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Category: commentary

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Commentary

Microplastics, Public Health, and the Problem of Proof

Microplastics are no longer just an environmental story. They are becoming a public health story. Tiny plastic particles have been found in water, food, air, human tissue, and even parts of the body where we once assumed they would not appear. At the same time, many chemicals associated with plastics — including PFAS, phthalates, bisphenols, […]

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Commentary

“Gold-Standard Science” Sounds Good. But Public Health Needs Better Than a Slogan.

Would you like me to talk about my favorite shibboleth right now? Sure, why not!? The federal government is proposing major changes to how grants and cooperative agreements are awarded, reviewed, monitored, and potentially terminated. On the surface, the language sounds familiar and hard to oppose: transparency, accountability, oversight, merit, efficiency, and better stewardship of […]

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Commentary

Fluoridation in U.S. Public Water Supplies: History, Science, and Debunking Myths

Community water fluoridation in the United States is a public health policy with a remarkable legacy – praised as a milestone in preventive medicine and credited with dramatically reducing dental decay, yet persistently targeted by conspiracy theories and misinformation. For over 75 years, public health and dental professionals have advocated adjusting fluoride levels in drinking […]

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Commentary

When the World Cup Becomes a Public Health Test

In June 2026, the world’s largest sporting event will arrive in North America, with matches spread across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. For the United States, the FIFA World Cup is not just a sports spectacle. It is a stress test for immigration systems, public health preparedness, disease surveillance, risk communication, and the country’s […]

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Commentary

The Mind-Body Connection and Mental Health: A Public Health Response

Mental health is often treated as something that lives only in the brain. But that framing is too small. In a recent episode of The Secretary Kennedy Podcast, Dr. Ellen Vora discussed the “mind-body connection,” arguing that anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges are shaped by sleep, nutrition, inflammation, blood sugar, social connection, technology, […]

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Commentary

Why “Barriers and Facilitators” Is Not Enough in Public Health

In public health, we love to ask a very, very familiar question: What are the barriers and facilitators? It is a useful question. It helps us listen. It helps us organize what people are experiencing. It gives researchers, evaluators, and program leaders a way to summarize messy real-world conditions. When a new program struggles, we […]

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Commentary

What Mike Tyson Gets Right (and Wrong) About Food and Health Equity

In April 2026, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. launched The Secretary Kennedy Podcast, a government-backed platform designed to bring public health conversations directly to the public. On its surface, the pitch is compelling: cut through bureaucracy, speak plainly, and confront the chronic disease crisis head-on. The show blends legitimate public health concerns with sweeping claims about government […]

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AI

The Future of Plain Language Summaries

Imagine a health journal editor, faced with the challenge of democratizing access to complex medical research. The stakes are high: how do we ensure that everyone, from policymakers to patients, understands the latest health findings? This scene sets the stage for a critical discussion of Plain Language Summaries (PLSs) — a tool for making scientific […]

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Commentary

The “Research–Practice Gap” in Implementation Science: A Problem We May Have Created Ourselves

For decades, implementation science has tried to answer a simple but stubborn question: Why does it take so long for research to improve real-world practice? In healthcare, education, and social services, researchers often produce powerful evidence—but practitioners struggle to apply it consistently. A new commentary published in Global Implementation Research and Applications argues something surprising: […]

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Commentary

Public Health Pulse: Defending Data, Nourishing Communities, and Tech That Cares

This week’s public health news reminds us that robust systems—from policy to technology to nutrition—are essential for safeguarding the well-being of our communities. Whether it’s a political battle over federal agency funding, urgent calls to protect vital health programs, or innovations in health IT, these stories reveal how multiple forces converge to either bolster or […]

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Analytics

Mapping High Social Vulnerability, Rural Poverty, and Healthcare Organizations

If you want to understand American healthcare, don’t start with hospital rankings. Start with geography. We analyzed 4,523 non-profit healthcare organizations operating across 1,508 U.S. counties. For each county, we examined three structural markers: the CDC’s Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), rural classification, and the presence of high-poverty census tracts. The goal was simple. Are healthcare […]

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Commentary

The 2026 State of the Union: What It Means for Health and Public Health

In his February 24, 2026, State of the Union address, President Donald Trump devoted significant attention to issues that directly affect health, public health systems, and the social conditions that shape well-being in the United States. While the speech was framed around economic revival, border security, and national strength, it included several major claims and […]

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