Reposted by Jenn DowdDon Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 09/10/2026My man ended USAID, condemning millions to death 594503894
Reposted by Jenn DowdPhilip N Cohen @philipncohen.com · 09/10/2026Is America in a demographic crisis? Demographers don’t think so. I conducted a survey of U.S. demographers, and this is what I found: 3%: “The low birth rate is a demographic crisis” 25%: "serious concern” 53%: "should be monitored, but no intervention necessary” 20% :“not a problem at all.” 26837
Reposted by Jenn DowdShelley Clark @shelleydclark.bsky.social · 07/10/2026The video recordings of the presentations from our conference, "Beyond Birth Rates: Advancing a Pro-Alignment Approach to Low Fertility in North America," are now available at this link. If you missed the conference, watch the outstanding work of our panelists! www.youtube.com/playlist?lis... 0127
Reposted by Jenn DowdKaren Benjamin Guzzo @karenguzzo.bsky.social · 08/10/2026“Without physically removing a single person, these rules would bureaucratically disappear millions of people from the national count. They would also strip away an important reference point against which claims of unequal treatment can be measured.”nytimes.comOpinion | The Census Counts Everyone. Trump Doesn’t Want That. (Gift Article)Rewriting the rules for counting the population is yet another way to marginalize minorities. 22912
Jenn Dowd @drjenndowd.bsky.social · 07/10/2026Hey y'all--There are signs the flu season is off to an unusually early start. This means I would amend my typical "by Halloween" advice-*now* is a good time to get your vaccine if you haven't already. Protection takes about 2 weeks to build up. Stay well! www.nature.com/articles/d41...nature.comFlu season could kick off ‘incredibly’ early — what scientists are watchingCases in the Northern Hemisphere are cropping up weeks early, and they are dominated by a virus with a concerning mutation. 03420
Reposted by Jenn Dowdtenuretracker.info @tenuretracker.bsky.social · 04/10/2026Max Planck Gesellschaft (@maxplanck.de) is hiring: Postdoctoral Researcher in Medical Demography #postdoc #demography #humansciences 112
Reposted by Jenn DowdMartin Enserink @martinenserink.bsky.social · 07/10/2026I asked plague scientists in France, the U.K. and the U.S. what they make of the death of a lab technician in Siberian. (Spoiler: There's absolutely no reason to worry about a plague epidemic.) www.science.org/content/arti... @science.orgscience.orgPossible plague death at a Siberian lab baffles scientistsMuch is unclear about the tragedy, but plague researchers say there is “zero” chance of an epidemic 34216
Reposted by Jenn DowdKaren Benjamin Guzzo @karenguzzo.bsky.social · 07/10/2026What a lovely tribute to the life of demographer Reynolds Farley, who passed away in September. I didn't know him personally, but his impact on demography is profound.psc.isr.umich.eduRemembering Reynolds Farley: An Expert on Detroit, the Census, and America’s Racial DivideANN ARBOR, Mich. — Reynolds (Ren) Farley, a sociologist and demographer who used Census data to illuminate the persistence of racial segregation in American cities, died on September 12, at 88. He was... 0135
Jenn Dowd @drjenndowd.bsky.social · 05/10/2026😂 Ok fair. I was referring to the less official "if we follow this trend forever we get to zero or infinity" flavor. 000
Reposted by Jenn DowdHampton Gaddy @hggaddy.bsky.social · 05/10/2026On 12 October, I'll be giving a seminar at @sociologyoxford.bsky.social. I'll be talking about missing data, Indigenous mortality during the 1918 flu, and the Alaskan census. Reach out if you want a hybrid link! www.sociology.ox.ac.uk/events/missi...sociology.ox.ac.ukMissing data and demographic structure obscure the inequality of Alaska Natives in the 1918 influenza pandemic12.45pm - 2pm 0117
Jenn Dowd @drjenndowd.bsky.social · 02/10/2026A treat to work w/ Ralph Lawton, @ermeara.bsky.social & Jonathan Skinner on this. This work made me realize I could probably spend the rest of my life just showing how changing age structure & other types of population composition affect associations we often take at face value. #demographyproblems 0206
