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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Wellbeing

How a Low-Budget Campaign Saved Lives in Barnet

In Barnet, a borough in North London, public health officials faced a grim reality: three-quarters of suicides in the UK are by men, yet only one in four had recent contact with mental health services. For many, help comes too late—or not at all. In 2021, Barnet launched a bold, low-budget initiative: a mix of […]

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Wellbeing

3 Ways “Voice to Vision” Is Rebuilding Trust in Civic Decision-Making

Only 14% of Americans say they trust their local government to do the right thing. A new MIT-led project, Voice to Vision, may change that—by turning community feedback from “black box” to open book. 🗣️ 1. Every Voice Gets Logged, Linked, and Seen Voice to Vision connects every piece of community input—every survey response, town […]

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Resources

The Game-Changing HIV Protection Jab in England and Wales

A new HIV protection jab, Cabotegravir (CAB-LA), has been approved for use in England and Wales. This injectable treatment, considered ‘game-changing’ by health professionals, is set to become available to patients on the National Health Service (NHS), offering a significant alternative to traditional daily pills used for HIV prevention. The Breakthrough Injection Cabotegravir is a […]

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Wellbeing

Jealousy, Infidelity, and IPV: What Works Now

On a humid evening clinic night, a community health worker walks a couple to a quiet bench. He’s been “checking her phone.” She’s been skipping the market to avoid gossip. Their argument isn’t just about trust; it’s about power, roles, and fear. Within weeks, tension turns into controlling behaviors—and then into violence. Why this matters […]

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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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