JUST FOR THE HEALTH OF IT [ARCHIVE 2019-2021]: Public Health Radio Show on WAKT 106.1 FM Toledo

ARCHIVE of SHOWS, 2021 & earlier

View SHOW ARCHIVES from 2022

JUST FOR THE HEALTH OF IT: Public Health Radio Show on WAKT 106.1 FM Toledo

Just for the Health of It is my weekly one-hour public health show on WAKT, 106.1 FM Toledo. You can listen at 9:00 AM Tuesdays and Thursdays (after Democracy NOW) or 6:30 PM Tuesdays on-air or on-line ToledoRadio.org. To listen anytime you want online, below are links to the latest shows (and all past shows).

You can follow the program and shows on facebook here.

Just for the Health of It brings you fresh perspectives on the science of health for all; plus local, state, national, and global health news, as well as local guests for home-grown perspectives and connections to local resources. Just for the Health brings you the best of both social justice and personal health.

Just for the Health focuses on putting the JUST in Just for the Health of It.

My aim is to equip you to live healthily in a healthy community on a just planet.

For you of those folks who are perhaps too busy to catch a whole show, or just want to sample my sense of humor, here are a few of my parody PSAs:

Parody PSA: The Dihydrogen Monoxide Conspiracy

Parody PSA: Pla-ce-bo Pharmaceuticals’ Elimin-all

Parody PSA: PR Medica and Merciless Health Systems

Parody PSA: Health Care for ALL

Parody PSA: Cory the Coronavirus

Parody PSA: TL20-squared VIRUS Pandemic

HERE ARE LINKS TO THE ARCHIVED SHOWS 2021 and earlier:

View CURRENT EPISODES

Week of December 27, 2021 [episode #144]:

Featuring: UPDATE on Omicron severity, the value of new antiviral pills, and promised federal test kits (1:56); Testing only the unvaccinated may do little to curb spread of omicron with its ability to infect the vaccinated (12:30); COVID-19 vaccination reduces anxiety and depression symptoms by nearly 30% (16:17); Impacts of rainy weather on coronavirus outbreaks reveal economic benefits from earlier social distancing (18:18); New study associates national mask laws to reduction of COVID-19 deaths (23:06); China locks down city as COVID cases surge around the world (24:17); Omicron is latest blow to pandemic-weary front-line workers and threatens keeping operations open (25:36); Study of fully vaccinated patients with cancer who had breakthrough COVID-19 shows 13% mortality rate (28:28); First peer-reviewed study on excess mortality in India during the COVID-19 pandemic shows 41% increase in expected deaths (30:44); Local COVID-19 Update (31:23); The U.S. doesn’t have enough faculty to train the next generation of nurses (40:08); Serious cognitive impairment declines 23% among older American women over a decade (41:12); Major spike among American adults skipping medical treatment due to cost (46:21); U.S. national health care spending increased 9.7 percent in 2020 (51:18); Three major advances in heart health in 2021 (52:10); Junk food portion sizes need to be reigned in (54:49); Hip Hop song linked to a reduction in suicides in the U.S. (57:50).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of December 20, 2021 [episode #143]:

Featuring: OMICRON UPDATE (1:57); Omicron detected in 89 countries, cases doubling in 1.5 to 3 days (6:05); Omicron moves fast — what protection can the fully vaccinated expect? (7:10); Boosters vital to mitigate impact of omicron, but may lose some effectiveness (8:34); New study adds more evidence for Omicron immune evasion — of monoclonal antibodies (12:13); Modeling suggests rapid spread of omicron in England but same severity as delta (13:03); Preliminary laboratory data hint at what makes Omicron the most superspreading variant yet (16:15); Poll shows Omicron raises COVID worry but not precautions (18:45); Another Poll — Omicron is forcing Americans to rethink some — but not all — of their holiday plans (20:36); Local COVID-19 Update (21:48); Only half of U.S. nursing home residents have received boosters (27:56); Pfizer extends clinical trials for kids under 5, trying an extra Covid vaccine dose (28:48); Limited recovery from long COVID one year after hospitalization (30:53); Flu vaccine may not prevent infection of main flu strain (32:11); U.S. experts recommend mRNA Covid vaccines over J&J shot (34:27); Percentage of adolescents reporting drug use decreased significantly in 2021 as the COVID-19 pandemic endured (34:57); Private equity long-term care homes have the highest mortality rate during COVID-19 (37:51); Protective effect of education against midlife mental health struggle waning for Americans (39:24); Shopping for Medicare Advantage plans is a maze of confusion for seniors (40:55); The biggest threat to Medicare you’ve never even heard of — and Wall Street salivates (52:04); U.S. regulators lift in-person restrictions on abortion pill (56:46).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of December 13, 2021 [episode #142]:

Featuring: UK says omicron to become its dominant variant within days (2:17); Scientists find ‘stealth’ version of Omicron that may be harder to track (2:48); The Omicron variant can likely outcompete Delta — and that could worsen the U.S. Covid-19 epidemic (3;50); With eye on omicron, experts fear ‘surge upon a surge’ (7:00); Vaccines and previous infection could offer some ‘stronger than basic’ protection to Omicron, early study suggests (11:20); Vaccines are necessary, but not sufficient without better healthcare and ventilation (12:33); Pandemic nurse shortage — Kentucky gov declares an emergency (16:05); Growing use of home Covid-19 tests leaves health agencies in the dark about unreported cases (19:37); Local COVID-19 Update (23:04); Car crash deaths have surged during COVID-19 pandemic — Here’s why (27:39); Fewer People Recognize Health Disparities, Inequities as a Problem (32:43); Lockdowns lead to fewer non-COVID deaths (36:17); Report finds world ill-prepared for next pandemic (38:51); Review finds significant barriers in shift to remote mental health services during pandemic (41:33); Researcher finds that pandemic led to increase in internet addiction among American adults (42:42); A third of U.S. kids lack good and consistent health insurance (44:06); More than half of US hospitals not in compliance with new pricing disclosure rules in first five months (48:45); Use of generic heart meds in Medicare Part D could save more than $600 million a year (50:46); Decline in heart disease death rate slowed from 2011 to 2019 (51:28); U.S. infant mortality reached historic low in 2019 (52:09); Prescribing the abortion pill without restrictions is safe and effective, landmark study finds (52:09).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of December 6, 2021 [episode #141]:

Featuring: Ohio COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations highest since vaccinations available (1:56); “The fire that’s here” — U.S. is still battling delta variant (4:12); In Germany, 1 in 100 currently infected with COVID-19 (7:57); Study suggests past COVID infection may not fend off omicron (9:32); Reinfections three times more likely with Omicron (11:46); Americans worried about contracting COVID, missing family and procuring and affording gifts (13:50); Only five percent of religious Americans report hearing solely anti-COVID-19 vaccine messaging from faith communities (16:06); Most vaccinated adults plan to get boosters (21:52); Vaccinated who get breakthrough infections are less contagious due to shorter length of infection (25:38); Researchers carry out the first head-to-head comparison of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines (27:28); Local COVID-19 Update (28:46); Ohio’s home care industry asks for a lifeline in COVID-19 pandemic to boost worker wages but Is Ohio leaving more than a billion dollars of home care funding on the table? (33:37); public policy and public investment in reducing tobacco use works (38:02); Medicaid expansion is linked with reductions in mortality (39:13); Despite interventions, Black and Hispanic men are contracting HIV at the same rates as 10 years ago (42:15); Use of HIV prevention treatments is very low among Southern Black gay men (44:15); Why Getting Gifts for the Holidays Feels Stressful (48:07); Worldwide, overweight hits 40% of adults and progress on undernourishment levels stall (50:08); Seven questions to assess how wise you are (54:11); A routine skin check could save your life (56:13).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of November 29, 2021 [episode #140]:

Featuring: What’s known and unknown about Omicron, the coronavirus variant identified in South Africa (1:57); Europe’s death toll from Covid will exceed 2 million by spring, and Covid is now the leading cause of death in Europe (12:11); 3 in 4 Americans say their lives are largely back to “normal” (14:05); Social stress is key driver of population’s rate of COVID-19 infection (21:32); New data, analyses take some of the shine off Merck’s Covid antiviral pill (22:12); Covid antivirals could be pandemic game-changers; but Americans might struggle to access them (23:12); The pandemic has deeply affected many people with eating disorders (27:31); We expected people with asthma to fare worse during COVID, but it turns out they’ve had a break (31:57); Local COVID-19 Update (34:38); ’Tis the Season To Feel Stress and Sadness — High hopes for the holidays can be accompanied by “holiday blues” — Here’s how to handle them (39:56); Jury holds pharmacies responsible for role in opioid crisis (46:16); COP26 finally framed climate change as a public health issue (49:26).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of November 22, 2021 [episode #139]:

Featuring: All American adults now eligible for coronavirus booster shots (2:03); OSHA suspends enforcement of COVID-19 vaccine mandate for businesses (4:12); GOP opposition to vaccine mandates extends far beyond Covid-19 (6:07); Pregnant people infected with coronavirus more at risk for stillbirths (12:07); COVID-19 hospitalizations up almost 50 percent in Michigan in past two weeks (13:44); 70 percent worried about another pandemic in their lifetimes (15:52); Two-thirds in new poll say their Thanksgiving gatherings will resemble pre-pandemic ones (17:06); 72 percent plan to celebrate holidays with just their household (18:10); Local COVID-19 Update (19:31); Child Obesity Spikes in England During the Pandemic (23:58); Why Health Care Workers Are Quitting in Droves (25:44); Hospital strain linked to thousands of excess deaths two weeks later (29:19); U.S. overdose deaths topped 100,000 in one year (31:09); People in states without Medicaid expansion can’t wait any longer to build back better (32:37); Democrats’ package saves about $160B on drug prices (36:25); A win for Black maternal health advocates, as Congress moves to set up new VA program and others (37:43); The U.K. is on its way to eliminating cervical cancer. Here’s why the U.S. isn’t close (38:52); Why is the CDC missing in action on severe mental illnesses? (45:21); A telehealth effort to treat PTSD and bipolar disorder in rural areas showed “huge gains” — Now comes the hard part (49:05); Our meat habit is causing pollution issues — by way of our poops (57:33).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of November 15, 2021 [episode #138]:

Featuring: What’s driving a COVID-19 surge in the country’s most vaccinated state (2:20); Unvaccinated 20 times more likely to die from COVID-19 in Texas study (4:22); WHO chief calls booster distribution ‘scandal’ as poorer countries wait for doses (5:08); Poll shows just how far COVID-19 misinformation has traveled (7:16); WHO warns of vaccine syringe shortages (10:31); Local COVID-19 Update (11:45); WHO, CDC report high risk of measles outbreaks as pandemic disrupts vaccination (16:29); Ohio’s latest Health Value Dashboard reveals Ohio ranking 47 out of 50 states (18:16); The State Of Mental Health In America — Ohio drops from 11th to 25th in latest ranking (29:21); My Friend Is Suicidal: What Should I Do? (31:52); Medicare premiums to jump in part due to pricey Alzheimer’s drug (37:07); Family health insurance costs top $22K per year (38:39); “Luxury carbon consumption” of top 1% threatens 1.5C global heating limit (41:27); Cutting ammonia emissions is a cost-effective way to prevent air pollution deaths (44:06); Since 2019, EPA withheld reports of substantial risk posed by 1,240 chemicals (46:31).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of November 8, 2021 [episode #137]:

Featuring: Local COVID-19 Update (1:56); White House vaccine rule requires companies and workers to comply by Jan. 4 (8:15); New study explicitly links protection of water access with lower COVID-19 infection and death rates (18:56); Widespread Coronavirus Infection Found in Iowa Deer (20:47); CDC updates its definition of lead poisoning in young children (30:28); Only about half of U.S. adolescents get sex education that meets minimum federal standards (32:28); Cigarette sales went up last year for the first time in 20 years (35:14); Where Gun Stores Open, Gun Homicides Increase (37:16); New look at nutrition research identifies 10 features of a heart-healthy eating pattern (45:36); Most U.S. adults unaware that over-the-counter pain relievers may increase blood pressure (53:13); Less than 10% of adults with heart failure get cardiac rehab despite Medicare expansion (55:05); What Makes Some Countries Happier Than Others? (57:02).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of November 1, 2021 [episode #136]:

Featuring: Local COVID-19 Update (6:23); COVID vaccines five times more effective at preventing COVID-related hospitalization than prior infection alone (7:03); Largest real-world study of third dose of COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness against Delta variant (8:17); COVID-19 vaccines lower risk of infection with Delta variant, but infection can still be passed on in household settings (10:24); Severe COVID-19 outcomes not up during Delta predominance (13:35); Mortality study reinforces safety of COVID-19 vaccinations (14:06); Air purification study finds 45% reduction in healthcare-associated infections, including COVID (18:53); Russia marks another daily coronavirus death high (20:12); Review indicates mental health “resilience” during COVID-19 pandemic (20:53); People who purchased guns during buying surge more likely to have suicidal thoughts (23:56); Nurses think about suicide more than other workers (26:13); U.S. cites “crisis” as road deaths rise 18% in first-half 2021 (27:11); Environmental Justice Is Essential in the Workplace and at Home — No worker should be forced to choose between an unsafe job and unemployment (31:23); The European Green New Deal: Farm to Fork Strategy (38:13); For effective weight maintenance, eat breakfast and stop late-night snacking (40:25); A new index measures the extent and depth of addiction stigma (41:20); Drug and alcohol-related deaths and homicides are rising and troubling causes of maternal mortality in U.S. (46:33); Fetal mortality drops to historic low in 2019 (48:07); The vast majority of genes have been tied to cancer — WTF! (49:06); Investing $1 per person per year in hand hygiene could save hundreds of thousands of lives (51:05).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of October 25, 2021:

Featuring: GREATEST HITS SHOW #2, from June-August, 2019 [originally aired 7/16/21], featuring: a public health case study that is the obesity epidemic, with a call to move beyond individual behavior and focus on social determinants driving obesity such as fat shaming and bias, and access to culturally-competent health services (2:00); why there is so much commercial corruption in nutrition (11:18); fiber and health, and fiber as a good marker for intake of whole foods (14:50); international drug development processes are irresponsible and must be reformed (18:51); the burgeoning benzo crisis (22:46); psychiatric diagnosis “scientifically meaningless” (28:52); keto diets and other diets that severely restrict carbohydrates, how there is little evidence for their effectiveness, especially considering their potential risks and sustainability issues both individually and ecologically, and how massive carbohydrate restriction hamstrings consumption of health-producing carbohydrates like beans, fruits, vegetables and unrefined grains; keto diets and other diets that severely restrict carbohydrates, how there is little evidence for their effectiveness, especially considering their potential risks and sustainability issues both individually and ecologically, and how massive carbohydrate restriction hamstrings consumption of health-producing carbohydrates like beans, fruits, vegetables and unrefined grains (32:38); how to deal with anxiety about climate change (41:45); seeing greenery linked to less intense and frequent cravings (46:13); nations with strong women’s rights have better population health and faster economic growth (49:09).

BONUS stories to read online!

1. FORGET YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT. LET’S TALK ABOUT YOUR CLIMATE SHADOW. To truly evaluate your impact on the environment, you have to go way beyond recycle bins and energy bills
2. This Hallucinogenic Fungus Might Be Behind the Salem Witch Trials. The trials have confounded historians for centuries. Some scientists think a toxic fungus from rotten grain might be responsible.