Jenn Dowd @drjenndowd.bsky.social · 01/10/2026An FDA advisory panel voted in favor of a new blood test that screens for 50+ cancers. The idea is great, but the test has lots of false negatives & false positives, so use w/ caution, & it shouldn't replace conventional screening. Read more: jenndowd.substack.com/p/a-new-bloo... #medsky #episkyjenndowd.substack.comA New Blood Test to Screen for Cancer: Hope or Hype?As usual, it’s complicated. 0125
Reposted by Jenn DowdAlice Reid @amrcampop.bsky.social · 28/09/2026Interested in a PhD in historical demography/population studies at @camunicampop.bsky.social, @camunigeography.bsky.social, Cambridge University? We have 3 suggested topics (see thread): contact me to discuss, or to suggest your own idea. Apply by early December for funded places. 14548
Jenn Dowd @drjenndowd.bsky.social · 28/09/2026Well, I haven't skimmed much beyond that! I think they do acknowledge healthy LE expansion, but not sure how it is consistent with this work that concludes the length of healthy life grandparenthood is expanding faster than delayed grandparenthood: read.dukeupress.edu/demography/a...read.dukeupress.eduHealthy Grandparenthood: How Long Is It, and How Has It Changed? | Demography | Duke University Press 220
Reposted by Jenn DowdRebecca Sear @rebeccasear.bsky.social · 26/09/2026BBC's Today programme is currently contemporary fertility decline to the Black Death, and blaming women for the "disaster" because they're refusing to have kids with men under 6 feet tall <screams in demographer> 25214
Reposted by Jenn DowdRebecca Sear @rebeccasear.bsky.social · 26/09/2026Demography is a fascinating subject and definitely deserves plentiful public discussion but *please* Radio 4 consult an actual demographer occasionally 1346
Jenn Dowd @drjenndowd.bsky.social · 28/09/2026I was also pretty stunned by the wording of this NBER abstract 🫠. As @rcobooth.bsky.social lays out very nicely, there are many important questions to be explored here, but language, especially around reproductive choices, matters. substack.com/home/post/p-... #econsky #demographysubstack.comOn prospective grandparents(a tiresome thing from the internet this weekend, and some new stories) 33710
Jenn Dowd @drjenndowd.bsky.social · 22/09/20263/ Never underestimate the power of age structure! This dynamic could affect other risk-factor mortality associations when age distributions of risk shift. Great to work w/ lead author Ralph Lawton, @ermeara.bsky.social & Jonathan Skinner. academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/ar... #econsky #healthpolicyacademic.oup.comWhy the mortality penalty of smoking is rising over timeAbstract. The adverse association between smoking and mortality is well known, yet estimated risks for smokers have risen markedly in recent decades. Expla 041
Jenn Dowd @drjenndowd.bsky.social · 22/09/20262/ We find that growing smoking-mortality associations can largely be explained by the age composition of smokers shifting older, where mortality is higher. academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/ar... #demography #episky #publichealth @oxforddemsci.bsky.social @oxpop.bsky.social @nuffieldlibrary.bsky.socialacademic.oup.comWhy the mortality penalty of smoking is rising over timeAbstract. The adverse association between smoking and mortality is well known, yet estimated risks for smokers have risen markedly in recent decades. Expla 160
Jenn Dowd @drjenndowd.bsky.social · 22/09/20261/ New in @pnasnexus.org: Demography strikes again! The mortality penalty associated w/ smoking has seemingly grown over time. Speculation centered on biological reasons, like more intensive smoking, or more negative selection of smokers on other characteristics. academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/ar...academic.oup.comWhy the mortality penalty of smoking is rising over timeAbstract. The adverse association between smoking and mortality is well known, yet estimated risks for smokers have risen markedly in recent decades. Expla 1248
Jenn Dowd @drjenndowd.bsky.social · 22/09/2026And Laura Gimeno's paper on "Generational Health Drift" here: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.... @georgeploubidis.bsky.social @clscohorts.bsky.socialtandfonline.comThe generational health drift: A systematic review of evidence from the British birth cohort studiesLife expectancy in the UK improved dramatically during the twentieth century. Whether more recent generations are also living longer in good health has serious implications for healthcare systems a... 061
