The 51���� Research Assistant Fund provides small grants to 51���� faculty and staff to help conduct and share research and creative work. Cho’s award will support travel and presentation costs for his poster, “Sex Differences in the Relation Between Body Habitus and Functional Mobility in Older Adults.”

Cho’s research,��as part of a larger study from the Physical Activity and Health Research Laboratory,��examines how factors such as body size, weight distribution, age, and muscle strength influence functional mobility in older adults. Functional mobility includes everyday activities such as walking, standing up from a chair, climbing stairs, and maintaining balance—skills that are critical for preserving independence and quality of life as people age.

The study found that men and women appear to have different predictors of mobility and physical function later in life.

Key Research Findings

• For women, age and lower-body muscle strength were the strongest predictors of mobility outcomes such as walking speed, leg strength, and endurance.
• After accounting for age, body habitus measures—including body mass and waist circumference—were generally not significant factors for women.
• For men, body habitus measures such as body mass and waist circumference were more strongly related to mobility than age or lower-body strength alone.
• The findings suggest that maintaining a healthy weight may be especially important for older men, while preserving lower-body strength may be more important for older women.

Why It Matters

The research suggests that healthy aging strategies may be more effective when they are tailored to the different needs of men and women, rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach.

For example:

• Older women may benefit most from activities that maintain or build lower-body strength, such as resistance training, walking, stair climbing, and balance exercises.
• Older men may benefit most from strategies focused on healthy weight management and reducing excess abdominal weight.

Cho’s work contributes to a growing body of research showing that sex differences play an important role in aging and mobility. By identifying the factors that most strongly influence physical function in older adults, this research may help inform future exercise programs, health interventions, and public health strategies designed to support healthy aging and independence.

The post Strength or Weight? New Research into Healthy Aging Reveals Differences for Men and Women appeared first on Zilber College of Public Health.

Scott Strath, PhD, Professor of Kinesiology at the Zilber College, is serving on a World Health Organization (WHO) Physical Activity (PA) Working Group focused on the integration of wearables and activity monitors into global physical activity surveillance efforts.

This international initiative is examining how emerging technologies—such as accelerometers and consumer wearable devices—can strengthen the measurement and monitoring of physical activity worldwide!

Strath’s participation reflects both his expertise in objective physical activity assessment and the Zilber College’s continued commitment to advancing innovative, evidence-based approaches that inform global health policy and practice.

The post From Milwaukee to the World: Kinesiology Faculty Expertise Shapes Global Health Policy appeared first on Zilber College of Public Health.

The researchers say that reminding chatbot users of their companions’ non-human nature may be useful in some contexts, but these reminders must be carefully crafted and timed to avoid unintended negative consequences.

“It would be a mistake to assume that mandated reminders will significantly reduce risks for users who knowingly seek out a chatbot for conversation,” said first author and public health researcher Linnea Laestadius of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. “Reminding someone who already feels isolated that the one thing that makes them feel supported and not alone isn’t a human may backfire by making them feel even more alone.”

Laws require reminders

The chatbots ChatGPT and Character.AI have been linked to recent deaths by suicide. These events have prompted policies and legislation, for example in New York and California, that require chatbots to deliver regular reminders that they are not human.

These policies are based on the idea that people will be less likely to develop feelings of emotional dependency or closeness if they are reminded that their chatting partner is unable to feel human emotion. But the researchers say this idea is not supported by research.

“While it may seem intuitive that if users just remembered they were talking to a chatbot rather than a human, they wouldn’t get so attached to the chatbot and become manipulated by the algorithm, the evidence does not currently support this idea,” Laestadius said.

The researchers note that multiple studies have shown that people in relationships with chatbots are aware of the non-human nature of their companions, and this awareness does not prevent them from forming strong attachments. In fact, reminding people that they’re talking to a chatbot could drive people to form stronger attachments to chatbots because confiding in companions (human or otherwise) is known to intensify feelings of emotional closeness.

