In this week’s episode, Dr. Philip Chan and Dr. Jim McDonald are joined by Dr. Amy Nunn, the executive director of the Rhode Island Public Health Institute. Dr. Nunn talks about food insecurity and the obstacles low-income people face when it comes to nutritional diet. Dr. Nunn also discusses a pair of recently introduced bills that would place a 1.5 cent per ounce tax on sugary drinks sold in Rhode Island. The tax revenue would support healthy eating incentives for Supplemental Nutrition Assist...
May 28, 2021•26 min•Season 1Ep. 34
Misinformation is everywhere. And it has long-lasting implications for public health. In this week’s episode, we’re talking about the threat of fast-spreading, factually inaccurate information. During COVID-19, Americans saw just how far misinformation could spread when national leaders began touting unproven remedies for COVID-19. The aftermath of misinformation can mean confusion, distrust, and, in the most serious circumstances, death. Learn more about misinformation and the attack on science...
May 21, 2021•37 min•Season 1Ep. 33
COVID-19 variants. What are they and how do they spread? Learn about it from this week’s guest Dr. Rami Kantor, a professor of medicine at the Division of Infectious Diseases at Brown University. Viruses change all the time—this is normal and expected. But variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 have had a profound impact around the world and right here in Rhode Island. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is keeping track of these variants and posts updates to a web page a...
May 14, 2021•27 min•Season 1Ep. 32
Let’s talk about another epidemic: the overdose crisis. With social isolation at an all-time high, overdose rates have been on the rise during COVID-19. It’s being called the “twindemic,” and public health leaders are advocating for more prevention measures, education, and resources to address it. In this week’s episode, we are joined by Dr. Elinore McCance-Katz, an addiction psychiatrist and the former chief medical officer at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHS...
May 07, 2021•32 min•Season 1Ep. 31
“Vaccines should not be withheld from women,” says Dr. Erica Hardy, an infectious disease physician at Women & Infants Hospital . She joins healthcare leaders across the country who are raising awareness about COVID-19 vaccine safety and pregnancy. New self-reported data gathered from the vaccine rollout suggests there is no additional risk for pregnant women who take a COVID-19 vaccine. The latest information from the CDC helps address several sources of misinformation that concerned pregna...
Apr 30, 2021•24 min•Ep. 30
Any parent can tell you that welcoming a new baby to the family is a magical moment. Amidst the avalanche of information that new parents are offered, safe sleep is one important aspect that should never be overlooked. Every year, there are 3,500 sleep-related deaths among babies in the United States. Many of these tragic and heartbreaking events could have been prevented through safe sleep strategies. In this episode, Margo Katz of the Rhode Island Department of Health shares the ABCs of safe b...
Apr 23, 2021•23 min•Ep. 29
It is estimated that roughly 40 percent of Americans in the mid-1960s smoked cigarettes. Tobacco use saw a steep decline in popularity when the U.S. surgeon general issued a report that famously concluded that smoking was a probable cause for lung cancer. Today, most people understand that smoking is harmful to their health. Over the last decade, however, vaping has emerged as an alternative nicotine product that could pose significant health risks for younger people — especially in the era of C...
Apr 16, 2021•24 min•Ep. 28
Youth sports took a big hit in the fall because of the pandemic. For many kids, the decision from public health leaders to implement COVID-19 related restrictions nationwide meant playing with a mask on or postponing the season altogether. In this episode of Public Health Out Loud, Michael Lunney of the Rhode Island Interscholastic League (RIIL) discusses the strategies that helped keep sports activities open and kept kids safe while remaining active. The executive director of RIIL, Lunney worke...
Apr 09, 2021•31 min•Ep. 27
A medical assistant who had to rely on the support of their older kids. A family physician based in the South who spoke out very publicly in support of teachers at a tumultuous time. A school nurse who had to tackle new challenges at work and at home. These are the stories of frontline workers who got up every morning to provide essential services despite whatever was going on in the world— a pandemic in this case. While COVID-19 is the disease that tied these stories together, resilience and ho...
Apr 02, 2021•25 min•Ep. 26
STIs and the pandemic are two issues that are rarely discussed in the same room. One is a global pandemic that has disrupted entire economies, and the other is a public health issue that’s rarely talked about outside of the doctor’s office. From the perceived restrictions on freedoms to the preventative measures to stop the spread of infectious disease, Dr. Ina Park breaks down some of the parallels between these two distinct issues in American households. Dr. Park, the author of Strange Bedfell...
