Blogs - This Week In Public Health

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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Epi

SVI vs. ADI: What Public Health Practitioners Need to Know Since the CDC Removed SVI

TLDR; SVI and ADI overlap but measure different concepts: vulnerability vs deprivation Public health professionals often rely on composite indices to identify disadvantaged communities and guide interventions. Two prominent tools in this space are the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) and the Area Deprivation Index (ADI). Both indices measure socioeconomic and demographic disadvantage, but they were […]

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Global

New Insights on the Public Health Approach to Youth Violences

Picture this: a bustling neighborhood in inner London, where community leaders and public health professionals are fervently trying to reduce youth violence through a ten-year strategy known as ‘Lambeth Made Safer.’ This strategy faces the harsh reality that over 40% of global homicides occur among 15–29-year-olds, a significant statistic emphasized by the World Health Organization’s […]

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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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Society

Peer Outreach Transforms Veteran Care

In our editorial opinion, US veterans have been treated terribly since 1946. This makes interventions like the below that much more important. A veteran named John, battling homelessness and struggling with a substance use disorder, walks into a bustling veteran outreach center. He’s greeted by someone who understands his struggles firsthand—a peer specialist who has […]

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News

Unmasking Public Health’s Week: Navigating Coverage Complexities and Resurgent Measles

In this week’s public health landscape, the ever-evolving intricacies of American health coverage nd a persistent viral adversary take center stage. Let’s unpack the week by focusing on Medicare Supplement Plans, the complex realities of Medicaid policy changes, and the startling resurgence of measles despite a vaccine in our toolkit. Decoding Medicare Supplement Plans: More […]

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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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Research

Pregnancy Vaccine Significantly Reduces Baby Hospital Admissions for RSV

In an exciting development in maternal and child health, recent studies have confirmed the efficacy of a virus vaccine administered during pregnancy in significantly reducing the incidence of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-related hospital admissions for newborns. The RSV virus, a major cause of respiratory illness among infants, poses a significant health risk, leading to severe […]

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Epi

Death Data Discrepancies Can Compromise Health Insights

Picture This: A public health worker finds herself questioning the accuracy of a critical database as she prepares a report that could shape local health interventions. Her frustration grows when she realizes that the foundational data she relies on to track mortality rates—often considered simple—conceals hidden complexities. But she isn’t alone. Across institutions, similar discrepancies […]

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Epi

Psychiatric Drugs: Help, Harm, and Honesty

Psychiatric medications sit at one of the most difficult intersections in public health: suffering, science, identity, autonomy, evidence, and trust. For many people, these medications are helpful, stabilizing, and even lifesaving. For others, the experience is more complicated, involving side effects, emotional blunting, withdrawal, stigma, or the feeling that their pain was too quickly reduced […]

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Global

Mexico’s Leap into Pharmacogenomics

In a bustling hospital ward in Mexico City, Dr. Laura Hernández wrestles with a critical yet common issue—adverse drug reactions (ADRs). These medical events are the hidden adversary of international healthcare systems, responsible for approximately 7% of hospital admissions globally. But what if there was a way to anticipate these reactions before they occur? Enter […]

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