Public Health
The success or failure of any government in the final analysis must be measured by the well-being of its citizens. Nothing can be more important to a state than its public health; the state’s paramount concern should be the health of its people - Franklin Delano Roosevelt
image by: CDC
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How Public Health Took Part in Its Own Downfall
There was a time, at the start of the 20th century, when the field of public health was stronger and more ambitious. A mixed group of physicians, scientists, industrialists, and social activists all saw themselves “as part of this giant social-reform effort that was going to transform the health of the nation,” David Rosner, a public-health historian at Columbia University, told me. They were united by a simple yet radical notion: that some people were more susceptible to disease because of social problems. And they worked to address those foundational ills—dilapidated neighborhoods, crowded housing, unsafe working conditions, poor sanitation—with a “moral certainty regarding the need to act,”…
Resources
Public Health is Always Political
U.S. pandemic responses are human endeavors led by governments put in place by the people through political processes.
Tradeoffs
Tradeoffs started with a simple idea: There are no silver bullets in health care. Dan Gorenstein learned this covering the business of health care at the public radio show Marketplace. Economists, physicians and researchers taught him even the most well-intentioned plans to fix issues like unaffordable insurance, high prescription drug prices and inequitable care for marginalized patients carried risk and unintended consequences. He struggled to fit all that nuance and complexity into his short radio stories.
Can Public Health Be Saved?
To understand how the public health establishment has fallen, and what might be done to redeem it, one needn’t look far back. While the Trump administration may have created a new level of distrust by directly undermining experts, the issues are more deeply ingrained and something a changing of the guard alone couldn’t fix.
The four major public health threats we need to act on now
Viral pandemics aren't the only worry: antibiotic resistance, a drop in vaccination and other issues could rapidly put the world's health in peril.
Why trust is vital to public health strategy
Trust is a crucial component of effective public health policy. It is also a two-way street. People need to trust the authorities – universities, employers, the government – that are asking them to behave in a certain way, but they also need to feel trusted by these authorities.
Combating lifestyle diseases can make a big difference in the lives of older people
Noncommunicable diseases account for about 71% of the 57 million deaths reported around the world every year. Most of these deaths are caused by diabetes, cancers, heart disease and lung disease. Over 85% of these “premature” deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. A big concern is the growing prevalence of these conditions in older populations. This is especially true in low- and middle-income countries where populations are currently ageing rapidly.
Getting people more active is key to better health: here are 8 areas for investment
Decades of research highlight that no single solution will increase population levels of physical activity, which have declined and stagnated over the last 50 years. That’s why our reinvestment suggestions cover a range of settings and government departments. Multiple departments, including transport, education, sport and health, need to work together.
How Public Health Failed America
The U.S. clearly failed to heed expert advice, but there’s plenty of blame to go around.
It Saves Lives. It Can Save Money. So Why Aren’t We Spending More on Public Health?
Funding for health campaigns is surprisingly low when you consider they’re often so valuable that they pay for themselves.
Public Health Authorities Face Credibility Crisis
The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are facing a credibility crisis after botched communication efforts and perceptions of political interference.
Racism is undeniably a public health issue
Identifying racism in this view could lead to positive change.
What the Experts Want Us to Know About Public Health
Perhaps the biggest change needed is for public health to do a better job at trumpeting its success. Too often, it seems to be the unsung hero. “It can be difficult to maintain support for public health systems when they are so often invisible,” Dr. Besser said.
Why Public Health Matters
Public health approaches promote good health for everyone, not just those who can afford it or are educated enough to make appropriate choices.
‘Science was on the ballot’: How can public health recover from a rebuke at the polls?
Even without a presidential winner, one thing is already certain: The 2020 election results were a disaster for public health. Results from Tuesday and early Wednesday underscore just how many Americans agree with a president who has called the nation’s top scientists “idiots,” openly mocked mask-wearing, and has insisted states must be “liberated” from lockdowns. No matter who wins the presidency, more than 67 million Americans already seem to have sided with Trump on public health.
We aren’t having an evidence-based debate about guns
Guns kill 35,000 Americans a year. They’re a threat to public health. Let’s act like it.
A Mother Whose Lapse Led to Child’s Death Seeks to Prevent Further Hot-Car Casualties
Vehicular heatstroke deaths of children increased in the 1990s as states required that car seats be placed in the back to avoid front-seat air bags.
