Michigan Public Health is built on diverse perspectives and community voices. We engage with countless fields and diverse populations, and together we help drive forward the dialogues that guide the future of public health.
SPOTLIGHT
A COVID-19 Vaccine Needs the Public's Trust--And It's Risky to Cut Corners on Clinical Trials, as Russia Is
Abram L. Wagner
On August 11, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that a coronavirus vaccine developed in the country has been registered for use. Why is this news being condemned broadly by scientists around the world? Read more
Antibiotic Use during Pregnancy: Too Much of a Good Thing?
Lixin Zhang, PhD ’99
The discovery and use of antibiotics is one of public health’s great achievements, but antibiotic use is not without its problems. At therapeutic doses, antibiotics exert a strong selection pressure on the microbial community. When antibiotics interact with an infant’s developing microbiome, they can affect gut health and with it the child’s health for years to come. Read more
Online MPH Students Tackle Real COVID-19 Issues in the Virtual Classroom
MPH Students Reflect on COVID-19 Simulation Coursework
As the coronavirus pandemic swept across the nation, University of Michigan School of Public Health online master’s students in Population and Health Sciences had the unique opportunity to use what they’ve learned through coursework in a real-world public health simulation focused on controlling the coronavirus pandemic. Read more
Racism as a Public Health Crisis: Increasing Awareness through Access to Research
Matthew L. Boulton, Jillian Morgan, and Sara McAdory-Kim
In recent weeks, the killing of Black and African Americans during encounters with police has brought renewed and overdue attention to the public health and societal crisis that is racism. Matthew L. Boulton, Jillian Morgan, and Sara McAdory-Kim share how the American Journal of Preventive Medicine is working to raise awareness of this issue. Read more
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Racism: The Root Cause of COVID-19 Disparities in Washtenaw County
Jeremiah Simon
Black residents of Washtenaw County, like elsewhere in Michigan, have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19. In the fight to gain racial justice in the US, it is critical that we examine how racism contributes to health inequities right here in our backyard. Read more
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What Makes a "Wave" of Disease? An Epidemiologist Explains
Abram L. Wagner
With daily deaths from COVID-19 in the US rarely going below 600 for months, the US is not yet in a second wave. Instead, we seem to be sustaining an ongoing first wave that just continues to crest. What will it take to get the US to a much-needed trough? Read more
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Pregnancy in Puerto Rico: Protecting the Health of Women and Children by Reducing Metal Exposures
Pahriya Ashrap
During gestation, the human body grows at tremendous speeds, and even slight changes to a child’s biology during this sensitive time can dramatically alter health outcomes. Recent studies in Puerto Rico and elsewhere provide further support for the need to address even low levels of lead exposure for all pregnant women. Read more
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Mental Health, Incarceration, and COVID-19
Chanese A. Forte
In the US, ten times more people with mental health disorders are in jail or prison than in mental health facilities. The coronavirus pandemic further complicates this matter, putting incarcerated individuals at increased risk of infection. Read more
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A Family Perspective Approach on Pediatric IBD for Public Health Professionals
Kaitlyn Rau
For young children with pediatric inflammatory bowel disease, family and adult caregivers can make all the difference. Public health professionals working with pediatric IBD can employ a family perspective approach to support improved quality of life for children and their families. Read more
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The Worst Disease You've Never Heard Of: Caring for Children with Epidermolysis Bullosa
Bailey Brown, BS ’20
Children with epidermolysis bullosa are often called butterfly children—their skin seems to be as fragile as a butterfly’s wing. While there is no cure for EB, ongoing clinical trials have developed treatments to manage symptoms. Public health clinicians can help patients and their families build support networks by connecting them to local support groups and other families caring for children with EB. Read more
