CU Anschutz In The News

Iain R. Konigsberg, PhD, a research instructor of biomedical informatics at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, tells SELF that if you have a high polygenic risk score for a disease, then it’s extra-important for you to lean into lifestyle choices that support your well-being and address the risk factors associated with that condition. Some research shows that when people know their polygenic risk, particularly when they have a high score for a specific condition, it motivates them to make daily choices that prioritize their physical and mental health (like not smoking, having regular checkups and screenings, eating heart-healthy foods, and exercising).

"Many people will be sick and die simply from loss of fluids," said May Chu, a professor with the Colorado School of Public Health and interim director of the Center for Global Health at CU Anschutz in Denver.

The College of Nursing at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus is launching a new effort to put more maternity specialists in rural parts of Colorado. Thanks to a federal grant, over the next three years, the college will train 14 certified nurse midwives to work in underserved communities.

With marijuana use putting people at greater risk for bad health outcomes such as heart attack and stroke, reducing usage may sound like a good idea, said Dr. Robert Page, a professor of clinical pharmacy and physical medicine/rehabilitation at the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Aurora. But T-breaks come with certain risks, especially when it comes to withdrawal symptoms, he said. Page spoke to CNN about tolerance breaks and whether or not they are a sound strategy.

However, once your body becomes accustomed to walking, you might want to pick up the pace, said Alyssa Olenick, an exercise physiologist and postdoctoral research fellow in the energy metabolism lab at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

"This is a huge deal," Kia Washington, a professor of surgery at University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, who has been working in the same field for 15 years, told AFP, commending her peers.

The Sheridan School District No. 2 is working with the University of Colorado College of Nursing to train teachers and staff members on how to use naloxone, a drug designed to rapidly reverse the opioid overdoses. “In the last year, since COVID, we've had a few students in the district who have lost their lives or lost family members related to overdoses," said Alexis Barrere, CU College of Nursing senior instructor and pediatric nurse practitioner.

Denise Smith, a certified midwife and assistant professor at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, says it's time to rethink how maternal care is structured. "Women who give birth in rural areas do have more complications of birth, and we're seeing that there really is an urban-rural disparity in outcomes," said Smith. "The intent is to grow the midwifery workforce to serve populations that are currently underserved by maternity care providers."