The Bruno Brief: The science behind 'Keeney Cough'

About this episode

This episode explores the prevalence of respiratory illnesses among college students, particularly focusing on the phenomenon known as 'Keeney Cough'.

First-year flu, “Metcough,” “Keeney Cough” — it’s called a number of names, but they all signal one thing: Illness is in the air. About 35% of all college students in the United States were reported to be diagnosed with a cold or other respiratory illness in the past year. On College Hill, as the leaves change color and a chill creeps into the air, the wave of sickness among students seemingly mirrors these national statistics. In this episode of the Bruno Brief, we explore what the sci...

Topics covered

• college health
• respiratory illness
• flu season
• student wellness
• Keeney Cough

Keywords

• Keeney Cough
• respiratory illness
• college students
• flu
• Metcough
• health statistics

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Brown Daily Herald

Places: United States, College Hill

More episodes of BDH Studios

• Hustle on the Hill: Shop Bloom is reimagining what it means to shop local · April 1, 2026 · 8 min
• The Bruno Brief: The Herald's illustrators add an artistic flair to their stories · March 9, 2026 · 7 min
• The Bruno Brief: How The Herald covered a Jan. 30 demonstration against ICE with over 1000 attendees · February 24, 2026 · 6 min
• Hustle on the Hill: Las Delicias brings Bolivian flavors to Rhode Island · February 19, 2026 · 4 min
• The Bruno Brief: The first snow at Brown in photos · February 16, 2026 · 8 min
• Bear With Me: Brown Rise Up · December 13, 2025 · 22 min