Week of October 18, 2021 [episode #135]:

Featuring: Case study – translating personal experience and make it jive with larger-scale, experimental data (1:57); Local COVID-19 Update (6:23); Link between COVID vaccination and reduced household transmission, Swedish study finds (10:58); Orphaned children — More than 140,000 U.S. children lost a primary or secondary caregiver due to the COVID-19 pandemic (12:08); Ohio Domestic Violence Deaths Rise 62% Over Two Years (14:37); Synthetic chemical (phthalates) in consumer products linked to early death, study finds (15:18); When the western U.S. burns, the east also gets sick (20:05); Pollution from freight traffic disproportionately impacts communities of color across 52 U.S. cities (20:51); Scientists Potty-Trained Cows to Help Reduce Environmental Pollution (23:09); FDA Issues Guidelines to Reduce Salt in Foods (24:58); Alzheimer’s Drug Controversy Continues (31:49); Researchers detect malaria resistant to key drug in Africa (34:46); Advice shifting on aspirin use for preventing heart attacks (37:23); Who’s most likely to get bullied at school? (38:47); More than one-third of children sleep less than recommended (40:13); New research shows that brighter days make for better nights’ sleep (40:53); Corporate versus public control of science and technology: Forging a framework for the 21st Century (41:09); How placebos work is not fully understood, but alternative theory of consciousness holds some clues (48:32); Researchers trace the outlines of two cultures within science, one of which promotes greater equity and inclusivity (53:21).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of October 11, 2021:

Featuring: GREATEST HITS SHOW #1, stories from April-June, 2019 [first aired week of July 12, 2020], featuring: a far-reaching riff on epidemiology, the science of the distribution of health, disease and their determinants in populations; in laypersons’ terms, what are the most important things to consider in our community’s health (2:08); Can you be a serious environmentalist without cutting down drastically on animal-foods, that is, cutting way down on meat, eggs, and dairy? (11:01); don’t be confused by industry misinformation – salt consumption is a major risk factor for poor health, and one of the three most dangerous food additives (18:27); tips on cutting back on salt and sugar, and getting more whole grains into your diet (26:53); basic mental health facts and considerations (33:28); the importance of happiness and purpose in driving health and well-being, and the epidemic of meaninglessness in work life (39:26); Is public health in America so bad among the young, supposedly healthier people, that the U.S. may eventually not be able to defend itself militarily? (51:53)

Week of October 4, 2021 [episode #134]:

Featuring: Local COVID-19 Update (1:57); Racial gap eliminated in U.S. COVID-19 vaccinations (9:25); 1 in 4 parents say their kids have been quarantined since school started (10:46); New antiviral pill reduces hospitalization of COVID patients, a possible game-changer for treatment (11:10); Why Another COVID-19 Surge Could Devastate U.S. Hospitals — staffing shortages (13:42); Rise in alcohol use among older adults (15:33); Immigration boosts U.S. life expectancy (18:23); Life expectancy gap between black and white Americans closes nearly 50 percent in 30 years (24:07); More than half of police killings in U.S. are unreported (26:40); Black patients’ Lyme disease often diagnosed late, possibly due to missed signs (29:33); Expert panel recommends removing use of race in assessment of kidney function (31:11); Exploring the positive role of social relationships in Hispanic health (32:32); Death rates persistently higher in rural versus urban areas and the gap is widening (35:54); Telehealth has rapidly expanded, but companies are still struggling to reach rural populations (37:34); Ban on “surprise” medical bills on track for Jan. 1 rollout (41:22); 1 in 5 adults has high levels of heart damage enzymes after any non-heart surgery, monitoring advised (46:00); Ohio kids’ tested show elevated lead blood levels at more than twice the national rate (48:32); 90 percent of adults who are homeless experienced childhood trauma (52:41); Science Alone Can’t Heal a Sick Society (53:48).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of September 27, 2021 [episode #133]:

Featuring: Local COVID-19 Update (1:58); CDC Chief Overrules Agency Panel and Recommends Pfizer Boosters for Workers at Risk (7:48); Biden’s chaotic messaging on Covid-19 boosters is pitting the White House against the government’s scientific advisers (17:16); Who’s eligible for Pfizer booster shots in US? (20:15); COVID triage standards may worsen racial disparities in treatment (26:32); Suicide rates fell in Canada during pandemic despite rise in unemployment (27:17); Proportion of Pregnancies Wanted Later or Not at All Is Decreasing Across Most U.S. States (30:22); The brain health paradox — Dementia rates have fallen even as drugs have failed (32:32); At last, a call for leadership to prevent diet-related chronic disease (43:12); Graphic warning labels on cigarettes could have prevented hundreds of thousands of deaths (46:08); Health experts urge nations to implement ambitious air pollution reduction policies (49:37); Greenhouse gases in grocery freezers are more powerful than carbon — The EPA now aims to slash their use (51:46); Systems approach helps assess public health impacts of changing climate, environmental policies (54:20); Leaders to UN: A warmer world is a more violent one, too (55:34); A Little Radiation Is Not Good For You (57:14); Top tips if your child is a fussy eater (58:24).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of September 20, 2021 [episode #132]:

Featuring: Litany of COVID-19 milestones met this week (1:58); Local COVID-19 Update (3:48); COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness changing with Delta predominance (11:10); COVID-19 virus is evolving to get better at becoming airborne, highlighting need for better ventilation and tight-fitting masks, in addition to widespread vaccination (13:17); A quick guide to America’s patchwork of COVID-19 shot requirements (15:13); Is a “Twindemic” on the horizon? Experts warn of brutal flu season as COVID-19 still spreads (21:41); Hospitalizing the unvaccinated has cost U.S. $6 billion in 3 months (26:40); Older Adults in the U.S. Suffering Greater COVID Hardships Than Other Wealthy Nations (27:51); Due to Medicare, turning 65 means a lot for Americans’ wallets, health spending study finds (28:40); China fully vaccinates more than 1 billion people (30:21); Over Half of States Have Rolled Back Public Health Powers in Pandemic (30:39); The bridge between public health education and government workforce needs fixing (36:24); Ohio, local governments finalize $808M opioid settlement with four drug companies (39:21); Almost 90% of pandemic-era Medicaid enrollees at risk of losing coverage (43:32); Medicaid Expansion is a Win for All (46:16); Updated recommendations for chlamydia, gonorrhea screenings (50:06); Colon cancer risk extends to second- and third-degree relatives (50:41); Type 1 diabetes surges in White and Black youth, while type 2 diabetes skyrockets in Black and Hispanic youth (52:38); Prevalence of violent events reported for children (53:45); Black children have more complications during appendectomies and incur higher costs(54:04); High-quality diet tied to lower migraine frequency, severity (55:18); Higher sodium intake may be tied to worse migraine outcomes (55:46); Consuming fruit and vegetables and exercising can make you happier (56:23).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of September 13, 2021 [episode #131]:

Featuring: Local COVID-19 Update (1:56); Update on Toledo-Lucas County Library COVID-19 measures (9:57); New study on COVID-19 vaccinations in the largest US cities finds stark inequities (14:28); Vaccines effective against Delta variant (16:50); WHO says Africa’s already thin vaccine supply to drop by 25% (18:23); COVID-19 infections in friend, family groups may influence vaccine willingness (20:19); Republicans less likely to accept ACA subsidies to purchase health insurance (23:17); Medicaid expansion tied to improvements in blood pressure, glucose control (25:07); Banning abortion would boost maternal mortality by double-digits (27:57); Study shows contact with police may be detrimental to health, well-being of Black youth (32:13); Black children are twice as likely to die by suicide (35:28); Doctors treat pain differently based on their patients’ race (37:02); FDA misses deadline for deciding which e-cigarette products should be removed from the market (38:43); Third of cancer drugs without proven clinical benefit continue to be recommended for patients (40:33); Alzheimer’s, Inc. — When a Hypothesis Becomes Too Big to Fail (42:43); Biogen admits Aduhelm launch “slower than we anticipated” (48:35); Outdated rule increases Medicare’s costs for generic drugs by $26 billion a year (51:21); Over 200 health journals call on world leaders to address “catastrophic harm to health” from climate change (57:41); EPA to propose first-ever “forever chemical” discharge limits, plus updated limits on meat-processing plant pollution (59:27).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of September 6, 2021 [episode #130]:

Featuring: Local COVID-19 Update (1:56); Case study of Toledo-Lucas County Library as how fragmented and devolved decision-making continues to stymie our public health response to COVID-19 (8:26); The White House wants $65 billion for an “Apollo”-style pandemic preparedness program (19:36); COVID-19 cited in significant increase in healthcare-associated infections in 2020 (23:16); Evidence mounts that MMR and Tdap vaccines strengthen protection against severe COVID-19 (24:56); HPV vaccination will reduce throat and mouth cancers, but overall impact will take 25-plus years to see (27:27); Texas anti-abortion whistleblower website goes down due to hacktivists and privacy laws and policies (29:58); The FDA Should Remove Its Restrictions on the “Abortion Pill” Mifepristone (31:57); Research finds “very low rates” (5%) of dental fluoride varnish treatment for young children, even as its insurance coverage is mandated (37:47); TEPCO to build undersea tunnel to release Fukushima radioactive water offshore (41:57); “A combination of failures” — why 3.6 million pounds of nuclear waste is buried on a popular California beach (44:28); Is This Food Really Healthy? New Packaging Labels Would Tell You — A simple traffic light symbol or a set of stars on the fronts of food products would advise consumers (52:45).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of August 30, 2021 [episode #129]:

Featuring: Here’s your decision: Get vaccinated first or be infected first (2:15); Delta variant doubles risk of COVID-19 hospitalization compared to alpha variant, new UK study confirms (5:52); Unvaccinated people are 29 times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 (7:39); COVID-19 vaccines flirted with perfection at first — Reality is more complicated with transmission (8:11); Largest real-world study of COVID-19 vaccine safety published (12:34); Disagreeable people found to be more prone to conspiracy theories (18:41); Simple, familiar tactics can rein in the COVID variant (22:10); Contact tracing takes a back seat during latest COVID surge (25:57); A Vaccine For Children Is Not Likely To Be Fully Approved Until The End Of Year (27:38); Students’ lack of routine vaccines muddies start of school (29:18); Local COVID-19 Update (30:48); Little change in number of uninsured in pandemic’s first year, due to public safety net programs (35:32); Are nonprofit hospitals holding up their end of the tax-free bargain? (39:51); In a new hospital ranking, doing good counts nearly as much as doing well (44:10) — How well Toledo Hospital, UT Medical Center, and St. Vincent’s compare in hospital ranking measures (50:36); How to overcome racial bias in medical appointment waiting times (54:33); Think leisure is a waste? That may not bode well for your mental health (56:11).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of August 23, 2021 [episode #128]:

Featuring: U.S. officials’ decision on Covid-19 booster shots baffles — and upsets — some scientists (2:31); What the new vaccine data about boosters does and doesn’t tell us (8:42); Biden puts pressure on nursing homes to vaccinate staff against COVID (12:53); Short hospitalizations hit hard for COVID patients (13:42); Pandemic has never been worse in Mississippi, top doctor says as 20,000 students are quarantined (16:09); As child hospitalizations rise, leaders must act now (17:02); 4 out of 10 parents have no plans to get child vaccinated for school (21:54); More than one million vaccine doses administered daily (25:58); Local COVID-19 Update (26:51); Polio circulating in The Gambia (33:06); Half of pediatric opioid prescriptions are “high risk” (34:19); Surface Water Vulnerable to Widespread Pollution From Fracking (38:04); 1.69 million deaths attributed to extreme temperatures in 2019 (42:08); One billion children at “extremely high risk” of the impacts of the climate crisis (42:40); Researchers Critique the Medical Model of Mental Health, Propose an Alternative (45:51); We Need to Rename ADHD ((50:18); Sugary drink consumption plunges in Chile after new food law (53:13); Small changes in diet could help you live healthier, more sustainably (55;33).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of August 16, 2021 [episode #127]:

GREATEST HITS SHOW #3, from August-November, 2019, featuring: moral injury and burnout in medicine requires collective action (2:00); sexual trauma as a global public health issue (6:09); Defense Department as single biggest polluter on planet (11:31); Man vs. mosquito – at the front lines of a public health war (18:43); role of racial stereotypes in assumptions that African-Americans are more violent (21:35); special series of articles in the American Journal of Public Health documenting role of slavery and racism in health inequalities that persist today (23:37); environmental and health harms are downshifting America’s obsession with the lawn (27:52); cultivating joy through mindfulness — an antidote to opioid misuse, the disease of despair (31:49); taking the cops out of mental health-related 911 rescues (38:33); children’s risk of dying before age 5 varies more than 40-fold (41:21); largest study finds greater reduction in cardiovascular disease and death from taking high blood pressure medication at bedtime rather than in morning (41:25); pharma money paid to doctors is the cancer growing in cancer medicine (46:58); to treat chronic ailments, fix diet first (51:00); study finds focusing on patient value and goals instead of problems yields better outcomes (54:07).

Week of August 9, 2021 [episode #126]:

Featuring: Fully vaccinated one-third as likely to get COVID (3:17); Unvaccinated more than twice as likely to get COVID-19 reinfection (4:23); One dose of Pfizer vaccine may be enough for folks who’ve had COVID (5:46); Research shows two-thirds or more with mild COVID-19 infections still experience long-term symptoms (9:33); Vaccine Mandates Are Lawful, Effective and Based on Rock-Solid Science (13:36); Largest operator of nursing homes in U.S. issues vaccine mandate for all workers (24:46); As Delta variant infections surge, more Americans favor vaccine mandates (26:15); The U.S. Is Losing the Global War Against COVID-19 — And That Is a National Security Issue (27:02); “Delta variant is everywhere in Ohio” — Gov. Mike DeWine urges more vaccinations as COVID cases rise (30:12); Local COVID-19 Update (32:23); U.S. health care ranks last among wealthy countries (37:06); U.S. health disparities persist, worsen in some areas (37:42); Expanding Medicare would reduce racial and ethnic health disparities (39:38); Headaches are vastly undertreated among racial and socioeconomic groups (43:07); U.N. adopts first resolution on vision, aims to help 1 billion (44:34); 13 percent experience difficulty hearing even with hearing aid (46:28); FDA allows drugs without proven clinical benefit to languish for years on accelerated pathway (48:01); Blood cholesterol in middle age linked to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease more than 10 years later (51:45); New analysis shows a decrease in dementia prevalence due to education countered by increase due to heart health risk factors (53:16); Healthy lifestyle may help mitigate high genetic risk of cancer (54:14); New guidelines intended to help health providers prevent gun injuries and deaths (55;35); Nonfatal firearm injuries lead to increased chance of mental health disorder in youth (59:02).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of August 2, 2021 [episode #125]:

Featuring: “The war has changed” — Internal CDC document urges new messaging, warns delta infections likely more severe (2:17); My takeaways from CDC bombshell new data (11:53); NIH director — Mask guidance is “mostly about protecting the unvaccinated” (14:41); Fauci — Amount of virus in breakthrough delta cases “almost identical” to unvaccinated (15:32); The Delta Variant Is the Symptom of a Bigger Threat — Vaccine Refusal, with U.S. ranking second only to Russia (16:27); Deep dive into why the delta variant is so scary (16:55); unvaccinated increasingly as most risk ever (35:26); “A rush to get shots” (28:43); China on ‘high alert’ as delta variant of Covid-19 spreads to 5 provinces — The spike raises questions over the country’s zero-tolerance approach to the virus — and whether it can contain the delta variant (41:38); FDA, under pressure, plans “sprint” to accelerate review of Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine for full approval (43:58); Local COVID-19 Update (46:03); Tokyo 2020 – Simone Biles’ withdrawal is a sign of resilience and strength (50:24); School meals should remain free for all children — today and always (55:29); The food system is unfair to real farmers and creates overabundance of highly processed foods (1:00:36).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of July 26, 2021:

Featuring: GREATEST HITS SHOW #2, from June-August, 2019, featuring: a public health case study that is the obesity epidemic, with a call to move beyond individual behavior and focus on social determinants driving obesity such as fat shaming and bias, and access to culturally-competent health services (2:00); why there is so much commercial corruption in nutrition (11:18); fiber and health, and fiber as a good marker for intake of whole foods (14:50); international drug development processes are irresponsible and must be reformed (18:51); the burgeoning benzo crisis (22:46); psychiatric diagnosis “scientifically meaningless” (28:52); keto diets and other diets that severely restrict carbohydrates, how there is little evidence for their effectiveness, especially considering their potential risks and sustainability issues both individually and ecologically, and how massive carbohydrate restriction hamstrings consumption of health-producing carbohydrates like beans, fruits, vegetables and unrefined grains; keto diets and other diets that severely restrict carbohydrates, how there is little evidence for their effectiveness, especially considering their potential risks and sustainability issues both individually and ecologically, and how massive carbohydrate restriction hamstrings consumption of health-producing carbohydrates like beans, fruits, vegetables and unrefined grains (32:38); how to deal with anxiety about climate change (41:45); seeing greenery linked to less intense and frequent cravings (46:13); nations with strong women’s rights have better population health and faster economic growth (49:09).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of July 19, 2021:

