Population Healthy

School Safety Drills and Student Well-Being: What the Research Shows

21 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

(00:00:00) School Safety Drills and Student Well-Being: What the Research Shows (00:02:17) What Are School Safety Drills and Why Do We Have Them? (00:...

How Medicaid Policy Shapes the Future of Rural Communities

24 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Health policy researcher Michael Shepherd explores the importance of Medicaid in rural communities—not only for those who directly receive benefits,...

Preventing Intimate Partner Homicide with Red Flag Laws

24 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Over half of all female homicide victims in the United States are killed with a gun, most often by an intimate partner. In this episode, University of...

Vaccine conversations: Tools for building trust

16 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

(00:00:00) Vaccine conversations: Tools for building trust (00:01:41) Event Welcome & Introductions (00:07:13) Seasonal vaccine safety (00:10:23) Comm...

Commemorating a milestone: The 70th anniversary of the polio vaccine announcement

12 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to a special live episode of Population Healthy, recorded in front of an enthusiastic audience at the University of Michigan. We mark a histor...

Breaking barriers: Gender, health, and justice for all

08 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Population Healthy, researchers Dr. Sari Reisner and Dr. Daphne Watkins and prosecutor Eli Savit engage in a dynamic discussion on ...

Health equity, leadership, and action: Insights from Dr. Rachel Levine

25 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Population Healthy, we bring you an engaging conversation with Admiral Rachel Levine, MD, USPHS (Ret.), former Assistant Secretary ...

Housing, health, and hope: A conversation on impactful collaboration

18 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, University of Michigan urban planning and public health experts  Margaret Dewar and Roshanak Mehdipanah delve into the complex chall...

Public health in action: Five years after COVID-19

11 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Five years after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the University of Michigan School of Public Health looks back at how our world has changed an...

Innovation meets empathy: Expanding access to care through technology

04 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Population Healthy, join University of Michigan School of Public Health emeritus professor John Piette as he engages in a compellin...

New episodes starting March 4th!

25 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Listen to a sneak peek of new, upcoming episodes of the Population Healthy podcast from the University of Michigan School of Public Health. Join our f...

Ahead of the Curve: Gina McCarthy

21 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this special podcast episode, hosted by F. DuBois Bowman, dean of  the University of Michigan School of Public Health, we sit down with Gina McCar...

Ahead of the Curve: Amir Dan Rubin

04 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this live episode of Population Healthy, Dean F. DuBois Bowman sits down with Amir Dan Rubin, MBA ‘96, MHSA ‘96,  a transformational leader in...

The evolution of epidemiology: Reflections from Monto & Martin

26 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of the Population Healthy podcast, get a behind-the-scenes look at the evolution of epidemiology. Join two of the University of Michig...

Loneliness is a public health issue: Let’s tackle it together

26 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In 2023, the US Surgeon General issued a national health advisory on loneliness. According to the advisory, “Loneliness is far more than just a bad ...

Understanding stroke: 25-year study uncovers disparities & insights

26 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Population Healthy, we dive into the groundbreaking research of the BASIC (Brain Attack Surveillance in Corpus Christi) study, led ...

Hidden dangers: The cancer risks of environmental injustice

26 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Cancer disparities manifest as differences in cancer incidence, outcomes, or mortality across various demographic groups—whether by gender, age, loc...

The first 4 episodes of Population Healthy Season 7 drop on Sept. 26!

23 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Listen to a sneak peek of the new season of the Population Healthy podcast from the University of Michigan School of Public Health. This season, join ...

Population Healthy Season 6 trailer

12 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In Season 6 of the Population Healthy podcast from the University of Michigan School of Public Health, we look at the health benefits of living with p...

Declining childhood vaccination: An interview with Michigan's top doctor

05 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of the Population Healthy podcast, Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive for the State of Michigan, joins Matthew L. Boulton, s...

Health and dignity for Michigan farmworkers

27 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, two researchers from the University of Michigan School of Public Health outline some of the health and safety challenges faced by far...

Putting oncologists out of business

20 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Population Healthy from the University of Michigan School of Public Health, Professor of Epidemiology Celeste Leigh Pearce digs int...

Ahead of the Curve: Bakari Sellers

13 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this empowering episode of the 'Ahead of the Curve' Speaker Series by University of Michigan, Dean DuBois Bowman and renowned civil rights activist...

Bhramar Mukherjee: A data-driven fairytale

06 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Bhramar Mukherjee, professor of Biostatistics at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, explains how biostatistics helps make sense of bi...

Weight stigma and redefining healthy

30 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we’re exploring the impact of weight-centric perspectives on public health. Kendrin Sonneville, an associate professor of Nutritiona...

