News

Throughout her diverse career in nursing, information technology, and nonprofits, Iori Yamasaki developed a belief that the information contained in medical records could be utilized more effectively. This conviction fueled her journey to the DPHS MS in Population Health Sciences program, where she concentrated on learning methods to manage and analyze large data sets. Underpinning this focus was an interest in the health issues associated with an aging society, a particularly pressing concern in her home country of Japan. Graduating in May 2024, Iori now works for a company in Japan that develops various electronic systems, including electronic medical records. Prior to her MS degree, Iori earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the Japanese Red Cross Kyushu International College of Nursing.

Meet Latesha K. Harris, BSN, RN, an alum of Duke University's Department of Population Health Sciences (DPHS) 2022 BRIDGE Program cohort. As a first-generation college graduate and the first nurse in her family to pursue a doctoral degree, Latesha's journey is a testament to her dedication, resilience, and passion for healthcare. Her story is one of breaking barriers and striving for excellence in nursing and health services research.

The Department of Population Health Sciences (DPHS) at Duke University is thrilled to welcome our newest cohort of BRIDGE Scholars for the 2024-2025 academic year. 

Duke University’s Office of Biomedical Graduate Education (OBGE) has announced the results of its annual student feedback analysis on several graduate-level programs administered at the School of Medicine. This year, four instructors and four courses in the Department of Population Health Sciences (DPHS) were recognized for their exceptional performance and commitment.

DPHS is always excited to see our current and former BRIDGE Scholars find success in their academic and professional pursuits. John Fuller, a 2023 – 2024 DPHS BRIDGE Program Scholar, continues his impressive endeavors and builds on his past year of mentorship with the program.

DPHS' Valerie Smith, DrPH, and her Duke University and Durham Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center co-authors recently found that intervening to reduce alcohol use is associated with a lower likelihood that an individual will receive a new opioid prescription or develop an opioid use disorder.

The following list of publications highlights the breadth and depth of the published research from DPHS experts from February to April 2024. For your convenience, the articles are organized by category and include the names of DPHS co-authors who contributed to the work. Click on the title links to delve into the full articles, and consider sharing these insights with your colleagues.

According to research highlighted in the recent 2024 Economic Report of the President, long-term care insurance (LTCI) and other policies can indirectly affect the livelihoods and mobility of adult-children caregivers, resulting in impacts to the U.S. labor market.

DPHS is always excited to see our former students and BRIDGE Scholars continue to find success in their academic and professional pursuits. Elenor Strand, a 2021 DPHS BRIDGE Scholar, has continued her research endeavors, securing multiple publications and presentation opportunities along the way.

A recent publication in the North Carolina Medical Journal highlights a collaboration between the Duke Department for Population Health Sciences and the Duke-Margolis Institute for Health Policy. The research focuses on the impact of Medicaid expansion on access to care and health outcomes in North Carolina.