“Evidence suggests that people are more likely to confide in a chatbot precisely because they know it isn’t human,” said author Celeste Campos-Castillo, a media and technology researcher at Michigan State University.

 “The belief that, unlike humans, non-humans will not judge, tease or turn the entire school or workplace against them encourages self-disclosure to chatbots and, subsequently, attachment.”

Causing emotional distress

These reminders could also cause emotional distress in people, the researchers say. Recent research has highlighted a phenomenon called the “bittersweet paradox of emotional connection with AI,” in which chatbot users who obtain emotional and social support from chatbots are simultaneously saddened by the knowledge that their companion is not human. In the most extreme cases, the researchers caution that these reminders could drive suicidal ideation.

“Reminding users that their companion is not human and therefore not reachable in this reality may pose the risk of thoughts and actions to leave this reality in an effort to join the chatbot,” Campos-Castillo said. “A desire to join the chatbot in its reality appeared in a final message sent by a youth who died by suicide.”

The risk of harm for these reminders likely depends on the subject of conversation, the researchers say. For example, if a user is seeking chatbot support because they feel lonely or socially isolated, reminding them that the chatbot is not human could exacerbate their distress, but such reminders might be less harmful during less emotionally intense conversations.

More research is needed to understand the impact of these reminders, and to determine the most effective way to deliver them, the researchers say.

“Discovering how to best remind people that chatbots are not human is a critical research priority,” Laestadius said. “We need to identify when reminders should be sent and when they should be paused to be most protective of user mental health.”

The post Reminding people they’re talking to chatbots could be harmful, researchers say appeared first on Zilber College of Public Health.

Amy Kalkbrenner, Professor of Environmental health sciences at the UW-Milwaukee Zilber College of Public Health, and Tracey Holloway, Professor of Environmental Studies and Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at UW-Madison, are working together to understand the link between air pollution and asthma-related visits to school nurses in Milwaukee Public Schools.

Kalkbrenner will use that information to simulate which climate change solutions would have the greatest positive impact on children’s asthma attacks.

Their work is especially significant in Wisconsin’s largest city. Milwaukee had the nation’s highest rate of asthma-related emergency department visits in the . Public school children are about  to have asthma as their school-aged peers 

“This work helps us better understand how large-scale environmental changes translate into real, local health impacts for children,” Kalkbrenner said in the article.

The study, which was , underscores the importance of addressing climate change as a public health issue—particularly for urban communities and young populations most vulnerable to environmental exposures.

Key points for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article:

• Researchers from UW-Milwaukee and UW-Madison are studying the link between air pollution and asthma-related school nurse visits at MPS.
• They’ll use satellite data to estimate nitrogen dioxide levels across Milwaukee, and simulate how climate solutions like electric buses and bike lanes could reduce asthma complications.
• Asthma is a big problem in Milwaukee. Twice as many public school children have asthma than their peers across the U.S., on average.
• This research is meant to illustrate the multiple benefits of climate change solutions.

.

The post 51���� Research Examines Climate Change and Asthma Risk Among Milwaukee Children appeared first on Zilber College of Public Health.

to learn more about how these technologies are shaping human interaction and what this may mean for public health research and practice.

The post Faculty Insights: Understanding the Rise of AI-Based Emotional Support appeared first on Zilber College of Public Health.

The Clinical Research Scholars Program provides junior faculty with intensive training and individualized mentoring to support successful careers in clinical and translational research. Designed to prepare participants for independent, grant-funded research careers, the program ensures scholars receive protected research time, access to key resources, a supportive environment, and advanced training in clinical research methodology.

As a public health researcher, implementation scientist, and prevention scholar, Hennessy Garza is committed to building a world free from sexual violence. Her work focuses on the development, testing, and adoption of evidence-based prevention strategies to end campus sexual violence, with an emphasis on translating research into routine practice across college campuses nationwide.