A Public-Health Crisis That We Can Fix
Like most public-health crises, this one requires a societal solution. Today, not a single state has a sensible law. Most forbid holding a phone while driving, but penalties and enforcement are weak — and hands-free use is still dangerous, studies show. The distraction, not the physical act of holding a phone, creates the problem.
Better journalism is key to better public health
Most people who read health journalism with a critical eye would say it's in bad shape. For evidence, look no further than your local newspaper (if one still exists), or go to your favorite website and learn about "the 10 ways to bust your belly fat for good." Coffee will help you live longer on Monday and kill you quicker by the weekend.
Cameras on the Police: Checking a Persistent Abuse of Power
Police misconduct has been big news lately. With citizen confidence in law enforcement ebbing away, it may be best for both police and the public if every encounter between the two is witnessed by unblinking eyes.
Climate Change Is Already A Public Health Crisis,,,
Heatwaves, disease-carrying insects and prolonged allergies are some of the early symptoms noted in a major new report.
Feel the Bern for a Healthier American Political System
If the political system is broken—a popular notion these days—shouldn't the Americans vote for candidates who fall outside the status quo? Luckily there's someone running for president who can lead us somewhere better.
Fixing Our Priorities; or, Writing Blank Checks to Bureaucracies Is Always a Bad Idea
Los Angeles County voters awarded schools billions of dollars for upgrades and repairs. But half a decade later administrators are supplying students with iPads, even though the backlog for basic repairs runs into the tens of thousands.
Incarceration Nation: America's Unhealthy Obsession with Jailing Its Citizens
Over the last 40 years the United States has sacrificed schools and other means of social betterment so as to incarcerate a greater number of nonviolent offenders than ever before. It's a practice that has damaged the fabric of our nation. The question is: Are we ready to change course?
Limiting Exposure to Unhealthy Food Choices on Campus the Right Move
Some might say it's government intrusion, but we're talking about children, and we're only saying that public schools ought to be providing them with more than just proper mental nourishment.
Mental Health is an Urgent Public Health Issue and Action is Needed Now
In the UK, suicide is the biggest cause of death for men up to the age of 49, and our emotional well-being must no longer be shrugged off.
Money Is the Root of All Political Inequity (and You Should Stop Paying Into It)
While the U.S. is a democracy in some respects, when it comes to policy, a recent study shows that politicos do the bidding of the rich and pretty much ignore the rest of us. He who pays the piper calls the tune, right?
Organ Donation Compensation: A Simple Solution or Inevitable Inequity?
No doubt allowing people to sell their organs would increase the supply for those awaiting transplants. But would the societal benefits of such a move be offset by a further widening of the gap between the rich and poor?
Public Health, Marketing And The Election Of 2016
There is, of course, the grand charge against all governmental intercessions on behalf of public health: they are on the slippery slope to a nanny state. At odds with the charge, though, are again the testimonies of history. The greatest advances in human health and longevity ever produced were courtesy of sanitation and immunization campaigns--both mediated through government programs. I no more want government telling me what to eat for breakfast than anyone else does. But the idea that our only choices are between the Wild West and a nanny state is nonsense propounded by ninnies.
Should Federal Food Aid Come with Freedom of Choice?
Food stamps don't come with many restrictions. But some lawmakers are looking to change that. Are politicians on either side of the issue interested in genuinely debating the question, or is it just politics as usual?
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting: Contributing to a More Informed Society
Just about the only time the CPB is in the news is when pols make noise about choking off federal funding for public media. But if more people knew the whole story, the conversation might be different.
Trump Wants to Bring Back “Just Say No” to Fix the Opioid Epidemic
The evidence is clear that this is not an effective strategy.
Trump’s war on climate policy is also a war on public health
Obama’s Clean Power Plan would have averted asthma attacks. Trump wants to undo it.
We’re Drinking So Much It’s Now a 'Public Health Crisis'
If you have 4 to 5 drinks in one sitting at least once a week, that's considered high-risk behavior.
What Global Disease Threat Worries Public-Health Officials Most?
Infectious-disease outbreaks not only have the potential to destabilize societies, they pose a threat to international economies, as well. What should public-health officials and businesses be doing to prepare?
