Episodes

  • 823 - Special Episode—The Fight For A Swimmable Harbor in Baltimore

    823 - Special Episode—The Fight For A Swimmable Harbor in Baltimore
    Nov 25 2024
    About this episode: Baltimore’s iconic Inner Harbor is like a highway for massive ships. It’s also been a dumping ground for chemicals and pollutants, and every time it rains, stormwater runoff brings sewage and trash from miles inland. But in 2010, a coalition announced the Healthy Harbor initiative—a plan to make Baltimore’s famous waterfront swimmable and fishable by 2020. In June 2024, the city held its first public swim in the harbor in more than 40 years. It took nearly a decade and a half to pull it off—and some say, it’s only the beginning. In this special episode of Public Health On Call, we look at four ways Baltimore activists, coalitions, agencies, scientists, and residents came together to fight for a swimmable and fishable harbor: getting people’s attention, collecting data, mitigating sewage, and battling against trash. Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the , an editor for , and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Show links and related content: link to article page Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us or . Follow us: Here's our
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    38 mins
  • 823 - Fluoride In The Water

    823 - Fluoride In The Water
    Nov 22 2024
    About this episode: Water fluoridation is considered one of the greatest public health achievements of the 20th Century. Yet for as long as there has been fluoride in the water, some have raised concerns about its safety. In this episode: the history of water fluoridation, its enormous benefits for preventing tooth decay, and the recent wave of interest in whether fluoridation policies should change. Guest: is a pediatrician at Seattle Children’s, a professor at UW Medicine, and an expert on infant and child nutrition and oral health. Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the , the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Show links and related content: —The New England Journal of Medicine —National Toxicology Program —American Academy of Pediatrics Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us or . Follow us: Here's our
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    18 mins
  • 822 - Book Club: “Vision: A Memoir of Blindness and Justice”

    822 - Book Club: “Vision: A Memoir of Blindness and Justice”
    Nov 20 2024
    About this episode: For nearly 30 years, Judge David Tatel served on the the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. But his rising legal career corresponded with his declining vision–a fact he tried to hide. Now, Tatel credits his blindness (and his guide dog Vixen) for helping him evolve as a judge and a person. In this episode: a look at Judge Tatel’s astonishing career, his take on how SCOTUS is blurring the lines between judging and policymaking, what science and the legal system have in common, and his experience learning to live with blindness. Guest: served nearly 30 years as a Clinton appointee in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. His recent book is “.” Host: is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department. Show links and related content: —Public Health On Call (January, 2023) —The New York Times Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us or . Follow us: Here's our
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    20 mins
  • 821 - Psychological First Aid: Processing Big Post-Election Emotions

    821 - Psychological First Aid: Processing Big Post-Election Emotions
    Nov 19 2024
    About this episode: In the wake of the presidential election, many people are feeling big emotions like shock, disbelief, anger, and fear. Psychological first aid is a process that can help “take the sting out of injury” and chart a way forward after disruptive, upsetting events. In this episode: an explanation of the process and how people can use the framework to start to regain control and feel empowered to meet the moment and construct a better future. Note: If you or someone you know is struggling, you can call 988 for immediate emotional support. Guest: is a world-renowned expert in disaster mental health, crisis intervention, and psychological first aid. Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the , an editor for , and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Show links and related content: —Coursera (free course) —Hopkins Medicine Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us or . Follow us: Here's our
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    21 mins
  • 820 - The Anti-Vaccine Movement Gets Its Close-Up

    820 - The Anti-Vaccine Movement Gets Its Close-Up
    Nov 18 2024
    About this episode: A new documentary, “Shot in the Arm,” looks at the modern anti-vaccine movement from its opposition to the measles vaccine in 2019 through the pandemic and its opposition to COVID vaccination. Filmmaker Scott Kennedy joins the podcast to talk about about the five-year project of creating the film, including details from his hour-long interview with a leading voice in the movement, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Guest: is an Academy Award nominated writer, director, producer, and documentarian. He is known for films such as and . is his most recent film. Host: is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department. Show links and related content: —PBS —Washington Post —NBC News —Washington Post Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us or . Follow us: Here's our
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    19 mins
  • 819 - A Second Trump Term: A Look At The Headlines

    819 - A Second Trump Term: A Look At The Headlines
    Nov 15 2024
    About this episode: There’s a lot of speculation in the media about what Trump’s second term might mean for health and health policy. In this episode: a look at some of the headlines from this week and what we might see in the next four years around vaccines, the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, contraceptives, the federal workforce, immigration, and global health programs. Guest: served in a number of political roles in his career including as the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Health, the Principal Deputy Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as Commissioner of Health for Baltimore City, and as a Congressional health policy advisor. Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the , an editor for , and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Show links and related content: —NBC News —CBS News —NPR —ABC News —Axios —Vox —The Conversation —Public Health On Call (October, 2024) —Public Health On Call (July, 2024) s—Public Health On Call (April, 2024) —Public Health On Call (May, 2024) Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us or . Follow us: Here's our
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    15 mins
  • 818 - An Update On Measles, Pertussis, Mpox, and Other Vaccine-Preventable Diseases

    818 - An Update On Measles, Pertussis, Mpox, and Other Vaccine-Preventable Diseases
    Nov 13 2024
    About this episode: In this episode: an update on the resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases like measles and pertussis (whooping cough) in the U.S. Globally, a look at the mpox vaccine and exciting news about two brand new vaccines for malaria and TB in the pipeline. Guest: is the executive director of the at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the , an editor for , and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Show links and related content: —U.S. News & World Report —NPR —AP News —NIH Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us or . Follow us: Here's our
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    22 mins
  • 817 - What’s Behind All The Food Recalls

    817 - What’s Behind All The Food Recalls
    Nov 11 2024
    About this episode: From frozen waffles to deli meat and even fast food burgers, outbreaks of foodborne illnesses seem to be everywhere. But are they happening more often or is our surveillance system just getting better? And how do bacteria like listeria and E. coli survive the manufacturing process, and persist long enough to sicken and even kill consumers? In today’s episode: a look at foodborne pathogens and how they persist, the U.S. food safety system, and how you can take precautions at home and when you go out to eat. Guests: is a veterinarian and public health researcher at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health with a joint appointment at the . is a former food safety official and an assistant scientist at the . Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the , the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Show links and related content: —CDC —Food Safety News Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us or . Follow us: Here's our
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    16 mins