Mar 26, 2021•30 min•Ep. 25
In the early 20th century, Americans were facing another public health crisis that challenged medical staff and engineers like never before. City leaders and public health officials of that time likely asked themselves something eerily familiar, “How can we prevent the spread of infectious disease?” While today’s public health crisis is different, one of the strategies applied in 1918 has made a comeback. We’re talking about indoor ventilation. In today’s episode, Jeremy McDonald of Guth DeConzo...
Mar 19, 2021•28 min•Ep. 24
Scientists across the world sprang into action when it was evident we had a pandemic on our hands. In the race to help prevent hospitalizations and deaths, researchers turned to convalescent plasma as a treatment candidate against COVID-19. While doctors and medical professionals have since turned to other treatments and strategies to curb the spread of COVID-19, many were left wondering, “what happened with convalescent plasma?” In today’s episode, Dr. Shmuel Shoham of Johns Hopkins University ...
Mar 12, 2021•22 min•Ep. 23
The United States of America may be recognized as the ‘home of the brave and land of the free,’ but now that reputation could be coming back to bite the nation. In this episode of Public Health Out Loud, Dr. Jim McDonald and Dr. Philip Chan discuss the factors that may have contributed to the country’s COVID-19 response. Currently, about 1 in 5 deaths from COVID-19 are attributable to the United States. These statistics are further compounded when the country’s population only accounts for a fra...
Mar 08, 2021•29 min•Ep. 22
While all eyes are on the vaccination efforts in the United States, one religious leader from Rhode Island reflects on the things he hopes people will cherish once the pandemic has run its course. OceanPointe Christian Church, a non-denominational Christian church in Middletown, Rhode Island, has had to adapt like any other organization to serve its members and meet its mission. Jeff Stalnaker, the church’s lead minister, opens up about the challenges COVID-19 presented to its members and the lo...
Mar 04, 2021•35 min•Ep. 21
States in New England have so much in common. Eagle eyed travelers will notice that Rhode Island and New Hampshire —in particular — share similar histories, architecture, and climates. Another easily missed similarity could be their responses to COVID-19. Leaders in both states have worked aggressively to curb the spread of COVID-19 since it arrived on our shores. From testing to community mitigation strategies to vaccination programs, both states have faced similar challenges in their response ...
Feb 26, 2021•31 min•Ep. 20
What happened to the flu? Researchers and public health officials have seen an intriguing decline in influenza cases across the United States and most of the world. After countless awareness campaigns, it seems like the ongoing pandemic may have played a role in helping squash this wintery nuisance — at least for this season. In this Public Health Out Loud episode, Dr. Jim McDonald and Dr. Philip Chan highlight the factors that could be contributing to the decline of flu cases. They also take a ...
Feb 19, 2021•25 min•Ep. 19
It was evident early on in the pandemic that incarcerated individuals were at an increased risk for COVID-19. Many prisons, including facilities in Rhode Island, were simply not designed to prevent the spread of infectious diseases like COVID-19. Based on the data available, Rhode Island joined other states in providing lifesaving medicine to this marginalized population. It wasn’t a popular decision, but it is one that the Rhode Island Department of Health continues to support. In this episode ...
Feb 12, 2021•19 min•Ep. 18
Rhode Island recently reached an important milestone in its vaccine rollout. At the start of February, the state counted over 100,000 vaccines administered to Rhode Islanders. Reaching this point has not been easy. State and public health leaders have poured countless hours and weekends working with community stakeholders to develop a vaccine program that is fair and equitable. During a January press conference, Dr. Nicole Alexander Scott reiterated the immense logistical challenge of coordinati...
Feb 05, 2021•24 min•Ep. 17
There are many questions swirling around the B-117 variant of COVID-19—also dubbed the UK variant—that has appeared in more than 30 countries including the United States. As of right now, Rhode Island has not identified a single case of the new variant on Wednesday, January 27. While it may come as a welcome update, public health officials in the state warn it is only a matter of time before it is detected. To understand this medical perspective, it is important to know that this strain was firs...
Jan 27, 2021•22 min•Ep. 16
Imagine—for a second—being one missed payment away from experiencing homelessness. While that very thought can be unsettling, it is a reality for many Rhode Islanders who now also need to think about staying safe during an ongoing pandemic. In this episode of Public Health Out Loud, Dr. Rahul Vanjani discusses what the state has done to support this at-risk population and his involvement in helping these individuals get the resources they need. An assistant professor of medicine at Brown Univers...