What Our Treatment of Orcas Tells Us About Our Societal Health
Most of us would agree that cruelty is unhealthy. And so a recent failure to act by the California legislature gives us a window into another way in which we are a very unhealthy society.
When Government Should Keep Its Hands Off the Wheel
A recent brouhaha over government restrictions on the aging of cheese is a case in point of how the feds sometimes seem not to know where they're needed and where they're not.
Why Architects Should Care About Public Health
There are many major societal trends for which architects can contribute health-promoting improvements: obesity, housing and social inequities, an aging population, hazardous chemical exposures, urbanization, nature contact deficit, energy poverty, water shortages and excesses, natural disasters, and climate change.
Why Can't the U.S. Treat Gun Violence as a Public-Health Problem?
A 1996 bill has had a chilling effect on the CDC’s ability to research firearms.
Why Donald Trump Is Good for America
As a diagnostic tool for the health of the American political system, Candidate Trump is just what the doctor ordered.
Why You Should Donate Your Medical Data When You Die
Organs are not the only item of value from the deceased.
Wildfires Don’t Just Burn Things Down. Their Smoke Is Creating a Public Health Crisis.
In the new “Smoke Belt,” it’s raining ash and respiratory illnesses.
How Public Health Took Part in Its Own Downfall
The field’s future lies in reclaiming parts of its past that it willingly abandoned.
HealthAffairs
Published since 1981, Health Affairs is nonpartisan and presents a wide range of timely research and commentary on health issues of current concern in both domestic and international spheres.
Healthcare Industry Today
Public Health News is an EIN News Service for health professionals. Constantly updated news and information about health.
Healthmatters
Healthmatters is an independent non-profit UK magazine covering the NHS, public health and health politics.
This is Public Health
Most people don't realize the impact that Public Health has on their lives, but there are examples all around you. There are factors that determine your health that you can control, and there are factors that you cannot. It's Public Health that fights both of those battles.
Center for Health and Public Policy Studies
The Center for Health and Public Policy Studies conducts research and policy analysis on current issues in health policy and politics that affect California and the nation.
Health Policy Institute
The Health Policy Institute is a multi-disciplinary group of faculty and staff dedicated to conducting research on key issues in health policy and health services research.
Journal of Public Health Policy
To provide a medium for publication of scholarly articles on the epidemiologic and social foundations of public health policy; to present the results of research bearing on such policy; to evaluate administrative experience in the implementation of specific public health policies and programs; and to help make more effective the services provided by health departments.
National Health Council
The National Health Council (NHC) harnesses the collective power of the patient community to address systemic health care issues that affect all patients.
Partners in Information Access for the Public Health Workforce
A collaboration of U.S. government agencies, public health organizations and health sciences libraries.
Public Agenda
Public Agenda is an objective explorer of public opinion and a scrupulously fair minded producer of citizen education materials. Public Agenda's unique research explains and clarifies public attitudes about complex policy issues.
Public Citizen
We fight for openness and democratic accountability in government, for the right of consumers to seek redress in the courts; for clean, safe and sustainable energy sources; for social and economic justice in trade policies; for strong health, safety and environmental protections; and for safe, effective and affordable prescription drugs and health care.
Public Health Foundation
The Public Health Foundation is dedicated to achieving healthy communities through research, training, and technical assistance.
Public Health International
PHI is committed to providing the world’s citizens with freedom from death and suffering from preventable disease through the implementation of basic, low cost public health programs. This commitment is reflected in the development of well-planned and sustainable public health programs and in PHI’s long-standing support of cooperating humanitarian organizations
Public Health Online
Public Health Online began in early 2014 with Dan Schuessler and Wes Harris. Our vision is to provide students, parents and general readers with accurate and expert-driven information and resources about public health topics, careers and the post-secondary educational landscape. We want our in-depth guidebooks and degree- and subject-focused pages to help anyone interested in public health make informed decisions at every turn.
Public Health Reports
Public Health Reports (PHR) has been published since 1878 and is the official journal of the U.S. Public Health Service. Since 1999, PHR has been published by the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH). PHR is a peer-reviewed journal published on a bi-monthly basis. The six regular issues produced annually offer articles in three main areas: public health practice, research, and viewpoints/commentaries.