The invisible impacts of air pollution

23 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sara Adar, an environmental epidemiologist and associate professor at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, unpacks the universal concer...

Vic Strecher: Living with purpose

16 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Population Healthy from the University of Michigan School of Public Health, Vic Strecher, a professor renowned for his work in beha...

Season 6 of Population Healthy starts January 16!

11 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The new season of the Population Healthy podcast from the University of Michigan School of Public Health kicks off on Tuesday, January 16th. This seas...

Alternatives to policing

28 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Police violence is an area of concern for many communities. Establishing public health-informed, alternative response programs—separate from law enf...

BONUS! Ahead of the Curve featuring Larry Brilliant

21 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

(For a transcript and past episodes of the Ahead of the Curve podcast, please visit:https://sph.umich.edu/ahead-of-the-curve/)Dr. Larry Brilliant is a...

School safety

14 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

School safety is top of mind for many, particularly after recent mass shootings have impacted schools, colleges, and universities across the United St...

Abortion access and reproductive justice - pt 2

07 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

2022 saw historic shake-ups in the policies around abortion access across the US. Although abortion has been a huge topic of discussion over the last ...

Abortion access and reproductive justice - pt 1

07 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

2022 saw historic shake-ups in the policies around abortion access across the US. Although abortion has been a huge topic of discussion over the last ...

Safeguarding the people of Ukraine

28 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Ukrainian people continue to suffer atrocities at the hands of Russian armed forces, who invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. In this episode, we spo...

Gender affirming care

21 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

You may have heard the term “gender affirming care” in the news or on social media. Often this term is used to refer to surgical procedures to hel...

(Re)Emerging infectious diseases

14 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There’s no denying that the COVID-19 pandemic changed the way we collectively view infectious disease.In this new era, where global media attention ...

BONUS! Ahead of the Curve featuring Dr. Sanjay Gupta

10 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to the Ahead of the Curve podcast from the University of Michigan school of Public Health. We also produce a podcast called "Population Health...

The ramifications of health care worker burnout

10 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For thousands of health care workers around the world, dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic has been non-stop for two years and counting. We want to und...

Health Communication: Why Getting It Right Impacts Us All

26 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, listeners will hear from four experts who bring their own unique perspective to the topic of health communication — the verbal and ...

Exploring another pandemic: HIV/AIDS

19 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It’s been nearly half a century since the HIV/AIDS epidemic emerged. In the 1980s, before medical interventions or effective prevention methods were...

Healthier people need healthier food

12 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It is no secret that healthier food makes for healthier people. However, there can be challenges to overcome when trying to make healthy food choices ...

What do health departments do?

05 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The pandemic highlighted the important role health departments play in communities large and small. But the role of a health department extends well b...

Using Motivational Interviewing to Convince People to Get Vaccinated

24 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Generally speaking, giving unsolicited advice to people only tends to annoy them and make them less likely to change any of their behaviors. Real chan...

The Evolution of a Pandemic: Where Does Delta Leave Us?

15 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Right now, Delta is the dominant COVID-19 variant spreading here in the U.S and in some other areas of the world. It’s one of the handful of variant...

Increasing Diversity in Public Health

23 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Effective change takes effective changemakers. Today, we talk to a few changemakers who are dedicated to improving diversity in public health and heal...

One Year of COVID-19 3.19.21

19 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It has been roughly one year since the COVID pandemic hit the United States, bringing with it stay-at-home orders, social distancing, masks, and many ...

Healing Flint Through Community Partnership

16 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In 1960, the population of Flint, Michigan was nearly 200,000 people. It was a center of American manufacturing and economic prosperity. But in the de...

Vaccine Hesitancy and COVID-19 3.11.2021

11 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In the last few months, we have seen emergency usage authorization of the Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines. With more and more...

How Food Insecurity Shapes Children and Families

09 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As of October 2020, 23% of children in the US are experiencing food insecurity, and that percentage has continued to rise dramatically throughout the ...

The Inequitable Impact of the Environment on Health

02 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

According to a 2019 study published by the National Academy of Sciences,* African-Americans are exposed to 56% more pollution than they actually produ...

How Bodies Weather Social Stress

23 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When you hear the term “weathering,” you may think of soil or rock erosion next to a busy stream, or the paint of a house fading under the glare o...

The Impact of Race on Data

16 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Data is a powerful, important thing. It can help researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and even frontline health workers discover new strategies t...

Black Families and Mental Health

09 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Population Healthy Season 3: Race, Inequity, and Closing the Health Gap, we take a deeper look at how Black families and individual...

