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Georgia Southern’s Care Station project launched in downtown Statesboro to improve access to health products and testing

Georgia Southern University’s Institute for Health Logistics & Analytics (IHLA) has launched the Care Station project to address barriers to accessing over-the-counter health products. Care Stations are standalone kiosks open 24/7 that allow users to purchase a range of over-the-counter health products. Items can be paid for using a digital wallet on a mobile phone; cash is not accepted. The first Care Station is located in the alleyway behind Georgia Southern’s City Campus, located at 58 E. Main Street in Statesboro. The project team, led by Jennifer Drey, IHLA community outreach coordinator, and Jill Johns, project manager, prioritized the specific needs of the local population when developing the idea. “By understanding the unique needs of the community, we can offer customized health products and tests in easily accessible locations,” said Drey. Because many of the products are personal in nature, the team designed the kiosks to provide users with privacy. “These kiosks are easy to use, safe and completely confidential,” said Johns. “Whether someone is purchasing pain relievers or sexually transmitted infection tests, their privacy is protected.” To help ensure the Care Stations meet community needs, IHLA encourages Statesboro and Bulloch County residents to share anonymous feedback through an online form at bit.ly/CareStation_Statesboro. To expand access, a second Care Station will open soon in Vidalia, Georgia. Drey said the project serves as a pilot initiative, with the long-term goal of replication statewide. “Rural communities often experience difficulty accessing essential health care supplies and testing compared to their metropolitan counterparts,” she said. “We hope our pilot machines serve as a model for expansion of the program to other rural communities across Georgia.” The Care Station project builds on IHLA’s recently completed Community Health Resource Project (CHRP), which identified key health disparities across rural counties and strengthened partnerships with local stakeholders. A public ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held on Jan. 5, 2026. IHLA uses an integrated One Health approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals and ecosystems. Its mission is to transform the health and well-being of communities through applied evidence-based practices and technology integration. Products and tests currently available at the Statesboro Care Station: General Health Allergy medication Bandages Condoms Eyeglass repair kit Hand sanitizer wipes Hygiene kit Pain Relief and Wound Care Ibuprofen Urinary pain relief tablets Rinse-free bath wipes Wound care kit Children’s Health and Wellness Children’s Tylenol Diaper changing kit Menstrual Products Pads Tampons Diabetes Care Glucose tablets Testing Test My Drink sheets Pregnancy tests HIV and syphilis tests Looking to know more about Georgia Southern University's Care Station? Simply contact Georgia Southern's Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.

Mental health providers may have trouble detecting bulimia in patients, study finds

When presented with a vignette describing the behaviors and characteristics of a patient with disordered eating, only a quarter of mental health providers who participated in a new study were able to correctly diagnose bulimia nervosa. The findings from researchers at the University of Florida College of Public Health and Health Professions, part of UF Health, appear in the journal Eating Disorders. Two common, yet less-recognized, patient factors may have led to the misdiagnoses, said Dakota Leget, a doctoral student in the college’s Ph.D. program in clinical and health psychology, who conducted the study with her mentor, Rebecca Pearl, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology. The providers who participated in the study reviewed vignettes about a fictitious patient who was described as either having healthy weight or obesity and who used excessive exercise to compensate for overeating. Many patients with bulimia have average or higher body weight, yet misconceptions persist about the “typical” patient with bulimia, Leget said. “Unfortunately, we have stereotypes that someone with an eating disorder will look ‘very lean’ or ‘sickly,’ but we know that’s not the case for a lot of eating disorders,” she said. The study findings also suggest that providers may not associate excessive exercise with bulimia, despite the fact that it is listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as one of multiple compensatory strategies used by people with bulimia. “I think my biggest takeaway is that excessive exercise may not be on mental health providers’ radar and may be overlooked when patients are presenting for care,” Leget said. For the study, the researchers recruited a nationwide sample of more than 200 mental health providers to read two patient vignettes and then select a diagnosis and recommended number of treatment sessions from a dropdown list of options. The vignettes described fictitious patients who met full diagnostic criteria for their respective disorders, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Three-quarters of participants correctly diagnosed major depressive disorder in the first patient vignette, which served as a control. Participants were randomly assigned to receive one of two versions of the second vignette. In one version, the patient was described as having a healthy weight; in the second, the patient was described as having obesity. The other patient details were the same for both versions. The patient in the vignette reported she followed a strict diet a few days a week and engaged in a cycle of binge eating accompanied by excessive exercise. The vignette also described the patient’s thoughts and feelings about her appearance and how they affected her activities and relationships. Only 27% of providers correctly diagnosed the patient as having bulimia nervosa, and 38% of providers incorrectly diagnosed the patient with binge eating disorder. Correctly distinguishing between bulimia, binge eating or any other eating disorder is critical, the authors say, not only to ensure patients receive the right treatment, but also to appropriately monitor for other health effects, such as dangerously low sodium levels caused by excessive exercise. “If you are treating the wrong eating disorder, you might not be using the best evidence-based strategy,” Leget said. The findings also point to the need for more continuing education on eating disorders for mental health providers who may not have specialized training, Leget said. “Many people with eating disorders will probably be seen in outpatient settings and they may not be seen by someone with expertise in this area,” Leget said. “Early detection and treatment are crucial. If the community provider is able to detect an eating disorder they can treat that person or guide them to someone with the appropriate expertise so the patient gets the treatment they need sooner rather than later.”