Jenn Dowd @drjenndowd.bsky.social · 22/09/20262/ Read @leahrabrams.bsky.social, @octaviobramajo.bsky.social, @alysonvanraalte.bsky.social's cool paper here: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...pnas.orgInsights into US life expectancy stagnation from birth cohort mortality dynamics | PNASUS life expectancy remained essentially flat in the 2010s. This trend has occurred in the presence of advancing innovations in medical care, especi... 140
Jenn Dowd @drjenndowd.bsky.social · 22/09/2026Ha yes, I know, that was meant to represent our existing assumptions of everyone always looking younger/healthier 010
Jenn Dowd @drjenndowd.bsky.social · 22/09/2026For decades, it's been a truism that younger generations are healthier & live longer (on average) than their parents' generation. Sadly, there are signs that our health may be "drifting" backward. Read more about "generational health drift": jenndowd.substack.com/p/is-50-the-... #demography 31911
Reposted by Jenn DowdGen Wojcik @genandgenes.bsky.social · 22/09/2026Important piece from the international perspective. Eugenics (w/ or w/o genetic tools) harms regardless of scientific validity. To add, this described shift is already happening (or in our domestic case, we never left this hellscape). It’s just a matter of degrees and it can always get worse. 094
Reposted by Jenn DowdCorey Sparks @coreysparks1.bsky.social · 22/09/2026I’m recruiting a PhD student to come work with me at UT San Antonio. I have 3 years of support, so this would be good for someone with a masters degree. If you’re interested in working on Bayesian methods in demographic research, spatial analysis, and using AI tools for social science research 0108
Reposted by Jenn DowdNuffield College Library @nuffieldlibrary.bsky.social · 21/09/2026The impact of an ageing population on pandemic risk in England doi.org/10.64898/202... @medrxivpreprint.bsky.social preprint co-authored by @nuffieldcollege.bsky.social members @thomrawson.bsky.social, @dvaldenegro.bsky.social, @drjenndowd.bsky.social & @melindacmills.bsky.social 021
Reposted by Jenn DowdLeslie Root @lesja.bsky.social · 18/09/2026good news, everyone (h/t @drjenndowd.bsky.social) 2304
Jenn Dowd @drjenndowd.bsky.social · 14/09/2026With increased measles transmission, you may want to check whether a top-up is recommended: jenndowd.substack.com/p/measles-is...jenndowd.substack.comMeasles is Back. Do you need another vaccine?Maybe…if you can still remember your childhood best friend’s phone number by heart. 051
Jenn Dowd @drjenndowd.bsky.social · 14/09/2026A virus that wipes out your existing immune memory.....yep, measles is THAT bad. jenndowd.substack.com/p/dont-you-f... #episky #medsky #publichealthjenndowd.substack.comDon’t You Forget About Me(asles): The Virus That Erases Immune MemoryMeasles vaccination protects your entire immune history. 13510
Reposted by Jenn DowdThose Nerdy Girls @thosenerdygirls.bsky.social · 11/09/2026When should you get your flu shot? Anytime is good, but October may be best. This post is a collaboration with Data for Health @drjenndowd.bsky.social, Those Nerdy Girls, and the Dartmouth International Vaccine Initiative.jenndowd.substack.comWhen should you get your flu shot?Anytime is good, but October may be best. 351
Reposted by Jenn DowdEwa Batyra @ewabatyra.bsky.social · 08/09/2026One more week left to apply for a 3-year postdoc in Demography (deadline: Sept 16, 12:00 midday UK time). Join me at the Sociology Department in Oxford to study global fertility change as part of the DIVREP project! 👇 01014
Reposted by Jenn DowdKaren Benjamin Guzzo @karenguzzo.bsky.social · 10/09/2026Important new work finding that value change doesn't seem to be driving declining fertility in Europe. This counters arguments that declining fertility must be driven by shifting values when macroeconomic factors fail to explain changes. doi.org/10.1111/padr... 051