Featuring: CDC director warns of “pandemic of the unvaccinated” as cases rise (2:59); Poll shows growing worries about delta variant (4:06): After a Steep Plunge in Virus Cases, Every State Is Seeing an Uptick (5:16): Delta variant takes hold in U.S. as coronavirus cases rise nearly 70 percent (7:29): COVID-19 cases surge in Nevada as federal government prepares to send help (10:29): U.K. plan to end virus orders questioned as daily cases top 50,000 (11:15); Africa COVID deaths surge 43% in a week (12:26); Indonesia is new epicenter of COVID-19 in Southeast Asia (13:38); U.S. surgeon general issues call to counter ‘urgent threat’ of vaccine misinformation (14:46); Biden says Social media platforms “killing people” (16:54); Fauci says polio would still exist in the US if the “false information” currently being spread existed decades ago (20:12); Vaccines given in last 20 years could prevent 50 million deaths worldwide (22:35); Americans’ confidence in science split heavily along party lines (23:53); Study finds vaccine hesitancy lower in poorer countries (25;36); Delta variant makes COVID-19 vaccine even more important, even if you’ve already had the coronavirus (26:18); COVID-19 antibodies from vaccination are almost 3 times higher than from infection (27:26); Staff size, COVID-19 outcomes linked at skilled nursing facilities (28:22); Local COVID-19 Update (29:38); Alcohol consumption linked to more than 740,000 new cancer cases worldwide in 2020 (33:02); Overdose Deaths Have Surged During the Pandemic, CDC Data Shows (34:26); As feared, Ohio smashes record for drug overdose deaths last year (37:13); Life expectancy gap closes dramatically between those with HIV and general population (38:08); People living with HIV/AIDS have a much higher risk of suicide (40:56); 1999 to 2019 saw drop in rate of unintentional drowning deaths (41:54); Evidence against physically punishing kids is clear, researchers say (42:36); Self-inflicted firearm injuries three times more common in rural youth (45:16); Two major health systems won’t administer controversial new Alzheimer’s drug (47:12); The total health and climate consequences of the American food system cost three times as much as the food itself (50:15); FAO report maps insights from and threats to Indigenous Peoples’ food systems (56:04).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of July 12, 2021:

Featuring: GREATEST HITS SHOW #1, from April-June, 2019, featuring: a far-reaching riff on epidemiology, the science of the distribution of health, disease and their determinants in populations; in laypersons’ terms, what are the most important things to consider in our community’s health (2:08); Can you be a serious environmentalist without cutting down drastically on animal-foods, that is, cutting way down on meat, eggs, and dairy? (11:01); don’t be confused by industry misinformation – salt consumption is a major risk factor for poor health, and one of the three most dangerous food additives (18:27); tips on cutting back on salt and sugar, and getting more whole grains into your diet (26:53); basic mental health facts and considerations (33:28); the importance of happiness and purpose in driving health and well-being, and the epidemic of meaninglessness in work life (39:26); Is public health in America so bad among the young, supposedly healthier people, that the U.S. may eventually not be able to defend itself militarily? (51:53)

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of July 5, 2021:

Featuring: Three in 10 Americans Think Pandemic Is Over in U.S. (2:50): Most Americans who wanted COVID vaccine have already gotten one (3:49): Craving freedom from virus, U.S. heads into “Independence Day” with sharply divided risk (5:57): The Delta COVID Variant’s Urgent Message for America — Vaccinate; Do it quickly (8:51): In India, concern mounts over a variant called Delta Plus (16:22): Thai virus surge prompts concern over ICUs, vaccine supply (18:27): Britain’s COVID-19 cases up 53% in past week (19:44): COVID-19 vaccine reduces severity, length, viral load for those who still get infected (20:28): Workers more likely to be vaccinated if employers offer paid time off (21:45): Local COVID-19 Update (23:48); Lottery-based incentives do not increase COVID-19 vaccination rates, says study (25:36): States with more stringent COVID rules had both better economic and health outcomes, data shows (28:23): Only 20 states used health equity committees in COVID-19 vaccine distribution planning (33:57): Want to help fight for health justice? It may be time to listen (34:57): Whistleblowers Expose Corruption in EPA Chemical Safety Office (40:15): Johnson & Johnson agrees to pay $230 million to settle opioid case in New York (44:04): Will Biogen’s new Alzheimer’s drug’s burden on Medicare be big, huge, or catastrophic? (45:33): 120,000+ people in Oklahoma gain Medicaid coverage as expansion takes effect (47:46): Public Health History Relevant Today — Florence Nightingale in the age of Covid-19 (50:45): The Food System’s Carbon Footprint Has Been Vastly Underestimated (57:00).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of June 28, 2021:

Featuring: More on FDA’s huge mistake — A crucial, overlooked question on the new Alzheimer’s drug: When should patients stop taking it? (1:55); Eli Lilly to apply for accelerated approval of unproven Alzheimer’s drug (6:37); Almost all U.S. coronavirus deaths among unvaccinated (9:00); Second COVID vaccine dose missed by over 10% of Americans (10:06); Nearly every new COVID-19 death is now entirely preventable, CDC director says (11:27); Unvaccinated Missourians fuel COVID: “We will be the canary” (13:27); “Brutal” third wave hits Africa as vaccination slows (17:43); The generosity of vaccine diplomacy is a strategic investment, not a gift (20:45); Nursing homes struggle to reduce a serious COVID risk — many employees resist vaccination (23:45); Local COVID-19 Update (27:47); Black patients with cirrhosis more likely to die, much less likely to get liver transplant (32:50); New position statement declares that sleep is essential to health (34:28); Better sleep — Less fast food and screen time, more physical activity (37:38); Want to keep toxic chemicals out of the environment? Start with campaign finance reform (39:53); America’s unhealthy lifestyles (45:04); Advocates Call For New Curbs On Junk-Food Marketing (51:21); Parents of children with complex medical conditions more likely to have mental health issues (53:56); Link between heavy drinking and mental health problems in UK Police Service (55:17); Toxic workplaces increase risk of depression by 300% (56:20).

BONUS stories to read online!

Newly disclosed FDA documents reveal agency’s unprecedented path to approving Aduhelm, the controversial new Alzheimer’s drug
The mRNA Vaccines Are Extraordinary, but Novavax Is Even Better
An Indigenous Amazonian Group May Hold a Key to Slowing Down the Aging Process
Cleveland’s Plan for Climate Justice Could be a Model for the Rest of the Country — The city seeks federal support in order to address its top climate action priorities: “housing, transit and trees”
How the pandemic has reshaped collaboration — and competition — in science
“Nobody is catching it” — Algorithms used in health care nationwide are rife with bias
Chadwick Boseman’s tragedy is America’s tragedy: In colorectal cancer hot spots, young men are dying at higher rates
The Politics of Distress: A Discussion With Dr. James Davies on His New Book, “Sedated: How Modern Capitalism Created Our Mental Health Crisis”

Week of June 21, 2021:

Featuring: More on FDA’s huge mistake — Three FDA advisers quit over agency approval of sketchy Alzheimer’s drug (1:56); Furor rages over FDA approval of controversial Alzheimer’s drug (4:06); Aduhelm will balloon America’s health spending (7:04); FDA Approves Failed Alzheimer’s Drug (8:17); Delta variant COVID-19 symptoms “include headaches, sore throat and runny nose” (13:25); Local COVID-19 Update (15:32); Half of unvaccinated adults have needle phobia (18:36); 52% of those who “definitely wouldn’t” get vaccinated have gotten jabs (21:08); DEBUT of parody PSA — The Dihydrogen Monoxide Conspiracy (22:11); Study links COVID-19 public health efforts to dramatic drop in COPD hospitalizations (24:26); U.S. appears to lose ground in controlling high blood pressure (29:13); Women now drink as much as men (32:10); New research finds one million early deaths in 2017 attributable to fossil fuel combustion (36:03); NIH releases a plan to confront structural racism — Critics say it’s not enough (37:35); Dismantling white supremacy in public health (46:19); Ending sickle cell disease is a matter of racial justice (50:26); Use of PFAS chemicals in cosmetics “widespread,” new study finds (54:33).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of June 14, 2021:

Featuring: FDA’s huge mistake — FDA approves first new Alzheimer’s drug in almost 20 years (1:57); An extra twist in the FDA’s Alzheimer’s decision — no limits on which patients can get the drug (4:22); What you need to know about the new Alzheimer’s drug — common, serious side effects (8:57); Prescription drug prices increased twice the inflation rate of US economy in 2020 (9:59); 78 percent of unvaccinated Americans unlikely to change their minds (12:20); COVID-19 Variants news — UK says Delta variant 60 percent more transmissible (13:14); CDC estimates Alpha variant made up 66 percent of COVID-19 cases in April (13:53); More transmissible, wilier variant makes Covid-19 vaccinations even more crucial, experts say (16:02); Delta variant’s UK dominance sparks concerns in U.S. (24:00); Labor Department Issues Emergency Rules to Protect Health Care Workers From COVID (25:50); Local COVID-19 Update (29:02); Study suggests unmedicated, untreated brain illness is likely in mass shooters (33:09); Alarming rising trends in suicide by firearms in young Americans (36:22); Many adults with cardiovascular disease know the risks, yet still don’t stop smoking (38:35); Amidst COVID-19, U.S. death rates from heart disease, diabetes see largest increases in more than 20 years (41:00); Many U.S. physicians lack understanding, confidence about patients with disabilities (43:52); Beyond remission — From alcohol dependence to optimal mental health (46:35); Connections between criminal justice and health (49:26); Congress must close the Medicaid coverage gap once and for all (51:18); $5.1 billion effort to eradicate polio announced (58:48).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of June 7, 2021:

Featuring: What Naomi Osaka taught women, especially Black women (1:57); How does COVID-19 end in the US? Likely with a death rate Americans are willing to “accept” (4:50); study shows dental professionals were at much higher risk of COVID-19 and that natural infection is unlikely to provide durable immunity (7:25); Vaccination rates fall off, imperiling Biden’s July Fourth goal (9:53); Some prisons highly successful in vaccinating inmates (11:59); progressive congressional Democrats give a detailed ask on how to deal with the global vaccine equity crisis in letter to Biden (13:22); Local COVID-19 Update (19:43); How COVID-19 lessons can transform US mental health care (22:43); Controversial Indiana needle exchange program that quelled massive HIV outbreak voted down (29:37); Most Americans support Medicare drug price negotiation despite claims it would hurt innovation (33:07); UN optimistic on conquering AIDS by 2030 (36:29); Changing the equation — Researchers remove race from a calculator for childbirth (39:28); People of color twice as likely to die after traumatic brain injury (42:00); Biomedical Research Falls Short at Factoring in Sex and Gender (44:30); Study blames climate change for 37% of global heat deaths (51:54); Climate crisis will crush world’s biggest nations twice as hard as Covid-19, says new study (52:57); Pesticides Are Killing the World’s Soils and Their Biodiversity (54:09).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of May 31, 2021:

Featuring: Vietnam identifies new, highly transmissible variant of coronavirus (2:16); WHO director-general calls for countries to vaccinate at least 10% of their populations by September and 30% by end of year (3:13); The unseen covid-19 risk for unvaccinated people (4:23); Local COVID-19 Update (6:47); Number of smokers has reached all-time high of 1.1 billion globally (11:17); Leading global cardiovascular organizations release joint opinion on achieving the “tobacco endgame” (14:27); Heavy drinkers see doctors regularly, but few receive treatment for disorder (17:24); Study links dementia to smoking and cardiovascular disease (21:30); Many people with high blood pressure are taking another medication that could raise it (24:00); The link between structural racism, high blood pressure and Black people’s health (25:39); In many U.S. cities, most and least racially inclusive hospitals are neighbors (30:01); Academic medical centers need to go beyond statements condemning racism (31:44); Doctors should talk about race and racism with their patients — Here’s how (36:13); Let’s banish the term “patient” from the health care lexicon (41:59); Restore a better balance to public-private funding of biomedical research (47:38); Climate disasters “caused more internal displacement than war” in 2020 (53:21); Greenland’s ice sheet is releasing huge amounts of mercury into rivers (55:04); “Safe System” approach could dramatically reduce road deaths while improving equity (56:31).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of May 24, 2021:

Featuring: Global COVID-19 deaths likely two to three times higher than reported (2:27): In Ohio and U.S., vaccine coverage lags in rural areas (3:16); COVID testing’s value shrinks as vaccines beat back virus (6:21); Major dating apps adding vaccination badges to dating profiles (8:56); COVID is surging in the world’s most vaccinated country — Why? (10:39); Local COVID-19 Update (18:03); Race/ethnicity data still missing for 44% vaccinated people (22:26); NW Ohio poll results show strong desire for more regulations on large livestock facilities known as concentrated animal feeding operations (23:55); Racial disparities in COVID-19 mortality wider than reported and linked to structural racism (25:47); Solving America’s public health crisis means addressing historic inequities (31:01); New approach to understanding our wellbeing — the ability to connect and feel a sense of belonging (37:02); Active community voice effective tool for population health improvement (38:33); Providing medications for free leads to greater adherence and cost-savings (39:39); Uninsured cancer patients 60-64 face worse outcomes than Medicare beneficiaries aged 66-69 (41:53); Missouri abandons voter-approved Medicaid expansion (45:45); Different physical activity “cocktails” have similar health benefits (48:25); Taking more steps per day, either all at once or in shorter spurts, may help you live longer (51:23); Long term use of prescription meds for insomnia not linked to better quality sleep (53:03).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of May 17, 2021:

Featuring: Fauci says vaccinated people become “dead ends” for the coronavirus (2:48); COVID-19 vaccine is associated with fewer asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections (4:17); one epidemiologist’s reaction to the CDC mask use policy change (5:02); CDC director defends new mask guidance saying science “evolved” (7:15); New mask guidance puts onus on businesses (8:43); Schools ditch student mask requirements in growing numbers (12:10); Nearly 3 in 4 parents comfortable with in-person learning for the fall (14:38); Ohio to use millions in federal funds for vaccine lottery giveaways (16:36); Here’s how effective vaccine incentives like free beer really are (18:16); Two-thirds of California prison residents offered COVID vaccine accepted at least one dose (28:26); Majority of Russians not planning vaccination (29:23); 16 new cases cause worry in Taiwan, their president says don’t panic (30:38); They Haven’t Gotten a COVID Vaccine Yet, But They Aren’t “Hesitant” Either (31:42); Nearly half of Americans don’t trust CDC and FDA — that’s a problem (34:09); Americans’ most-cited public health problems (38:33); White House unveils plan to spend $7 Billion to hire public health workers (39:07); The absence of a 2020-21 flu season shows how effective simple public health measures are at limiting virus transmission (41:15); De Santis’s cruise line battle shows contempt for public health federalism (42:54); Long COVID affecting more than half of patients six months on (48:39); Researcher studies rise of tick-borne diseases in Midwest (50:12); Asia is home to 99 of world’s 100 most vulnerable cities to pollution and climate change (52:43); Air pollution from farms leads to 17,900 U.S. deaths per year, study finds (56:05).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of May 10, 2021:

Featuring: Florida Crisis Highlights a Nationwide Risk From Toxic Ponds (2:29); America’s biggest jails are frontline environmental justice communities (11:50); How a shocking environmental disaster was uncovered off the California coast after 70 years (18:36); For-profit nursing homes and hospices are a bad deal for older Americans (26:22); Medical device firms’ payments to doctors far outstripped those from pharma, study shows (31:58); Making the case for adjusting hospital quality measures for social risk factors (35:59); Instead of prior authorization, insurers should go back to the old ‘pay-and-chase’ model (38:54); Fee or free? The services hospital-based psychologists provide are “priceless” (44:32); The Sense, and Dollars, of Food as Medicine (49:16); Data on gun violence would save lives — just like it has for car crashes (56:35).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of May 3, 2021:

Featuring: India launches effort to inoculate all adults against COVID (1:58); U.S. to launch trade talks on COVID-19 vaccine distribution (8:03); pharmaceutical industry dispatches army of lobbyists to block generic COVID-19 vaccines (10:24); State Department urging Americans to leave India as COVID-19 cases surge (15:25); Lucas County and Ohio COVID-19 update (16:22), including, Ohio case rate falls again, but still not enough to end mask mandate — Governor may move goalposts (17:15); Public Health Experts Worry About Boom-Bust Cycle of Support (24;37); Do public health officials need to be political activists? A fight over an HIV crisis renews the question (31:32); America’s STD rate at record high again (34:42); HIV self-test prices to be slashed in half in 135 countries (30:58); WHO eyes malaria eradication in 25 countries by 2025 (40:30); Texas Enabled the Worst Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Catastrophe in Recent U.S. History (42:47); Court rules that EPA’s delay “exposed a generation of American children” to brain-damaging pesticide chlorpyrifos (46:04); Gender-affirming surgeries improve mental health in young, study says (52:31); Spanking may affect the brain development of a child similar to more severe violence (55:50); The clear message on promoting body positivity (57:31).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of April 26, 2021:

Featuring: CDC panel recommends resuming Johnson & Johnson vaccinations (1:57); For people of color, “where is our pause” from being killed by police? (3:20); States with springtime Covid-19 surges appear to have turned a corner (5:10); What does the future of “normal” look like? (12:13); Lucas County and Ohio COVID-19 update (15:42), including, California’s public universities to require COVID-19 vaccine (17:45); Biden calls for every employee to get paid leave for vaccinations (31:30); Study of “breakthrough” cases suggests COVID testing may be here to stay (23:12); CDC recommends pregnant people get COVID-19 vaccine (25:08); Study Finds 1 in 10 Healthcare Workers with Mild COVID Have Lasting Symptoms (25:43); Almost one-third of health care workers thought about leaving jobs (27:28); Major study details numerous long-term effects of COVID-19, pointing to massive health burden (28:44); Billion COVID-19 vaccine doses administered globally (33:08); Most Americans say they should be vaccinated before the U.S. donates Covid-19 shots elsewhere (34:36); Science and need — not wealth or nationality — should guide vaccine allocation and prioritization (36:28); U.S. adds 116 countries to its “Do Not Travel” advisory list (39:03); FDA says N95 masks, now plentiful, should no longer be reused (40:02); No evidence of an increase in risk of suicide in first months of the pandemic (43:13); Study finds no rise in English suicide rates during first lockdown (44:23); Decrease seen in abusive head trauma for young children during pandemic (46:14); A plus from the pandemic — fewer kids using e-cigarettes (47:13); Children born to Chernobyl survivors don’t carry more genetic mutations (47:52); More than 40% in U.S. live in cities with unhealthy air (50:00); Even “safe” ambient carbon monoxide levels may harm health (53:20); Colorado air pollution control managers ordered staff to falsify data and approve permits “at all costs,” whistleblowers say (54:32); Music improves older adults’ sleep quality (59:23).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of April 19, 2021:

Featuring: SPECIAL SEGMENT — Much Ado About Something Very Little — an extremely rare side effect of a COVID-19 vaccine — a case study on risk-benefit decision-making (1:57), including Poll Shows Confidence in Johnson & Johnson vaccine drops after CDC pauses use (3:08); Johnson & Johnson vaccine pause is classic FDA overreach (5:33); extremely rare blood clot linked with J & J vaccine (8:17); risk of rare blood clotting much higher in COVID-19 than for vaccines (8:52); Too much unhealthy media coverage of medical tests (12:18); A visit to “Dr. Google” makes patients better at diagnosis (16:09); COVID-19 vaccine eligibility for all may be equality but not equity (17:19); Lucas County and Ohio COVID-19 update (18:48), including, More colleges make COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for students (21:34); Study shows past COVID-19 infection doesn’t fully protect young people against reinfection (24:37); U.S. overdose deaths have soared during COVID-19 pandemic (28:51); Mental Health Professionals and AI Tools Fail to Predict Suicide (31:57); Suicide among female nurses is double that of the general female population (34:34); Stress from work and social interactions put women at higher coronary heart disease risk (35:33); Physicians are more likely to doubt black patients than white patients (37:03); Women’s pain not taken as seriously as men’s pain (38:15); Study shows 1 in 3 women with prenatal Medicaid lack coverage before or after pregnancy (40:33); U.S. maternal death rate climbed in 2019 with enduring racial disparities (41:34); Study finds Americans eat food of mostly poor nutritional quality — except at school (42:55); Time to shift from “food security” to “nutrition security” to increase health and well-being (48:31); Gut microbiome plays role in autism (51:45); U.S. Preventive Services Task Force finds evidence insufficient for vitamin D screening (53:18); How to gain a sense of well-being, free and online (54:38); Beyond COVID, The Future Of mRNA Is Bright (56:39).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of April 12, 2021:

Featuring: SPECIAL SEGMENT — It’s a pandemic, stupid — WHO warns global COVID-19 pandemic “growing exponentially” (2:49); No region in the world spared as virus cases, deaths surge (4:50); Brazil now has more young than old COVID patients in ICUs (8:24); Japan imposes new virus measures in Tokyo ahead of Olympics (9:53); Biden eyes bigger US role in global vaccination efforts (10:42); Stalled at first jab – vaccine shortages hit poor countries (13:58); Pursuing global “maximum suppression” of COVID-19 (18:36); “Double mutant” coronavirus variant is found in California (23:00); Lucas County and Ohio COVID-19 update (28:16), including ODH broke state public records law by not releasing nursing home COVID-19 deaths (30:21) and Nearly 8 in 10 school, childcare staff have gotten at least 1 dose of COVID vaccine (33:16); Prioritizing who gets vaccinated for COVID-19 saves lives (35:17); Biden officials rebuff appeals to surge Covid-19 vaccine to Michigan amid growing crisis (37:24); Big new push to vaccinate older Americans (47:21); CDC says risk of COVID-19 transmission on surfaces 1 in 10,000 — “Bar Napkin” Epidemiology case study(45:02); CDC director says racism is “serious public health threat” (50:57); Biden pushes Congress to boost public health, pandemic preparedness funding (51:37); Implementation science should give higher priority to health equity (53:42); U.S. suicides dropped last year, defying pandemic expectations (55:35); Canada-wide ban on menthol cigarettes leads to significant increases in quitting among smokers (57:36); Cannabis almost as addictive as opioids among teens, study finds (59:35).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of April 5, 2021:

Featuring: Are we entering a “fourth wave” of the pandemic? Experts disagree (2:02); COVID Vaccine Hesitancy Drops Among All Americans, New Survey Shows (8:33); Will America spike the football on the 5 yard line? (10:33); U.S. puts J&J in charge of plant that botched COVID vaccine, removes AstraZeneca (13:12); Pfizer says vaccine 100 percent effective in kids 12 to 15 (15:53); FDA authorizes two rapid, at-home COVID-19 tests in major move (17:03); Almost one in seven suffers long COVID, UK study finds (18:18); ban on US water shutoffs could have prevented thousands of COVID deaths (18:48); Lucas County and Ohio COVID-19 update (21:44); mass shootings are rare, but firearm suicides are common and kill more Americans every year (26:56); Effects of “Stand-Your-Ground” Laws on Violence and Crime: A Systematic Review (29:49); Intentional youth firearm injuries linked to sociodemographic factors (31:11); One in five Colorado high school students has access to firearms (34:00); Children have more access to guns than their parents may believe (35:58); worker burnout vs. moral injury (39:08); Formal education does not lead to greater job satisfaction (41:21); Working long hours may increase odds of second heart attack (43:26); Non-drug therapies as good as or better than drugs for treating depression in people with dementia (44:01); Open-label placebo works as well as double-blind placebo in irritable bowel syndrome (45:56); Researchers Attempt to Reduce the Placebo Effect in Drug Trials (48:37); A new way to measure human wellbeing towards sustainability — Years of Good Life (56:39); Devastatingly pervasive — 1 in 3 women globally experience violence (58:52).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of March 29, 2021:

Featuring: 90+% benefit of early vaccination on health care workforce (3:37); 90+% effectiveness of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines among health care personnel, first responders, and other essential and frontline workers (4:13); mRNA vaccination is safe and effective, even in those with chronic inflammatory diseases (5:21); frequent seasonal cold coronavirus reinfections hint at possibility of endemic COVID-19 (7:18); Lucas County and Ohio COVID-19 update (12:18), with Michigan sees “alarming increase” in COVID-19 hospitalizations among unvaccinated adults (12:18), Michigan sees virus surge, but tighter restrictions unlikely (14:17), Ohio lawmakers override Gov. Mike DeWine’s veto of health order bill (15:51), University of Toledo holding COVID-19 vaccine clinics (19:24); and latest data on COVID-19 vaccinations by race/ethnicity (21:51); Rutgers to require students be vaccinated for virus in fall (24:00); New York launches nation’s first “vaccine passport” (24:55); WHO asks rich countries to donate 10 million vaccine doses to poorer ones (26:03); progressives up pressure on Biden to back COVID vaccine patent waiver (27:33); HPV infections are plummeting due to widespread vaccination (29:11); public health nutrition deserves more attention (30:39); 7 healthy strategies to navigate a food swamp (34:26); fine particulate matter from wildfire smoke more harmful than pollution from other sources (38:38); California’s diesel emissions rules reduce air pollution, protect vulnerable communities (40:43); EPA head — “COVID-19 created a perfect storm for environmental justice communities” (43:03); Biden EPA to reconsider Trump rule on lead in drinking water (44:16); Biden administration extends special Obamacare enrollment until August 15 (45:47); starting smoking cessation in hospitalized patients would reduce many premature deaths (47:51); menthol cigarettes kill many black people — a ban may finally be near (50:03);study reveals bias among doctors who classify X-rays for coal miner’s black lung claims (52:08); health declining in Gen X and Gen Y, U.S. study shows (56:05).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of March 22, 2021:

Featuring: another COVID-19 vaccine being cued up, AstraZeneca, shows 100% protection from hospitalizations and death (2:08); surging COVID-19 cases in Europe, Brazil signal warning for U.S.(2:42); study shows those age 65+ have only 47% protection from COVID-19 reinfection from original infection, while younger people have 80% protection (6:53); CDC study finds nursing home residents who appear to have recovered from COVID-19 were reinfected with an even worse case (10:26); CDC says three feet of distance safe in schools (13:17); Lucas County and Ohio COVID-19 update (17:23); Ohio’s vaccine supply to increase 25 percent (23:17); rapid COVID-19 vaccine rollouts backfired in some US states (24:00); only half of front-line health workers have been vaccinated (25:15); prisons are long-term care facilities. So why don’t inmates get priority for Covid-19 vaccination? (27:30); 13 things primary care clinics can check to help preserve brain health: 1) manage blood pressure, 2) achieve healthy cholesterol levels, 3) reduce blood sugar, 4) increase physical activity, 5) eat better, 6) lose weight 7) quit smoking smoking, 8) treat depression, 9) reduce social isolation, 10) reduce excessive alcohol use, 11) manage sleep disorders, 12) assess for less education and 13) manage hearing loss (35:46); 94% of older adults are prescribed drugs that raise risk of falling, and deaths from falls doubled from 1999-2017 (40:33); driven by the pandemic and “the Fauci effect,” applicants flood public health schools (42:24); U.S. infant health inequality on the rise (43:26); high blood pressure complications in U.S. pregnancies have nearly doubled (44:43); need amid plenty — richest U.S. counties are overwhelmed by surge in child hunger (45:10); book review — Bittman on food history — Animal, Vegetable, Junk: A History of Food, from Sustainable to Suicidal (46:36); New York City’s terrific food initiatives (48:03); the surprise catch of seafood trawling — massive greenhouse gas emissions as much as the aviation industry (51:03); feeding cattle seaweed reduces their greenhouse gas emissions 82 percent (52:06); land could be worth more left to nature than when farmed (53:21); study finds evidence of 55 new chemicals in people (55:24).

BONUS stories to read online!

Stealth Chemicals: A Call to Action on a Threat to Human Fertility
In an interview with epidemiologist Shanna Swan talks about how falling sperm counts and other fertility problems are linked to chemicals in consumer products and explains why the Biden administration needs to follow Europe’s lead in restricting these substances.
Vaccine acceptance expert weighs in on AstraZeneca saga
The Victims of Agent Orange the U.S. Has Never Acknowledged — America has never taken responsibility for spraying the herbicide over Laos during the Vietnam War, but generations of ethnic minorities have endured the consequences.
“Painless” Glucose Monitors Pushed Despite Little Evidence They Help Most Diabetes Patients

Week of March 15, 2021:

Featuring: what can vaccinated people do safely — my commentary (1:57) and the CDC is missing a critical opportunity to get Americans vaccinated, that is, incentivizing getting back to normal (8:52); reckless governors are threatening COVID-19 progress (13:28); widespread variant B.1.1.7 of COVID-19 associated with 30-100% higher mortality rate (15:08); Pfizer vaccine neutralizes Brazilian virus variant in new study (18:06); federal officials relax guidance on nursing home visits, citing vaccines and slowing infections (19:05); politics still drives how Americans feel about COVID response (22:24); five things that must happen to get people vaccinated (24:58); Lucas County and Ohio COVID-19 update (26:09); Gov. Mike DeWine’s vaccination priorities are shockingly biased, deprioritizing obesity and other conditions viewed as individual choices (31:53); report says Ohio lags in public health preparedness (39:05); Ohio looks to form new statewide support system for child and adolescent behavioral health (41:25); Medicare for All means Mental Health Care for All 42:32); life expectancy falling for adults without a bachelor’s degree — while educational gaps have widened, racial gaps have narrowed (46:56); US expert panel says lung cancer screenings for smokers should now start at age 50 (49:13); new lung cancer screening recommendation, starting at age 50, expands access but may not address inequities (50:37); food systems responsible for one-third of human-caused emissions (53:50); greenhouse gas emissions associated with dietary guidelines vary between countries — following U.S. guidelines would increase emissions (55:29).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of March 8, 2021:

Featuring: COVID Relief Bill will expand access to health care under Obamacare and slash poverty rates (2:20); COVID-19 relief bill includes an expansion of Obamacare — here’s how it will work (3:48); over 200,000 sign up for Obamacare plans during Biden special enrollment period (7:10); Biden faces criticism over push to vaccinate teachers (10:26); CDC releases highly anticipated guidance for people fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (15:03); retailers fear a return of the mask wars (19:24); former Biden COVID-19 adviser, “We are in the eye of the hurricane right now” (21:25); much of the world is seeing coronavirus cases fall, but Brazil’s outbreak is worse than ever (22:17); Lucas County and Ohio COVID-19 update (26:01) — including Gov. DeWine says no more masks once cases fall to 50 per100,000 Ohioans (27:21); after old age, intellectual disability is greatest risk factor for death from COVID-19 (29:40); Ohio unveils central COVID-19 vaccine scheduling tool — gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov (36:54); Ohio begins vaccine eligibility for persons age 50 and older (38:13); 41% say they are not willing to receive coronavirus vaccine (38:59); Tennessee to move to next CIVID-19 vaccine phase, in part due to lack of demand (40:53); recovery rate 6 times higher for those who stop antipsychotics within two years (42:52); another failed study of “personalized” depression treatment (44:44); most women receive inappropriate treatment for urinary tract infections (45:41); what to do when your friends and family are unsupportive of your depression (48:58); Ohio CareLine, 1-800-720-9616, available 24/7 for emotional support and referrals (53:42); walking and biking infrastructure can save lives and billions more than cost (54:38).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of March 1, 2021::

Featuring: Tiger Wood’ life saved by public health while his legs saved by medical care (1:56); new one-dose COVID-19 vaccination approved that is extremely effective at preventing severest disease, plus, cuts down viral transmission substantially (3:12); how will we know when the COVID-19 pandemic is over? (5:07); governors lift COVID-19 restrictions despite risks of new spike (6:45); researchers find worrying new coronavirus variant in New York City (9:51); the “nightmare scenario” for California’s coronavirus strain — here is what we know (12:27); White House to send 25 million masks to health centers, food pantries (17:31); Lucas County and Ohio COVID-19 update — including Ohio officials: more-contagious COVID-19 variant could be cropping up in every county, and, OSU testing more people for COVID-19 than some U.S. states (18:55); “Held to ransom” — Pfizer plays hardball in Covid-19 vaccine negotiations with Latin American countries (31:06); after initial spread, travel bans are of limited value in thwarting the spread of COVID-19 (35:42); this EPA mapping tool could reshape environmental justice (37:05); communities of color are dumping grounds for toxic waste in Michigan (41:11); Atlanta creates the nation’s largest free food forest with hopes of addressing food insecurity (56:18); prospective study finds that even light activity, such as gardening or walking, preserves women’s mobility during aging (59:32).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of February 22, 2021:

Featuring: U.S. “officially” passes 500,000 COVID-19 deaths, and undercounted COVID-19 deaths catapult it to the #1 leading cause of death over the last 12 months (1:57); U.S. life expectancy drops one year, two years for Hispanics and three years for Blacks, greatly overshadowing largest ever drops historically from HIV and opioid epidemic (2:36); the impact of COVID-19 on Africa has been vastly underestimated, says first-of-its-kind study (6:02); Pandemic 2.0, 3.0, etc. — variant update (7:29); asthmatics are at no higher risk of either getting or dying from COVID-19 (12:44); Lucas County COVID-19 update (13:16); Department of Defense says nearly one third of service members are declining COVID-19 vaccine (20:40); “A massive gap in information” — most vaccine clinical trials fail to report data on participants’ ethnicity or race (22:02); 57% of Americans were unable to get a Covid-19 test when they wanted one (24:27); “Use that money wisely” — coalition urges governments to spend opioid settlement funds on evidence-based efforts (26:54); pain patients who take opioids can’t get in the door at over half of primary care clinics (30:01); lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations suffer about three times the amount of violent crime victimization as heterosexuals (31:51); medical school curriculums may misuse race and play a role in perpetuating physician bias — how to undo this (32:28); doctors and lawmakers call on FDA to address racial disparities in pulse oximeters (37:57); surgical smoke and what can be done about it (41:28); climate change may have driven the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 (44:05); how one million volunteer citizen-scientists could revolutionize personalized medicine — you can participate at JoinAllofUS.org (46:22); a letter to those struggling with mental illness (51:48).

