Public Health Insight

How To Build Your Dream Public Health Career

21 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Confucius once said, “Choose a job you love, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.” While this may not be entirely true in some case...

Is There A Space for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Public Health? | ft. Sujani Sivanantharajah, Founder of PH SPOT

14 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

While entrepreneurship in public health has come a long way, there is still more room for innovation and growth. Despite these vast opportunities to a...

The Art & Science of Stakeholder Engagement: A Project Management Approach to Public Health Problems

07 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Stakeholder engagement is a very important process used in public health and global health to proactively ensure the needs and desires of those who ha...

Why Research Needs Strong Leadership & Learning Health Systems | ft. Dr. Michael J. Strong, President of CIHR

31 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Michael J. Strong is the President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), an organization pursuing equitable health outcomes for Ca...

The Unexpected Story of How Dr. Strong Became President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research

24 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is Canada's federal funding agency for health research, collaborating with partners and researc...

Setting Yourself Apart in Public Health With Project Management

17 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Project management is increasingly being demanded for public health and global health positions, but why is that the case? In this episode of the Publ...

How We Can Benefit From a Community of Practice | ft. Leshawn Benedict, Global Health Community Manager

10 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We often hear the term “community of practice” in public health and global health, but what are they and how do they work? In this episode of the ...

What Does A Health Promoter Do? | ft. Gordon Thane, Lori Chow Memorial Award Recipient

03 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It might seem like there are endless job opportunities to make an impact in public health, but one of the core pillars of a strong workforce in the fi...

3 Things to Do As You Come to the End of Your Public Health Graduate Degree

26 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You’re coming to the end of your graduate degree in your public health or global health program, you’ve already secured a practicum that you’re ...

How To Stand Out In Your Interviews & Get Job Offers

19 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What should you do when you finally start to get interviews from your stellar job applications, but you aren’t receiving any job offers? In this epi...

Scientific Integrity, Big Pharma’s Influence, & The Cost of Opioid Drug Trafficking

12 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Set against the backdrop of the opioid epidemic in the United States and Canada, a Biology professor, a single-mom, and an undercover FBI agent find t...

A Look Back At The COVID-19 Response & How We Will Know When The Pandemic Is Over | ft. Dr. Lisa Doggett from HGS AxisPoint Health

05 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After reaching the two-year anniversary since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020, we are once again l...

Why You’re Not Getting Job Interviews

29 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Tired of sending out countless job applications and haven't received any interviews? In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, we tal...

Why We Still Need to Be Very Concerned About Tuberculosis | ft. Dr. Elizabeth Rea and Tina Campbell from Stop TB Canada

22 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There is an infectious disease affecting people all around the world and was responsible for more than 1 million deaths globally in 2020. If you had t...

How A Corporate Defense Lawyer Changed Public Health ft. Rob Bilott

15 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If public health is a population-based field of science for preventing diseases and promoting health, what can a corporate defense attorney possibly d...

UN Sustainable Development Goal 3: Achieving Universal Health Coverage Through Digital Transformation

08 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Digital technology has the potential to transform life as we know it - from automating daily tasks, to essentially allowing us to carry around pocket-...

Why Many New Graduates Feel Unprepared to Enter the Public Health Workforce

01 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Navigating the public health and global health space as a student and early career professional can be difficult. Understanding that so many people fa...

Frequently Asked Questions About Pursuing Public Health Education, Jobs, & Careers

22 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A career in public health can be fulfilling but it's more of a journey than a destination, and along that journey, we're often faced with qu...

Smoking Cessation & the Promise of a ‘New’ Old Drug

15 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Tobacco use is currently the leading cause of preventable death, responsible for more than eight million deaths worldwide each year. Given this realit...

What If Climate Change Was An Approaching Comet?

08 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What happens when scientists try to advise policymakers and decision-makers about a significant threat to public health and they fail to act? What if ...

7 Core Competencies You Need to Excel in Public Health

01 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Whether you’re an aspiring public health professional who is unsure about how to get noticed by a potential employer or you’ve already been workin...

What is Public Health?

25 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

One of the things we always hear from our community of people - some aspiring to go into the field of public health and others having some work experi...

Top 5 Certifications You Should Pursue to Advance Your Public Health Career

18 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Whether you’ve just completed your Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s Degree, or have been working in the public health field for a while, there are al...

Restorative Justice through Youth and Adult Diversion Programming

11 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For over 50 years, St. Leonard’s Community Services (SLCS), London and Region has been dedicated to a community where everyone feels safe, valued an...

Dark Waters Movie Review: The Impact of ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Our Environment

04 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What happens when a corporate defence attorney goes from representing large powerful chemical manufacturing companies to fighting against them after l...

Public Health Insight: What We Do & Why We Exist

28 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

After launching the podcast in March 2020, Public Health Insight has grown into so much more than we could have ever imagined. In this special episode...