Reposted by Jenn DowdA Jean Stevenson @amandajean.bsky.social · 09/09/2026Come learn about reproductive process models, demographic data, and more in Boulder or online Nov. 11-13. Apply to join me, @lesja.bsky.social, and legend Jane Menken, with talks from others working in this area. Being wrong about birthrates is easy. But being right isn't *too* hard and we'll help!docs.google.comReproductive Demography WorkshopWorkshop dates: Wednesday, November 11th - Friday, November 13th, 2026 The Colorado Fertility Project and CUPC are pleased to announce a workshop for graduate students and early-career researchers wh... 12917
Reposted by Jenn DowdRoland Pierik @roleo.eurosky.social · 08/09/2026The number of cases of cervical cancer reported in Scotland among women given the HPV vaccine at 12-13 years of age is now zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. Zero. www.bbc.com/news/article...bbc.comNo cervical cancer cases in fully HPV-vaccinated women in ScotlandA study published by Public Health Scotland finds that the HPV vaccine is "highly effective". 6461312286
Jenn Dowd @drjenndowd.bsky.social · 09/09/2026While you shouldn't overthink the timing (just get it!), getting a flu shot closer to Halloween may give you slightly better protection. #episky #medsky #publichealth #healthpolicy jenndowd.substack.com/p/when-shoul...jenndowd.substack.comWhen should you get your flu shot?Anytime is good, but October may be best. 071
Reposted by Jenn DowdPhilip N Cohen @philipncohen.com · 06/09/2026Ah, I remember this post by @alisongemmill.bsky.social now: (Yes I do go round and round all day, why do you ask)linkedin.comAre Gen Z women really becoming infertile?A recent Federal Reserve working paper argues that rising “impaired fecundity” among younger women — especially Gen Z — may be contributing to declining U.S. 282
Reposted by Jenn DowdJonathan Howard @joho.bsky.social · 05/09/2026Yessciencebasedmedicine.orgRFK Jr. is a Creepy Weirdo Obsessed with Teenagers’ SpermKennedy’s sperm obsession combined with his desire for healthy "Trump babies" to serve in a military led by a White supremacist, whom he believes to be a divinely anointed, testosterone-filled über 23412
Reposted by Jenn DowdRebecca Sear @rebeccasear.bsky.social · 05/09/2026"The links between Malthusianism and longtermism/effective altruism suggest that the latter will have just as damaging consequences as the reproductive injustices propelled by overpopulation panic" poppanic.substack.com/p/longtermis...poppanic.substack.comLongtermism and Effective AltruismToday’s tech elite ideologies are generating underpopulation panic. How do they compare to Malthusianism? 0123
Jenn Dowd @drjenndowd.bsky.social · 04/09/2026Great question- I don't know the details, but I think one strategy may be to offer a trial to age groups not already eligible for some reason in certain health systems. I know one trial is registered in Finland: euclinicaltrials.eu/ctis-public/...euclinicaltrials.euClinical Trials in the European Union - EMA 030
Jenn Dowd @drjenndowd.bsky.social · 02/09/2026Some updates on the shingles vaccine & dementia front-- a pleasure to collaborate w/ the amazing @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/p/does-the-s... #episky #medsky #publichealth #healthpolicyyourlocalepidemiologist.substack.comDoes the shingles vaccine prevent dementia?It’s a little complicated 1153
Jenn Dowd @drjenndowd.bsky.social · 02/09/2026I think you first put me on to this paper… I now recommend it often!! 010
Reposted by Jenn DowdRebecca Sear @rebeccasear.bsky.social · 26/08/2026Nature has published a tribute to Dolly Parton 💔 www.nature.com/articles/d41...nature.comDolly Parton dies aged 80 – researchers celebrate her contributions to scienceThe country singer was an advocate for vaccines, public health, literacy and marginalized communities. 117877
Reposted by Jenn DowdEric Turkheimer @ent3c.bsky.social · 26/08/2026Blog post: The Cofnas Manifesto: The social consequences of hereditarianism.ericturkheimer.substack.comThe Cofnas ManifestoThe social consequences of hereditarianism 32715
Reposted by Jenn DowdClara Jeffery @clarajeffery.bsky.social · 26/08/2026Gift link to tribute by Jad Abrumad, creator of Radiolab and Dolly Parton’s America www.nytimes.com/2026/08/25/o...nytimes.comOpinion | What Dolly Parton Told Me (Gift Article)Trailing Dolly Parton around the world, I witnessed so many small moments in which she’d gracefully own her power without the slightest hint of fight. 314145