Public Health Out Loud is a podcast that delves into the broader public health concerns and issues facing everyday Rhode Islanders. From discussions about safeguarding against future pandemics to actionable plans for families to help keep their loved ones safe from preventable diseases, Public Health Out Loud is a no nonsense resource for listeners who want to stick to the facts. Host Dr. Philip Chan promises to deliver accurate, light-hearted, and informative public health updates that matter to you. This podcast is brought to you by the Rhode Island Department of Health.
In this week’s episode of Public Health Out Loud, Dr. Philip Chan and Dr. Jim McDonald recap public health highpoints from 2021 and share their hopes for the new year. They also talk about what you can do to protect your household from COVID-19 this holiday season, and throughout the upcoming winter months. To learn more, download this week’s episode of Public Health Out Loud, and visit covid.ri.gov/prevention....
Our guest expert this week is Dr. Jonathan Kurtis, a professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at the Brown University School of Public Health. Dr. Kurtis studies various neglected tropical diseases, including malaria, and is working to identify and define possible vaccines for them. Co-hosts Dr. Jim McDonald and Dr. Philip Chan ask Dr. Kurtis about his research findings, the history of neglected tropical diseases, and why malaria case rates continue to increase. According to the World Heal...
This week’s guest is Rhode Island State Senator Joshua Miller , who represents State Senate District 28. He is Chair of the State Senate Committee on Health and Human Services and is actively involved in the Governor's Overdose Prevention and Intervention Task Force. In this episode, Senator Miller talks about what local representatives are doing to address two major public health concerns: the COVID-19 pandemic and the drug overdose epidemic. Co-hosts, Dr. Jim McDonald and Dr. Philip Chan, talk...
This week on Public Health Out Loud, we’re joined by guest expert Dr. Megan Ranney, an emergency physician at Rhode Island Hospital and Miriam Hospital. She is also the Associate Dean of Strategy and Innovation for the School of Public Health, founding Director of the Brown-Lifespan Center for Digital Health, and co-founder and Senior Strategic Advisor to the American Foundation for Firearm Injury Reduction in Medicine at the Aspen Institute. Her full biography is available on this web page . In...
Co-hosts Dr. Philip Chan and Dr. Jim McDonald celebrate the start of the holiday season in this minisode by sharing what they’re grateful for. They also talk about what you can do to keep yourself and your loved ones healthy this holiday season. This holiday season, make sure to remember the three Vs: Vaccinate, Ventilate, and Visit Safety. To learn more, download this week’s episode and visit covid.ri.gov/prevention....
This week on Public Health Out Loud, co-hosts Dr. Jim McDonald and Dr. Philip Chan talk about the health effects of PFAS (per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances), a group of chemicals that have been used since the 1940s to make products water-, grease-, and stain-resistant. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, PFAS can be found in the blood of people and animals all over the world. And scientific studies have shown that exposure to some PFAS in the environment may be linked to harmful h...
Join Dr. Jim McDonald and Dr. Philip Chan as they celebrate the authorization of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11. They’re joined by guest expert Dr. Sabina Holland, a pediatrician who specializes in infectious diseases. According to Dr. Holland, pediatricians have many reasons to be excited about expanded vaccine eligibility. “COVID-19 does impact children and they are being hospitalized,” she said. “This vaccine is another piece of armor that can help us end this pan...
In New England, the flu season typically runs from October to May. Last winter, the number of flu-related hospitalizations and deaths was historically low. Community mitigation measures; like physical distancing, frequent hand washing and sanitizing, indoor mask wearing, and staying home while sick; weren’t just keeping people safe from COVID-19. They were preventing the spread of other viruses like influenza, too. But as people return to work, school, and social gatherings, will we see a partic...
While anyone can get lead poisoned, lead is most dangerous to children younger than six years old and pregnant people. Even small amounts of lead in the blood during childhood can have life-long consequences. Until the level of its toxicity was fully recognized, lead was used in products like gasoline, pipes, and household paint. Lead-based paint was common until 1978, when the federal government banned it from consumer use. Today, it is still frequently found in homes that were built before the...
