Public Health On Call

In the year since George Floyd's murder, there have been calls for police reform, record voter turnout for a Presidential election, and 360 bills with restrictive voting provisions introduced by legislators in 47 states. Guest host Dr. Rachel Thornton of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Equity talks with democracy and elections expert Kareem Crayton about which elected officials are in positions to enact police reform, how community members can hold those officials accountable, the challenges of redistricting, and the importance of protecting voter rights.

George Floyd's murder had an impact on our collective consciousness, and racism by itself is a "biopsychosocial stressor." Guest host Dr. Rachel Thornton of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Equity talks with Dr. Wizdom Powell of the UConn Health Disparities Institute about the potential for mental health fallout from increased racialized violence, the impacts of trauma, the "adultification" of Black youths, and how the concepts of radical love and radical healing can help mend America's deep wounds associated with the legacy of racism.

Graduation is May 25 at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Dr. Josh Sharfstein talks with soon-to-be Dr. Asari Offiong, an expert in the health and wellbeing of adolescents. Dr. Offiong talks about how she came to study public health, how she experienced the tragedy of the pandemic, and how she sees the future.

Where are we in terms of technology in testing for COVID-19? What kinds of tests are available now, how accurate are they, and which tests should be used in different circumstances? Will workplaces require testing? What about schools in the fall? How accurate are over-the-counter COVID tests? Dr. Gigi Gronvall from the Center for Health Security returns to the podcast to talk with Stephanie Desmon about these questions and more on COVID-19 testing. Access the Testing Toolkit mentioned in the podcast here.

Are school closures helpful in preventing outbreaks of COVID-19? Epidemiologist Justin Lessler and statistician researcher Elizabeth Stuart co-authored a recent research paper looking at the risk of COVID-19 in households where a child attended in-person schooling. They talk with Stephanie Desmon about what they learned.

Families in the US are ready for rest and fun this summer after a very long year. But with unvaccinated children and changing guidance for vaccinated adults, how can families plan ahead for summer camps and travel? Guest host Dr. Colleen Barry talks with epidemiologist Dr. Keri Althoff, and Lisa David, director of an overnight camp in Pennsylvania, about COVID safety this summer and making sure that kids, who have been through so much over the last year, have a summer of fun and joy. Note: Dr. Althoff references this framework which has been updated to reflect changing guidance on vaccinations and masks.

Mass shootings are very rare, but they receive a lot of media attention and have enormous social costs. Guest host Dr. Daniel Webster, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Prevention and Policy, talks with Dr. Jillian Peterson from Hamline University and Dr. James Densley from Metropolitan State University about The Violence Project, research that collects data about the life history of mass shooters and their psychological profiles. They discuss what they've learned, how this research can inform interventions, and why evidence suggests that many of the ways we're currently trying to prevent violence are all wrong.

The Affordable Care Act was meant to bring the US into alignment with every other developed country in offering universal health coverage. Author Jonathan Cohn joins Dr. Josh Sharfstein to talk about how a health care law that has been debated since the 1930s finally gained traction under Obama and insured millions of people with serious health conditions, and yet leaves so much undone. The Affordable Care Act is a story of just how hard policy change in the US can be. Note: You do not have to have read Cohn's book to enjoy this conversation.

Nepal is suffering from a growing humanitarian crisis. Less than 4% of the country is vaccinated, test positivity rates are up to 60-90% in some areas, and outside of capital Kathmandu, ICU care is extremely hard to find. Binita Adhikari, executive director of Health Foundation Nepal, and Anup Subedee, an infectious disease physician in Kathmandu, talk with Josh Sharfstein about what contributed to Nepal's COVID-19 crisis and what the world needs to do to help. Please consider donating to one of these nonprofits: Health Foundation Nepal, America Nepal Medical Foundation, and the Nepal Development Society.

Mental health impacts from climate change are largely thought of as acute exposures to extreme events like hurricanes and wildfires. But there are other concerns like chronic "ecological grief" and anticipated "eco-anxiety." Dr. Jura Augustinavicius from the Center for Humanitarian Health talks with Stephanie Desmon about research at the intersection of mental and environmental health, and why something that is felt at an individual level needs to be addressed at the macro level of companies and governments.