BONUS stories to read online!

Week of February 15, 2021:

Featuring: on COVID-19 pandemic management, the U.S. is ranked 94 out of 98 countries (1:55); Trump’s environmental and occupational policies are the other public health disasters (2:43); Lancet report documents Trump era failures in public health infrastructure and hundreds of thousands of Americans lost to declines in life expectancy (9:19); health care industry groups back Obamacare reforms proposed by Democrats (10:53); Democrats urge Biden FDA to drop in-person rule for abortion pill (15:28); Lucas County COVID-19 update (17:01); Ohio adds over 4,000 overlooked COVID-19 deaths; CDC calls for schools to reopen with precautions (24:47); CDC head, “I think we need a lot more resources in order to get the schools safe” (26:52); we asked 175 pediatric disease experts if it was safe to open schools (28:19); limited transmission of COVID-19 from open schools but teachers were affected, says Swedish study (34:38); double masking works, says CDC study (38:48); researchers propose that humidity from masks may boost immune defenses and lessen severity of COVID-19 (40:09); COVID-19 vaccination rates follow the money in states with biggest wealth gaps (43:24); back to “normal” isn’t good enough for millions of Americans (45:52); what if we never reach herd immunity? (49:14); people in societies where money plays a minimal role can have very high levels of happiness, comparable to the happiest industrialized nations (55:19).

NEW FEATURE THIS WEEK — Bonus stories to read online!

Week of February 8, 2021:

NEW FEATURE THIS WEEK — links to original news stories!

Featuring: My projection last Spring turns out to be scarily on mark (2:07); Biden to use Defense Production Act to boost production of COVID-19 tests, gloves, and vaccine supplies (3:20); Joe Biden appointment charged with reinvigorating American science (5:19); UK strain doubling every 10 days (9:18); coronavirus variant from South Africa may be able to re-infect those infected with earlier strains (11:32); Lucas County COVID-19 update (15:42); Ohio vaccine supply growing substantially (22:09); Ohio governor DeWine seeks more funding for public health causes in state (22:43); Ten actions needed to restore public health (24:48); What 8 of the nation’s top health policy voices say Biden should do this year (31:08); physically impossible to deliver all recommended clinical preventive services in current sick-care system (39:04); rich investors stripped millions from a hospital chain and want to leave it behind — a tiny state and union stand in their way (40:33); how rich hospitals profit from poor patients in car crashes (41:28); burned by low reimbursements, some doctors stop testing for COVID-19 (46:42); another benefit of raising the minimum wage — better U.S. health (50:22); digital health divide runs deep in older racial and ethnic minorities, stymying access to COVID-19 vaccines (51:23); essential workers with highest excess deaths from COVID-19 (53:12); true COVID-19 death count 44% higher than officially recorded count, and higher undercounts in rural, Southern, poorly educated, and pro-Trump areas (55:13); heart disease #1 cause of death rank likely to be adversely impacted by COVID-19 for years to come (1:01:47).

Week of February 1, 2021:

Featuring: Biden’s bet on rapid COVID-19 home testing starts with $239 million deal with Australian company (2:39); “inspired choice” — Biden appoints sociologist Alondra Nelson to top science post (5:14); debates on school reopening continues as Biden administration looks to reopening by April (8:32); experts say it’s time to double up or upgrade masks as virus variants emerge (13:43); Lucas County COVID-19 update (20:15); as cases drop nationally, more dangerous coronavirus variants are coming and poised to complicate vaccines’ ability to crush pandemic in U.S. this year (26:55); communities of color getting left behind in vaccine rollout (48:23); $44 million vaccine software system from CDC gets few takers among states (54:40); if poor countries go unvaccinated, study says that rich ones will incur most of the economic losses (56:50).

Week of January 25, 2021:

Featuring: U.S. COVID-19 numbers drop, but race against new strains heats up (2:32); more contagious COVID-19 variant cases identified at at University of Michigan (4:50); Fauci says “we have to assume now” that British virus strain can “cause more damage” (6:28); coronavirus variant in Brazil raging in already extremely highly infected region (9:23); emerging evidence suggests new coronavirus variant could be problematic for vaccines (11:36); Europe’s growing mask ask — ditch the cloth ones for medical-grade coverings (12:31); staying safe in the time of coronavirus — pay attention to “the guy you know” (15:13); people most likely to follow COVID rules when friends and family do (16:34); the risk of a middle-age person dying of COVID-19 is about 100 times greater than dying from an automobile crash (18:10); Lucas County COVID-19 update (18:43); disjointed vaccine distribution poses early test for Biden (30:14); Biden inherits a vaccine supply unlikely to grow before April (32:22); de-prioritizing those who have already been infected (have antibodies) will speed vaccination’s path to protection (37:00); experts tap into behavioral research to promote COVID-19 vaccination in the U.S. (39:58); the best evidence for how to overcome COVID-19 vaccine fears (43:55); another record decline in U.S. cancer death rate, largely due to declines in cigarette use (1:00:16); the recent large increases in e-cigarette use will lead to more regular cigarette users, reversing the decline in smoking among U.S. young adults (1:01:36).

Week of January 18, 2021:

Featuring: new, more infectious coronavirus variant(s) could become dominant in March, and could make things much worse (2:49); Lucas County COVID-19 update (18:38); darkest days for L.A. doctors, nurses, EMTs –“The way most people leave is by dying” (26:28); no additional vaccine doses coming, despite Trump admin promises (33:57); COVID-19 reduced U.S. life expectancy, especially among Black and Latino populations (37:37); Black men have the shortest lifespan of any Americans, due to “John Henryism” (42:42); Biden’s appointment of a health disparities advisor historic — but will the White House empower her? (46:24); communities recognizing racism as a public health crisis — declarations grow (53:29); Affordable Care Act’s coverage gains decreased income inequality (56:15); get ready for a lot of Biden executive orders on health care — here’s a list of what to look for (57:23).

Week of January 11, 2021:

Featuring: in wake of violent insurrection, violence as a public health issue — violence interrupters using tested methods to save lives in peace model replicated globally (1:57); (2:03); Gov. DeWine outlines new COVID-19 vaccination steps and eligible groups (9:45); Lucas County COVID-19 update (12:23); as virus surges, new studies suggest warning for school reopening (20:33); Deborah Birx overreaches in coronavirus task force assertion in less than transparent report (30:16); U.S. blind to contagious new virus variant, scientist warn (31:50); along with vaccine rollouts, the U.S. needs a national hi-fi mask initiative [N95 masks for all] (41:52); why COVID-19 has left so many hospitals running low on oxygen (48:39); new COVID vaccines need absurd amounts of material and labor (51:28); COVID-19 outcomes for patients on immunosuppressive drug on par with non-immunosuppressed patients, study finds (58:11); study finds time spent outdoors during pandemic is associated with higher levels of happiness (58:52).

Week of January 4, 2021:

Featuring: COVID-19 status update — what can we expect in 2021? (2:03); Lucas County COVID-19 update (10:43); New Year’s resolution territory — updated national dietary guidelines released [see DietaryGuidelines.gov] (15:30) and more than 100 reasons to quit tobacco [Ohioans can call 1-800-QUIT-NOW] (26:34); police involvement a major racial justice issue in psychiatry (42:42); suicide rates did not decrease when antidepressant drugs were introduced (47:21); giving poor people money is more effective for mental health than brief therapy (48:05); as a physician and a patient, I’ve seen the damage caused by the stigma of addiction — it must end (53:06).

SHOWS from 2020:

Week of December 28, 2020:

Featuring: the looming questions scientists need to answer about the new variant of the coronavirus (2:05); a “duty to warn” — an ER doctor, shaped by war and hardship, chronicles the searing realities of COVID-19 (16:43); Lucas County COVID-19 update (25:41); beware the danger of “vaccine euphoria” (31:56); COVID-19 vaccines are safe — but let’s be clear about what “safe” means (38:04); employers can require workers to get COVID-19 vaccine, says U.S. (44:56); a temp worker died on the job after FedEx didn’t fix a known hazard — the fine: $7,000 (49:56); “Every day is an emergency” — the pandemic is worsening psychiatric bed shortages nationwide (54:52); implementing policies and strategies to eliminate racial disparities could improve outcomes for both COVID-19 AND cancer (58:12).

Week of December 21, 2020:

Featuring: COVID-19 vaccine rollout update (1:56); BIG STORY — a new, more contagious COVID-19 strain has been reported in the U.K. — is it headed for the U.S.? (3:24); problems in rural America — she collapsed in her kitchen from COVID-19 and the next day she was nearly 300 miles from home (6:33); 78% of those infected with coronavirus refuse to help with contact tracing in N.J. (10:54); political division is dangerously defining our COVID-19 conversation — we need new ways to speak to one another (13:48); Lucas County COVID-19 update (20:30); despite years of effort to combat infant mortality in Ohio, racial disparity increases (26:46); emergency use authorization of COVID-19 vaccines could hinder global access to them (31:11); one-quarter of the world may not get COVID-19 vaccine until 2022, experts warn (37:09); hospitals boost security as seek to stop vaccine “line-jumping” (43:51); the wealthy scramble for COVID-19 vaccines — “If I donate $25,000…would that help me?” 48:04); to get the COVID-19 vaccine right, we must close the confidence gap and stop pathologizing communities of color (49:55); FDA authorizes the first fully at-home, over the counter COVID-19 test (57:11); how hope can make you happier with your lot in life (1:00:35).

Week of December 14, 2020:

Featuring: follow-up to big story last episode — by FDA eliminating addictive nicotine from tobacco products, the single largest preventable cause of death, more lives could be saved than by even Medicare for all (1:55); U.S. enters brutal stretch of pandemic. even with approaching vaccines (5:26); Lucas County COVID-19 update (12:50); Operation Warp Speed head says 40 million doses of vaccine will be distributed by end of month, but need 75-80% of Americans immunized to achieve herd immunity (20:37); supply is limited and distribution uncertain as COVID-19 vaccine rolls out (21:56); here’s why vaccinated people still need to wear masks (24:33); what motivates COVID rule breakers? (30:52); research provides tools for achieving the “how” of mental well-being in daily life (35:16); Big Picture in three stories — food marketing and nutrition — kids gain weight when new conveniences stores open nearby (39:34); facing two pandemics — how big food undermined public health in the era of COVID-19 (40:57); hospitals profit on junk food (50:01).

Week of December 7, 2020:

Featuring: COVID-19 big picture — Ohio and nation in big trouble, but science alone can’t save us from ourselves (1:46); Lucas County COVID-19 update (20:16); Trump’s Operation Warp Speed promised a flood of COVID-19 vaccines — instead, states are expecting a trickle (26:00); state and local officials plead for vaccine distribution funds already overdue (33:50); replace the “cold steel” of hospital-bed shackles with the warmth of compassion (37:23); the easy way for Joe Biden to save lives: eliminate addictive nicotine from tobacco products, the single largest preventable cause of death (43:40); can local food feed big cities? yes, if we cut down on meat (50:28); concentration in the food business — to high, too risky (54:53).

Week of November 30, 2020:

Featuring: COVID-19 big picture — is the U.S. COVID-19 epidemic the “worst of both worlds? — both a public health AND economic failure (1:56); COVID worsens bus driver shortages nationwide and in many Ohio schools (6:27); major glove factories close after thousands of workers test positive for COVID-19, threatening global supply (11:14); recent COVID-19 surge forces Franklin County to cut back on contact tracing efforts (12:20); beyond burnout — for health care workers, this surge of COVID-19 is bring burnover (14:58); Lucas County COVID-19 update (23:47); Lucas County Health Board orders schools to go virtual — what’s the deal? (28:23); COVID-19 outbreaks in nursing homes hit record high (36:01); winning trust for vaccines means confronting medical racism (42:03); children in U.S. may miss 9 million vaccine doses in 2020, report warns of falling below thresholds for herd immunity (53:33); science supports new dietary guidelines limiting alcohol consumption, especially for reducing cancer in men (55:27).

Week of November 23, 2020:

Featuring: COVID-19 big picture — with where we are at, are we doomed to “too little, too late”? (2:40); Lucas County COVID-19 update (22:27); “It’s not enough” — health experts say Iowa governor’s new COVID-19 order is “weak” (30:07); business group calls for national mask mandate and COVID-19 relief (36:22); “People are going to die” — hospitals in half the states are facing massive staffing shortages as COVID-19 surges (39:02); hospitals know what’s coming — even the best cannot prepare for a tsunami of cases (47:17); World Health Organization advises doctors not to use Remdesivir for COVID-19 (54:32); GOOD NEWS –“They have been following the science” — how the Cherokee Nation has curtailed the COVID-19 pandemic, as a nation within a nation — what a real tribe looks like (56:29).

Week of November 16, 2020:

Featuring: COVID-19 big picture — where are with we with the layers of protection: mask wearing, physical distancing, community restrictions, testing, contact tracing, and hospital capacity? (1:55); Lucas County COVID-19 update (42:11); health experts want to prioritize people of color for COVID-19 vaccine, but how should it be done? (49:36); proportion of pediatric emergency room visits for mental health increased sharply amid pandemic (57:22); suicide rates increase after hurricanes, tornadoes and other disasters (57:58).

Week of November 9, 2020:

Featuring: Lucas County, Ohio, and U.S continue to smash COVID-19 records — get the latest (1:54); counties with worst virus surges voted overwhelmingly for Trump (14:59); United Nation votes to hold summit in December to push action on COVID-19 pandemic — U.S. abstains (18:46); face masks don’t hinder breathing during exercise, study shows (21:16); pregnant women with COVID-19 are at increased risk for serious outcomes (23:53); the hidden public health hazard of rapid COVID-19 tests — worsening data collection (25:12); how your brain tricks you into taking risks during the pandemic — the difficulty of incorporating accurate risk decision-making into our daily lives (29:15); Medicare fines half of hospitals for readmitting too many patients, a sign of poorer quality health care (42:35); more U.S. patients to have easy, free access to doctor’s notes (46:17); updated colon cancer screening guidelines recommend beginning at age 45, down from 50 — especially for blacks (48:53); one-third of people with disabilities experience frequent mental distress (50:08); make America healthy again by paying more attention to nutrition, the #1 factor in health (53:22).

Week of November 2, 2020:

Featuring: Lucas County, Ohio, and U.S continue to smash COVID-19 records — get the latest (1:56); winter COVID-19 wave poses threat to nation’s hospitals (16:22); sewage testing shows a country flush with coronavirus cases (21:27); study finds faster, wider spread of COVID-19 within U.S. households (28:51); Yale study shows child care can be relatively safe with mitigation efforts and lower rates of community spread (31:15); winter is coming for bars and restaurants — here’s how to save them…and us (35:20); why isn’t routine COVID-19 testing happening in prisons and immigration detention centers? (40:51); latest COVID-19 polling shows most know someone who’s had the virus, a third have had someone in their household tested in the last month, and this doesn’t differ much by age, race, income, or party affiliation (47:23); states say they lack federal funds to distribute COVID-19 vaccine as CDC tells them to be ready Nov. 15 (51:08); as COVID-19 intensifies, shortages of staple drugs may grow worse (56:10).

Week of October 26, 2020:

Featuring: Lucas County, Ohio, and U.S smash COVID-19 records — get the latest (2:02); persons infectious with COVID-19 up to 10 days if only mild symptoms, or up to 20 days if severely ill (16:47); CDC expands definition of close contact after spread from “multiple brief encounters” (17:32); COVID-19’s wintry mix — as we move indoors, dry air will help coronavirus spread (19:24); “at a breaking point” — new surge of COVID-19 cases has states and hospitals scrambling, yet again (25:48); amid pandemic, U.S. has seen 300,000 “excess deaths,” with greatest disparities for people of color and persons age 25-44 (34:19); FDA show signs of cold feet over emergency use authorization of COVID-19 vaccines (37:52); remdesivir’s hefty price tag ignores NIH investment in its creation (45:17); Trump’s antibody “cure” will be in short supply (49:31).