By joining the Clinical Research Scholars Program, Hennessy Garza will collaborate with a dynamic cohort of researchers, educators, and physicians working to advance clinical and translational science in Wisconsin and beyond. Her acceptance into this highly competitive program not only highlights her outstanding contributions to public health research but also underscores the Zilber College’s commitment to addressing urgent public health challenges through innovative, evidence-based solutions.

The post Rose Hennessy Garza Accepted into Prestigious Clinical Research Scholars Program appeared first on Zilber College of Public Health.

“I called my physician, and I was sweating,” said Nambisan, associate professor of health care informatics at UW-Milwaukee’s Zilber College of Public Health. “I described all of my symptoms, and she told me to ‘hang up the phone, call 911, and don’t drive.’”

The strange symptoms that Nambisan had been experiencing all semester were coming to a crescendo. Now her doctor feared a heart attack.

Nambisan raced to the ER. She was lucky — doctors determined it wasn’t a heart attack, but an anxiety attack.

“I had so much stress,” Nambisan said. At the time, she was under pressure to publish articles and procure grants, while caring for 2-year-old twins without much family support. “Like many other women, my health took a backseat,” she said.

Tracking tools for a healthier tomorrow

As a researcher, Nambisan looked toward data to pinpoint the habits that led to her health issues. And she turned to a familiar tool: Excel.

She tracked a number of factors, including work and home-life stress, diet and resting heart rate. She recognized that the act of tracking habits allowed her to manage stress and make positive changes. It inspired Nambisan to create a comprehensive health tracking app called My Healing Ecosystem for Self-care & Therapeutic Integration for the Aging ().

Nambisan says that there are plenty of apps for conditions ranging from diabetes to mental health issues. MyHESTIA is different because users can track multiple chronic conditions in a single application. It’s an important tool for aging populations — many of whom may not be tech savvy — because they only need to learn how to use one app.

She also uses the anonymous data from the myHESTIA app to study how tracking health factors can improve patient outcomes. Nambisan says that tracking and monitoring is an integral part of self-health management, but people need the right tools to do it accurately and effectively.

“Mentally, keeping track doesn’t work. Your brain cheats, and it’s too much information to keep in your head,” Nambisan said, noting that writing it down — whether in an app or an old-fashioned notebook — is the best way.

She has tested the platform in pilot studies and received grants to fund larger studies. Describing one such study, Nambisan noted that many young people in India move for their careers, leaving aging parents behind. They use apps like Facebook to stay in touch and share pictures, but sharing health information is difficult. The Fulbright-funded study, conducted in India, focuses on how adult children can remotely monitor their parents’ medical conditions to better support their care.

Another study that uses the myHESTIA app, funded by the Bader Foundation, tests the platform with early stage dementia patients and their caregivers.

Research on social media and at-risk youth

As the director of the Social Media and Health Research & Training (SMAHRT) and  (ARDT) labs at 51����, Nambisan works with students to conduct a range of research projects using data from myHESTIA, social media platforms and artificial intelligence.

In 2024, Nambisan and Lance Weinhardt, associate dean for research, were awarded a $1.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study how social media use affects suicide rates among at-risk youth.

Nambisan’s recent NIH-funded work focuses on LGBTQ+ youth, who are most likely to consider or attempt suicide — and most likely to seek help on social media. The study lets participants capture what they see online and how it makes them feel.

“It’s a very difficult research topic to study due to the complexities of suicide and a lack of clarity in the causes of suicides,” Nambisan said. And, it’s difficult to study the impact of social media when people see and perceive so many different things.

Nambisan and her fellow researchers use AI to help sort through the data and unravel those complexities. Based on this stream of her research, Nambisan has been invited to speak about the topic at schools and with parents who have lost children to suicide. It’s a topic that’s hard for her to talk about, but she’s hopeful that her research can make a positive difference in this area.

The post 51���� professor is a pioneer in tech and health appeared first on Zilber College of Public Health.