SARS: The Pandemic that Never Was: Part 3

05 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Join University of Michigan undergraduate public health students Anjali Vaishnav, Maddie Malvitz, Sophie Blasberg, Stephanie Lai, and Catherine Marudo...

SARS: The Pandemic that Never Was: Part 2

04 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Join University of Michigan undergraduate public health students Anjali Vaishnav, Maddie Malvitz, Sophie Blasberg, Stephanie Lai, and Catherine Marudo...

SARS: The Pandemic that Never Was: Part 1

03 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Join University of Michigan undergraduate public health students Anjali Vaishnav, Maddie Malvitz, Sophie Blasberg, Stephanie Lai, and Catherine Marudo...

Inequity in Health Care Delivery

02 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Population Healthy Season 3: Race, Inequity, and Closing the Health Gap, we talk with experts about how inequities occur in health ...

Race and Health Equity in America

26 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In the newest season of the Population Healthy podcast—Race, Equity, and Closing the Health Gap—we speak with researchers from around the Universi...

COVID-19, Aerosols, and Ventilation 1.21.2021

21 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As we continue through these winter months, we find ourselves inside for longer periods of time. How can we avoid aerosolized droplets becoming a prob...

What You Should Know about the COVID-19 Vaccine 1.13.2021

13 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode infectious disease expert Dr. Arnold Monto discusses the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines. Monto is a Professor of Epidemi...

A Personal and Professional Journey to India During the COVID-19 Pandemic

22 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As global coronavirus cases spiked, University of Michigan School of Public Health Biostatistics chair and professor Bhramar Mukherjee traveled to Ind...

An Inside Look at the COVID-19 Vaccine Development and Approval Process 12.10.20

10 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode infectious disease expert Arnold Monto discusses the COVID-19 vaccine development and approval process. Monto is a Professor of Epidem...

Keeping Kids Active at Home and All Year 12.3.2020

03 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

During the COVID-19 pandemic, only 1 in 4 children in the US has been physically active at recommended levels. With researchers anticipating a 2-3% in...

Debunking Misinformation About COVID-19 11.13.20

13 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We live in a connected time. The information age has brought with it unparalleled access to other people through telecommunications, email, social med...

Feeding Young Kids in Need During the Pandemic 10.29.2020

29 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The federal government moved fairly quickly to grant waivers to schools when the COVID-19 pandemic began, allowing them to continue to serve food to s...

Digital Exclusion to Social Inclusion: Keeping Older Adults Engaged 10.9.2020

08 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We all have some sense that the pandemic has had a particularly large toll on the elderly. But, in fact, the story of the pandemic among vulnerable ol...

Coronavirus in Michigan: Six Months Later 9.23.20

23 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It’s been six months since the state of Michigan first enacted the stay-at-home order on March 23. We spoke to Sharon Kardia, professor of Epidemiol...

From Hashtag to Global Movement: Students Against COVID-19

10 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

With over 500 members representing nearly 70 countries, the grassroots organization “Students Against COVID-19” is addressing the coronavirus pand...

Reading, Writing, and Protocols: Back to School in the Time of COVID-19

28 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

With September just a few days away, schools around the country face the daunting task of reopening in the midst of the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemi...

The Battle in Our Backyard: Our Local Health Department Works to Defeat COVID-19 8.14.20

14 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Local health departments all over the world are a frontline defense against the novel coronavirus during the current pandemic. Unlike hospitals, they ...

Coronavirus Testing, Turnaround Times, and Immunity: What We Know

30 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Questions around coronavirus testing and immunity are top-of-mind as the pandemic continues to spread and potential vaccines undergo trials. Emily Mar...

A New Hotspot: Coronavirus in Latin America 7.16.20

16 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In Latin America, the battle against COVID-19 is raging. At the time this podcast was recorded, the region has reported over 3.2 million cases of the ...

Pregnancy During the Coronavirus Pandemic 7.2.20

02 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In the United States alone, there’s an average of 4 million births each year. In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, that amounts to a lot of wome...

India’s Unique Coronavirus Challenges 6.19.20

19 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Though it’s landmass is only one-third the size of the United States, India is home to nearly 17% of the world’s population — approximately 1.34...

Examining the Pandemic’s Disproportionate Impact on Black Americans 6.12.20

12 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In Michigan, African Americans make up 14% of the population but represent 33% of the state’s COVID-19 cases and 41% of deaths. Michigan is not uniq...

How To Manage Your COVID-19 Risk 5.29.20

29 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Now that the weather is getting nicer and states like Michigan are beginning to loosen their restrictions on gatherings, retail shopping, and more, ho...

Courage and Commitment: Staffing for Crisis Care 5.22.20

22 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What's it like to manage health care systems and personnel during a global pandemic? And how can you mobilize and redeploy thousands of workers and se...

