Blogs - This Week In Public Health

AI

How to Use AI Like a Public Health Pro: A Practical Guide to Prompting Trawly

Artificial intelligence is quickly becoming part of everyday public health work. But here’s the truth that most people miss: The value you get from AI depends almost entirely on how you ask the question. At PubTrawlr, we built Trawly to help public health professionals cut through noise, synthesize evidence, and make faster decisions. But like […]

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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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AI

AI’s Evolving Role in Public Health Policy

As the sun set over City Hall, Mayor Thompson sat at his desk, poring over the daily briefings with a heightened sense of urgency. The COVID-19 pandemic had shifted many public health decisions from the experts to his office, leaving him with complex decisions that juggled public health, economic stability, and political accountability. Fortunately, he […]

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Research

Boosting Drug Recycling: What’s Driving Success?

Imagine a world where expired drugs don’t pile up in medicine cabinets and eventually in our landfills, where their harmful effects seep into ecosystems. Instead, these drugs find their way to proper recycling channels. Picture a bustling community pharmacy, bustling with residents dropping off their expired or unused medications, supported by store staff eager to […]

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AI

AI Tailors Medical Discharge Letters

Imagine a nurse sitting at her desk, overwhelmed by a stack of medical paperwork, each containing a discharge letter that’s more complex and impersonal than the last. In today’s fast-paced healthcare environment, these letters are crucial for ensuring patients receive seamless care after leaving the hospital. However, their length and complexity often hinder healthcare professionals […]

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News

Vaccine Vigilance Lost: Pennsylvania’s Public Health in Peril

Just a couple of decades ago, Pittsburgh’s Arsenal Elementary was the frontline of a historic triumph: a sprawling trial of Jonas Salk’s polio vaccine that helped defeat a devastating epidemic. Today, in a tragic echo, the very same schools that once pioneered medical breakthroughs are at high risk of harboring measles outbreaks, a preventable disease […]

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Social media analysis

Social Media’s Health Marketing Trap: What’s at Stake?

A high school student scrolls through her social media feed. Between photos of friends and trending memes, a post catches her eye: a new herbal supplement that claims to boost fitness without exercise. Intrigued, she clicks the link, influenced by the influencer’s perfect physique and accessible tips. How Digital Misinformation is Shaping Health Decisions In […]

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Environment

Minimum Wage and the Public Health Workforce

Raising the minimum wage in public health isn’t just about pay. It’s about quality vs reach. Higher wages can improve care but may reduce how many people get served. Here’s what the evidence suggests.

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AI

AI Governance and Planetary Health

Imagine a day in the life of Jane, a public health official in a bustling city. Sitting in her office, she reviews climate data pouring in from various AI systems. Yet, she pauses, concerned about the immense energy these data centers consume and the ethical implications of automated decision-making systems. Is the digital toolset she’s […]

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Global

War’s Health Crisis in Gaza

On a bustling morning in Gaza, amidst the din of ambulances and crumbling infrastructure, a healthcare worker stood helpless outside a half-demolished hospital. The scene was one of despair. Broken equipment, long patient queues, and children missing lifesaving vaccines. This is daily life in the Gaza Strip, where the consequences of war extend far beyond […]

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Uncategorized

Saturday is Drug Takeback Day

Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet: Why Pennsylvania’s Drug Take-Back Day Matters Every year, Pennsylvania residents have a simple but powerful opportunity to protect their families and communities: Drug Take-Back Day. It may seem like a small act, but safely disposing of unused medications can play a major role in preventing addiction, misuse, and accidental harm. […]

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