New IPR Research: May 2025
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This month’s new research from our faculty experts investigates the impact of school shootings on students' mental health and low-income and medically under-resourced populations' access to diabetes care. It also looks at age differences and romantic attraction and whether discussions between friends can reduce polarization around climate change.
Health Inequalities
The Impact of School Shootings on Students’ Mental Health
In 2024 alone, 330 school shootings occurred in the U.S., according to the K-12 School Shooting Database. In AEA Papers and Proceedings, IPR economists Molly Schnell and Hannes Schwandt and colleagues investigate the lasting impacts of school shootings on students’ mental health. The researchers focused on 15 fatal school shootings that occurred between February 2009 and January 2013, pulled from The Washington Post’s school shooting database. Using the IQVIA Longitudinal Prescription Data (LRx) database, they compared trends in prescriptions written within a five-mile radius of a school shooting to those written in an area 10 to 15 miles away. They looked at medications commonly used to treat trauma, including antidepressant, antipsychotic, and antianxiety medications, prescribed to children between the ages of five and 19 at the time of the shooting. The researchers found that following a fatal school shooting, the use of prescription drugs to treat mental illnesses increased by more than 25% among children living near the incident, especially those who were not previously taking any prescriptions for mental health conditions. This remained true five and a half years later, showing the long-term consequences of school shootings. The researchers recommend implementing and encouraging policies that support survivors of school shootings, as well as exploring and adopting policies that can prevent shootings from occurring in the first place.
Access to Diabetes Care for All Communities
Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) is a technology that continuously tracks blood sugar levels through a small sensor under the skin. CGM is a powerful tool for managing diabetes, but many patients who could benefit from it do not have access. In JAMA Network Open, endocrinologist and IPR associate Amisha Wallia and colleagues examine CGM prescription rates from 2014 to 2021 in federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), which serve low-income and medically under-resourced populations. The researchers found that among the more than 36,000 patients in their study, CGM prescriptions were rare: Only 11% of patients with type 1 diabetes and 1% of those with type 2 diabetes received one. Black and Hispanic patients were significantly less likely to receive CGM prescriptions than White patients, and those without insurance had lower odds of getting one compared to privately insured patients. Among patients with type 2 diabetes, those with higher blood sugar levels and more diabetes complications were more likely to be prescribed CGM. The authors highlight the need to understand and address barriers—such as cost, provider awareness, or systematic issues— preventing access to CGM in FQHCs. Since Medicaid is the primary insurer in FQHCs, changes in Medicaid policy could have the greatest impact on expanding CGM access, improving diabetes outcomes for all populations.
Education and Human Development
Age Differences and Romantic Attraction
In heterosexual relationships, men are older than their partners on average, and they tend to express a preference to date younger women; women, meanwhile, express a preference to date older men. A new study by IPR social psychologist Eli Finkel and his colleagues published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences investigates whether these stated preferences hold true in in-person interactions. The researchers analyzed data from Tawkify, a U.S.-based matchmaking company, from 6,262 adults who were set up on 4,542 blind dates between October 2023 and January 2024. When signing up, participants were asked the maximum age they were seeking in a partner, with women reporting an average maximum of 53.7 years old and men reporting an average maximum of 48 years old. After each date, participants rated their date and said how much they agreed with statements like “I enjoyed spending time with my date,” “I was attracted to my date,” and “My date seemed like a great romantic partner for me.” Their survey responses revealed that both male and female participants were slightly more attracted to younger partners, meaning there may be a difference between the preferences women express and the actual desire they experience in the presence of a potential romantic partner. However, the study only examined initial attraction, not whether people entered relationships, which may explain the discrepancy. This evidence is the first of its kind to show both men and women are attracted to youth at initial meetings.
Policy Discourse and Decision Making
Discussions Between Friends Can Reduce Polarization Around Climate Change
Attitudes about climate change are deeply polarized, but can people who know one another talk about this issue in a productive way? In a recent study, IPR political scientist Mary McGrath explores whether structured, collaborative discussions between friends and family members with opposing views on climate change could reduce polarization. Conducted from May to June 2023, the research included 16 participants—pairs of friends or family members with one climate skeptic, who doubted the science behind climate change, and one climate advocate, who believed that we need to act now to stop climate change. Over four weeks, the pairs engaged in virtual discussions using a guided framework based on excerpts from a book about climate change. Survey results before and after the intervention revealed a significant decrease in polarization, particularly among climate skeptics. This change lasted up to three months later. The climate skeptics were more likely to acknowledge climate change as a pressing issue and to support action by the president and Congress. The key to the success of these discussions was the collaborative approach, with participants aiming to understand each other’s views and fostering mutual respect without a competitive desire to “win” the conversation. The evidence suggests that these kinds of guided conversations can be productive even with deeply held opposing beliefs, offering hope for future dialogue on divisive political topics.
Photo credit: Unsplash
Published: May 15, 2025.
