Episodes

  • 834 - Bird Flu Is Escalating

    834 - Bird Flu Is Escalating
    Jan 14 2025
    About this episode: The U.S.’s first reported human death from bird flu is another sign that the virus is not going away anytime soon. In this episode: why it’s time to double down on efforts to limit H5N1 transmission among cattle and birds, concerns about cats and other mammals, and how response measures need to scale up quickly and more broadly to try and prevent the virus from gaining a foothold in humans. The experts also discuss why bird flu poses an existential threat to the dairy industry. 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 virologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health with appointments in and . 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: —Pittsburgh Post-Gazette —USDA —USDA 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
  • 833 - Why Are Americans Dying So Much Earlier Than Some Of Their Counterparts?

    833 - Why Are Americans Dying So Much Earlier Than Some Of Their Counterparts?
    Jan 13 2025
    About this episode: A new report from the Bloomberg American Health Initiative finds that the U.S. lags behind many other high-income countries in life expectancy. In this report, researchers found that babies born 40 years ago in the U.S. and U.K could expect to live to the same age. Today, however, life expectancy is nearly three years shorter for those on our side of the Atlantic Ocean. In this episode: a look at the four main causes of death driving this gap—all of which are preventable—and how one of the world’s richest countries that spends the most on healthcare is continually failing to improve the health of its people. Guest: 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. 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 Bloomberg American Health Initiative —Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health —Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health 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
  • 832 - The Importance of Knowing and Optimizing Your Hearing Health…At ANY Age

    832 - The Importance of Knowing and Optimizing Your Hearing Health…At ANY Age
    Jan 8 2025
    About this episode: Hearing declines for everyone as we get older, no matter what we do. As it declines, it can cause health problems like cognitive decline and brain atrophy, and is directly linked with Alzheimer’s. But there are ways to understand and reduce these impacts including over-the-counter hearing aids and a new app where people can test their hearing on their smartphone. In this episode: a conversation about a health issue that will impact all of us to some degree, and how technology is helping to address impacts early and upend the stigma of hearing loss. Guest: is the director of the and a professor of otolaryngology, medicine, mental health, and epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins University Schools of Medicine and 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: Download the Hearing Number app for or 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
  • 831 - Public Health Science Communication With Your Local Epidemiologist

    831 - Public Health Science Communication With Your Local Epidemiologist
    Jan 6 2025
    About this episode: Science communication is a vital skillset for public health practitioners. But what does it really take to cut through the noise? In today’s episode, Katelyn Jetelina, the publisher of Your Local Epidemiologist, talks about the art and science of science communication, and why it’s less about being right and more about a commitment to changing the way people think. Guest: is an epidemiologist and scientific communicator. She is the co-founder of Health Trust Initiative, an adjunct professor at Yale School of Public Health, and a Senior Scientific Advisor to several government and non-profit agencies, including the CDC. In addition, Dr. Jetelina is the publisher of Your Local Epidemiologist. 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: —Forbes
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    16 mins
  • 830 - Advancing Public Health in Uncertain Political Times

    830 - Advancing Public Health in Uncertain Political Times
    Dec 18 2024
    About this episode: On December 3, the Bloomberg American Health Initiative held its annual summit. This year, the theme really marked the moment: Advancing Public Health in Uncertain Political Times. In today’s episode, you’ll hear three conversations from the Summit about how public health can provide a roadmap for making needed progress. First: how public health data and evidence provide context for judicial decisions. Then, how a public health lens is helping to address the issue of gun violence. And finally, how to find common ground on mental health and addiction. 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: —YouTube —Everytown For Gun Safety 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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    27 mins
  • 829 - Do Mammograms Save Lives?

    829 - Do Mammograms Save Lives?
    Dec 16 2024
    About this episode: For decades, regular mammograms to detect breast cancer have been recommended for women ages 50-75. In 2024, the age range dropped to include women 40-49 as well. But what do we really know about mammography as a tool to save lives? Are all scans created equal? What is the risk/benefit analysis to upping the number of screenings a woman is recommended to receive in her lifetime? In today’s episode: a deep dive into the evidence around mammography, and a look at the new guidelines—including the controversy around them. Guest: is a globally-recognized expert in cancer prevention and control whose work focuses on developing cancer screening strategies and ensuring their effectiveness. He is a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor and faculty at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in epidemiology with a joint appointment in oncology at Johns Hopkins Medicine. He was the former Chief Medical Officer of the American Cancer Society. 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: —U.S. Preventive Services Task Force —Public Health On Call (June 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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    21 mins
  • 828 - Public Health is a Human Right

    828 - Public Health is a Human Right
    Dec 11 2024
    About this episode: The day after the 2024 presidential election, Joe Amon—the brand new director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Public Health and Human Rights—was set to give a speech for a panel about health discrimination. But the one he’d prepared wasn’t going to cut it for a moment suddenly marked by uncertainty and change. He pivoted to a different message: one that acknowledges that public health doesn’t have everything figured out, and that it works best when it’s viewed as a social movement. In this episode: a moment of reflection for the field, considerations of some of the challenges that lay ahead, and the critical importance of thinking about public health as a human right. Note: You can read an adaptation of the speech in the link below. Guest: is the director of the . 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: —Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine 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
  • 827 - The Rise in Pediatric Cases of Walking Pneumonia

    827 - The Rise in Pediatric Cases of Walking Pneumonia
    Dec 9 2024
    About this episode: Well into the respiratory illness season, there’s been a rise in cases of walking pneumonia compared to recent years, particularly among children. In this episode: an overview of walking pneumonia; how it’s tested, treated, and prevented; and what parents and caregivers should look out for in children. Guests: is an associate professor of pediatric infectious diseases at Johns Hopkins University School of medicine and a pediatric infectious disease epidemiologist for Johns Hopkins Hospital. 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: —CDC National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases —The Washington Post —Public Health On Call (September, 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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    18 mins