Spring 2026
Public Health Snapshots
By Shelby Crosier
Quick summaries of must-read research from Rollins.
Characterizing Social Behavior Relevant for Infectious Disease Transmission in Four Low- and Middle-Income Countries, 2021-2023
Journal | Nature Communications
The Big Message | Person-to-person interactions are a major factor in spreading infectious disease, and they vary between countries and cultures. Rollins researchers studied children’s in-person contacts in four low- and middle-income countries to inform future infectious disease modeling efforts. In each country, the researchers found that school-aged children had the most contact with different people each day, children had more contact each day in rural areas, and most children had contact with non-family members in their homes. This data will help infectious disease models more accurately capture behavioral patterns that drive the speed and patterns of infection spread in different settings.
Rollins Authors | Kristin Nelson, PhD; Machi Shiiba; Sara Kim; Pragati Prasad; Dehao Chen, PhD; Samuel Jenness, PhD; Benjamin Lopman, PhD
Artificial Intelligence for Predicting 30-Day Mortality After Surgery for Femoral Shaft Fractures: A Retrospective Study
Journal |Indian Journal of Anaesthesia
The Big Message | Mortality and other complications after surgery for femoral shaft fractures (major breaks in the thigh bone) are high. The study team developed an artificial intelligence (AI) model to predict mortality within a month of femoral shaft fracture surgery and identify factors that made mortality more likely. The model predicted 30-day mortality more accurately than traditional, non-AI methods. They found that patient age, white blood cell count, and creatine levels were the most significant risk factors for mortality after surgery. Further developing this predictive AI model could help providers with clinical decision making to improve patient surgical outcomes.
Rollins Author | Rameshbabu Manyam, PhD
Food Fortification Ineffective in Preventing Neural Tube Defects in India Due to Regulation Promoting Inadequate Levels of Folic Acid and Vitamin B12
Journal |Birth Defects Research
The Big Message | Neural tube defects (NTDs) are life-threatening birth defects of the spinal cord and brain, but they can be effectively prevented by consuming enough folic acid—either through supplements or food. A Rollins-led team found that current levels of folic acid and vitamin B12 in fortified foods in India are not high enough to prevent NTDs. Current regulations limit the amount of folic acid and vitamin B12 that can be added to staple foods like rice to well below World Health Organization recommendations. The team recommends that India urgently reset their fortification standards, which could possibly prevent thousands of NTDs and associated deaths each year.
Rollins Author | Vijaya Kancherla, PhD
The Role of Recency Testing and Linkage to Care in Enhancing Viral Suppression Among Key Populations in Guyana
Journal |IJID Regions
The Big Message | Recency testing is a tool that identifies recently acquired cases of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among new diagnoses. It can be used to help providers target interventions at these recent infections and better prevent further transmission. This study looked at a pilot project integrating recency testing into Guyana’s HIV protocol to determine its effectiveness. It found that during the pilot, recency testing allowed newly diagnosed individuals to quickly begin medical treatment and significantly suppress their viral loads. Scaling up this program could help significantly improve HIV prevention and treatment in Guyana.
Rollins Author | Tariq Jagnarine, MD
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Rollins Magazine is published twice a year by the Rollins School of Public Health, a component of the Woodruff Health Sciences Center of Emory University, for alumni and friends of the school.