You stayed up too late scrolling through your phone, answering emails or watching just one more episode. The next morning, you feel groggy and irritable. That sugary pastry or greasy…
Category: Anthropology
Data on sexual orientation and gender is critical to public health – without it, health crises continue unnoticed
As part of the Trump administration’s efforts aimed at stopping diversity, equity and inclusion, the government has been restricting how it monitors public health. Along with cuts to federally funded…
Colorado’s fentanyl criminalization bill won’t solve the opioid epidemic, say the people most affected
Colorado passed the Fentanyl Accountability and Prevention Bill in May 2022. The legislation made the possession of small amounts of fentanyl a felony, rather than a misdemeanor. Felonies are more…
House tax-and-spending bill and other Trump administration changes could make millions of people lose their health insurance coverage
President Donald Trump has promised not to cut Medicaid many times over the past decade, including in the tax-and-spending legislative package he has made a top priority in his second…
RFK Jr’s shakeup of vaccine advisory committee raises worries about scientific integrity of health recommendations
On June 11, 2025, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a slate of eight new members to serve on the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which advises the Centers…
Older adults with dementia misjudge their financial skills – which may make them more vulnerable to fraud, new research finds
Older adults diagnosed with dementia lose their ability to assess how well they manage their finances, according to a recent study I co-authored in The Gerontologist. In comparison, people of…
Adolescents who smoke or vape may believe tobacco’s perceived coping benefits outweigh accepted health risks
Tobacco use in a variety of forms is common in adolescent life today, with over 2.25 million youth using. Huge progress has been made over the past few decades in…
Teens say they can access firearms at home, even when parents lock them up, new research shows
More than half of U.S. teens living in households with firearms believe they can access and load a firearm at home. Even when their parents report storing all firearms locked…
LGBTQ+ patients stay up-to-date on preventive care when their doctors are supportive, saving money and lives throughout society
When LGBTQ+ patients are unsure if they can be open about their identity and related health needs, it becomes more difficult for them to access high-quality health care. In our…
US health care is rife with high costs and deep inequities, and that’s no accident – a public health historian explains how the system was shaped to serve profit and politicians
A few years ago, a student in my history of public health course asked why her mother couldn’t afford insulin without insurance, despite having a full-time job. I told her…
