…. but what’s behind them?
A study reveals that what a doctor has behind them during a telehealth visit can make a difference in how the patient feels about them and their care.
Health Lab
Widening inequality seen where cancer clinical trials are available
The availability of clinical trials of new treatments for cancer varies greatly by geography, and a new study shows more socially vulnerable areas have far fewer.
Health Lab
Health costs top older adults’ list of concerns for people their age, poll finds
People over 50 of all backgrounds say they’re most concerned about various kinds of health costs affecting people their age, including insurance, prescriptions, medical care, dental care and home or longterm care.
Health Lab
It’s easier now to treat opioid addiction with medication -- but use has changed little
Buprenorphine prescribing for opioid addiction used to require a special waiver from the federal government, but a new study shows what happened in the first year after that requirement was lifted.
Health Lab
Rise seen in use of antibiotics for conditions they can’t treat – including COVID-19
Overuse of antibiotics can lead bacteria to evolve antimicrobial resistance, but Americans are still receiving the drugs for many conditions that they can’t treat.
Health Lab
In drive to deprescribe, heartburn drug study teaches key lessons
An effort to reduce use of PPI heartburn drugs in veterans because of overuse, cost and potential risks succeeded, but provides lessons about deprescribing efforts.
Health Lab
Thinking outside the doctor’s office: How older adults use urgent care & in-store clinics
In the past two years, 60% of people age 50 to 80 have visited an urgent care clinic, or a clinic based in a retail store, workplace or vehicle, according to new findings from the University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging.
Health Lab
Medicare pays for message-based e-visits. Are older adults using them?
Telehealth study of patient portal e-visits by Medicare participants shows few had an interaction for which their provider billed them.
Health Lab
Want to cut U.S. heart risks? Get more people into primary care, study suggests
Most people with risk factors for cardiovascular disease – what are sometimes called the Essential Eight – are managed by primary care clinics, or haven’t seen any provider recently
Health Lab
Rapid rise seen in mental health diagnosis and care during and after pregnancy
Perinatal mental health research shows more pregnant people and those who have recently given birth are getting diagnosed and treated for depression, anxiety and PTSD, but disparities remain.
Health Lab
U.S. could cut cervical cancer cases, deaths by up to 20% if more patients followed up after screening, study suggests
Many women don’t get cervical cancer screening such as Pap tests, or don’t go for follow up diagnostic tests; a new study shows what could happen if all of them did.
Health Lab
Primary care scarcity linked to more surgical emergencies, problems
Patients living in areas with the worst shortages of primary care providers are more likely to have emergency surgery, surgical complications and hospital readmissions.
Health Lab
Four years later, what do we know about COVID-19?
Today, thanks to researchers, medical and public health experts, pharmaceutical companies, engineers and others, we know more and can do more about the coronavirus called SARS-CoV2, and the disease called COVID-19, than ever before.