What You Might Be Doing Wrong On Your MPH Applications

21 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The graduate application season is upon us and many people are curious about the various ways they can maximize their chances of being accepted to Mas...

What You Should Consider Before Applying to MPH Programs

14 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

You just finished your undergrad or you’ve been working for awhile now and have decided to pursue a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree, but what d...

TikTok and Public Health

07 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

TikTok is a short video-sharing social media platform that has grown quickly since its launch garnering over 1 billion monthly global users. Although ...

Lessons Learned from Organizing A Global Event Focused on One Health

30 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The One Health approach informs the way we address complex problems affecting all organisms on the planet. In this episode of the Public Health Insigh...

How to Speak About Science with People Who Have Opposing Beliefs

23 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It is more important now than ever that people are able to speak with colleagues, friends, family, and the general public about controversial topics, ...

Science Communication: Sharing Knowledge Through Storytelling

16 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What if you learned the real story of the woman behind the development of mRNA vaccine technology and realized it wasn’t as straightforward of a jou...

The Art of Science Communication

09 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Science communication is a term that has been at the forefront of public discourse as of recently, but what does it even mean? Is it more of an art or...

Top Ten Threats to Global Health: Combating Multidrug Resistant Infections through Stewardship & Multilateral Solutions

02 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Medical technology and precision medicine have come a long way, and many people assume that the process of researching, discovering, and producing new...

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR): Precision Medicine & the Rise of Superbugs

26 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Antimicrobials are a broad range of medicines used to prevent and treat infections in humans, animals, and plants, including antibiotics, antivirals, ...

How Ten Global Cities Are Addressing Homelessness & The Innovations That Are Proven to Work

19 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Usually, when we talk about resolving issues, one of the things that often comes to mind is allocating more resources and throwing more money at the p...

Homelessness: A Complex Human Rights & Public Health Issue

12 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of th...

Two-Continua Model for Mental Health and Mental Illness: Flourishing, Languishing, & Everything In-Between

05 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Mental health is more than the absence of mental illness or disorders. So what's the difference between mental health and mental illness? The Two...

Mental Health Continuum: Absence of Mental Illness or the Presence of Positive Mental Health

28 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What if everything we currently know about mental health and mental illness is wrong? According to the World Health Organization, by 2030, depression ...

Harm Reduction Solutions Inspired by the Community: Safe Opioid Supply and Street Outreach Medicine

21 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of the Public Health Insight Podcast, Dr. Sereda remains with us to share her experience as the lead physician practicing street outre...

Opioid Poisoning Crisis: The Story of Alcohol Prohibition Repeating Itself

14 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In the period between 2016 and 2021, more than 19,000 Canadians have died of overdoses related to the toxic street supply of drugs. Opioid-related dea...

How to Organize Your LinkedIn Profile to Expand Your Network and Attract Potential Employers

07 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

LinkedIn is considered one of the leading social media platforms for professional networking and some employers now actively investigate the digital f...

How to Write a Cover Letter & Why You Should Include it in Every Job Application

31 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Preparing job applications can be taxing and some people often get excited when a job application does not explicitly require a cover letter. Could yo...

Making Your Resume Make Sense: What Ingredients Make A Good Resume

24 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A resume is a written compilation of your work experience, qualifications, skills, and education. It is a key part of a job application that the hirin...

Back to the Basics of Job Searching: Identifying Your Target Job and Understanding the Applicant Tracking System

17 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Could your resume, cover letter, or LinkedIn profile be ruining your chances of getting job interviews? The answer is likely yes, but there’s no nee...

Age-Friendly Communities: Creating Inclusive Environments for Multiple Generations

10 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The World Health Organization defines an age-friendly community as one that encourages active ageing by adapting its structures and services to be acc...

Social Isolation & Loneliness During The Pandemic: The Impacts on Community Dwelling-Seniors and Their Caregivers

03 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Susan Pinker, an author and psychologist, once said, “Social Isolation is the Public Health risk of our time. The secret to living longer may be you...

Digital Determinants of Health: Expanding Healthcare Access for Marginalized and Isolated Populations Using Virtual Technologies

27 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

According to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), almost 88% of  Canadians have access to a high-speed broadband i...

Virtual Healthcare Technologies: Telemedicine & Patient Satisfaction

20 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The ongoing pandemic has disrupted many of our routines, including the way we engage with our healthcare providers. According to a national survey com...

How to Create A Successful Networking Strategy: Identifying Your Goal & Taking the First Step

13 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Networking is a great way to connect people with common interests and extract information to advance your career goals, but why are so many people hes...

Building Relationships in Public Health & Global Health: Why You Should Be Networking

06 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Although people may enjoy or despise it, networking is undoubtedly an important tool in your arsenal to help you gain valuable and practical informati...