Week of October 19, 2020:

Featuring: Lucas County and Ohio COVID-19 update, as nation’s cases surge (2:01); surge in COVID-19 cases mean fewer Minnesota schools meet in-person rules, while exposing hostility to public health efforts (11:48); “overwhelmed” — hospitals across America engulfed by rebounding virus (13;48); hepatitis is still a silent killer in Africa and elsewhere b(18:32); how the CDC and others are failing black women during childbirth (21:48); black maternal death rates and the implicit biases — how we can address them (31:20); what no one tells black women about breastfeeding (35:25); new research shows many children with mental health conditions don’t get follow-up care (41:15); how drugs damage the environment (44:07).

Week of October 12, 2020:

Featuring: Lucas County and Ohio COVID-19 update, as Midwest hit hard (2:00); Midwest keeps reopening as states reel from new virus cases (7:26); COVID-19 surges in North Dakota, filling hospitals and testing attitudes (14:17); Mississippi’s governor revokes statewide mask mandate (19:16); Trump is “single largest driver” of COVID-19 misinformation, Cornell study finds (22:42); the confidentiality of Trump’s medical information has limits (23:29); the lesson from Trump catching COVID-19 — with this virus, there’s no magic bullets (25:27); “COVID is all about privilege” — Trump’s treatment underscores vast inequalities in access to care (31:12); inequality “surrounds you” — a black doctor returns to heard-hit Louisiana after treating and contracting COVID-19 in New York (39:35); battered, flooded and submerged — many Superfund sites are dangerously threatened by climate change (51:43); doctors offer guide for teaching the health effects of climate change in medical residency (55:50).

Week of October 5, 2020:

Featuring: “Donald Trump Memorial Studio” and the public health principle of nonjudgment (1:58); Lucas County and Ohio COVID-19 update (4:56); states loosening COVID-19 restrictions amid ongoing pandemic and expected fall surge (10:55); these coronavirus vaccine trials don’t answer the one question we need to know — will it protect against the most serious disease? (16:56); why it will take more than one vaccines to beat COVID-19 (21:37); keeping coronavirus vaccines at subzero temperatures during distribution will be hard, but likely key to ending pandemic (26;34); lessons from STDs on how to fight COVID-129 (33:27); why misinformation about COVID-19 keeps going viral (45:18); global rates of unplanned pregnancies still too high (48:06); the FDA approved the abortion pill 20 years ago — it’s time to make it available via telehealth (51:28).

Week of September 28, 2020:

Featuring: Lucas County and Ohio COVID-19 update (2:06); three experts reflecting on the U.S. reaching 200,000 confirmed COVID-19 deaths (5:20); new wave of COVID-19 cases builds in U.S. (8;43); four U.S. states report record one-day increases in COVID-19 cases (11:01); Florida to life all COVID-19 restrictions on restaurants and bars (11:55); Des Moines says no to governor’s demand for classroom return (12:42); government watchdog finds supply shortages are still harming U.S. coronavirus response (17:02); battle rages inside hospitals over how COVID-19 strikes and kills (17:38); massive genetic study shows coronavirus mutating and potentially evolving more infectious amid rapid U.S. spread (20:45); California’s deadliest spring in 20 years suggests COVID-19 undercount and massive disparities among racial/ethnic minorities (24:07); Africa has defied the COVID-19 nightmare scenarios — we shouldn’t be surprised (28:40); COVID-19 could reverse decades of progress toward elimination preventable child deaths (32:42); potent drug supply drop, not domestic drug policies, likely behind 2018 overdose death downturn — and underlying epidemic trend continues (38:37); a reversal in blood pressure control for Americans (42:37); more than 3 billion people protected from harmful trans fat in their food (45:22); “front of package” nutrition labels improve nutrition quality (48:59).

Week of September 21, 2020:

Featuring: Lucas County and Ohio COVID-19 update (2:08); CDC reports that dining out increases risk of contracting coronavirus more than other activities (6:02); CDC director says masks more guaranteed to work than a vaccine (8:57); as controversies swirl, CDC director is seen as allowing agency to buckle to political influence (10:07); top health official echoes Trump’s COVID-19 views, drawing accusations of politicizing U.S. mental health agency (19:33); polls show eroding trust in scientific and political institutions (29:46); America is trapped in a pandemic spiral, characterized by 9 conceptual errors — 1) a serial monogamy of solutions, 2) false dichotomies, 3) the comfort of theatricality, 4) personal blame over systemic fixes, 5) the normality trap, 6) magical thinking, 7) the complacency of inexperience, 8) a reactive rut, and 9) the habituation of horror (35:01).

Week of September 14, 2020:

Featuring: Lucas County and Ohio COVID-19 update (2:07); University of Toledo COVID-19 update (2:37); college football is coming and COVID-19 is already there (6:22); pandemic blind spot — it’s not easy to get coronavirus testing for children (14:21); COVID-19 hits men harder due to their weaker immune systems than women (17:58); obesity raises risk of death from COVID-19 among men (21:46); housing disparities and health disparities are closely connected (26:22); medical education needs rethinking to link medicine with public health (29:06); awareness of our biases is essential to good science (37:30); overcoming psychological biases is the best treatment against COVID-19 yet (44:08); the fires may be in California, but the smoke and its health effects, travel across the country (51:52); Des Moines river “essential unusable” for drinking water due to algae toxins (55:32).

Week of September 7, 2020:

Featuring: Lucas County and Ohio COVID-19 update (2:05); COVID-19 is leading cause of death among law enforcement officers, killing more than shootings (5;24); COVID-19 update for colleges and universities (7:34); new rapid COVID-19 test begins distribution to states this month (16:34); COVID-19 vaccine updates and issues (18:21); meatpacking companies dismissed years of warnings but now say nobody could have prepared for COVID-19 (30:02); thousands allowed to bypass environmental rules in pandemic (37:51); low-wage workers face retaliation for demanding COVID-19 safety measures at work (42:13); COVID-19 has likely tripled depression rate (46:46); COVID-19 sparks 12-fold increase in remote delivery of psychological care across the U.S. (50:14); LGBTQ youth say cost, parental permission pose major barriers to mental health care (54:15).

Week of August 31, 2020:

Featuring: Lucas County and Ohio COVID-19 update (2:06); first confirmed COVID-19 re-infections — what does this mean for us? (3:50); updates on university and school re-openings (9:53); Trump’s continued political attacks on scientific integrity and fragmented COVID-19 response (19:52); strain on health care system, even when not at capacity, kills more with COVID-19 (40:21); The U.S. Postal Service is a vital part of our health care system (44:47); more challenges, and some wins, in fight against racism in health care (47:04); Africa eliminates polio in historic health win (56:32).

Week of August 24, 2020:

Featuring: Lucas County COVID-19 update (2:08); some people listen to health experts, others ignore them — what it means for America’s future with COVID-19 (3:32); how miscommunication and selfishness hampered America’s COVID-19 response (11:39); cloth masks do protest the wearer — breathing in less coronavirus means you get less sick (19:02); your cloth mask won’t protect you from wildfire smoke (23:58); Trump regime moves to exempt teachers from quarantine requirements (26:33); not-so-remote learning — college students return to campus even as classes move online (27:38); coronavirus is spreading in schools, but the federal government isn’t keeping track (28:58); cellphone data shows how Las Vegas is “gambling with lives” across the country (36:39): nursing home cases up nearly 80% in COVID-19 rebound (52:45); Amazon gold mining drives malaria surges among indigenous peoples (54:02); new Ebola outbreak in Congo raises alarm (57:43).

Week of August 17, 2020:

Featuring: Lucas County COVID-19 update (2:07); seven months into pandemic, COVID-19 testing still falling short in Ohio (2:58); Ohio back-to-school plans amid COVID vary widely between metro, rural areas — statewide, over 1/3 returning to classroom (6:37); Ohio State steps up COVID-19 measures, including mandatory testing (7:57); when should schools use only remote learning? Massachusetts issues new metrics to help districts decide using COVID-19 infection rates (11:07); coronavirus testing plummets in Texas as school prepare to reopen (13:58); UNICEF finds 2 in 5 schools worldwide lacked handwashing facilities prior to COVID-19 pandemic (18:13); Florida sheriff bans masks as state COVID-19 death toll breaks new daily record (19:15); despite rise in COVID-19 cases, dozens of Tennessee Republican lawmakers continue to refuse to wear masks as required in special session (21:26); 26 states will soon face shortages of ICU doctors, and other shortages are growing in nurses, respiratory therapists, and pharmacists (23:51); winter is coming — why America’s window of opportunity to beat back COVID-19 is closing (25:49); CDC reports large increases in in mental health issues, substance use, and suicidal ideation during the COVID-19 pandemic (35:48); vaping linked to large COVID-19 risk in teens and young adults (38:11); black and other nonwhite NFL athletes report more pain, physical impairment, mood disorders and cognitive problems that white peers (40:54); globally, only half of women get treatment for preventable killer of newborns (45:59); Researchers say misleading whole grain labeling provides legal evidence to improve labeling regulations (49:43).

Week of August 10, 2020:

Featuring: COVID-19 and prisons (2:30) local and state COVID-19 update (4:52); local and national updates on school reopenings (17:50); ventilation should be part of the conversation on school reopening — why isn’t it? (33:25); poll — 35% of Americans, most Republicans would reject COVID-19 vaccine (41:03); U.S. obesity epidemic could undermine effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccine (43:30); health care workers of color nearly twice as likely as whites to get COVID-19 (47:32); telemedicine is booming — but many people still face huge barriers to virtual care (50:03); experts urge evaluation of diet at routine check-ups (53:21).

Week of August 3, 2020:

Featuring: worldwide whirlwind of COVID-19 (1:44); local COVID-19 update (6:44); states with stricter COVID-19 restrictions watch lax neighbors warily, knowing the virus does not respect borders (10:08); 79% say they support national face mask mandate (16:59); in Texas, more people are losing their health insurance as COVID-19 cases climb (18:03); about 20% of New Jersey prisoners could be freed to avoid virus (20:12); young kids could spread COVID-19 as much as older children and adults (22:08); contact tracing is failing in many states — here’s why (23:16); how effective does COVID-19 vaccine need to be to stop the pandemic? (30:07); those coronavirus vaccines leading the race? don’t ditch the masks quite yet (36:06); liberal group warns that U.S. is unprepared to distribute a COVID-19 vaccine (43:06); COVID-19 vaccines may cause mild side effects, experts say, stressing need for education, not alarm (45:15); poorer communities face double burden during pandemic as they stay home less (50:48); one in three children worldwide have unacceptably high lead levels (52:37).

Week of July 27, 2020:

Featuring: Lucas County, Ohio, and national COVID-19 update (1:55); new poll — 3 in 4 Americans back requiring masks, and other pandemic response support growing (9:26); COVID-19 will end up as a leading cause of death in 2020, CDC says (12:13); U.S. COVID-19 deaths back up over 1,000 per day (15:14); scientists publish findings from first statewide COVID-19 random sample study in U.S. (16:01); as long waits for results render COVID-19 tests “useless,” states seek workarounds (18:32); COVID-19 tests much easier to get in wealthier and whiter neighborhoods (26:03); U.S. prison population down 8% amid coronavirus outbreaks, mostly due to criminal justice system slowdown (30:07); what scientists know about how children spread COVID-19 (31:47); back to school? most major schools are heading to online class as COVID-19 cases spike (40:20); cost of preventing next pandemic equal to just 2% of COVID-19 economic damage (47:44); We are the first to applaud you regarding your efforts in COVID-19 — a message from the African diaspora to our brothers and sisters of Africa (50:14); after surgery, black children are more likely to die than white children (53:11).

Week of July 20, 2020:

Featuring: Lucas County, Ohio, and national COVID-19 update (2:18); “epicenter of the epicenter” — young people partying in Miami Beach despite COVID-19 threat (9:19); over 1,000 inmates at Texas federal prison test positive for COVID-19 (15:02); Texas nursing home COVID-19 cases jump 60% since July 1 (15:42); masks win political momentum despite GOP holdouts (16:53); Americans want evidence and data to drive COVID decisions — and they don’t believe that’s happening (19:46); public health groups denounce new Trump move sidelining CDC (23:17); testing is on the brink of paralysis — and that’s very bad news (27:48); world treating symptoms, not cause of pandemics, says UN (31:52); why are we so late responding to COVID-19? blame it on our culture and brains (36:02); the coronavirus-climate-air conditioning nexus (41:26); scientists’ warning on affluence (46:15); half of world’s population exposed to increasing air pollution (47:33); in shadow of pandemic, U.S. drug overdose deaths resurge to record (48:37); years-long push to remove racist bias from kidney testing gains new ground (50:06).

Week of July 13, 2020:

Featuring: lobbying brewing over access to COVID-19 vaccine (2:27); as U.S. buys up remdesivir, “vaccine nationalism” threatens access to COVID-19 treatments (5:51); COVID-19 vaccine research must involve Black and Latinx participants — here are 4 ways to make that happen (8:31); WHO, partners unveil ambitious plan to deliver 2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccine to high-risk populations (14:21); U.S. withdrawal from WHO threatens to leave it “flying blind on flu vaccines (17:42); rebroadcast of May 2019 episode on immunization history and benefits (25:15).

Week of July 6, 2020:

Featuring: national COVID-19 update (1:45); Lucas County and Ohio update (8:04); hollowed-out public health system faces more cuts amid virus (11:33); women in science are battling both COVID-19 and the patriarchy (21:20); structural racism is why I’m leaving organized psychiatry (29:31); expecting students to play it safe if colleges reopen is a fantasy (40:23); as COVID-19 tears through Navajo Nation, young people step up to protect their elders (47:18).

Week of June 29, 2020:

Featuring: local, state, and national COVID-19 update (1:53); “normal” is the problem (13:32); the emerging long-term complications of COVID-19, explained (24:14); “vaccine sovereignty” versus “a people’s vaccine” (39:12); lack of water fuels COVID-19 for 2 billion people around world and in the Navajo Nation within the U.S. (44:09); what “less lethal” weapons actually do (50:27).

Week of June 22, 2020:

Featuring: local, state, and national COVID-19 update (1:53); burgeoning activism (12:32) in journalism (13:08), among scientists (17:13), health care professionals (25:13), in scientific publishing (37:28), and connecting racism with environmental justice (42:32).

Week of June 15, 2020:

Featuring: local COVID-19 update (2;03); Ohio immigration detention facility has 100% COVID-19 positive detainees (9:07); COVID-19 spikes, but most governors signal they’re staying the course (13:39); Americans divided on return to regular routines (17:09); pandemic lockdowns saved millions of lives (19:03); face masks may reduce COVID-19 spread by 85% (22:48); black U.S. adults follow many COVID-19 news topics more closely, discuss the outbreak more frequently (28:12); researchers face hurdles in studying COVID-19 racial disparities (29:12); for a day. scientists pause science to confront racism (34;33); racism, not genetics, explains why black Americans are dying of COVID-19 (37:12); omission of air pollution from report on COVID-19 and race “astonishing” (46:10); George Floyd’s autopsy and the structural gaslighting of America (47:58).

Week of June 8, 2020:

A Double Special Edition on Racism and the dual epidemics of COVID-19 and police violence, featuring: Ohio Legislative Black Caucus declares racism a public health crisis (2:33); Physicians for a National Health program declare police violence and racism as public health emergencies (7:11); over 1,000 health professionals sigh letter saying, don’t shut down protests using coronavirus as an excuse (10:01); protest in top 25 hot spots ignite fears of contagion (11:23); protests draw shoulder-to-shoulder crowds after months of virus isolation (16:24); racism is the contagion in health care we need to eradicate (23:46); my nightmare — COVID-19 meets racism meets the killing of a Black person by police (27;41); the everyday health harms of racism (33:39); which death do they choose? — many Black men fear wearing a mask more than the coronavirus (42:17); tear gas is way more dangerous than police let on — especially during the coronavirus pandemic (48:58).

