Social & Behavior
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 2-Jan-2026 08:11 ET (2-Jan-2026 13:11 GMT/UTC)
New study shows why clothing take-back programs fail — and what truly moves consumers to act
Institute for Operations Research and the Management SciencesPeer-Reviewed Publication
- Journal
- Manufacturing & Service Operations Management
Community initiatives can reduce health inequality: The case of COVID-19 vaccination in Rio De Janeiro’s favelas
D'Or Institute for Research and EducationThe Covid-19 pandemic exposed longstanding inequalities in healthcare access worldwide, particularly in Brazil. These disparities were especially evident in access to hospital beds and vaccines, disproportionately affecting low-income communities in major cities and regions with lower human development indices.
In response, the Vacina Maré project was launched in 2021 to expand vaccination coverage and study health data in favelas during the pandemic. This ongoing initiative was developed by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), the Redes da Maré organization, and the Rio de Janeiro City Hall, with support from the D’Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR) and several other research institutions.
The Maré Complex, home to 16 favelas and approximately 140,000 residents, became a focal point for community-driven health interventions. Among these efforts, Vacina Maré stood out as part of a broader strategy that included vaccination campaigns, local health surveillance, telemedicine support, social assistance, and risk communication. The initiative’s success was largely due to the massive engagement of the local population, which led to international recognition, including presentations at the World Health Organization (WHO), the Brazilian Ministry of Health, and various global research centers.
- Journal
- The Lancet Regional Health - Americas
Many displaced girls in Uganda trapped in cycles of sexual, physical violence
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News BureauPeer-Reviewed Publication
Displaced girls and young women in informal urban settlements in Kampala, Uganda, whose first sexual experience was nonconsensual often become trapped in cycles of sexual and physical violence, a study led by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign social work professor Moses Okumu found.
- Journal
- AIDS and Behavior
- Funder
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Canada Foundation for Innovation, Canada Research Chairs, Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation
Concordia researchers model a sustainable, solar-powered 15-minute city
Concordia UniversityPeer-Reviewed Publication
- Journal
- Sustainability
- Funder
- Volt-Age, Seed funds, Smart Solar Community Living Lab London/Ontario
‘Breathing’ robots reveal how fear spreads through touch
Universiteit van AmsterdamPeer-Reviewed Publication
- Journal
- Emotion
Sex-related difference in outcomes of remote ischemic conditioning for symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis
Beijing Institute of Technology Press Co., LtdA research paper by scientists at the Capital Medical University evaluated sex differences in stroke recurrence among patients with symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (sICAS) and assess the efficacy of remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) in the RICA (chronic remote ischemic conditioning in patients with symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis) trial.
The new research paper, published on Jun. 6 in the journal Cyborg and Bionic Systems, evaluated 3,033 sICAS patients across 84 Chinese stroke centers, with a median follow-up of 3.5 years. The findings highlight the need to consider sex in clinical decision-making for RIC administration.- Journal
- Cyborg and Bionic Systems