Global Pandemic Response: Canadian Foreign Policy, Public Opinion, & Waiving the Vaccine Intellectual Property Agreement

29 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The majority of Canadians recognize that if we don’t overcome COVID-19 everywhere, we won't be able to effectively control it in Canada. In thi...

Equity-Driven Global Approaches to Developing, Acquiring, and Distributing COVID-19 Vaccines

22 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated social and health disparities across many regions, highlighting the need for an intentional global respo...

Simple Job Search Strategies for Students & Recent Graduates

15 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Job searching can often be considered both a science and an art. The most effective job search strategies involve getting organized for the process an...

What To Do Before You Begin Your Public Health Job Search

08 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Whether you’re coming to the end of your educational training or have already done all of the hard work necessary to complete your program, we all i...

Finding Job Opportunities After Completing Your Public Health Program: How to Get Experience Without Experience

01 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

For recent graduates looking for employment opportunities, landing an entry-level job that requires experience can be a frustrating obstacle. In the p...

Continuing Education in Public Health and Global Health: What You Need to Know About Doing a PhD, DrPH, and an MPH

25 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Working in the fields of public health and global health can be a rewarding experience, with the ultimate vision of achieving equity in health for all...

Anti-Asian Racism: Violence, Xenophobia, & the Model Minority Myth

18 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

On March 17, 2021, a lone gunman in Atlanta, Georgia went on a racially-motivated rampage, resulting in the death of eight people, 6 of whom were wome...

Smart Fit Girls: Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR), Melanin Magic, & Adultism

11 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Smart Fit Girls is a unique program that aims to positively influence the physical and psychosocial health of middle school girls. In this episode of ...

Physical Activity, Self-Esteem, & Body Image in Adolescent Girls: The Role of Smart Fit Girls

04 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The underlying motivation to engage in physical activity is a complex dynamic and one that is difficult to navigate for many people. Of particular con...

Pandemics in History: Timelines, Causes of the Diseases, & Lessons Learned

27 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As humans become more connected, technologically advanced, and expand our horizons, novel diseases often emerge. In the previous episode of the Public...

Pandemics: How & Why They Happen

20 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Ever since humans transitioned from an animal hunting society into agriculture and husbandry, epidemics and pandemics have been close companions in ou...

Ending Violence Against Women & Girls: Primary Prevention & Policy Options to Promote Gender Equality

13 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Men are significantly more likely to perpetuate gender-based violence, including violence against women and girls. This means that in addition to supp...

Forms of Gender-Based Violence & Societal Impact

06 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As Former First Lady Michelle Obama once said, “Communities and countries and ultimately the world, are only as strong as the health of their women....

Time Capsule: Popular Guests of 2020 - A One-Year Anniversary Recap

30 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It has been one year since Public Health Insight launched a podcast in March of 2020. We are excited to celebrate the milestone with our followers in ...

COVID-19 as a Case Study: Real World Applications of the Socio-Ecological Model (SEM)

23 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Socioecological Model has been widely adopted in public health, and an understanding of this framework is essential for becoming an effective publ...

Applying the Socio-Ecological Model (SEM) as a Cornerstone of Public Health Practice

16 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The socio-ecological model (SEM) is a theory-based framework derived from the ecological systems theory initially developed by Urie Bronfenbrenner in ...

The Socio-Ecological Model (SEM): A Framework for Understanding the Determinants of Health Behaviour

09 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It is often believed that people are in control of their own actions, behaviours, and ultimately their health status, but what if it’s not that simp...

Insights from a Public Health and Preventive Medicine (PHPM) Resident

02 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Public Health and Preventative Medicine (PHPM) is the branch of medicine concerned with the health of populations, rather than focusing on individual ...

Public Health and Preventive Medicine: The Intersection of Population Health & Clinical Practice

23 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Typically when people think of medical doctors, they often picture family physicians, pediatricians, or surgeons. However, there is one specialty that...

COVID-19 Variants of Concern: Social Consequences & Implications for the Vaccine

16 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Recent news about emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) has left many concerned about the social consequences, global impacts, and whether va...

Viral Mutations: A Balancing Act Between Transmission & Virulence

09 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Ever since COVID-19 was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on January 30th, 2020 and subsequently declared a pandemic...

Neglected Tropical Disease Elimination: Lessons Learned from Career Professionals

02 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) impact almost 2 billion people worldwide, with a disproportionate burden in impoverished communities. While these d...

An Introduction to Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)

26 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If you found out that there was a set of diseases that affected one in five people around the world and disproportionately affected those living in ex...

Health Taxes on Alcohol, Tobacco & Sugar-Sweetened Beverages

19 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine walking down to your local convenience store on an average day. You want to buy your favourite ice-cold can of Coca Cola but you notice that i...

