153 - Curating COVID-19 Research: The Novel Coronavirus Research Compendium
Release Date: 09/08/2020
746 - Why Cigarettes Are So Bad for the Environment
Public Health On Call
Cigarette butts are the most littered object in the world. With their plastic filters and toxic substances, they are a significant source of contamination for soil and water. Grazi Grilo, a researcher at the Global Institute for Tobacco Control, talks with Stephanie Desmon about her work quantifying the scope of the problem, and why some of the very things that make cigarettes so environmentally hazardous also provide enormous benefits for the tobacco industry.Read more about her work here:
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745 - A Conversation With Dr. Antonia Novello, Former Surgeon General
Public Health On Call
Dr. Antonia Novella served as the 14th Surgeon General under President George H.W. Bush from 1989 - 1993. She is the first female and first Hispanic Surgeon General in U.S. history. Dr. Novella talks with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about her life and career, from being born with a rare condition called Hirschsprung’s disease to her childhood in Puerto Rico and her notable career in medicine and public health. She also discusses facing prejudice, staring down Big Tobacco, and even buying support hose for a U.S. Senator. You can read more in her new autobiography: Read more about the epic...
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744 - The Power of Positive Childhood Experiences
Public Health On Call
Much research has been dedicated to the long-lasting negative impacts of adverse childhood experiences—far less has focused on the powerful effects of positive experiences. Dr. Melissa Walls, co-director of the Center for Indigenous Health and a member of the Bois Forte and Couchiching First Nation bands, talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about her research with benevolent childhood experiences among Indigenous communities. They discuss the importance of researching the positive, not only for public health, but in celebrating the inherent strengths of Indigenous individuals, their families,...
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BONUS - Coping With The Psychological Aftermath of The Collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore
Public Health On Call
On March 26, Baltimore’s iconic Francis Scott Key Bridge was hit by a cargo ship and collapsed, killing six people. Since then, many have found themselves watching endless loops of the video and ongoing coverage, and some are feeling symptoms of anxiety or even intense fear. Dr. George Everly, a Johns Hopkins psychologist, talks with Stephanie Desmon about the phenomenon of “psychological contagion” and how something so rare but so spectacular can suddenly make us question our sense of safety. They also discuss how to talk to kids about events like these and what to do when healthy...
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743 - What You Need to Know About H5N1, The Bird Flu Spilling Over Into Mammals
Public Health On Call
Recent reports of spillover of avian virus H5N1 into cows, cats, and even one human are concerning to the scientific community for a number of reasons. But what does the public need to know? Virologist Dr. Andy Pekosz and public health veterinary expert Dr. Meghan Davis return to the podcast to talk with Stephanie Desmon about these spillovers events and what they mean for biosecurity and our safety.
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742 - What You Need To Know About PFAS, Or “Forever Chemicals
Public Health On Call
Per- and polyfluorinated substances are in all kinds of products from waterproof makeup to fire retardants. Dr. Ned Calonge, co-author of a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, talks with Stephanie Desmon about these “forever chemicals” and what is known about their impact on health, who is most at risk, and what people should do if they have high levels of exposure. Read the report here:
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741 - Xolair: The First Drug For Severe Food Allergies
Public Health On Call
Xolair is the first FDA-approved therapy to prevent severe and potentially life-threatening reactions in adults and children who are allergic to dairy, eggs, wheat, nuts and other foods. Dr. Robert Wood, the director of pediatric allergy and immunology at Johns Hopkins, talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about this drug that has the potential to make life a little easier for patients and parents of children with severe allergies.
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740 - The Forgotten Youths Who Are Caregivers For Their Families
Public Health On Call
A hidden population of children serve as caregivers for family members who are chronically ill, elderly, disabled or injured. Left out of the systems that support adult caregivers, these youths often sacrifice their education, health, well-being, and childhoods. Connie Siskowski, founder and president of the American Association of Caregiving Youth, and Dr. Julie Belkowitz, a pediatrician at the University of Miami School of Medicine talk with Dr. Josh Sharfstein about these young people and the enormous responsibilities they take on, and what is needed to help support them so they can thrive....
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739 - How an 1882 Play, The Enemy of the People, is Helping Communities Heal from the Trauma of COVID-19
Public Health On Call
How can a play about rural Norway in 1882 help us process the trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic? That's the question posed by Theater of War Productions, which is hosting readings of The Enemy of the People, by Henrik Ibsen—and then is leading intense community conversations immediately following the productions. Bryan Doerries, artistic director of Theater of War Productions, speaks to Dr. Josh Sharfstein about how this old Norwegian play speaks to the trauma experienced by the public health field and by community members during the pandemic. You can watch the Ohio productions live via...
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738 - Why Syphilis Is On the Rise
Public Health On Call
Despite a national plan to eliminate syphilis by 2010, the sexually transmitted infection has reached the highest rates since the 1950s. Dr. Khalil Ghanem, a researcher of sexually transmitted infections at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, talks with Stephanie Desmon about syphilis infections and the disease course, and why rates are so high not just in the US but around the world. Learn more:
info_outlineThousands of COVID-19-related papers are released every week. But the information is of varying quality and health care workers don’t have time to sift through the deluge. Johns Hopkins epidemiologist Dr. Kate Grabowski talks with Stephanie Desmon about the Novel Coronavirus Research Compendium, a literature curation effort by more than 50 people across collaborating institutions. Every week, the group reviews and summarizes the newest and most exciting COVID-19 research to help those on the front lines working with testing, contact tracing, and other public health responses. Grabowski also talks about how COVID-19 has meant more public scrutiny of research, how mistakes are inevitable and expected, and that retractions and corrections are part of the usual publication process.
KEYWORDS: peer review; misinformation