Returning to Work Safely in Michigan and across the US 5.15.20

15 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As the United States slowly reopens the economy, we will see a variety of new safety measures nearly everywhere we look. Some we might have seen alrea...

High Risk: Homelessness in the time of Coronavirus 5.8.2020

08 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It’s estimated that more than 500,000 people in the United States experience homelessness on any given night. In recent weeks, social distancing and...

Coronavirus and Food Access: How the Pandemic Impacts Food Insecurity 5.6.20

06 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

There are nearly 40 million Americans, including 11 million children, who are food insecure. That means, they don't have reliable, consistent access t...

Public Health Surveillance: Immunity, Testing, and Contact Tracing 5.1.20

01 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Long before we could sequence a virus’s genome in a matter of weeks, we used public health tactics like contact tracing to sort out the movement of ...

The Impact of Social Distancing on Older Adults 4.30.20

30 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

People over the age of 65 are at higher risk for complications and death from COVID-19. But that’s not the only way this pandemic is disproportionat...

Social Distancing 2.0: A New Normal 4.24.20

24 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We are all getting antsy, wondering when we can return to work, see our friends and family in person, and get back to some sense of normal. Meanwhile,...

Coronavirus Hits Home: How the Pandemic Impacts Housing and Health 4.21.20

21 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The effects of the coronavirus pandemic have been damaging to the economy, and now many are finding that it’s also intensifying the existing shortco...

Ensuring Access to Mental Health Services During the Pandemic and Beyond 4.17.20

17 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The coronavirus pandemic has turned our lives upside-down. The uncertainty of a global crisis—layered with the challenges of job losses, school clos...

High-Risk: Diabetes in the Time of Coronavirus 4.16.20

16 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

According to the American Diabetes association, more than 34 million Americans have diabetes. That's 1 out of every 10 people. The CDC says, all of th...

A National Hotspot: The Coronavirus in Detroit 4.11.20

11 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In recent weeks, Detroit has become a national area of concern during the coronavirus pandemic - it’s emptied the streets of the Motor City and tak...

Ensuring Health Care Workforce Capacity During a Pandemic 4.10.20

10 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In addition to limited supplies of hospital beds, ventilators, masks, and other personal protective equipment, there is another limited—yet vital—...

Making Sense of All the Coronavirus Numbers 4.9.20

09 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Among the many new things we are learning in the age of coronavirus is that humans can produce a lot of data. To help us sort through some of it, we c...

Surveillance Testing: Reining in COVID-19 with Data 4.7.20

07 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The need for diagnostic testing has been a critical issue throughout the spread of the coronavirus epidemic. But another form of testing may be the ke...

How Coronavirus Is Impacting the Most Vulnerable 4.3.20

03 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Right now, the coronavirus pandemic and the measures we’ve undertaken to stop it are reshaping how millions of people live, work, learn, and manage ...

How to Talk to Kids About Coronavirus 4.2.20

02 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

While many families are feeling additional stressors due to the spread of coronavirus, there are unique challenges to what kids are facing. How do we ...

Flattening the Curve: Slowing the Spread and What Happens If We Don’t 3.26.20

01 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In just a few weeks, our lifestyles have changed dramatically because of the coronavirus. What does it mean to "flatten the curve" of infections, and ...

How Do Hospitals Prepare for a Pandemic? 3.30.20

30 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As coronavirus spreads in hotspots like New York City, New Orleans, Chicago and Detroit, hospitals are operationalizing their personnel and resources ...

Is Social Distancing Working? 3.27.20

27 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Social distancing is a tried and true preventive step in public health to slow the transmission of infectious diseases. As people around the United St...

What Goes into Developing a Coronavirus Vaccine 3.24.20

26 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In recent days, theories about drugs that will supposedly help treat coronavirus have floated around the media. So-called treatments being debunked, l...

Coronavirus and Social Isolation: How to Cope 3.25.20

26 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The spread of COVID-19 has caused added stress for many. Those practicing social distancing may feel isolated from others, gig economy workers are wor...

Special Edition: Coronavirus: How We Got Here 3.20.2020

20 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

One month ago, Americans were just learning the term "coronavirus", and now coronavirus seems to be affecting every aspect of our lives. The incredibl...

Sustaining Food: Cutting the Footprint of Food Production, Transportation, and Disposal

10 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

University of Michigan School of Public Health and School for Environment and Sustainability experts explain how food production, transportation, and ...

Mental Health on Campus: Reshaping Higher Ed to Help Students Thrive

03 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As mental health issues become more prevalent on college campuses, universities are looking for new ways to keep up with student need for care and sup...