Kara Gavin
Research and Policy Media Relations Manager

Gavin draws on more than 25 years of experience in communicating about science, medicine and health policy. She focuses mainly on the health services research done by members of the U-M Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, who work to understand and improve the safety, quality, equity and affordability of health care. As part of the Michigan Medicine communication team, she has lead responsibility for primary care and mental health topics. Contact: [email protected]; Twitter: @Karag
Kara Gavin photo
Senior man bending while walking down wooden stairs holding onto rail
Health Lab
Visiting older relatives? Help spot and fix fall risks
Trips, slips and falls are a major cause of injury, hospitalization and death in older people but prevention can start with quick fixes in their homes that you can make during a holiday visit
 woman packing over bed in striped blue and white shirt
Health Lab
Many older Americans plan to take long trips soon, but may alter plans if COVID spikes at their destination
Many seniors plan to travel for the holidays and take long vacations in 2022 but need to keep COVID, telehealth rules and other health needs in mind.
 Doctor leaning against desk with clipboard in dark room with anxiety
Health Lab
Medical training takes a mental toll, but less of one than it did a decade ago
First-year medical residents, called interns, still face a high rate of depression but duty hour reductions in GME and better access to mental health care may have reduced their risk in the last decade.
 hospital bed drawing in blue ink on lined paper with yellow badge bottom right saying lab note in blue font
Health Lab
Coronavirus lurks and lingers in nursing home patients’ rooms
Rigorous surface cleaning needed to reduce chance of spread to unvaccinated and vaccinated-but-vulnerable patients, staff and visitors
 Stethoscope next to outline of family in red texture grit
Health Lab
Doctoring and parenting in a pandemic: Women bore the brunt
Women who are doctors and parents made more changes and experienced greater depression and anxiety during the pandemic than men who are physician-parents.
 doctor and doctor talking about a teen depressed over computers
Health Lab
A lifeline for primary care amid a crisis in youth mental health
Psychiatrists offer a lifeline for doctors and other providers offering mental health care in primary care settings for children, teens, young adults, pregnant women and new mothers.
 older woman bandage by doctor with mask on and she has a mask on
Health Lab
Which older adults are getting their flu shots and COVID boosters?
Flu vaccines have stayed out of politics but a new poll shows a new political divide over flu shots as well as COVID-19 vaccines, including boosters.
 masked woman with glasses smilling with red gauze on arm and nurse standing behind masked giving thumbs up
Health Lab
What it’s really like to give blood
Tips and advice for people donating blood for the first time or after a long time away from giving blood.
 drawing of pills in blue ink with lab note written on bottom right in yellow and navy blue
Health Lab
Overdose deaths involving cocaine or meth tripled in shadow of opioid crisis
Study in veterans shows many fatal overdoses involved multiple substances; 70% of those who died with stimulants in their systems hadn’t received addiction treatment recently.
News Release
Michiganders: Get risky leftover medications out of your house this Saturday, Oct. 23
On Saturday, Oct 23, 2022, Michigan residents in 16 counties have a chance to get opioids and other unused and expired prescription medications out of their medicine cabinets through 36 simultaneous events held around the state.
 100 dollar bill currency mask
Health Lab
Patients hospitalized for COVID-19 this year could pay thousands of dollars, study suggests
As insurance companies start charging members for hospital-related costs again, analysis of 2020 data shows what they might owe.
 Teal Piggy Bank with Stethoscope on Desk
Health Lab
Picking health insurance for 2022? Check this guide to avoid a common mistake
Health savings accounts and flexible spending accounts can help people have money on hand for medical expenses, and get a tax break too.
 man with blood pressure cuff talking to doctor on ipad
Health Lab
Telehealth continues to substitute for in-person care among older adults, but rural use lags
People over 65 have swapped telehealth visits for in-person care for a large percentage of their routine doctor visits, but those living in rural parts of the country are less likely to try a virtual visit through telemedicine
 senior woman walking with walker with woman by pond
Health Lab
Pandemic took a toll on older people serving as caregivers for loved ones
Caregivers who provide support for family or friends with chronic illness and disability were stressed, isolated and depressed during the pandemic’s early months.
 Older man looking at paper in kitchen while checking blood pressure
Health Lab
Many at-risk older adults aren’t checking blood pressure at home, or being encouraged to do so
Home blood pressure monitoring is important for people with hypertension or a history of stroke, heart failure, diabetes and heart attack, but a new poll shows many people don’t do it.
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