Faced with a federal government that is increasingly authoritarian, repressive, and hostile to public health, we must harness our radical imagination to re-envision our field. Many adults come to view dreaming as juvenile, trivial, escapist, or unproductive. But imagination is the lifeblood of creativity and a tool for seeing beyond our current problems. Our ability… Read More »
Imagine walking into an indoor public health conference and many people are smoking cigarettes. The air is filled with toxic smoke. You might be coughing and likely outraged. It wasn’t long ago that this was the reality of life in public spaces. That is, until public health stepped in and worked to enact smoking bans… Read More »
If there was ever a time to flex our collective muscles for creative language and communication strategies for health equity, it’s now. The political landscape has shifted dramatically away from equity and social justice. Ensuring that we have adequate messaging tools to address health inequities and the social drivers of health is more important now… Read More »
We are in a tumultuous time of upheaval and reckoning in public health and healthcare. The Trump administration launches daily attacks across sectors that impact health nationally and globally. As public health and healthcare leaders and experts, we are in a unique position to speak out against these injustices. We have deep understanding, experience, and… Read More »
Despite advances in brain health, rates of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) continue to rise. ADRD is multi-faceted, with many causes. As with all public health issues, a health equity framework is essential to understanding the root causes. Building a complete understanding of ADRD and healthy aging allows us to develop informed policies, practices,… Read More »
Disability impacts all of us. Chances are that we ourselves or someone we love lives with at least one disability–a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. Around 16 percent of the global population (close to one billion people) lives with a disability. And in the U.S., the rate… Read More »
Every older adult should have the opportunity to age successfully. And the growing older LGBTQ+ population is no exception. This group is diverse, with unique health and social needs. On average, LGBTQ+ older adults experience poorer physical and mental health, but this is by no means the case for all LGBTQ+ older adults. The adversity… Read More »
Suicide prevention and intervention programs and services are vital. Mental health services are essential to support individuals, families, and communities struggling with mental health, suicide, and after suicide loss. But we must also recognize that preventing suicide requires a larger collective, systemic response. Suicide deaths are rising steadily every year, with a record high of… Read More »
What comes to mind when you hear the word “weathering”? Perhaps you think of erosion, depletion, and wearing down. Or maybe enduring, surviving, and withstanding. All of these associations accurately describe what happens to our bodies in response to chronic stress. This particular type of physiological stress affects the brain and other parts of the… Read More »
Representation matters to health. Improving pathways into health care and public health is an important way to increase workforce diversity. This is a crucial step in reducing health disparities and advancing health equity in the U.S. Black, Latinx, and American Indian and Alaska Native communities face higher rates of chronic and life-threatening health conditions. Yet… Read More »
The way we’re addressing substance use and overdoses in the United States isn’t working. Let’s be perfectly clear: the “war on drugs” isn’t, and never was, really a war on drugs. It’s been a war waged on communities who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). The war on drugs started well before President… Read More »
Racial justice reframing is the process of shifting our attention from individual choices to the many structural and societal factors that contribute to health inequities. This framing allows us to picture a world where values of equity, shared responsibility, and community care are paramount. We see a world where everyone – regardless of their identities… Read More »
“Access for the sake of access or inclusion is not necessarily liberatory, but access done in the service of love, justice, connection, and community is liberatory and has the power to transform.” – Mia Mingus, community organizer, disability and transformative justice advocate Are you designing with equity and inclusion in mind? For public health and… Read More »