More than a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, most of us have experienced varying degrees of depression or anxiety related to the challenges of this unusual and trying time. 

Yet some people have weathered the stressors better than others. What factors predicted better mental health during the pandemic and what can this teach us about protecting against depression and anxiety during other difficult times? 

Over 24 hours on Wednesday, March 3, 2021, the University of Maryland School of Public Health community came together virtually to support our research initiatives, scholarships and educational programs. 278 donors—alumni, friends, faculty, staff and students—gave a total of $220,724, an increase of more than 137 percent from the previous year. That placed the School of Public Health at #2 on the leaderboard after Athletics for most funds raised during Giving Day.

During Summer 2020, May 2021 graduate Lily Centra interned at Hanger Clinic: Orthotics and Prosthetics’ Manhattan, New York, location. She was able to shadow Certified Prosthetist John Rheinstein and his colleagues. During her time at the clinic, she was exposed to a variety of patients with upper limb prostheses, lower limb prostheses and orthotics. Centra was also able to learn a plethora of prosthetic fabrication and modification techniques. 

Nature has several benefits that impact a person’s overall well-being, according to a new research article, NatureRx@UMD: A Review for Pursuing Green Space as a Health and Wellness Resource for the Body, Mind, and Soul.

The university celebrated the accomplishments of our graduates in a virtual commencement ceremony on Sunday, December 20. The main ceremony can be viewed on the UMD Facebook and YouTube channels. Graduates are encouraged to share their photos and memories on social media using #UMDgrad. SPH graduates should also use #publichealthTerps and tag @UMDPublicHealth. See Public Health Terps' photos and reflections and join the conversation on Twitter and Instagram!

This story first appeared in Maryland Today and was written by Chris Carroll.

How much room you have in your house. The length of your commute. Your job and race.

A new study finds that although running pummels knees more than walking, it may strengthen and build up cartilage, helping fight off knee arthritis, The New York Times reported. 

Knee arthritis develops for some runners but not all. As a group, avid runners may be “statistically less likely” to become arthritic than nonrunners, The Times said. 

Exercise could be useful in recovery from COVID-19, Sushant M. Ranadive, associate professor of kinesiology, and his fellow researchers theorized in a recent publication. COVID-19 progression has been suggested to have a metabolic origin given that elevated glucose and lipid levels are risk factors, the authors explain. And, Fenofibrate, a promising medication, has positive effects on inflammation and endothelial function. The authors compare Fenofibrate to exercise and hypothesize that exercise could be a possible therapeutic strategy to bolster resilience against (and help manage recovery from) COVID-19.

The Clean 2020 Virtual Summit is bringing together thought leaders from from business, policy, standards development, engineering and public health to work together to control viral transmission in the built environment. Four SPH experts have been involved in the collaborative effort - Assistant Professor Jennifer Roberts, Professor Donald Milton, Professor Sandra Quinn and Dean Boris Lushniak. 

Former School of Public Health Dean and former chair of the Department of Kinesiology Jane E. Clark, PhD, is a renowned expert in infant and children's motor development. Her research in motor development has been funded by the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. She has received many awards and invitations to speak on her research around the world.