Blogs - This Week In Public Health

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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Communication

Beyond “Trust the Science”: How Public Health Must Relearn How to Engage Communities

Public health is facing a paradox. On the one hand, never before has scientific evidence played such a visible role in public life. During COVID-19, epidemiological models shaped national policy. Scientists became household names. Research moved at historic speed. On the other hand, trust fractured. Scientists were harassed. Communities disengaged. Evidence was reframed as ideology. […]

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Wellbeing

How Pet Ownership Impacts Homeless Youth

It’s a busy morning at a Los Angeles drop-in center for homeless youth. Amid the bustle, a young girl named Sarah holds a small dog close, whispering reassuringly to it. Like many others at the center, Sarah relies on her pet for companionship and safety as she navigates the challenges of homelessness. This scenario is […]

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Why Climate Change Threatens Public Health

Global

The Growing Public Health Crisis in a Warming World

Climate change is no longer a distant environmental issue. Today, it directly affects how people live, work, and stay healthy. From rising temperatures to worsening air quality, why climate change threatens public health has become one of the most urgent questions facing communities worldwide. As weather patterns continue to shift, public health systems face increasing […]

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why are social determinants of health important

Society

Understanding the Real Impact of Social Determinants on Public Health

Public health is influenced by far more than hospitals, medications, and clinical care. In fact, many of the factors that shape our health happen long before we ever visit a doctor. This is why understanding why social determinants of health are important has become a central focus in modern public health discussions. Social determinants of […]

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Global

Who Monitors Disease Outbreaks Worldwide: A Guide to Global Disease Surveillance

In an interconnected world, diseases can cross borders faster than ever before. A local outbreak can quickly become a regional or even global concern. This reality raises an important question: who monitors disease outbreaks worldwide, and how do they manage such a complex responsibility? Behind every public health alert and safety advisory, there is a […]

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Environment

Understanding Climate Change and Its Growing Impact on Public Health

In an interconnected world, diseases can cross borders faster than ever before. A local outbreak can quickly become a regional or even global concern. This reality raises an important question: who monitors disease outbreaks worldwide, and how do they manage such a complex responsibility? Behind every public health alert and safety advisory, there is a […]

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AI

Avatars, Trust, and the Future of Virtual Healthcare

Imagine logging into a virtual hospital from your living room. Before you see a doctor, you design an avatar—choosing your hair, face, and clothes. It feels small, even cosmetic. But according to new research, that moment may determine whether you trust the system enough to use it again. As health systems face workforce shortages, aging […]

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Policy

Medicaid Unwinding Shifts Texas ED Payer Mix

Emily, a nurse at a bustling Texas emergency department (ED), watches as another wave of young patients comes through the doors. She has noticed a change lately: more of these children arrive without insurance. As she prepares to help a young boy struggling to breathe, she wonders how hospitals like hers will cope with the […]

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Workforce

Nurse Turnover: Bullying’s Hidden Cost

At a bustling hospital in Ghana’s Upper West Region, a young nurse stands at a crossroads, facing a challenging decision. The relentless whispers of discontent echo through the wards, surfacing as grim thoughts swirling in her mind: ‘Should I stay, or should I quit?’ This inner turmoil reflects a growing crisis in healthcare, one that […]

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Global

Over Half of Senegalese Face Violence—And the Costs Are Deadly

What Senegal’s First Nationwide Survey Reveals About Mental Health, Harm, and Prevention On a hot afternoon in Dakar, a community health worker knocks on doors—not to vaccinate or screen for malaria, but to ask harder questions. Has anyone here experienced violence? Have you felt so overwhelmed that life no longer feels worth living? For years, […]

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