Public Health On Call

Latest Episodes:

705 - Psychological Autopsies To Prevent Suicides Jan 08, 2024

Show notes

Known risk factors for suicide, such as gender and race, are too general to pinpoint who might be in imminent danger. Johns Hopkins psychiatrist Dr. Paul Nestadt talks with Stephanie Desmon about "psychological autopsies," or investigations of suicides to better understand who is at risk—and where there might be opportunities for interventions. Learn more: https://magazine.jhsph.edu/2023/looking-for-why

Please note that this podcast contains mentions of self-harm and suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling, there are ways to get help. Call 988 for free, confidential crisis counseling and referrals available 24/7.

704 - Preventing Armed Insurrection: Gun Policies to Protect Public Health, Safety, and Democracy Jan 05, 2024

Show notes

An increased prevalence of firearms and a lack of public denouncement of violence are escalating the risks of violence in places critical to political participation. Tim Carey, law and policy advisor at the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, talks with Stephanie Desmon about a new report from the Center that lays out gun policy and communication recommendations to ensure that the places in which democracy plays out—legislatures, election offices, public demonstrations and more—remain safe. Learn more: https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2023/preventing-armed-insurrection-firearms-in-political-spaces-threaten-public-health-safety-and-democracy

BONUS - The Humanitarian Response in Gaza Jan 04, 2024

Show notes

Dr. Paul Spiegel, a physician, epidemiologist and the director of the Center for Humanitarian Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, has worked in humanitarian emergencies for the last 30 years. In a bonus episode, Dr. Spiegel talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about his recent deployment to Cairo, Egypt as a strategic advisor to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for the health response in Gaza.

703 - Living Healthier and Longer in New York City Jan 03, 2024

Show notes

Since 2020, New Yorkers have lost around 4.6 years of overall life expectancy—and up to 5.5 years for Black and 6 for Latino residents. NYC's Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about Healthy NYC, an initiative building on the momentum of the pandemic to claw back these losses and improve the overall health of the population. They discuss the goals of the initiative, how success is measured, and specific tactics to address some of the greatest threats to health and life in the metropolis. Learn more: https://www.nyc.gov/site/doh/about/about-doh/healthynyc.page

702 - Backstage at Public Health On Call: 2023 Year in Review with Dr. Josh Sharfstein, Stephanie Desmon, and Lindsay Smith Rogers Dec 20, 2023

Show notes

In the last episode of 2023, Lindsay Smith Rogers talks with co-hosts Dr. Josh Sharfstein and Stephanie Desmon about 2023. This year saw a rise in non-COVID topics, including Supreme Court cases, malaria, RSV, antitrans health legislation, climate emergencies, artificial intelligence, and more. They also talk about what topics they're thinking about for 2024. Learn more about another one of our projects, the Expert Insights newsletter: http://publichealth.jhu.edu/subscribe

701 - An Outbreak of a Microscopic Parasite in Baltimore's Water Supply Dec 18, 2023

Show notes

In September of this year, routine testing turned up the presence of a microscopic parasite called cryptosporidium in Baltimore's water supply. Johns Hopkins environmental health scientist Natalie Exum returns to the podcast to speak with Lindsay Smith Rogers about what the parasite's presence means for the larger water system, and why it's critical to repair and replace aging infrastructure throughout the US. Note: This podcast was recorded in November. Since then, President Biden has proposed a new plan to remove all lead water pipes across the country. Learn more about another one of our projects, the Expert Insights newsletter: http://publichealth.jhu.edu/subscribe

BONUS - Human Rights and Health Care in the Middle East Crisis Dec 15, 2023

Show notes

The Geneva Convention sets out specific protections of health care in war dating back to the 1860s. Len Rubenstein, interim director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Public Health and Human Rights and author of the book Perilous Medicine: The Struggle to Protect Health Care from the Violence of War talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the core elements of these laws and how they apply in the current conflict.

700 - The Pros, Cons, and Unknowns of Ozempic Dec 15, 2023

Show notes

Medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro show lots of promise for treating obesity but scientists still don't understand exactly how they work. There's also a lack of data to show whether these medications are safe to take long term. Dr. Sameer Khan, a Johns Hopkins fellow in gasteroenterology, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about what these medicines are and what they can do, the questions that remain, and why it's a challenge for clinicians to prescribe them and for patients to actually obtain them. Learn more about another one of our projects, the Expert Insights newsletter: publichealth.jhu.edu/subscribe

699 - An Update on the CDC's New Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics Dec 13, 2023

Show notes

The CDC's newest center, a "national weather service for public health threats," is up and running! Dylan George, director of the center, returns to the podcast to talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about the center's mission, what they're working on, and how this year's viral respiratory season might stack up against last year's tripledemic.

698 - Why Tuberculosis, an Ancient Disease, Remains a Public Health Threat Dec 11, 2023

Show notes

Tuberculosis is one of the oldest diseases on earth—taking more than 1 billion lives throughout history. Dr. Richard Chaisson, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Tuberculosis Research, talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about how TB continues to be a significant threat to global public health, what progress is being made in treatment and prevention, and why research will be needed until the day the last case is treated.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected