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Media Influences on Health

Maternal Health
commentary
Meghan Markle May Avoid the Spotlight After Giving Birth and Send a Powerful Public Health Message
Sarah MacCarthy
Apr 11, 2019
USA Today
Meghan Markle plans to break from royal tradition by declining to present her baby to the public on the the steps of the maternity ward, hours after giving birth, with flawless hair and makeup. This could bring attention to many of the postpartum challenges faced by women everywhere.
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Underage Substance Use
q&a
How Marijuana Ads Affect Youth: Q&A with Elizabeth D'Amico
Aug 21, 2018
RAND's Elizabeth D'Amico discusses her research on how medical marijuana advertising influences adolescents' use of—and positive attitudes toward—the drug. Los Angeles County used her findings to limit the placement of marijuana billboards and signage outside dispensaries.
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Media Influences on Health
commentary
Does Social Media Depression in Young People Really Exist?
Lucy Hocking
Feb 6, 2018
Medical Xpress
What are the mental health risks to adolescents and young adults from the use of social media? And how can young people and social media companies manage these risks?
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Communication Systems
blog
How RAND Helped Cable TV Spread Far and Wide
Aug 25, 2017
In the late 1960s and early '70s, RAND released a series of reports about cable television — the technology, federal and state regulation, and its use in education. The researchers' interactive vision for cable TV was a lot like the internet.
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Underage Substance Use Prevention
commentary
What Works in Early Life to Prevent Tobacco and Alcohol Addiction?
Daniel Schweppenstedde
Apr 23, 2015
The RAND Blog
Tobacco and alcohol addiction are widespread public health risks across the European Union. Both merit tackling at a young age. Evidence-based, early interventions are available that can be applied in small-scale settings to prevent underage alcohol and tobacco abuse.
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China
commentary
Snuffing Out China's Deadly Habit
Min Gong, William G. Shadel @william_shadel
Feb 2, 2015
U.S. News & World Report
To help address China's smoking problem, China's parliament is considering a ban on all tobacco ads except those at point-of-sale retail locations. How does this compare to the current state of play regarding Chinese tobacco ads? And could the new law shift the tobacco-control landscape?
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Media Influences on Health
commentary
Dutch and UK Adolescents See More Alcohol Advertising on TV Than Adults
Eleanor Winpenny
May 23, 2014
The RAND Blog
Adolescents in the UK and the Netherlands (but not in Germany) see more alcohol adverts on television, per hour of television watched, than adults. These differences result from the different viewing times, channels watched, and the placement of adverts.
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Tobacco and Smoking
commentary
Where There's Vapor, Is There Fire? We Need Evidence on E-Cigarettes
William G. Shadel @william_shadel, Joan S. Tucker, Steven Martino
Mar 4, 2014
The Health Care Blog
Currently, evidence for the safety, harmfulness, utility, and addictiveness of e-cigarettes is lacking. The questions that research needs to answer, however, are clear as day—particularly since business is booming.
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Tobacco and Smoking
blog
CVS and the Effect of In-Store Tobacco Displays on Smokers
Feb 6, 2014
CVS Caremark will stop selling cigarettes and other tobacco products at its CVS/pharmacy stores beginning Oct. 1. Though it stands to lose $2 billion dollars in annual revenue, CVS CEO Larry J. Merlo said that selling tobacco products is at odds with the company's mission of improving health outcomes.
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Diet and Eating Habits
commentary
'Tis the Season to Be Wary
Deborah A. Cohen @DrDebCohen
Dec 23, 2013
The RAND Blog
During the holiday season, a time when overindulgence is a tradition for many, food marketing creates especially serious challenges for people trying to limit their intake and make careful decisions about healthier eating.
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Media Influences on Health
blog
What Effect Does Media Have on Youth?
Sep 3, 2013
American youth live in an environment saturated with media. What effects does this have on their health and well-being?
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Public Health
commentary
The Super Bowl Halftime Show Should Not Be Promoting a Public Health Threat
Kristin R. Van Busum, Lauren E. Hunter
Feb 1, 2013
The Huffington Post
People who consume just one or two sugar-sweetened drinks a day have a 26 percent greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes than people who rarely drink these beverages, write Kristin Van Busum and Lauren Hunter.
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