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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Research

Youth Engagement Is Prevention: What the Evidence Says About Building Effective Youth-Led Public Health Programs

For decades, public health prevention efforts have been designed for young people. Increasingly, the evidence suggests they should be designed with them. Whether the goal is to prevent substance use, reduce violence, improve mental health, or promote healthy behaviors, a growing body of research shows that youth are not simply recipients of prevention programs—they can […]

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Analytics

The Next Public Health Revolution Won’t Be a Vaccine—It Will Be Demographics

New UN population projections suggest that many of the biggest public health challenges of the next century are already unfolding. When most people hear the phrase population projections, they imagine one number: how many people will live on Earth by the end of the century. Public health professionals know the more important questions are different. […]

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Environment

Firecracker Pollution Worsens Air Quality in Indo-Gangetic Basin During Diwali

Is there any dust still hanging around your community? In the heart of the Indo-Gangetic Basin, a healthcare worker braces against the biting air as she makes her rounds through a thick smog that resembles more of a burden than breathable air. With every breath, her lungs fill with pollutants that have surged beyond safe […]

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News

From Crisis to Care: Tackling Malnutrition, Mental Health, and Environmental Equity in Global Public Health Systems

Malnutrition Among Rohingya Children: A Stark Call for Adaptive Policy A new comprehensive seven-year analysis published in BMJ Global Health reveals that malnutrition among Rohingya refugee children in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar camps has worsened, with global acute malnutrition (GAM) rates exceeding 38% in 2021—well above the WHO emergency threshold of 15%. This upward trend, worsening […]

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Wellbeing

The Hidden Victims of the Overdose Crisis: Families Left Behind

Every overdose death leaves more than a vacant chair at the dinner table. It leaves behind grieving parents, siblings, spouses, partners, and children whose lives may be permanently altered. Public health discussions about the overdose crisis often focus on mortality statistics, treatment access, naloxone distribution, and prevention efforts. While these interventions remain essential, emerging research […]

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Resources

A Cultural Celebration with a Cost to Air Quality

The US isn’t the only country with firework-themed holidays. As the sound of firecrackers fills the air during Diwali, the festive atmosphere in cities throughout the Indo-Gangetic Basin nods to vibrant cultural traditions. However, behind this celebratory façade, a more sobering tale unfolds as public health professionals brace for a significant environmental impact. During Diwali, […]

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Health tips

Smartwatch Use, Gender, and Health Anxiety: Untangling Complex Interactions

In the bustling corridors of a modern health clinic, a nurse notices a pattern. More and more patients are coming in with concerns not from any clear symptoms, but from the numbers on their wrists. These patients, clutching their sleek smartwatches, exhibit symptoms of health anxiety: a phenomenon that, while not new, is exacerbated by […]

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Commentary

Be Safe Out There! A Collection of Various Fireworks Blog over the Years

Without fail, someone will lose a finger or worse this weekend. Here are some of the blogs we’ve written on this topic over the years.

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Health equity

Racism’s Cumulative Toll on Youth Mental Health: A Call for Action in Colorado

In the halls of a Colorado high school, a counselor tries to comfort a student who reluctantly shares his growing sense of hopelessness. As they talk, it becomes clear that this feeling isn’t just about grades or peer pressure. It’s rooted in something more insidious: experiences of racism that have accumulated over time, like drops […]

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