Epidemiology

Illustration of a person holding a sign that says

Abortion access and reproductive justice - Part 2

In the last year, abortion access and reproductive rights have been key issues in politics and the national discourse. We spoke with our experts about the health outcomes of limiting access to this care and why abortion is a public health issue.

Gender affirming care

Gender affirming care

What is gender affirming health care? Michigan Public Health experts explore the various ways gender affirming care is provided in healthcare settings, and how it can impact health outcomes for transgender and non-binary individuals.

disease

(Re)emerging infectious diseases

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, many people didn’t spend as much time thinking about a news report about an emerging or reemerging disease popping up in another part of the world—or even in our own country. But now, that news feels different, more consequential. In this new era, where global media attention has turned to epidemiology and infectious disease, how do we understand our situation and feel protected when it seems like we’re hearing about so many diseases all the time?

People who work at a Health Department

What do health departments do?

The pandemic highlighted the important role health departments play in communities large and small. But the role of a health department extends well beyond pandemic response. Assessing water quality, ensuring restaurants are following food safety practices, ensuring health care access and more. Health departments manage many health-related priorities to improve the lives of community members. In this episode, learn about the ways health departments protect the health of their communities through their services and the need to build a strong public health infrastructure. We’ll also talk to individuals working in health departments to learn how their work impacts the communities they serve.

illustration of the COVID-19 coronavirus

One Year of COVID-19

It has been roughly one year since the COVID pandemic hit the United States, bringing with it stay-at-home orders, social distancing, masks, and many other unprecedented experiences. One side effect of the pandemic is that epidemiology is now a household name. Our first guest on this special coronavirus series, back when it all started in March 2020, was Joseph Eisenberg, professor and chair of Epidemiology at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. We invited Eisenberg back to share some of his thoughts on how this past year played out and where he sees things going from here.

illustration of puzzle pieces

How Bodies Weather Social Stress

In this episode of Population Healthy Season 3: Race, Inequity, and Closing the Health Gap, experts from the University of Michigan School of Public Health discuss weathering, which encapsulates the idea that lived experiences and stress have impact on our bodily systems—with disadvantaged and/or populations of color often experiencing this firsthand. We’ll also learn about the ways researchers are studying the impacts of these social stressors—such as racism and discrimination—and how they can literally have an impact on your body at a cellular level.