Infotrak

Are you overestimating the dollars you'll someday collect from Social Security? Maria J. Prados, PhD, Economist at the University of Southern California's Center for Economic and Social Research, the average American overestimates their future monthly Social Security check by more than $300. She explains how you can find out how much your future Social Security benefit will be.

If you're questioning your present career path, you're not alone! Helen Horyza, career coach, and author of "Elevate Your Career: Live a Life You’re Truly Proud Of," says millions of middle income workers are wondering if they're living the life they want or if they can find a happier path.

89% of Americans believe it's important for families to have as many family meals as possible each week. Shannon M. Robson, PhD, from the University of Delaware, led a study that showed that more frequent family meals were associated with better dietary outcomes and improved family relationships.

Citizen science has become a global force, as millions of amateurs contribute vast amounts of data on the natural world. But scientists have been reluctant to use the data. We'll talk Rebecca Johnson, PhD, Co-Director of Citizen Science and Research Associate in the Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Geology at the California Academy of Sciences. She has devised a way to merge professional and amateur data, in order to answer important questions about our planet's biodiversity and how it is changing.

Recent research shows a strong connection between COVID 19 and obesity, especially in younger people. We’ll talk with Carmen Piernas, MSc, PhD, University Research Lecturer at the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences at the University of Oxford, who says one simple calculation can assess your risk of hospitalization or death.

Last year, there was a double-digit percentage increase in reports of anxiety and depression symptoms, yet many struggling with these issues don't seek help. We’ll get some wise advice from mental health advocate David Rabadi, National Speaker for the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and author of "How I Lost My Mind and Found Myself", who has faced the same struggles and prevailed.

Americans pay about twice as much per person for healthcare than citizens of other developed nations. Marshall Allen, author of “Never Pay the First Bill: And Other Ways to Fight the Health Care System and Win” explains how to carefully check each medical bill to be sure it is accurate and priced fairly, before paying it.

Although there were far fewer vehicles on the road during the pandemic, traffic deaths in 2020 jumped over 7 percent. We'll learn why, and how can you stay safe as more Americans get back on the road, from Darrin Grondel, Vice President of Traffic Safety and Government Relations for the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility.

If a large long lasting power outage happened, how could you get emergency power for your family's survival? M. Granger Morgan, PhD, Hamerschlag University Professor of Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University and co-director of the National Science Foundation's Center for Climate and Energy Decision Making, led a study that compared strategies for providing emergency power to residents during a large, long-duration power outage, particularly in rural and suburban communities.

The racial divide in America appears to have expanded significantly in recent times. We'll hear from Melvin J. Gravely, II. PhD, a civic leader and author of "Dear White Friend: The Realities of Race, the Power of Relationships and Our Path to Equity". He thinks the great majority of white Americans are not racists, but they are "benefiting bystanders," and he believes that Americans can solve racial problems together.

Opioid addiction is a widespread and devastating problem, but could a common vitamin be the key? David E. Fisher, MD, PhD, Director of the Mass General Cancer Center's Melanoma Program, Director of Massachusetts General Hospital's Cutaneous Biology Research Center, led a study that found that vitamin D deficiency strongly exaggerates the craving for and effects of opioids, potentially increasing the risk for dependence and addiction.

What are the long-term economic effects of school closures/remote learning during the pandemic lockdowns? Daniela Viana Costa, PhD, Public Policy Economist at the Penn Wharton Public Policy Initiative, found that reduced education will create significant productivity losses, cutting American GDP and hourly wages by 2050.

An alarming rise in colorectal cancer cases among young people has led the US Preventive Services Task Force to establish new guidelines. Dr. Michael J. Barry, M.D., from Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, co-wrote the revised standards and explained why screenings for colorectal cancer should begin at age 45 -- five years earlier than was previously recommended.

Is there a common thread to mass shootings in America? Recent research led by Ira D. Glick, MD, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Stanford University Medical Center, reveals that a large majority of the shooters do have something in common.

Human trafficking isn't a matter of kidnapping people. Kimberly Mehlman-Orozco, PhD, human trafficking expert, and author of "Hidden in Plain Sight: America's Slaves of the New Millennium." says it actually involves mind manipulation and threats--and the pandemic made the problem worse. What should you do if you suspect someone might be a victim?

How can you avoid career burnout and find the right balance between work and life? Wayne Applewhite, business leadership expert, author of "You Know it's a Verb, Right?," says clear communication from bosses is the key for organizations transitioning back to work in the aftermath of the pandemic.

Parks and green spaces not only add beauty to cities and towns. We’ll talk with Roy Remme, Ph.D., postdoctoral scholar with the Natural Capital Project, who led a study at Stanford University that found that parks, trails, and open green spaces can also have significant health benefits.

Traffic deaths in the U.S. have remained nearly unchanged for many years. A new report offers a safer blueprint for a "Safe System" apparch to road design that could save thousands of lives each year, according to Jeffrey Michael, EdD, Distinguished Scholar in the Department of Health Policy and Management and the Leon S. Robertson Faculty Development Chair in Injury Prevention at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health.

A surprising study from Ireland found that the physical condition of homeless people in their twenties, thirties and forties is similar to 70 and 80 year olds in the general population. We'll talk with Professor Julie Broderick, BSc, MSc, PhD, from Trinity College Dublin/the University of Dublin, to explore the possible reasons behind it and what can be done to help the homeless.

3. Bill Westrom, consumer finance expert, co-author of “Master Your Debt: Slash Your Monthly Payments and Become Debt Free” The typical American carries thousands of dollars of credit card debt, personal loans, car loans and student loans. Bill Westrom, consumer finance expert, and co-author of "Master Your Debt: Slash Your Monthly Payments and Become Debt Free", outlines several easy strategies to save money and retire debt as quickly as possible,