Blogs - Page 5 of 103 - This Week In Public Health

Implementation

The Future of Implementation Science: Pace, Equity, and AI Are Changing the Game

If you work in public health, you’ve probably heard the line: “It takes 17 years for evidence to reach practice.” It’s become almost a meme: quoted in talks, grant proposals, and policy briefs. But right now, the field of implementation science is quietly asking a much harder question: How long should implementation take—and what happens […]

Read more →

Policy

Why State Policy Shapes HCBS Access More Than Spending

In one state, a 77-year-old woman waits three months for someone to help her bathe safely. Across the border, her friend gets the same service in days. Both qualify for Medicaid. Why the difference? That question drives a new multi-state analysis by researchers from the University of Minnesota and Brown University. Their study looked at […]

Read more →

AI

Three Ways AI Is About to Change Public Health Work

Public health is moving faster than ever—and AI is now shaping how we lead, learn, and respond. A new Journal of Public Health Management & Practice article lays out what the workforce needs to thrive in the AI era. Here are the top three takeaways you need right now. 1. Leaders Must Talk About AI—Not […]

Read more →

Funding

Why Prevention Pays: The Hidden Power of Health Multipliers

In a small European town, a community nurse stands outside a shuttered public health clinic. It’s the only one for miles, and it’s closing because of government budget cuts. Inside, vaccination supplies sit unopened, and the posters promoting heart-healthy diets fade under the fluorescent lights. The town’s mayor insists the cut is “necessary austerity,” a […]

Read more →

Health tips

The Holiday Suicide Myth: What the Research Really Shows About Seasonal Risk

Every year, as the holidays approach, headlines warn of a “seasonal spike” in suicide. It’s a powerful narrative: loneliness, financial strain, family conflict, and the pressure to feel joyful are easy villains to blame. But despite its lasting grip on the American imagination, the narrative is wrong. Decades of data from toxicology reports, emergency department […]

Read more →

Developmental disorders

How Small Acts Spark Big Change in Child Health

In a small Tasmanian town, a mother sits in a community center with her toddler on her lap. Around her, other parents share stories—of sleepless nights, of figuring out meals from what’s available, of finding comfort in each other’s company. No researchers with clipboards. No complicated jargon. Just lived experience—real, messy, hopeful. What emerged from […]

Read more →

Communication

What the MAHA Summit Reveals About the U.S. Public Health Agenda

A high-profile health summit held just steps from the White House last week offered an unusual look at the ideas influencing U.S. health policy under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Vice President JD Vance. The Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Summit brought together Silicon Valley anti-ageing entrepreneurs, social media influencers, and top federal […]

Read more →

Collaboration

Why Experiential Learning Is Transforming Global Health Education

In a packed university conference room, students aren’t cramming for an exam—they’re negotiating a global pandemic. One represents Kenya, while the other represents the United States. A delegate from Brazil just proposed an emergency resolution. Welcome to the World Health Assembly Simulation (WHA SIM), where undergraduate students at York University assume the roles of world […]

Read more →

Commentary

Is HHS still a Credible Health Leader? Next Week in Public Health, November 20, 2025

Late last night, the CDC posted the following on its website. This comes on the heels of the “gold-standard, peer-reviewed” white paper that HHS released, which pushes back on gender-affirming care for youth. Lately, I’ve found myself increasingly uneasy about how the terms “evidence-based” and “gold standard science” are being used in public conversations. Words […]

Read more →