Public Health Solutions
Public Health Solutions is a large, multi-faceted organization using a repertoire of methods to generate practical solutions to major public health challenges. We work to improve the health of the public from a variety of angles including service delivery in low income neighborhoods, public health research and evaluation, and technical assistance/capacity building for government and other nonprofits.
The Center for Health and Health Care in Schools
The Center for Health and Health Care in Schools (CHHCS) is a nonpartisan resource center at The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services. CHHCS builds on a 20-year commitment to achieve better health outcomes for children and adolescents through school-connected health programs and services.
Trust For America's Health
Trust for America's Health (TFAH) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to saving lives by protecting the health of every community and working to make disease prevention a national priority.
AcademyHealth
AcademyHealth promotes interaction across the health research and policy arenas by bringing together a broad spectrum of players to share their perspectives, learn from each other, and strengthen their working relationships.
Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality
As 1 of 12 agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) supports health services research initiatives that seek to improve the quality of health care in America. AHRQ's mission is to improve the quality, safety, efficiency, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of health care for all Americans.
BeMedWise
The BeMedWise Program at NeedyMed’s mission is working to promote the wise use of medicines through trusted communication for better health
Brookings
The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, DC. Our mission is to conduct high-quality, independent research and, based on that research, to provide innovative, practical recommendations.
CDC
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and partners have issued the National Action Agenda for Public Health Legal Preparedness as a resource that public health officials, policy makers, and partners may use in assessing and improving their jurisdictions'' legal preparedness for public health emergencies.
Center for Health Care Strategies
A nonprofit health policy resource center dedicated to improving the quality and cost effectiveness of health care services for low-income populations and people with chronic illnesses and disabilities. We work directly with states and federal agencies, health plans, and providers to develop innovative programs that better serve people with complex and high-cost health care needs.
Center for Insurance Policy and Research
Welcome to the website of the Center for Insurance Policy and Research (CIPR). The CIPR serves international, federal and state policy makers, thought leaders and insurance consumers enhancing intergovernmental cooperation and improving consumer protection while promoting legitimate marketplace competition
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities is one of the nation''s premier policy organizations working at the federal and state levels on fiscal policy and public programs that affect low- and moderate-income families and individuals.
Change.org
Change.org is the world's largest petition platform, empowering people everywhere to create the change they want to see. We live in an amazing time, when the opportunity to make a difference is greater than ever before. Gathering people behind a cause used to be difficult, requiring lots of time, money, and a complex infrastructure. But technology has made us more connected than ever.
Drug Recalls
Recalls of pharmaceutical products have surged in recent years...
Farm Wars
When the government tells you that you cannot grow your own food, and slips pesticide-ridden GMOs into the nation’s food supply unlabeled, it’s time to discard the system.
Food & Water Watch
Food & Water Watch works to ensure the food, water and fish we consume is safe, accessible and sustainably produced. So we can all enjoy and trust in what we eat and drink, we help people take charge of where their food comes from, keep clean, affordable, public tap water flowing freely to our homes...
Greenpeace
Greenpeace exists because this fragile earth deserves a voice. It needs solutions. It needs change. It needs action.
John A. Hartford Foundation
Founded in 1929, the John A. Hartford Foundation is a committed champion of health care training, research and service system innovations that will ensure the well-being and vitality of older adults. Its overall goal is to increase the nation''s capacity to provide effective, affordable care to its rapidly increasing older population.
KFF
We are a non-profit, private operating foundation focusing on the major health care issues facing the U.S., with a growing role in global health. Unlike grant-making foundations, Kaiser develops and runs its own research and communications programs, sometimes in partnership with other non-profit research organizations.
MacArthur Foundation
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation is a private, independent grantmaking institution dedicated to helping groups and individuals foster lasting improvement in the human condition.
Minority Health
Life expectancy and overall health have improved in recent years for most Americans, thanks in part to an increased focus on preventive medicine and dynamic new advances in medical technology. However, not all Americans are benefiting equally.
National Academy of Medicine
Operating under the 1863 Congressional charter of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academies are private, nonprofit institutions that work outside of government to provide objective advice on matters of science, technology, and health.
National Partnership for Women & Families
The National Partnership for Women & Families is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that uses public education and advocacy to promote fairness in the workplace, quality health care, and policies that help women and men meet the dual demands of work and family.
