PublicHealth
Strict school vaccine mandates work, and parents don’t game the system − new research
Strict school vaccine mandates work, and parents don’t game the system − new research States that eliminated nonmedical vaccine exemptions for children entering kindergarten saw significant increases in vaccination rates, with an average increase of 3.2 percentage points over three years. The elimination of nonmedical exemptions did not lead to a shift to medical exemptions, […]
🏥 Health
National 211 hotline calls for food assistance quadrupled in a matter of days, a magnitude typically seen during disasters
National 211 hotline calls for food assistance quadrupled in a matter of days, a magnitude typically seen during disasters During the US government shutdown, calls to local 211 helplines for food assistance quadrupled from nearly 1,000 per day to over 4,200 per day in just a few days, exceeding typical disaster response levels. The surge […]
📰 News
Zombies, jiangshi, draugrs, revenants − monster lore is filled with metaphors for public health
Zombies, jiangshi, draugrs, revenants − monster lore is filled with metaphors for public health Zombie lore has parallels with public health concepts, including infectious disease outbreaks and societal collapse. The zombie apocalypse narrative echoes key questions asked by epidemiologists during real-life outbreaks, such as how to contain an outbreak and prevent its spread. Monsters like […]
🏥 Health
Higher temps may increase overdose deaths in the US
Higher temps may increase overdose deaths in the US A new study found that higher temperatures may increase overdose deaths in the US, regardless of drug type. The researchers analyzed county-level mortality data across the continental US from 1999 to 2020 and found a significant association between heat exposure and increased drug overdose deaths. Heat […]
🏥 Health
Vaccine mandates misinformation: 2 experts explain the true role of slavery and racism in the history of public health policy – and the growing threat ignorance poses today
Vaccine mandates misinformation: 2 experts explain the true role of slavery and racism in the history of public health policy – and the growing threat ignorance poses today Vaccine mandates are being threatened in Florida, where the state plans to eliminate vaccine mandates for its citizens, including those for children to attend school. The elimination […]
🏥 Health
Team solves 1,500-year-old mystery behind the 1st pandemic
Team solves 1,500-year-old mystery behind the 1st pandemic Researchers have uncovered direct genomic evidence of the bacterium behind the Plague of Justinian, which killed tens of millions and reshaped Western civilization. The discovery, led by an interdisciplinary team at the University of South Florida and Florida Atlantic University, identified Yersinia pestis in a mass grave […]
🔬 Science
Kennedy hearing deepens crisis over dismantling of CDC leadership – health scholar explains why the agency’s ability to protect public health is compromised
Kennedy hearing deepens crisis over dismantling of CDC leadership – health scholar explains why the agency’s ability to protect public health is compromised The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is facing a crisis due to the dismantling of its leadership, which threatens Americans’ health and the agency’s survival as a leading public health […]
📰 News
Infant mortality rises in states with restrictive abortion laws – new research
Infant mortality rises in states with restrictive abortion laws – new research Infant mortality rates have increased by 7.2% in states that enacted abortion restrictions after the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health decision, resulting in approximately 30 extra deaths per year among infants up to age 1. The increase in infant mortality is not limited […]
🏥 Health
How federal officials talk about health is shifting in troubling ways – and that change makes me worried for my autistic child
How federal officials talk about health is shifting in troubling ways – and that change makes me worried for my autistic child The Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement’s rhetoric on health and disease has raised concerns among disability and chronic illness communities, particularly those with autism. The MAHA Commission’s report on children’s health emphasizes […]
🏛️ Politics
Deadly Salmonella in cows is on the rise globally
Deadly Salmonella in cows is on the rise globally Salmonella Dublin, a deadly disease affecting cows globally, has seen a rise in recent years, with infection rates increasing to 18% in the US and 60% in the UK. The economic impact of Salmonella Dublin on Danish dairy farms over a 10-year period was studied, revealing […]
🏥 Health