Research Library

Vaccines are one of the most successful and significant public health measures in the 20th century. However, since the COVID-19 pandemic, they have become more politicized. A new Science and Technology Program report analyzes the vaccine-voting records of state legislators with health backgrounds, finding that party affiliation is a significant predictor of voting behavior.

Mosquito-borne viruses and parasitic illnesses not only are expected to become America’s new normal, especially in the Southern U.S., but also carry a pandemic-level threat. Should this happen, it could exert an enormous public health and socioeconomic toll, especially on the Gulf Coast. In response, the U.S. needs to implement modern biotechnology approaches for disease surveillance and prevention as part of its pandemic strategies, writes fellow Peter J. Hotez.

A survey of Houston area high school students finds the highest levels of depression occur among older students and transgender youth. This issue brief from the Child Health Policy Program explains how demographic factors affect survey outcomes, noting that school absenteeism and behavioral issues are also associated with students’ poor mental health.

Amid U.S. efforts to strengthen supply chains and counterbalance China’s growing influence, Mexico is poised to benefit from “nearshoring,” writes scholar Adrian Duhalt. This brief explores how the Inflation Reduction Act and rising trade tensions between the U.S. and China could help Mexico secure its top trading position with the U.S. for years to come.

The American food supply chain is at risk due to increased farmworker shortages. This new brief explains the issues and suggests policy options to meet the needs of, and for, these vital workers.

The House recently passed the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act (TRAFWA) of 2024, which aims to provide tax relief to businesses and families with children in a fiscally responsible manner. But, as fellow John W. Diamond’s new commentary explains, if the bill succeeds, it would instead deliver more reckless tax giveaways while further delaying a real effort to deal with the consequences of poor fiscal policy.

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed a gap in our ability to track and stop the spread of infectious diseases. With funding from the National Science Foundation, a Rice University research team is engineering bacteria to sustainably and continuously monitor wastewater for viruses.

Supply chains: what are the alternatives if climate change restrictions on transiting the Panama Canal become a regular occurrence?

The creation of a new industry of brain capital technologies could stimulate major economic activity, create jobs, and contribute to technological advances for the U.S. and its allies, write Harris Eyre, Rachel Meidl and co-authors.

This report evaluates the pandemic’s effect on the religious lives, mental health and views of government of Muslims across five predominantly Muslim countries.