Jan 22, 2021•38 min•Ep. 15
Over the last 100 years, vaccines have become an important tool for helping prevent the spread of disease. Smallpox and polio claimed countless lives in the 1900s and were just a few of the diseases that devastated American households prior to the development of effective vaccines. Today, the World Health Organization estimates that 2-3 million lives are saved every year. That means that more kids get to grow old, more parents are able to see their children graduate college and become independen...
Jan 15, 2021•34 min•Ep. 14
It is estimated that roughly 1.8 million people are diagnosed with cancer each year in the United States. While there are several treatments for cancer available today, outcomes will vary because of family history, early screening, and the type of cancer detected. This Public Health Out Loud episode will focus on something that’s not always talked about from a medical perspective: the personal stories of survivors. Gail McDonald’s story begins at a retail store when her family noticed her sudden...
Jan 08, 2021•33 min•Ep. 13
While scientists and researchers worked relentlessly throughout 2020 to understand and respond to COVID-19 effectively, the general public at times had to navigate an avalanche of information that seemed to change with the pandemic. Today, public health experts know more about COVID-19 than they did in March and April, but they now have to contend with misinformation hitting social media platforms too. We know masks work. We know that K-12 schools aren’t major spreaders of COVID-19. And we have ...
Jan 01, 2021•27 min•Ep. 12
College enrollment projections for Fall 2020 were expected to be around 19.7 million students nationally. Most of the students arriving on college campuses this year, however, would find a very different campus. In many cases, a campus that was shaped to help prevent COVID-19 outbreaks. As administrators worked around the clock to start the academic year safely — alongside health officials in their respective states — faculty were tasked with nurturing intellectual curiosity in novel ways. Throu...
Dec 25, 2020•22 min•Ep. 11
Testing positive for COVID-19 is a scary thought for most Americans. From the barrage of information on what to do next to the act of isolating in a separate room, the pandemic has changed the way people live that would have been inconceivable just a year before. While there are effective vaccines available, there are still many questions lingering about COVID-19 that has puzzled the medical community. One area under the microscope is people who are experiencing ‘Long COVID’ or ‘COVID Long Haule...
Dec 18, 2020•24 min•Ep. 10
It’s that time of year again when most Americans have to navigate the health insurance landscape, either through their employer or through the state’s health exchange. But something is different this year, and it’s looming large over swaths of people who have seen COVID-19 spill into their lives in one way or another. As more people turn to testing to help stop the spread, health insurance has become a topic of discussion that will certainly be even more important heading into the next year. Joi...
Dec 11, 2020•22 min•Ep. 8
From Rhode Island to California, the reverberations of the pandemic has forced musicians and artists to consider other career opportunities or adapt to the new reality we find ourselves in today. Some have found success through the popularity of social media apps like TikTok — jumpstarting a wave of content creators in the race to get more followers. A task that’s easier said than done. In this episode, podcast hosts Dr. Jim McDonald and Dr. Philip Chan have a candid conversation with Casey Cook...
Dec 11, 2020•27 min•Ep. 9
There is no denying that moms have it tough. If the pain of bearing a child isn’t enough, moms may also have to address a whirlwind of neurological and psychological changes that can impact their overall well-being. In this episode, Dr. Jessica Pineda of Women’s Behavioral Health at Women & Infants Hospital joins our podcast hosts to spotlight a program that has helped improve the lives of women across Rhode Island. As the medical director of the Women’s Day Program — a partial hospitalizati...
Dec 04, 2020•27 min•Ep. 7
Rhode Island is one of four states selected to pilot the distribution of Pfizer’s vaccine candidate to treat COVID-19. While the development is welcome news for many, there is still a sense of restlessness to find a cure that could help end the ongoing pandemic. Since March, a few treatments intended to reduce deaths associated with SARS-CoV2 made headlines around the world. Overnight, remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, and corticosteroids drew attention for their potential to help save COVID-19 pa...
Nov 27, 2020•26 min•Ep. 6
As countries around the world contend with a second wave of COVID-19 infections, people have grown increasingly curious about one of the key cornerstones of pandemic responses. Luckily, Rhode Island has been a national leader in incorporating testing across the board. In this episode of Public Health Out Loud, Dr. James McDonald and Dr. Philip Chan discuss the different types of tests available as more people find themselves anxiously waiting for their results. Tune in to hear the public health ...
Nov 20, 2020•30 min•Ep. 5
