BEST BETS
RACIAL DIFFERENCES IN CONCUSSION RECOVERY – Young Black and white athletes have different experiences after a sports-related concussion, according to a study involving a researcher at The University of Alabama. Studying athletes competing in middle school, high school and college, researchers found Black athletes reported a shorter time between injury and symptom resolution and spent fewer days out of school. Black athletes were also less likely to report a change in daily activities after a concussion. For more information, contact Adam Jones, UA Strategic Communications, adam.jones@ua.edu.
ADDRESSING THE OPIOID CRISIS: WHAT DOES ALABAMA NEED – Alabamians face many structural barriers to treatment of opioid addiction, such as access and transportation to treatment facilities as well as hostile attitudes among the public and family members to addiction, according to research led by The University of Alabama. The work is part of the Alabama Provider Capacity Project, based at UA, and supported by a $5.1 million grant funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The goal of the project is to decrease health disparities related to addiction and opioids, particularly in Alabama’s rural and low-income communities. For more information, contact Adam Jones, UA Strategic Communications, adam.jones@ua.edu.
UA RESEARCH PROJECTS SEEKING VOLUNTEERS – Several research projects on campus are seeking participants, with some offering small payments or clinical-grade health information for those willing to take the time to participate. The goals of the projects have a wide range and include improving tornado warnings to understanding how children develop helping behaviors with a particular need for teens and young adults with autism spectrum disorder. For more information, contact Adam Jones, UA Strategic Communications, adam.jones@ua.edu.
CURRENT COMMENT
SHORT-TERM ANSWERS FOR RESTAURANT INDUSTRY MIGHT BE HERE TO STAY – “I think the pandemic has created long-term changes for the restaurant industry,” said Dr. Kimberly Severt, director of hospitality management with UA’s Department of Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management. “First, it was people could not gather, leaving traditional dine-in restaurants struggling to survive. Creativity came into play as restauranteurs had to find a way to generate income, and by doing so, they had to reevaluate what consumers were needing and how they could adapt to meet that need. The second challenge was that employees were not coming back to the industry. Labor has and remains a big issue in the restaurant industry. Pop-up restaurants, food trucks and delivery are ways the industry has combatted the challenges of both not being able to have large groups of people gather and having limited employees. The answer may lie in the mix of people and technology. It’s a new type of product delivery system for restaurant owners and operators. I feel pop-ups are here to stay.” For more information, contact Severt at ksevert@ches.ua.edu.
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