Micro- and nanoscale plastic particles in soil and water can significantly increase how much toxic chemicals plants and human intestinal cells absorb, according to two new studies from Rutgers Health that raise fresh concerns about food safety from plastic pollution.

This year’s Black History Month theme, African Americans and Labor, explores the significant role of Black labor throughout history—spanning from enslaved Africans’ forced agricultural work to the organized labor movements fighting for justice and economic equity.

To commemorate Black History Month and deepen our understanding of this theme, we sat down with Teri Lassiter, Assistant Dean for Justice, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion for Education and an assistant professor in the Department of Urban-Global Public Health at the Rutgers School of Public Health, to discuss the historical and modern implications of Black labor, its connection to social justice, and the lessons we must take forward.

Min-Jeong Yang, Ph.D., M.S., has joined the Rutgers School of Public Health’s Department of Health Behavior, Society, and Policy as an assistant professor. She has also joined the Rutgers Institute for Nicotine & Tobacco Studies as core faculty.

Patients taking a commonly used stimulant for the treatment of binge eating disorder experienced mixed results, according to Rutgers researchers.

“Binge eating disorder is the most common eating disorder in the United States, yet there is no drug specifically developed for the condition that affects people of all racial and ethnic groups," said Abanoub Armanious, a master of science student at Rutgers School of Public Health and lead author of the study.

Researchers at Rutgers University have found that adverse childhood experiences can make people more sensitive to potential threats from others, which in turn increases their risk of engaging in defensive gun use in adulthood.

Many mental health care clinicians don’t ask all of their patients whether they have access to firearms, an important step in firearm injury prevention, according to Rutgers Health researchers.

The prevalence of diagnosed disorders from recurrent use of sedative, hypnotic and antianxiety medications in adolescents and young adults has increased sharply since 2001, according to Rutgers Health researchers.

While traditional sustainability efforts often focus on environmental concerns, there is a growing need to focus on the interconnectedness of planetary health and human health. The climate crisis is a public health issue and threat multiplier, intensifying existing health disparities within societies. Achieving environmental justice is inherently tied to advancing public health.

Rutgers School of Public Health recently celebrated the success of Expressions of Community: A Workplace Program of Mind and Body Wellness. This unique initiative, led by Michelle Ruidíaz-Santiago, executive assistant in the Department of Health Behavior, Society, and Policy, and John Ciampi, administrative assistant in the Department of Health, Behavior, and Society, was funded by a Rutgers Health Joy at Work grant.

Perry N. Halkitis, dean of the Rutgers School of Public Health, has been named a Distinguished Fellow of the Public Health Academy by the National Academies of Practice (NAP).

Early screening for diabetes in pregnancy is gaining attention as a strategy to improve maternal and child health outcomes. In this interview with The American Journal of Managed Care^® (AJMC^®), Ellen Francis, PhD, assistant professor of biostatistics and epidemiology at Rutgers School of Public Health, explores the potential of earlier screening, the evidence supporting its benefits, and what health systems need to consider when implementing.