NSF
For 60 years, NSF has been committed to public health, safety, and protection of the environment. While focusing on food, water, indoor air, and the environment, NSF develops national standards and provides learning opportunities.
Population Health Sciences
The Institute serves as a focal point for applied public health and health policy within the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health as well as a bridge to public health and health policy practitioners in the state.
RAND Corporation
The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis.
Results
We are a nonprofit grassroots advocacy organization committed to creating the political will to end hunger and the worst aspects of poverty. RESULTS is committed to individuals exercising their personal and political power by lobbying elected officials.
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation seeks to improve the health and health care of all Americans. Our efforts focus on improving both the health of everyone in America and their health care''how it's delivered, how it's paid for, and how well it does for patients and their families.
The Atlantic Philanthropies
At The Atlantic Philanthropies, we are dedicated to bringing about lasting changes in the lives of disadvantaged and vulnerable people. We award grants to carefully selected organisations that serve disadvantaged people to help these organisations increase their reach and impact, and advocate for social change.
The Center for Consumer Freedom
Founded in 1996, the Center for Consumer Freedom is a nonprofit organization devoted to promoting personal responsibility and protecting consumer choices. We believe that the consumer is King. And Queen.
The Heritage Foundation
The Heritage Foundation is a research and educational institute whose mission is to formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense.
Urban Institute
To promote sound social policy and public debate on national priorities, the Urban Institute gathers and analyzes data, conducts policy research, evaluates programs and services, and educates Americans on critical issues and trends.
Wait Time Alliance
The Wait Time Alliance (WTA) was formed out of concern among Canada's doctors over delayed access to care for their patients, and an interest in working collaboratively with stakeholders to improve wait times. The WTA is comprised of several national medical specialty societies whose members are directly involved in providing care to patients.
WeatherOnline
Covering worldwide weather including nuclear fallout, volcanic ash ...
AARP
AARP is dedicated to enhancing quality of life for all as we age. We lead positive social change and deliver value to members through information, advocacy and service.
American Enterprise Institute
The American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research is a private, nonpartisan, not-for-profit institution dedicated to research and education on issues of government, politics, economics, and social welfare.
American Public Health Association
APHA is the oldest and most diverse organization of public health professionals in the world and has been working to improve public health since 1872.
Association of Food and Drug Officials
Promoting Public Health, Fostering Uniformity, and Establishing Partnerships
European Commission
The EU has a mandate to complement national action on health. This consists mainly of: -protecting people from health threats and disease -promoting healthy lifestyles -helping national authorities in the EU cooperate on health issues.
Health Canada
Health Canada is the Federal department responsible for helping Canadians maintain and improve their health, while respecting individual choices and circumstances.
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
The mission of Health Policy and Management is to advance the public''s health through the development, implementation, and evaluation of science-based policies and practices.
National Academy for State Health Policy
The National Academy for State Health Policy is an independent academy of state health policymakers working together to identify emerging issues, develop policy solutions, and improve state health policy and practice.
National Academy of Social Insurance
Our mission is to promote understanding and informed policymaking on social insurance and related programs through research, public education, training, and the open exchange of ideas.
National Alliance for Hispanic Health
To improve the health and well being of Hispanics. The National Alliance for Hispanic Health is the premier science based organization focusing on Hispanic Health. Alliance community based members reach over 15 million Hispanic consumers throughout the U.S.
U.S. Medicine
The staff of U.S. MEDICINE works to provide objective information about events and policies in federal medicine. We welcome your comments, questions and suggestions
UCLA Center for Health Policy Research
The UCLA Center for Health Policy Research improves the public''s health by advancing health policy through research, public service, community partnership, and education.
US Recall News
US Recall News is not associated with any government agency. We provide what information we can relating to recalled products in the United States, but our list of recalls may not be all-inclusive. While we endeavor to stay up-to-date with all of the latest recalls, your best bet is always to contact the appropriate organization in charge of the recalls...
Introducing Stitches!
Your Path to Meaningful Connections in the World of Health and Medicine
Connect, Collaborate, and Engage!
Coming Soon - Stitches, the innovative chat app from the creators of HWN. Join meaningful conversations on health and medical topics. Share text, images, and videos seamlessly. Connect directly within HWN's topic pages and articles.
