Blogs - This Week In Public Health

Commentary

Destined to Suffer. How Prosperity Theology Is Shaping U.S. Health Policy

What if your health wasn’t just a matter of biology or economics, but of divine judgment? For centuries, American culture has been shaped by an unspoken theology: that the healthy are favored, and the sick are suspect. Today, as proposed cuts to Medicaid target the most vulnerable, it is worth asking. Are we still living […]

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Health equity

Are We Measuring Health Equity All Wrong?

Picture this: a city rolls out a new school-based nutrition program. Kids are encouraged to eat more fruits and vegetables, teachers add fun lessons on healthy food choices, and the results look great—at least on paper. Test scores tick upward, and obesity rates decline. But dig deeper, and a troubling pattern emerges. The biggest improvements […]

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Uncategorized

The Gut Microbiome and Long-term Public Health

Public health is not just influenced by present conditions but is significantly impacted by past factors, including medication usage. Recent research shines a light on how medication affects the gut microbiome, potentially shaping health outcomes years later. The link between our gut flora and long-term health is more profound than previously understood, and it underscores […]

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Epi

A Surge in Antibiotic Resistance

Understanding the Rising Threat of Antibiotic Resistance The landscape of public health is facing a seismic shift due to the escalating threat of antibiotic resistance. Recent data, encapsulated by a report from the World Health Organization (WHO), highlights a grim reality: one in six bacterial infections globally are now resistant to standard antibiotics. This growing […]

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Mental health

65% of Migrants Report Loneliness—Why Communities Aren’t Ready

Loneliness has been called an “epidemic” by governments in the U.K., U.S., Japan, and elsewhere. It’s linked to depression, anxiety, cardiovascular disease, and even early mortality. For public health professionals, loneliness is not a soft social issue—it’s a modifiable risk factor with tangible health impacts. The Assyrian case is instructive because it reflects patterns found […]

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AI

Who Controls What AI Knows? The New Gatekeepers of Information

In the age of generative AI, not all information is created equal — or equally visible. A new analysis from Fractl reveals that a handful of publishers now dominate the “knowledge base” behind AI assistants like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot. These partnerships between AI companies and major media outlets are reshaping who and what gets […]

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Implementation

17 Years: Why Communities Still Struggle to Put Research into Action

Across the U.S., health departments spend millions training providers, distributing toolkits, and launching new prevention programs. Yet, years later, adoption often lags. For example, clinics may struggle to integrate smoking cessation interventions despite robust evidence that they save lives. Why? Because programs don’t just need to work in theory—they must be delivered efficiently, affordably, and […]

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News

Next Week in Public Health, October 16, 2025

Some temporary good news. A federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from laying off federal workers during the ongoing two-week government shutdown, ruling that the administration’s “reductions in force” violated federal law. Judge Susan Illston criticized the administration for exploiting the shutdown to bypass legal constraints and restructure the government. So, we’ll take the […]

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Policy

Building the Health Workforce America Deserves

Across the United States, patients are struggling to find basic care. Families drive hours for dental appointments. Rural hospitals are closing. Nurses are burning out. And despite spending nearly twice as much per person on health care as other wealthy nations, America faces a dire shortage of doctors, nurses, and dentists. The Health Resources and […]

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Environment

What Most People Don’t Know About Scented Candle Risks

I confess. I love a good Yankee Candle. Yet, while this may be a familiar scene in your home, there is an overlooked azard Picture a family gathering on a hot evening in the Gulf region. The air conditioner hums, windows are sealed tight, and a few scented candles glow on the table. While these […]

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