Raised to Serve: How Georgia Southern’s Jaden Young Found His Calling to Lead

“Shoot for the stars.” That guiding mindset defines Jaden Young, a recent graduate of Georgia Southern University who has been commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Army. Young earned his master’s degree in professional communication and leadership at December commencement, carrying forward a lifelong connection to military service shaped by family tradition and constant movement. “If you shoot for the stars, even if you miss, you might land on the moon,” Young said, reflecting the ambition that has guided his academic and leadership journey. Raised in a military family, Young learned early how adaptability and exposure to different communities build resilience. Those lessons carried into his time in Army ROTC, where he credits the program with sharpening his discipline, confidence, and problem-solving skills. “The ROTC program instilled in me discipline, confidence and resilience… When things don’t go your way, it’s all about how you adapt and find a better solution,” he said. Young’s Georgia Southern experience also tested his perseverance beyond the classroom and training field, as he balanced graduate studies and ROTC commitments while supporting his mother through cancer treatments. Those challenges deepened his understanding of leadership as service rooted in trust, communication, and loyalty. As he prepares for the Basic Officer Leadership Course at Fort Benning, Young says he feels ready to lead soldiers with purpose—bringing together the lessons of his upbringing, education, and commitment to serve. Looking to know more about Georgia Southern University's Professional Communications and Leadership program? Simply contact Georgia Southern's Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.

New research partnership to develop biodegradable gloves from food waste for healthcare sector

Knowledge Transfer Partnership between Aston University and PFE Medical to develop a biodegradable clinical glove from food waste The gloves will provide a low-cost, convenient and sustainable alternative to the 1.4bn disposable gloves used in the NHS each year The innovation will reduce clinical waste and costs and help the NHS reach its net zero goals. Aston University and Midlands-based company PFE Medical are teaming up to create biodegradable gloves made from food waste for use in the NHS. They will offer a low-cost, convenient alternative to disposable gloves without compromising patient safety. More than 1.4bn disposable gloves are used by the NHS each year. They create large volumes of clinical waste which has both an environmental and economic cost. The Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) project will develop a more sustainable alternative made from polymers derived from food waste such as orange peel, able to degrade naturally. The gloves will initially be for use during low-risk tasks such as ultrasound scans, rather than in more critical situations such as operating theatres. The gloves would be designed to not only reduce clinical waste and costs in the NHS, but also carbon emissions, helping the NHS reach its goal to be the world’s first net-zero health service. With most personal protective equipment (PPE) currently sourced from Chinese manufacturers, the goal is to develop a biodegradable glove that can be manufactured using a UK supply chain. The challenging project draws on Aston University’s expertise in sustainable polymer chemistry, centred at Aston Institute for Membrane Excellence (AIME). Aston University has one of the largest research groups of polymer chemists in the UK. The project will be led at the University by Professor Paul Topham, director of AIME, and Dr James Wilson, AIME associate member. The research team have chosen to focus on polymers from food waste in order to ensure that the final product can be manufactured sustainably. Most polymers are currently made from petroleum. Polymers made from food waste, ranging from fruit waste to corn or dairy products, have the potential for antioxidant and antibacterial properties if designed appropriately. The team will manipulate the polymer molecules so that they include the right monomers (the smaller units which make up the molecules) in the right location to achieve the properties they require. Critical to the success of the project will be PFE Medical’s commercial and clinical experience of taking new innovations into medical use. It will be the third KTP between Aston University and PFE, following on from successful projects to develop an automated endoscope cleaner, now in use across University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB). Professor Topham said: “At Aston University, we have a long history of working with industry, of translating fundamental research into solutions for real world problems. This project with PFE Medical provides us with that route, to take our science and engineering and make a difference to peoples’ lives. That’s exactly where, as researchers, we want to be.” Rob Hartley, CEO of PFE Medical, said: “Our previous KTP with Aston University was a phenomenal success, thanks to the brilliant team we had on board. I’m just as excited by this project, which is looking to solve an equally long-standing problem. If we can achieve our goal, then the implications are huge, going far beyond the NHS to all the other situations where people are wearing disposable gloves.” KTPs, funded by Innovate UK, are collaborations between a business, a university and a highly qualified research associate. The UK-wide programme helps businesses to improve their competitiveness and productivity through the better use of knowledge, technology and skills. Aston University is a sector-leading KTP provider, ranked first for project quality, and joint first for the volume of active projects. For further details about this KTP, visit the webpage: www.aston.ac.uk/business/collaborate-with-us/knowledge-transfer-partnership/at-work/pfe-medical.