While influenza and respiratory viruses can spread year round, cases occur most frequently between fall and spring. This week, Dr. James McDonald and Dr. Philip Chan are talking about respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, and how it compares to flu and COVID-19. RSV is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild symptoms similar to those of a cold. Most people recover in a week or two. But RSV can be serious, especially for infants and older adults. According to the Centers for Disease Co...
Hear from a Rhode Island congressman about how the federal government is responding to COVID-19. The pandemic moved quickly and impacted every part of people’s lives. How did the State’s congressional delegation balance the importance of thorough public health measures and the need to maintain a healthy economy? How quickly did federal support get to states, municipalities, and individuals? Our guest this week is Congressman David Cicilline. Congressman Cicilline is in his sixth term representin...
In Rhode Island, about 100 babies are born each year with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), a condition in which a baby experiences symptoms of withdrawal due to the cessation of opioids or other substances they were exposed to in utero. Some babies with NAS receive medication in the hospital and may not be able to go home right away. Exposure to drugs like heroin or fentanyl may result in the baby going into foster care. Parent Support Network of Rhode Island’s Healing Mother and Baby Program...
Being prepared for a public health emergency requires planning, training, and exercising. But how could anyone prepare for something like COVID-19? That’s the topic of our conversation this week on Public Health Out Loud. Our guest is Alysia Mihalakos, chief of the Center for Emergency Preparedness at the Rhode Island Department of Health. Mihalakos discusses how RIDOH’s response to COVID-19 has been different from previous public health emergencies like Ebola, H1N1, Zika, or flu outbreaks. She ...
Dr. Colby Zongol, a sexologist who specializes in sexual health and communication, is back for part 2 of our conversation on sexual health. This week, the topic switches from kids to adults. Even when we grow up, sex can still seem like an awkward, uncomfortable, or even shameful topic. As a result, adults of all ages may not feel comfortable talking to their partner about it. Having conversations about sexual history, needs, boundaries, and desires helps ensure that everyone feels safe, experie...
Talking to the young people in our lives about sex can be awkward and uncomfortable. But it doesn’t need to be. This week on Public Health Out Loud, co-hosts Dr. Jim McDonald and Dr. Philip Chan are talking about how parents and pediatricians can have age-appropriate conversations to raise sexually healthy children. Our guest expert this week is Dr. Colby Zongol, a sexologist who specializes in sexual health and communication. According to Dr. Zongol, having honest conversations with adolescents...
As adolescents return to school and all the activities they love, it’s important to keep them safe from COVID-19 and variants of concern. Getting people age 12 and older vaccinated is one of the best ways to protect them from COVID-19. This week, Dr. Jim McDonald and Dr. Philip Chan are talking about COVID-19 vaccination among adolescents. Our guest expert is Dr. Penelope Dennehy, director of the Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program at Hasbro Children’s Hospital and a professor of pediatrics a...
The waiting area of an emergency department (ED) might be an unpleasant experience for anyone with a medical condition. But waiting for care while experiencing symptoms of opioid withdrawal can be even worse. Rhode Island’s Buprenorphine Hotline - 401-606-5456 - bypasses the ED waiting room altogether and connects patients to treatment and local recovery support services. Through this 24/7 hotline, people with moderate to severe opioid use disorder can talk with a healthcare provider over the ph...
How many people do you live with? What does your work environment look like? How close to your home is the nearest clinic? These questions may seem mundane. But the answers can provide insight into why COVID-19 is impacting certain communities across the country at a higher rate than others. In this week’s episode, Dr. Jim McDonald and Dr. Philip Chan take a hard look at the social and economic conditions that allowed COVID-19 to spread so rapidly in densely-populated communities. Our guest expe...
What better time to talk about children’s health than back to school season? For children, families, and educators across the country, COVID-19 will be remembered, in part, as the time of remote learning. But little is known about the possible long-term impacts remote learning may have had on children’s health. This week, Dr. Jim McDonald and Dr. Philip Chan are joined by two pediatric experts, Dr. David Bourassa from Thundermist Health Center and Dr. Peter Pogacar from East Greenwich Pediatrics...