Holliday’s course offering — “Healthcare Across the Pond: Understanding Access to and Maintenance of Healthcare for Transgender, Intersex, and Nonbinary Adults in Wales”—is scheduled for June 16, 23, and 30 at 12:30 p.m.

Their course will include an introduction to trans, intersex, and nonbinary health; a review of health theories focusing on self-management and health justice; and an overview of their dissertation study.

Their course will showcase the work they have done to build participatory research methods (a form of community engagement) into their dissertation including three years of service with a Welsh mutual aid group, Trans Aid Cymru. Despite the international focus, the class may be helpful for anyone interested in learning more about trans, intersex, and nonbinary people or about navigating barriers to health and healthcare.��

Aside from building bridges between academia and the public, the OLLI Scholars initiative offers tangible support for graduate researchers. Participants receive stipends funded through donations by Osher members during 51����’s “414 for 51���� Giving Days.”

By giving advanced students the opportunity to guide lifelong learners through cutting-edge research, the program fosters mentorship, communication skills, and an enriching exchange of ideas across generations. Holliday’s public health-focused presentation not only enriches community learning but also exemplifies the initiative’s goal of making academic inquiry meaningful and relevant beyond the university walls.

The post Zilber College PhD Candidate��Dan��Holliday Brings Public Health Research to a Broader Audience through OLLI Scholars Program appeared first on Zilber College of Public Health.

To address this, a new study funded by the Zilber Family Foundation, will test a novel intervention called Active Sitting, which is designed to reduce sedentary behavior and increase physical activity in low-functioning adults. Unlike traditional time-based approaches, Active Sitting incorporates environmental changes and individualized strategies, offering a more personalized and effective solution to breaking up prolonged sitting.

This 12-week, randomized controlled trial is comparing the Active Sitting intervention to a standard of care approach in low-functioning adults. Using wearable sensors and physical function assessments, the study will measure the impact on sedentary behavior, physical activity, and physical function. The goal is to determine whether environmental cues that promote movement, without conflicting with other daily tasks, can lead to greater improvements in physical activity and function.

Zilber College faculty Ann Swartz, PhD; Scott Strath, PhD; and Christy Greenleaf, PhD are partnering with Harwood Place, an Independent Living facility, to begin data collection. The study will expand to other independent living facilities to continue collecting data.

The results of the study will provide valuable insights into the role of environmental changes alongside behavioral interventions for reducing sedentary behavior and enhancing physical health in elderly populations. If successful, this scalable intervention could benefit a wide range of individuals, improving overall health and functionality in older adults.

The post Innovative intervention aims to improve physical activity and function in older adults appeared first on Zilber College of Public Health.

Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH) students presented projects addressing critical public health challenges, from mental health and child maltreatment to food insecurity and opioid use disorder. Their poster presentations included:��

• A Public Health Approach to Preventing Child Maltreatment.��
  Joyli Kamau��(student) |��Faculty Mentor:��Dr. Paul Florsheim��
• No Student Left Hungry.��
  Mahrukh Delawarzad��&��Rasha Ali��(students) |��Faculty Mentor:��Dr. Rose Hennessy Garza��
• Breaking the Silence: Creating a Program to Reduce Stigmatization & Normalize Conversations about Mental Health among First-Generation College Students.��
  Yaritza Garcia��&��Manizha Nazari��(students) |��Faculty Mentor:��Dr. Rose Hennessy Garza��
• Natural Language Processing and Opioid Use Disorder: A Holistic Social Determinants of Health Approach.��
  Kylie Degner��&��Maxwell Sharkey��(students) |��Faculty Mentors:��Dr. Phonix Do & Dr. Lu He

Congratulations to��Kylie Degner��and��Maxwell Sharkey��for receiving an award for Outstanding Poster Presentation! We commend all our BSPH students and faculty mentors for their dedication to advancing public health knowledge and their commitment to community impact.��

The post Zilber College students participate in Undergraduate Research Symposium�� appeared first on Zilber College of Public Health.