Why homelessness is more than a housing issue for students

More than 4,400 students in Delaware were identified as experiencing homelessness during the 2022–23 school year, a number that continues to rise.  Ann M. Aviles, associate professor in the University of Delaware’s College of Education and Human Development, studies education equity, social policy and services for children and families. She is co-author of a new book, "Serving Students Who Are Homeless: A Resource Guide for Schools, Districts, Educational Leaders, and Community Partners", which offers practical guidance for educators navigating the challenges of student homelessness. Nationwide, more than 1.3 million school-aged children experience homelessness annually. While housing instability is often viewed as a social services issue, research shows it has direct and profound consequences for student learning, engagement and well-being. Housing instability affects every aspect of a student’s daily life. Students may be worried about where they will sleep, whether they will have food or how they’ll get home after school. That uncertainty makes it much harder to focus on learning, Aviles said. A key recommendation in Aviles’ new book is stronger collaboration between schools and community organizations. She encourages districts to develop community resource maps that identify local food pantries, shelters, health providers and other support services. She also emphasizes the importance of public understanding of homelessness as a systemic issue shaped by policy, affordability and access to services. To speak with Aviles further, email mediarelations@udel.edu. 

The Doomscrolling Couple: Spending Time Together on Different Screens

In 2025, a lot of couples end their day the same way: lying in bed, each silently scrolling through an endless stream of bad news. They’re physically together, but emotionally somewhere else. Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist Gaea Woods sees this pattern constantly in her practice — and says doomscrolling has become a quiet third party in many relationships. “Phones are killing interpersonal relationships — not because tech is evil, but because we use it unconsciously at the moments connection matters most,” she says. “Even something as simple as being on your phone at dinner is a way to express, ‘I’m more interested in my phone than I am in you.’” Instead of talking about their day, fears, or plans, partners lie next to each other consuming the same distressing content, letting shared anxiety take the place of actual conversation. Research on doomscrolling backs up what Woods sees in the therapy room. Studies and reviews have found that compulsively consuming negative news online is linked with higher anxiety, depression, stress, sadness, and feelings of overwhelm, and even existential anxiety and pessimism about life. “Doomscrolling feels like you’re staying informed together,” Woods says, “but what’s really happening is that both nervous systems are getting more activated while neither partner is actually talking about what they’re feeling.” Relationship science adds another important piece: phubbing — phone snubbing during interactions. Multiple studies (including a recent meta-analysis published by Frontiers in Psychology) show that partner phubbing is associated with lower relationship and marital satisfaction, less intimacy and emotional closeness, and more conflict and jealousy. Woods describes what that looks like in real life: “You pick up your phone instead of saying, ‘That hurt my feelings.’ Your partner wonders, ‘Is she okay? Is he mad at me?’ and then they grab their phone too. Suddenly you’re two people on your phones instead of two people connecting.” Her core message for couples and for journalists covering modern relationships is that: scrolling together isn’t the same as being together. When screens become a third party at the table or in bed, intimacy quietly leaves the room. Featured Expert Gaea Woods, MA, LMFT – Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist specializing in digital dependency, intimacy and communication. She speaks to how doomscrolling and phone use act as a “third party” in relationships, why scrolling side-by-side increases emotional loneliness, and the practical phone rules that help couples rebuild genuine connection. Expert interviews can be arranged through the Offline.now media team.