Rhode Island is getting ready to return to 100% in-person learning this fall. How can families, schools, and pediatricians prepare? In part two of this week’s discussion on children’s health, Dr. Jim McDonald and Dr. Philip Chan talk about preventative measures that can help keep students learning in person safely. Our co-hosts are joined again by guest experts Dr. David Bourassa from Thundermist Health Center and Dr. Peter Pogacar from East Greenwich Pediatrics. Vaccination and masking indoors ...
The overdose and addiction epidemic is a national and local public health crisis. Rhode Island saw a 25% increase in drug overdose deaths last year, with 384 lives lost. The increase in fatal overdoses first occurred in December 2019 and accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic. This week, Dr. Jim McDonald and Dr. Philip Chan talk with our guest expert about how the stressors and isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic might be factors in this increase. Our co-hosts are joined by Tom Coderre, the act...
In the second and final part of our episode with Dr. Pablo Rodriguez, the doctors talk about COVID-19 and why it spreads so quickly in densely populated communities. “We immediately knew that the pandemic was caused by close contact, and people who live in high-density communities or work in meat packing plants or fish packing plants would be at risk,” Dr. Rodriguez said. “It’s the living conditions, not individual behaviors, that put people at higher risk.” With our co-hosts Dr. Philip Chan and...
Co-hosts Dr. Jim McDonald and Dr. Philip Chan are back for season 2 of Public Health Out Loud! In this two-part season opener, our co-hosts are joined by Dr. Pablo Rodriguez, a longtime physician, former medical director of Planned Parenthood of Rhode Island, and an advocate for public health in the local and national Hispanic community. He’s also a longtime radio show host who describes himself as a “relentless surveyor of the truth” on social media. In this part-one episode, Dr. Rodriguez talk...
New episodes of Public Health Out Loud will be back on July 30. Stay tuned for more guest experts and timely information on the public health topics that matter to you. Don't want to miss an episode? Subscribe to Public Health Out Loud wherever you listen to podcasts.
It’s the season one finale, and our co-hosts are feeling nostalgic. Dr. Jim McDonald and Dr. Philip Chan reflect on Rhode Island’s journey through COVID-19. They share personal stories about how they adapted to remote work, supply shortages, and swirling misinformation. The doctors also talk about the uphill battle that Rhode Island’s healthcare workers and agencies faced at the onset of the pandemic. “We were fighting with two hands tied behind our back. No one had masks and no one had testing,...
Maintaining consistent access to shelter and services can be difficult for people who use drugs, due to factors like housing policies and availability of shelter beds. But safe, reliable housing is also a critical part of a recovery journey. How can public health agencies put an end to this vicious cycle? That’s the topic up for discussion in this week’s episode of Public Health Out Loud. Guest expert Dr. Alexandra Collins, a medical social scientist and ethnographer from the Brown University Sc...
The COVID-19 vaccine is safe and highly effective. But to some, the arrival of the vaccine raises questions. In this week’s episode, Dr. Jim McDonald and Dr. Philip Chan explore how healthcare professionals should approach patients who may be taking the “wait and see” approach when it comes to getting vaccinated. The doctors also take a hard look at ethical questions surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine. Should colleges and hospitals require vaccination? Should America be doing more to address vacci...
Living with a substance use condition can feel isolating. But it doesn’t have to feel that way. Peer recovery support specialists are working to break through that isolation by tapping into something no medical training can provide: lived experience with addiction and recovery. In this week’s episode, we hear from Ines Garcia, a peer recovery support specialist at the East Bay Recovery Center. Garcia talks about the strategies she uses to help people who are living with substance use conditions ...
In Rhode Island, there is just one laboratory that conducts all public health, environmental, and forensic crime testing for the State. It all happens in one inconspicuous building near Downtown Providence. In this week’s episode, we hear from the director of the State Health Laboratories, Dr. Ewa King. Dr. King takes us behind the scenes to find out what exactly the State health lab does, and the role her team played during COVID-19. Hear what it was like to find the first positive case of COVI...
Substance use and overdoses are an epidemic in this country, and Rhode Island is not immune. But efforts to combat substance use are often highly misunderstood. This week’s episode sheds light on some of those efforts, commonly referred to as harm reduction and overdose prevention strategies. Our guest expert is Dr. Brandon Marshall, a professor of epidemiology from Brown University’s School of Public Health who’s research covers substance use, infectious diseases, and the social determinants of...