Increasing Global Access to Stroke Intervention & Treatment: Mission Thrombectomy 2020 (MT2020+)

12 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Stroke Thrombectomy, also known as Mechanical Thrombectomy, is a new highly effective time-sensitive medical intervention that has demonstrated the po...

Strokes: Warning Signs, Risk Factors, & Geographic Disparities

05 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

More than 13.5 million people around the world experience a stroke each year, resulting in over 5 million deaths.  As the fourth leading cause of dea...

Understanding Public Health: MPH Journeys and Early Career Reflections - A Holiday Special

29 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In the spirit of the Holiday Season, fellow Western University Master of Public Health (MPH) Alumni, Samantha Yang and Janel Dhooma join the Public He...

Addressing Anti-Black Racism in the Justice System and Healthcare: Strength-Based Approaches & Next Steps

22 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Structural racism in education, the socioeconomic system, the justice system, and the healthcare system has been shown to widen health disparities, of...

Moving Beyond Selective Outrage to Action: Addressing Anti-Black Racism

15 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Recent events of high profile cases of unarmed black men and women dying at the hands of police has reopened wounds of historical traumas experienced ...

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Winter is Coming

08 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that usually occurs at the same time every year in a seasonal pattern. Though the most commo...

Tripolar: The Story of a Bipolar Triathlete - Lived Experience of Tim Davis (Part 2)

01 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Tim Davis is an educator, mental health advocate, coach, and author of the book titled ‘TRIPOLAR: The Story of A Bipolar Triathlete’. In the previ...

Tripolar: The Story of a Bipolar Triathlete - Lived Experience of Tim Davis (Part 1)

24 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In previous Public Health Insight Podcast episodes, you may have learned about opioids, harm reduction, safe consumption sites, and the broader social...

Suicide Prevention: Promising Models & Frameworks to Engage the Community

17 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

According to LivingWorks, a global suicide prevention organization, we are more likely to come in contact with someone in need of suicide intervention...

Suicide & Self-Harm: The Importance of Putting People First

10 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, claiming the lives of more than 800,000 people each year. September is designated as Suicide ...

Fall Prevention: The 3Es, Promising Practices, & Evidence-Based Interventions

03 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

November is Fall Prevention Month in Canada. In Canada, almost 150,000 people, aged 65 and older, were hospitalized for injuries between 2017 and 2018...

Falls: Multifactorial Determinants of Injury

27 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The World Health Organization defines a fall as “an event which results in a person coming to rest inadvertently on the ground,  floor or other low...

Determinants of Healthy Aging: The Importance of Tailoring Health Systems for the Aging Population

20 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In the United States, older adults over the age of 65 currently represent 16% of the population, and this is expected to increase to 25% by the year 2...

Supporting Caregivers: Innovative Solutions in Dementia Care

13 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

3.5 million Canadians are considered primary caregivers for someone living with dementia. These caregivers are often unpaid and rarely receive formal ...

Global Burden of Dementia: A Modern-Day Threat to Healthy Aging

06 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

More than 50 million people around the world are living with dementia and this number is expected to double every 20 years, as the global life expecta...

Violence Against Healthcare Workers

29 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Health workers in healthcare facilities, homecare, hospital staff, and many others have long been recognized as crucial components in a functioning an...

Inequitable Access to Education: The Barriers & Facilitators for Communities

22 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Education as a social determinant of health has the power to improve health outcomes for communities across the world, but what happens when access co...

Social Determinants of Health: Educational Attainment & Public Health Literacy

15 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Education is one of the most important modifiable social determinants of health. Despite the power of higher education, many health disparities persis...

Road Safety: Leadership, Policies, & Best Practices

08 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Road traffic collisions are largely preventable, however, it consistently remains one of the top 10 leading causes of premature death every year. The ...

Road Traffic Injuries & Deaths: A Global Perspective

01 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Road traffic collisions are the 8th leading cause of death and one of the most burdensome causes of injury world-wide. In particular, it is the leadin...

Breaking Down the Connection: Social Isolation, Loneliness, and Senior’s Health in a Pandemic

25 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Social isolation and loneliness are an indication of the number of social supports and the perceived collective quality of those connections. Dr. Mehr...

Social Isolation and Loneliness: Quality over Quantity

18 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Social isolation and loneliness are often used to refer to the same concept, however, in public health research, some important differences exist. Soc...

Harm Reduction Strategies: Safe Consumption Sites

11 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

There are many different harm reduction strategies in public health, including wearing seatbelts while in a vehicle or wearing a helmet when riding a ...

Social Determinants of Health: A Closer Look at Racism

04 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Racialized and marginalized populations often disproportionately experience negative health outcomes compared to the broader population; COVID-19 is n...

Social Determinants of Health: Understanding the Causes of the Causes

28 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) is a central dogma to the field of public health. There are many different definitions of SDOH from reputable...