Week of June 1, 2020:

COVID-19 SPECIAL EDITION #12: Racism as a public health issue (2:08); amid COVID-19, U.S. should embrace the right to food (9:31); Bill Barr promised to release prisoners threatened by coronavirus — even as the feds secretly made it harder for them to get out (13:06); model testing blitz in San Francisco shows COVID-19 struck mostly low-wage workers (20:45); One-fourth of U.S. doctors are immigrants who, if they die of coronavirus, could have their families deported (27:27); COVID-19 cases shift to younger people (29:14); the latest on testing (33:17); the local situation (41:11); biopharma companies are spreading misinformation — and taking advantage of it (44:34); masks sold by former white house official to Navajo hospitals don’t meet FDA standards (50:45); status of Latin American epidemic (52:47); is defunding the World Health Organization really just a backdoor attack on sexual and reproductive health? (55:46)

Week of May 25, 2020:

COVID-19 SPECIAL EDITION #11: national situation (2:18); latest local news from Lucas County and Ohio (36:16); other news, including how bad is COVID-19 misinformation (48:06).

Week of May 18, 2020:

COVID-19 SPECIAL EDITION #10: national situation (2:48); what’s our status in re-opening and what does this mean? (11:11); latest local news (35:44).

Week of May 11, 2020:

COVID-19 SPECIAL EDITION #9: national picture (2:38); Toledo, Lucas County, and Ohio status and re-opening considerations (11:22); Americas has no plan for worst-case scenario of COVID-19 (26;34); coronavirus pandemic exposing long-term inequalities experienced by communities of color and in public health system (32:24); survey shows record high trust in government and widespread suspicion of businesses in COVID-19 responses.

Week of May 4, 2020:

COVID-19 SPECIAL EDITION #8: Donald Trump assures nation will continue to be full of baloney (2:07); status at prisons in Ohio and Lucas County (6:47); latest local update (13:08); national “non-plan” for testing (16:34); piecing together info on local situation (23:29); high-tech and low-tech COVID-19 treatment (28:29); what Jonas Salk would have said about COVID-19 — evolve socially (35:15).

Week of April 27, 2020:

COVID-19 SPECIAL EDITION #7: National and state roundup (1:43); jails could add 99,000 deaths to epidemic (14:42); physical distancing — how are we doing in U.S., Ohio and Lucas County (19:14); what it will take to get the U.S. open for business (29:08); what about antibody testing and immunity? (34:24); the latest on local testing and contact tracing (57:18).

Week of April 20, 2020:

COVID-19 SPECIAL EDITION #6: National roundup (2:05); local round up including county social distancing score from cell phone data, county COVID-19 response preparedness score, and nursing homes impact (9:57); thinking big and responding big (21:52); where are we with testing and what needs to be done? (32:50); where are we with contact tracing and what needs to be done? (46:42); more news on challenges facing (51:02); health inequities and racial disparities (55:18).

Week of April 13, 2020:

COVID-19 SPECIAL EDITION #5: Featuring: How does our local epidemic compare to the rest of Ohio and the rest of the country? (2:09); latest news and commentary (4:37); battle of the latest projections – a deep dive into the numbers racket (23:56); quick roundup of completely predictable bad news (57:13).

Week of April 6, 2020:

COVID-19 SPECIAL EDITION #4: Featuring my prediction – COVID-19 deaths will approach the leading cause of death this next year (1:45); good news – Ohio leadership (3:55); bad news – national lack of leadership (5;42); grade card on key interventions required to reverse epidemic (16:31); where is all of this leading? a look at the south going south (27:53); some lighter news (35:55); testing update – don’t expect anytime soon (37:52); drug treatments? “closed for cleaning”? should people wear masks? (50:01); pandemic will ravage lower-income countries (54:05).

Week of March 30, 2020:

COVID-19 SPECIAL EDITION #3: Featuring leadership bringing us to number 1 in the world (1:43); Ohio Sen. Rob Portman refuses call to advocate for a coordinated nationwide shelter-in-place strategy (4:31); my prediction two weeks ago that the U.S. will look like Italy in two weeks is panning out (7:10); local testing started — what does this mean? (9:14); a third of coronavirus cases may be “silent carriers” (18:45); playing the “hot spot” game is too little too late (18:45); the economy versus our public health is a false dichotomy and dangerous distraction (25:43); rationing and supply-line shortages will only worsen (34:32); multiple waves of epidemics from health care workers and other workers, institutionalized populations like prisoners, nursing home residents and active military, as well as homeless and displaced people worldwide (44:28); what would winning look like? (52:43).

Week of March 23, 2020:

COVID-19 SPECIAL EDITION #2: Featuring quick leadership assessment (2:16); the coronavirus paradox — our lowest point and finest hour (3:10); a terrified nation needs a leader during this crisis, not a salesman (8:03); World Health Organization expert explains why China’s cases of COVID-19 have declined and what we must learn from this (14:02); situation analysis of where we are right now and likely heading in the next few weeks (28:11); Lucas County local report on where we are at with testing, contact tracing and hospital preparedness, based on my interview with Eric Zgodzinski, Health Director, Toledo-Lucas County Health Department (33:01).

Week of March 16, 2020:

Featuring COVID-19 SPECIAL EDITION: good news/bad news (1:43); majority of Americans have at least one underlying condition that puts them at greater risk (3:19); the biggest thing to worry with coronavirus is the overwhelming of our health care system (5:57); chronically deteriorating funding of public health has crippled our ability to respond effectively to this epidemic (13:56); aggressive social distancing is seriously important even if you feel well (23:30); absence of a truly coordinated national response leaves those potentially exposed or sick confused about what to do (25:12); White House classifies coronavirus deliberations as secret which hampers response (41:19); Science magazine editorial — disrespecting science and the laws of nature confounds response (45:51); FTC and FDA cites 7 firms falsely claiming products treat COVID-19 (50:05).

Week of March 9, 2020:

Featuring as coronavirus spreads, the bill for our public health failures is due (1:53); coronavirus testing could cost some patients extra and impede response to epidemic (7:07); America is botching coronavirus testing (10:26); prisons and jails are vulnerable to COVID-19 outbreaks (12:17); Ohio ranks at bottom in new national drug trend report (20:46); air pollution is one of the world’s most dangerous health risks (21:25); climate change leads to more violence against women and girls (23:29); every country on Earth failing to provide world fit for children (30:35).

Week of March 2, 2020:

Featuring my coronavirus pandemic prediction (1:44); if coronavirus sweeps America, blame our brutal work and healthcare culture (3:08); how you can prepare for the coronavirus epidemic in America (14;35); Bayer CEO quits over Roundup lawsuits (26:53); here’s the Medicare-for-all study that Bernie Sanders keeps bringing up (27;43); Obamacare favorability hits record high (31:02); survival of the friendliest — how close friendships help us thrive (32:19).

Week of February 24, 2020:

Featuring a public health case study on coronavirus epidemic — where are we headed and what lessons can be learned? (1:50); no clear rationale for 45% of Medicaid antibiotic prescriptions (21:39); changing clocks is bad for your health, but which time to choose? (24:45); largest publicly-traded health insurers profits grew by 66% in 2019 (28:39); 1 in 4 rural hospitals is vulnerable to closure, driven by states refusing Medicaid expansion (29:07).

Week of February 17, 2020:

Featuring Ohio gun safety laws get “D” on annual scorecard (2:19); puberty starts a year earlier for girls now than in the 1970’s (5:35); as out-of-pocket health costs rise, insured adults are seeking less primary care (7:02); Trump’s budget a non-starter for Great Lakes restoration (10:21); in agricultural giant Brazil, a new a growing hazard of illegal trade in pesticides (12:38); “Like sending bees to war” — the deadly truth behind almond growing (19:12); most Americans consider climate change the most important issue facing society today, with many struggling with eco-anxiety and changing their own behaviors (25:07); why sequencing the human genome hasn’t cured many diseases (27:46); Pittsburgh unveils master plan to significantly expand bike lanes (33:00).

Week of February 10, 2020:

Featuring Trump kept controversial pesticide on market and now its biggest manufacturer is ending production (2:18); spike in loneliness with two-thirds of adults feeling lonely (4:42); a sampling of interesting facts about what, when, and where America eats (10:07); consumers trust food and beverage corporations much less than other corporations (14:00); public health experts warn China travel ban will hinder coronavirus response (14:30); jail officials profit from selling e-cigarettes to inmates (19:43); the disturbing link between environmental racism and criminalization (23:20); female genital mutilation hurts women and economies (31:40).

Week of February 3, 2020:

Featuring Dicamba pesticide on trial (2:22); Trump regime forgets to renew its own opioid emergency declaration (4:13); putting the Wuhan coronavirus in relative perspective with the flu (5:14); containing new coronavirus may not be feasible, as experts warn of possible sustained global spread (10:27); FDA sunscreen report raises concerns over common sunscreen chemicals (14:54); hormone-altering chemicals threaten our health, finances and future (19:55); analysis of data gives insights into complementary health recommendations from U.S. physicians (34:55).

Week of January 27, 2020:

Featuring in opioid racketeering trial, pharmaceutical executive John Kapoor sentenced to 5.5 years (2:19); report finds most states lack crucial highway safety laws, with Ohio in bottom tier (5:17); the USDA never gives up on favoring corporate interests over kids’ health, in rolling back school food rules (8:38); new study debunks argument for weakening health school lunch rules (12:16); sepsis associated with 1 in 5 deaths globally, double previous estimate (14:34); Physicians for a National Health Program public letter on Medicare for All (16;49); The American College of Physicians’ endorsement of single-payer reform is a sea change for the medical profession (18:55); how non-compete clauses shackle physicians and hurt patients (22:01); the false promise of natural gas, aka, methane (25:21); world consumption of natural materials hits record 13 tons per earthling per year (35:02).

Week of January 20, 2020:

Featuring why drinking diet soda makes you crave sugar (1:44); slow carbs over low carbs – fiber matters (5:00); FDA and NIH let clinical trial sponsors keep results secret against regulations (9:02); putting air filters in classrooms could give student performance a serious boost (12:42); between 2005 and 2016, the shift away from coal saved an estimated 26,610 lives and 570 million bushels of crops (14:07); why Black doctors like me are leaving faculty positions in academic medical centers (16:42); McDonald’s in Black America (23:18); millions of “outdated” tests being performed on healthy females 15-20 years old (26:00); Kansas leaders announce breakthrough bipartisan deal to expand Medicaid (26:58); the most expensive health care option of all — do nothing (27:36); more Americans dying at home rather than in hospitals (33:17); helping patients prep mind and body for surgery pays off (34:35).

Week of January 13, 2020:

Featuring alcohol-related deaths have doubled since 1999, here’s why (2:18); 40% of gun owners reported not locking all guns, even around kids (6:25); Coca-Cola internal documents reveal efforts to sell to teens, despite obesity crisis (8:52); half of America will be obese within 10 years, unless we work together (10:48); more than one in three low- and middle-income countries face both extremes of malnutrition (13:48); Medicaid expansion linked to 6% decline in opioid overdose deaths (18:10); U.S. health care bureaucracy costs unnecessary $600 billion yearly (19:02); every American family basically pays a yearly $8,000 “poll tax” under U.S. health system (20:25); nurses get under 7 hours of sleep before a work shift — 83 minutes fewer than days off (25;40); health care providers are unrecognized victims of mass killings, and we are doing little to support them (28:26); U.S. cancer rate drops by largest annual margin ever (30:58); ecopsychology — how immersion in nature benefits your health (33:12).

Week of January 6, 2020:

Featuring Trump abandons sweeping vape ban with weak new rules (2:21); 7 women’s health topics we need to talk about in 2020 (5:48); advocates hopeful gun violence research funding will lead to prevention (12:16); long work hours linked to both regular and hidden high blood pressure (15:28); processed meat recalls rise dramatically as consumers bite down in metal, plastic and glass (16:48); animal agriculture cost more in health damage than it contributes to the economy (20:08); “completely unsustainable” — how streaming and other data demands take a toll on the environment (21:38); The IRS sent a letter to 3.9 million people and it saved some of their lives (22:32); “Medicare for All” ignores a bigger problem of community-level factors impacting health (25:22); Toledo needs to fix access to drug treatment centers (29:32); your DNA is not your destiny — or a good predictor of your health (33:04); huge drop in cholera cases worldwide as key endemic countries achieve gains in cholera control (35:10).

Week of December 30, 2019:

Featuring a special episode on conflicts of interest in health science research with: why scientists defend dangerous industries (2:32); scientists’ failure to disclose hundreds of millions by of dollars in conflicts of interest in federally funded health research (9:12); and how even public universities do a poor job of reporting their professors’ conflicts of interest (20:46).

Week of December 23, 2019:

Featuring context and broader perspective on Toledo’s reported ranking as #2 in mental health among American midsize cities, with wide look at Toledo health indicators compared to the U.S. as a whole (1:45), and how Ohio ranks compared to other states within another set of health indicators(10:00); and for Toledoans to feel relatively better, an in-depth report on the extraordinary danger of being pregnant and uninsured in Texas (15:44).

Week of December 16, 2019:

Featuring the latest Romaine lettuce outbreak — Just say NO (2:18); labeling foods with the amount and type of exercise needed to burn off the calories may encourage people to make healthier dietary choices (5:46); dramatic health benefits following air pollution reductions (8:03); climate change impact of hot temperatures shortening pregnancies (12:17); mental health and addiction care are poorly covered by insurance networks, even with parity law (13:42); half of homeless people may have experienced a head injury in their lifetime (17:04); large pharma companies don’t really provide drug development innovation (18:38); another generic drug company admits to price-fixing (23:31); how “Indian relocation” created a public health crisis (25:23); scientists take action to prevent sexual harassment and bias in STEM workplace (24:34).

Week of December 9, 2019:

Featuring no need for extra protein unless losing weight or gaining muscle (2:21); access to online grocery shopping can vastly reduce “food deserts” (3:47); Trump administration plays perfect Grinch with its new food stamp rules (5:31); red states expanding Medicaid points to its widespread political popularity (10:18); tobacco use among kids jumps from 3.6 million to 6.2 million in one year (14:48); the e-cigarette ingredient to really fear is nicotine (17:07); Ohio to test state drinking water supplies for “forever chemical” contamination (20:15); 1.9 million Michigan residents drink some PFAS as evidence mounts about its dangers (21:58); breast cancer linked to permanent hair dye and chemical hair straighteners, especially among black women (27:32); police killings of unarmed black Americans may effect health of black infants (29:39); how racism ripples through rural California pipes (35:08).

Week of December 2, 2019:

Featuring short-term air pollution linked to growing list of health problems (2:14); Americans’ drinking, drug use, despair wiping life expectancy gains (5:05); health care, mass shootings, 2020 election causing Americans significant stress (9:09); hospital alarms prove a noisy misery for patients (12:24); the $11 million Medicare tool that gives seniors the wrong insurance information (16:50); Mississippi forfeits a million dollars daily in Medicaid funds, severely affecting mentally ill (20:49); mental health studies limp transgender teens under one umbrella, missing clues to help them in the process (25:23); shooting victims have increased risk of mental harm long after physical injuries have healed (30:24); feeling loved in everyday life linked with improved well-being (32:24).

Week of November 25:

Featuring holiday commentary on eating for quality of life, and tips on mindful eating (1:43); public health case study — why the FDA was unable to prevent a crisis of vaping among youth (10:53); large health coverage expansions do not increase overall health care utilization (26:40); employees spending greater share of income on health insurance (28:58); Georgia waivers more costly and cover far fewer people than Medicaid expansion (31:10); Ohio Medicaid still hemorrhaging money to pharmacy middlemen (33:28); with half of brain removed, it still works pretty well (36:52).

Week of November 18:

Featuring new data-driven definitions of unhealthy yet persuasive ‘hyper-palatable’ foods (2:16); adult cigarette smoking rates hit all-time low in U.S. (5;37); e-cigarettes take serious toll on heart health, not safer than traditional cigarettes (7:18); High proportion of youth report using prescription opioids (8:51); vaping and prescription opioids — limbic capitalism in action (10:49); childhood trauma as a public health issue (18:47); getting a handle on self-harm (23:07); 35,000 Americans die of antibiotic-resistant infection each year (30:16); groundbreaking HIV vaccine design strategy shows promise in proof-of-principle tests (31:47); in a notoriously polluted area of the country, massive new chemical plants are still moving in (34:16); Delhi is engulfed by toxic pollution — why isn’t anyone wearing masks? (34:55)

Week of November 11:

Featuring how in health care so-called market competition and the “public option” is a poison pill (1:43); number of uninsured children rises for second year, topping 4 million (22:50); widely used algorithm for follow-up care in hospitals is racially biased (25:26); women scientists author fewer invited commentaries in medical journals than men (28:15); dementia impacts women more and new approaches are needed (29:03); tap water at Trump National Golf Course contaminated with toxic “forever chemical” (31:57); restoring native vegetation could cut air pollution and costs (34:22).

