Health In All Matters

In this final episode of the series, we talk with two people who helped create this podcast: MPH student Tricia Alexander and Assistant Professor Kumi Smith. Starting out with a news clip of George Floyd’s murder, the episode focuses on how and why they believe we can persevere and win the struggle against racism. Their insightful comments cap the series’ exploration of racism and public health and offer hope for an awakened country.

In Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “What is your life's blueprint?” speech, he says to young people who may face limitations, “But we must keep moving. We must keep going.” In this episode, we talk with the head of a 140-year-old community organization, a public health researcher, and the artistic director of the historic Penumbra Theater about what drives them and their work challenging centuries of segregating color, power, and opportunity in this country.

The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment, conducted by the U.S. Public Health Service, casts a long shadow over the Black community when it comes to eroding trust in the healthcare system. Adding to this distrust are the obvious health inequities Black, Indigenous, and people of color experience, including disproportionate death rates from COVID-19. In this episode, we explore the role of public health in building back trust and improving health with these communities.

A Black boy in the U.S. has a nearly 1-in-3 chance of going to prison in his lifetime. For a white boy, it’s roughly 1 in 23. Some believe the “cradle-to-prison pipeline” for Black men is a forgone conclusion; others push back. What’s undeniable is that going to prison has a devastating impact on the health of individuals and their families. In this episode, we explore how to change the incarceration trajectory for Black youth and increase opportunities for health.

Where we live is intimately linked to our health — the life expectancy of a child born in a poor neighborhood can be 20 to 30 years shorter than a child born in an upscale neighborhood just a few miles away. For decades, we have used practices and policies for “strategic segregation,” concentrating poverty and people of color in the most unhealthy areas of a city. In this episode, we explore this legacy and how we can create better opportunities for housing and health.

George Floyd’s murder was one blow too many in a 400-year history of callous and inhumane treatment of Black Americans. It sparked international outrage and to date, roughly 130 U.S. states, cities, and counties have declared racism a public health emergency. But what does an emergency really mean for an injustice that has been ongoing for centuries? That’s what we explore in this first episode of our new series.

Looking back and looking forward are inescapable actions even in the midst of a pandemic: What did we learn, or not, from the past and what will be different going forward? In this last episode of the series, we explore the history and the science of zoonotic pandemics and how COVID-19 could be a wake-up call for a brighter future. This episode was published on May 22, 2020. For more information visit: sph.umn.edu

With nearly 4.5 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 worldwide, we’re now seeing the ripple effects of the pandemic. From an increase in domestic violence to closer family relationships, these effects are both bad and good. In this episode, we explore four changes wrought by the pandemic and what they can teach us. This episode was published May 15, 2020. For more information visit sph.umn.edu.

Misinformation about the pandemic is like COVID-19 itself: highly contagious, destructive, and with no known treatment or vaccine. Misinformation, and its nefarious brother, disinformation, causes confusion and, in some cases, death. In this episode we consider how to separate truth from lies and stop the spread of bad information. This podcast was published on May 8, 2020. For more information visit: sph.umn.edu

States around the country are beginning to explore reopening their economies and getting people back to work. Some have made steps in that direction, while others watch and learn. But reopening isn’t like flipping a switch. In this episode, we talk about the myriad elements to consider as we inch toward a new normal. This podcast was published on May 1, 2020. For more information visit: sph.umn.edu

COVID-19 has drastically disrupted the way food is produced, distributed, and available in the U.S. and around the world. The toll of the virus on those who plant, pick, buy, sell, and, at times, go hungry, is increasing. In this episode, we explore the vulnerabilities of a complex and interconnected food system and the inevitable bright spots along the way. This podcast was published on April 24, 2020. For more information visit: sph.umn.edu

What's it like to face the coronavirus pandemic when you are incarcerated, homeless, an immigrant, or a person of color? And why is the impact of the virus so different for these groups? This podcast was published on April 17th, 2020. For more information visit: sph.umn.edu

Widespread testing in the U.S. could be a significant help in controlling the spread of COVID-19. Right now, we’re operating blind — we don’t know how many people have the virus, how many people don’t, or how many people had the virus and could now be immune to reinfection. And questions abound about the tests themselves: How good are they? Why are tests being delayed? And why don’t we have more of them? As a country, we are in testing limbo. This podcast was originally published on April 10, 2020. For more information, as well as some helpful resources, visit: https://www.sph.umn.edu/

As the coronavirus pandemic continues its exponential spread, models projecting its trajectory are becoming almost daily news. But where do the numbers come from? We thought that since these numbers inform public policy - and therefore have a significant impact on our daily lives during this pandemic - it would be important to explore how this modeling works. What it can and can’t tell us. What it reveals - not just about coronavirus - but about our health care system … and about us. This podcast was originally published on April 3, 2020. For more background information and helpful links, visit: https://www.sph.umn.edu/about/strategic-priorities/covid-19/health-in-all-matters-podcast/

As we move from a model of containment to one of slowing the virus, our approach will shift from thinking in terms of "weeks" to "months" - and when it comes to inevitable ripple effects - even "years." We are now in a marathon, not a sprint. And that poses new questions, not the least of which is: How do we cope? This episode features stories and strategies to help cope with this new reality. This podcast was originally published on March 27, 2020. For more background information and helpful links, visit: www.sph.umn.edu/about/strategic-p…-matters-podcast/

In November 2019, a new variation of a familiar virus spilled over from an animal to a person in Hubei Province, China. No one had immunity to the severe respiratory syndrome the virus caused — an illness now called COVID-19. In this first episode, we explore what’s happening to people and populations as COVID-19 goes global. We clarify what we know and don't know about the coronavirus, and what important steps we can take right now to manage this crisis. This podcast was published on March 20th, 2020. For more information visit: https://www.sph.umn.edu/about/strategic-priorities/covid-19/health-in-all-matters-podcast/

Rural health researcher Carrie Henning-Smith discusses how social determinants of health have an impact on the of people who live in rural areas.

Skin cancer rates are increasing, especially rates of melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer. Cancer researcher DeAnn Lazovich shares how you can protect yourself.

Recent measles outbreaks have reignited the vaccine debate. Infectious disease researcher Mike Osterholm says that everyone should be vaccinated. He also talks about the need for a game-changing flu vaccine.

Deer tick populations are increasing in Minnesota. This is leading to an increase in the rates of tickborne diseases, including Lyme disease. Tickborne disease researcher Jonathan Oliver shares what you need to know and how you can keep yourself safe.