Tracking rain patterns will improve hurricane forecasting, UF researcher finds

Studying the precipitation patterns in hurricanes may be key to predicting future storm patterns and their potential strength, a University of Florida researcher has found. Supported by a four-year, $212,000 grant from the National Science Foundation, Professor of Geography Corene Matyas, Ph.D. has identified the patterns of rain rates within storms and studied the moisture surrounding these storms. “We are hoping that, if we have a better prediction of moisture availability, that might help us forecast rain events with greater accuracy,” Matyas said. “The more we know about how storms develop, the more we can predict their path and magnitude.” The ideal stage for the perfect storm The potential for devastating high winds, storm surge and flooding poses an annual threat to Florida and its residents. With 1,350 miles of coastline and relatively flat geography that juts out to separate the warm waters of the southeast Atlantic and the Gulf, Florida creates the ideal stage for the perfect storm. Last year broke records with 18 named storms, including 11 hurricanes in the Atlantic basin and three major hurricanes making landfall along Florida’s coast. Early predictions are crucial to hurricane preparedness, allowing for increased response time and resource allocation, and hurricane modeling is essential for understanding these somewhat unpredictable storms. Advances in technology, data collection and the use of artificial intelligence in hurricane modeling have significantly impacted the ability to predict a storm’s path and strength more accurately. Artificial intelligence helps researchers understand hurricanes Matyas has completed two studies on this topic. The first study processed 12,000 images of rain rates from tropical storms and hurricanes in the Atlantic, using a machine learning algorithm called a convolutional autoencoder. Similar in use to image recognition software, the encoder broke the rain rate images down and simplified the patterns. Six main types, or clusters, of rainfall patterns for tropical cyclones were identified. At a presentation of the work to forecasters at the National Weather Service office in Jacksonville, the forecasters confirmed that one of the patterns matches what they typically see when late-season storms make landfall over Florida’s Gulf Coast. The second study used the autoencoder to process 4,600 images that represent the amount of moisture in the atmosphere extending 1,000 kilometers away from each hurricane. “We looked for commonalities in the patterns and found four dominant patterns of moisture that accompany Atlantic basin hurricanes,” Matyas said. “We found the biggest storms with the most moisture make the most landfalls, typically in the Caribbean and even in southern Florida. They also have a large moisture pool, giving them a bigger chance of heavy rainfall.” According to Matyas, three of the moisture patterns found in the second study were strikingly like those found in the earlier study that used fewer observations in a statistical analysis. With this use of AI, researchers can now recognize and understand these moisture patterns better, which can improve predictions about a storm’s intensity, its size and the amount of rainfall that will result from it. Early, accurate storm predictions allow Floridians time to prepare Rapid intensification – when, in a 24-hour period, a storm experiences a sudden drop in pressure and a dramatic increase in wind speed – creates much more of a challenge for forecasters. “We tend to boil down a hurricane to a set of coordinates which track the middle of a storm,” Matyas said. “And the fastest winds do focus there, but the moisture gets pulled from thousands of kilometers away and the system forces the moisture up. That moisture must go somewhere. So, the outer edges of the storm need to be understood more as well.” Matyas hopes these studies will help scientists classify rain patterns more accurately and consistently. Continued funding for research at public universities from federal agencies, such as the National Science Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, is essential for helping researchers develop tools to detect and predict severe weather events. Matyas is one of two UF faculty members among 18 national researchers named to the 2025 class of fellows by the American Association of Geographers. Matyas and UF Geography Department Chair Jane Southworth, Ph.D. were honored by the organization for their contributions in biogeography, geospatial analytics, soil science, community geography, climatology and other areas related to geography. “I look forward to this opportunity to contribute to the mission of the AAG in a more formal capacity, continuing to research how weather shapes our spaces and share knowledge of earth systems beyond the classroom and the written word to promote an inclusive society,” Matyas said.

“Designing Her Own Future: A Georgia Southern MBA Story”

After earning her Master of Business Administration from Georgia Southern University, one graduate is charting a path that blends creativity with business discipline. With a background in dressmaking, she entered the MBA program already skilled in her craft, but looking to strengthen the operational side of her work. “So much goes into dressmaking,” she explained. “From developing the pattern to the fabric you use, getting the right measurements, and so on. You have to make sure your stitches are clean, that the zipper is sitting properly.” While her technical skills were well developed, she quickly recognized that sustaining and growing her work required more than creative talent alone. “I didn’t have that business background,” she explained. “So I wanted to find a university program that could teach me how to structure and operate my business efficiently. So I started doing my research.” That search led her to Georgia Southern’s MBA program, where she immersed herself in coursework focused on strategy, leadership, and practical decision-making. Through the program, she gained the tools to think more systematically about her business—learning how to plan, organize, and scale her operations with confidence. Her experience reflects how graduate business education can empower entrepreneurs and creatives alike, transforming passion into sustainable practice and helping graduates design futures that work both artistically and professionally. Want to learn more about Georgia Southern's Master of Business Administration program? Simply contact Georgia Southern's Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.