Week of November 4:

Featuring thousands of doctors paid hundreds of thousands of dollars by drug and medical device companies (2:20); pharma money paid to doctors is the cancer growing in cancer medicine (6:06); massive marketing muscle pushes more expensive 3D mammograms despite no evidence they save more lives (10:11); proposed opioid settlement could cost drugmaker only pennies on the dollar (14;12); Trump has already hired 4 times the former lobbyists than Obama had six years into office (15:13); wasted health care spending in U.S. tops annual defense budget (15:48); to treat chronic ailments, fix diet first (17:36); nutritious foods have lower environmental impact than unhealthy foods (20:42); study finds focusing on patient value and goals instead of problems yields better outcomes (23:02); in longer run, drugs and talk therapy offer similar value for people with depression (27:42); mentally ill die many years earlier than others (30:46); sleeps connection to gut microbiome reinforces overall good health (31:42); racial inequities in hospital admissions for heart failure (34:29).

Week of October 28:

Featuring the connection between pipelines and sexual violence (2:21); taking the cops out of mental health-related 911 rescues (5:42); when medical debt collectors decide who get arrested (7:22); children’s risk of dying before age 5 varies more than 40-fold (11:23); 7 million people receive record level of lifesaving TB treatment but 3 million still miss out (14:27); 2 out of 3 wild poliovirus strains eradicated (16;44); fear of falling — how hospitals do even more harm by keeping patients in bed (18:30); exercise can reduce artery stiffness even in those with heart failure (20:41); largest study finds greater reduction in cardiovascular disease and death from taking high blood pressure medication at bedtime rather than in morning (21:21); doctors argue for term limits to diversify medical school leadership (23:58); U.S. air quality was improving but is now getting worse (28:26); replacement flame retardants pose serious risks (31:07).

Week of October 21:

Featuring a call to eliminate all flavored cigarettes, not just the electric kind (2:18); JUUL announcement on certain flavored e-cigarettes is way too little way to late (6:32); Doctors are more likely to prescribe opioids later in the day, or if appointments run late (7:23); every hospital needs recovery coaches for patients with substance use problems (9:46); cultivating joy through mindfulness — an antidote to opioid misuse, the disease of despair (15:13); INVESTIGATIVE REPORT – inside the drug industry’s plan to defeat the DEA (19:03).

Week of October 14:

Featuring: lead scientist of controversial meat guidelines didn’t report ties to food industry front group (1:43); noise pollution as an emerging public health crisis (7:37); update on vaping recommendations (12:41); upcoming flu season may be fairly severe (14:33); STD rates hit record high in U.S. (16:22); global report on vision impairment (18:38); NIH funding disparity between black and white scientists (19:29); sheriffs avoid paying their hospital bills by foisting “medical bond” on sick inmates (21:33); unjustified drug price hikes cost Americans billions (25:31); antibiotic resistance in food animals nearly tripled since 2000 (27:20); EPA about-face lets emissions soar at some coal plants (28:24); PFAS levels rise in Michigan drinking water from Lake Erie (30:30); environmental and health harms are downshifting America’s obsession with the lawn (31:33).

Week of October 7:

Featuring the recent confusion around meat consumption research — a case study on nutritional science research (1:43); lack of sleep has detrimental effects on hunger and fat metabolism (19:00); smartphone dependency predicts depressive symptoms and loneliness (20:07); handgun purchasers with a prior DUI have a greater risk for serious violence (21:50); FDA refuses to classify ‘forever chemical” PFAS as hazardous substance (23:15); safe drinking water violations are higher for communities of color (27:50); role of racial stereotypes in assumptions that African-Americans are more violent (28:58); special series of articles in the American Journal of Public Health documenting role of slavery and racism in health inequalities that persist today (31:06).

Week of September 30:

Featuring American Heart Association statement condemning JUUL’s executive leadership change to long-time tobacco exec (1:45); how active shooter drills in schools are traumatizing our children (4:33); the Surgeon General’s deafening silence on gun violence (10:42); investigative journalist reveals startling flaws in generic drug industry, with FDA missing in action (14:20); World Health Organization calls for urgent action to reduce patient harm in healthcare (18:03); stressed out — Americans making themselves sick over politics (23:19); heart-healthy forager-farmers in lowland Bolivia are changing diets and gaining weight (25:35); many schools are putting brakes on making meals healthier for kids (27:52); some tea bags may shed billions of microplastics per cup (31:02); in continuing trend, S.C. Johnson joins Coca-Cola and PepsiCo in ditching ties to Plastics Industry Association (34:34).

Week of September 23:

Featuring Ohio initiatives to fight youth vaping (2:18); sexual trauma as a global public health issue (5:57); Defense Department as single biggest polluter on planet (12:00); 15 governors lobby for provisions in defense bill to limit toxic chemicals (17:10); deforestation is getting worse, five years after countries and companies vowed to stop it (19:12); Man vs. mosquito – at the front lines of a public health war (20:57); the connection between residential segregation and health (23:48); national support for “red-flag: gun laws could prevent many suicides (25;47); obesity epidemic grows and disparities persist (28:39); despite growing burden of diet-related diseases, medical education does not equip students to provide quality nutritional care to patients (29:52); House panel investigating private equity firms’ role in surprise medical billing (32:16); more women and children survive today than ever before — U.N. report (33:29).

Week of September 16:

Featuring suicide prevention awareness month info (1:43); lifestyle, not genetics, explain most premature heart disease, and multiple risk factors raise risk exponentially (7:23); flu vaccination linked to lower risk of early death in people with high blood pressure (8:43); it matters that Detroit broke federal law when it razed asbestos-laden building (11:25); Juul illegally marketed e-cigarettes (13:26); if Ohio can’t pass the simplest health care price transparency laws, how will Congress curb surprise bills (15:59); Physicians for a National Health Program diagnose politicians and pundits with Corporate Talking-Pointitis (23:06); only a fraction of costs of excessive drinking are paid for by alcohol taxes (30:12); STAT wins long legal fight clearing way for release of Purdue OxyContin files (32:50).

Week of September 9:

Featuring a case study in nutritional fads — vitamin D — with a study of high doses of vitamin D resulting in decreased bone density (1:43); emails show Monsanto orchestrated GOP effort to intimidate cancer researchers (8:24); how Ohio’s Chamber of Commerce killed the Lake Erie Bill of Rights (11:14); EPA to roll back regulations on methane, a potent greenhouse gas (12:41); sexism in health care — in men, it’s Parkinson’s, in women, it’s hysteria (14:53); overeating wastes far more food then we throw away (18:33); big pharma sinks to bottom of U.S. industry rankings (21:14); advocates sound alarm as uninsured rates rise under Trump (22:02); Obamacare health insurance exchange prices to drop in Ohio for first time (23:46); opioid treatment is used vastly more in states that expanded Medicaid (26:23); plant-based fire retardants may offer less toxic way to tame flames (27:43); water treatment cuts parasitic roundworm infections affection 800 million people (28:26); a quarter of the world’s population at risk of developing tuberculosis (29:45); FDA approves TB pill that cures more hard-to-treat patients (30:15); for the first time, clinical trial results show Ebola drugs improve survival rates (32:01).

Week of September 2:

Featuring an in-depth investigative report into industry influence of the U.S. Dietary Guidelines development process (1:47); and Ohio drug deaths plunge in Ohio, but up in Lucas County (29:50).

Week of August 26:

Featuring the two largest health factors in your personal health: smoking and diet (1:44); nearly 200,000 trans people have been exposed to conversion therapy (16:02); toxic furniture flame retardants may not stifle deadliest home fires (18:35); Health panel tells doctors to screen all adults for illicit drug use (20:31); spending on illicit drugs nears $150 billion annually, similar to alcohol (21:17); American Medical Association leaves coalition opposing single-payer Medicare for All (22:50); and programs work from within to prevent black maternal deaths: workers targeting root cause — racism (24:56).

Week of August 19:

Featuring Brazil’s Bolsonaro administration approving 290 new pesticide products for use (2:20); in echo of Flint lead crisis, Newark offers bottled water (4:31); summer in the city is hot, but some neighborhoods suffer more (5:32); up to half of patients withhold life-threatening issues from doctors (9:18); how #MeToo is changing sex ed policies – even in red states (10:04); 140,000 women could lose clinical abortion access in 1st year if Roe v. Wade were overturned (14:55); 250,000 fewer Ohioans on Medicaid, but even the experts don’t know why (15:38); Half-a-million years of Ohioans’ life expectancy lost to gun deaths (19:13); review of 33 years worth of medical studies reveals key areas for new research to explore concerning gun deaths (23:13); the dangers of the mental health narrative when it comes to gun violence (25:17); racist words and acts, like El Paso shooting, harm children’s health (29:46).

Week of August 12:

Featuring lower weight bias among physicians who regard obesity as a disease; BPA substitutes linked to obesity; call for radical reform to address 3.5 billion people worldwide with poor dental health; Coca-Cola pushing to get FDA let it add vitamins to drinks; amid teen vaping epidemic, Juul taps addiction expert as medical director; high radiation levels found near U.S. nuclear dump from weapons testing in Marshall Islands; moral injury and burnout in medicine requires collective action; and how judges added to the grim toll of opioids.

Week of August 5:

Featuring growing PCB claims adding to Bayer’s legal woes for Roundup; floods and fires stir up toxic stew posing long-term dangers; new tool for Michigan officials to use to remedy environmental injustice; Florida sugarcane burning could switch to green harvesting saving lives and boosting economy; U.S. could have averted 15,600 deaths if every state expanded Medicaid; Trump proposal to push 3 million Americans off food assistance; one-third of food grown never makes it out of fields; relatively low-dose radiation from CT scans and x-rays favor cancer growth; fitbits and other wearables may not accurately track heart rates in people of color; and seeing greenery linked to less intense and frequent cravings.

Week of July 29:

Featuring the corrupting influence of conflicts of interest in medical research; UT exhibit on protest and social change includes “Condoms STOP AIDS” poster developed by your humble host; widespread aspirin use despite few benefits, high risks; child drowning rates dropping two-thirds driven by better building codes concerning pools; vaccinating dogs for rabies worldwide could save the lives 59,000 people yearly; nations with strong women’s rights have better population health and faster economic growth; Medicare for All unlikely to raise hospitalization rates much, if at all; climate shocks, conflict and economic slumps drive rising world hunger; taps run dry for half of Zimbabwe’s capital city affecting millions.

Week of July 22:

Featuring keto diets and other diets that severely restrict carbohydrates, how there is little evidence for their effectiveness, especially considering their potential risks and sustainability issues both individually and ecologically, and how massive carbohydrate restriction hamstrings consumption of health-producing carbohydrates like beans, fruits, vegetables and unrefined grains; capping medical residency training hours does not hamper doctor quality; primary care needs to be encouraged; patients provide input for first time in mental health definitions; how to deal with anxiety about climate change; and protecting forests and watersheds to treat water cost-effectively and sustainably.

Week of July 15:

Featuring why there is so much commercial corruption in nutrition; fiber and health and fiber as a good marker for intake of whole foods; indoor carbon dioxide levels could be a health hazard; most kids on public coverage have parents who work for big companies; international drug development processes are irresponsible and must be reformed; the burgeoning benzo crisis; psychiatric diagnosis “scientifically meaningless”; and environmental activists declare victory after Detroit incinerator closes.

Week of July 8:

Featuring alcohol and cancer; bullying and weight bias; the Veterans Crisis Line; austerity and inequality fueling mental illness; EPA moves to phase out animal experiments which could mean end to toxics regulations; mini-biographies help clinicians connect with patients; new guidelines aim to enlist primary care physicians in transgender care; poll: most Americans favor Medicare for All if they can keep their doctors; and children’s cardiac care dangerous when mixed with corporatized health care.

Week of July 1:

Featuring the continuing public health case study that is the obesity epidemic, with a call to move beyond individual behavior and focus on social determinants driving obesity such as fat shaming and bias, and access to culturally-competent health services; plus, medical groups declare climate change as greatest public health challenge of the 21st century; Agriculture Department buries studies showing dangers of climate change; dangerous DDT levels 50 years after banning; and how banning dangerous chemicals could save the U.S. billions.

Week of June 24:

Featuring the question: Is public health in America so bad among the young, supposedly healthier people, that the U.S. may eventually not be able to defend itself militarily? Plus, the National Domestic Violence Hotline’s busiest year; childhood adversity’s link to mental illness, sexually transmitted infections continue unabated; world’s rivers awash with dangerous levels of antibiotics, the U.S. continuing to use pesticides banned in other countries; and Ohio River moves to voluntary pollution standards in face of massive petrochemical plant build-out.

Week of June 17:

Featuring the importance of happiness and purpose in driving health and well-being, and the epidemic of meaninglessness in work life; the role of sleep in health; the celebration of Men’s Health Month through using male privilege to help bring about gender justice and defeat patriarchy; the secret to Latino longevity; and how skyrocketing out-of-pocket health expenses, particularly among employer-based and private health insurance is costing health and lives.

Week of June 10:

Featuring a public health case study offering several perspectives on the many factors which form the perfect storm of the obesity epidemic — with a few tips for weathering the storm; and a series of articles regarding racism and racial disparities in health — with some good news.

Week of June 3:

Featuring continued coverage of the health effects of processed foods, including two new major studies; concerns about the potential risks of the exponential growth of nanoparticles in food processing; toxic chemicals used in food packaging and how to avoid them; and why cutting down on salt is health promoting, even if your blood pressure is fine.

Week of May 27:

Featuring continuing Mental Health Awareness Month coverage including suicide, supposed mental health parity, and appealing health coverage denials, and another in a series of mental health poems by local poet, Justin Samson, with this week’s poem on PTSD, Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome; Media Watch segment on MercyHealth claiming that nurses mean the world ironically while their nurses strike; landmark study on processed foods and overeating, and a series of stories on air pollution as a public health emergency.

Week of May 20:

Featuring Mental Health Awareness Month coverage including the debut in a series of mental health poems by local poet, Justin Samson, with this week’s poem on major depression; public health news and research roundup coverage of dementia prevention recommendations, childhood cancer prevention, and basic sanitation as a critical public health issue in the U.S. and globally.

Week of May 13:

Featuring Mental Health Awareness Month coverage, public health news and research roundup coverage of the ongoing Monsanto Roundup™ saga plus other herbicide/pesticide/plastics toxins, prescription drug prices, and the debut of another parody PSA.

Week of May 6:

A whole show about vaccine-preventable infectious diseases. SPOILER ALERT: immunizations profoundly improve the public health of our planet!

Week of April 29:

Featuring tips on cutting back on salt and sugar, and getting more whole grains into your diet. This episode debuts two new segments, Media Watch, looking at how public health is portrayed in the media, and Health Observances, April as minority health month, examining racism as the driving force in the so-called mystery of stubbornly high black infant mortality. The Public Health News and Research Roundup includes the health effects of fracking, and the effect of food waste on climate change.

Week of April 22:

Featuring “The three most dangerous food additives,” and good news in the Public Health News and Research Roundup. And look out for that parody PSA!

Week of April 15:

Featuring Public Health News and Research Roundup and a noncommercial break highlighting blood donation.

Week of April 8:

Featuring environmental health news and the question: Can you be a serious environmentalist without cutting down drastically on animal-foods, that is, cutting way down on meat, eggs, and dairy?

Week of April 1:

Featuring a far-reaching riff on epidemiology, the science of the distribution of health, disease and their determinants in populations; in laypersons’ terms, what are the most important things to consider in our community’s health. Regarding personal health, the show closes with a quick summary of evidence-based eating for health.

Week of May 25:

Featuring Public Health News and Research Roundup [not affiliated with Roundup™, the infamous human carcinogen].

Week of May 18:

Featuring Medicare for all testimony and Toledo Democracy Day coverage, plus conferring the award for the MOST CONSTIPATED View of DEMOCRACY.

PILOT Show from December 2015:

This is the original pilot show that started it all! This full hour show features an interview with local guest, Johnathon Ross, M.D., M.P.H., a local public health physician and former president of Physicians for a National Health Program.

View CURRENT EPISODES

View SHOW ARCHIVES from 2022

JUST FOR THE HEALTH OF IT [ARCHIVE 2019-2021]: Public Health Radio Show on WAKT 106.1 FM Toledo

About Top Pun’s Blog

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JUST FOR THE HEALTH OF IT [ARCHIVE 2019-2021]: Public Health Radio Show on WAKT 106.1 FM Toledo

About Top Pun’s Blog

Search Top Pun Blog

My Public Health Radio Show

Recent Posts

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