Public Health On Call

Get the App

Public Health On Call

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

14 minutes 38 seconds

860 - Why Gender and Gender Identity Matter for Health
About this episode:
In today’s episode: defining sex, gender, and gender identity, and why the concepts of gender and gender identity help with the understanding of and response to health challenges.
Guests:
Sari Reisner is an epidemiologist at the University of Michigan.
Host:
Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content:
- Trump says there are ‘two sexes.’ Experts and science say it’s not binary.—The Washington Post
- The U.S. Transgender Survey Reports
Contact us:
Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
Follow us:
3 March 2025, 11:00 am
11 minutes 51 seconds

859 - What Foreign Aid Means For National Security
About this episode:
The abrupt halt of USAID funded programs around the world has caused confusion and chaos, and the consequences are likely to have a long tail. In today’s episode: Joe Amon, an expert in global aid and human rights, discusses some of the direct and indirect impacts of disengaging from this work.
Guests:
Joe Amon is the director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Public Health and Human Rights.
Host:
Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content:
- Public Health is a Human Right—Public Health On Call (December, 2024)
- What Is USAID and Why Is It At Risk?—The Council on Foreign Relations
Contact us:
Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
Follow us:
28 February 2025, 11:00 am
16 minutes 49 seconds

858 - A Safer Gun Buying Process
About this episode:
Firearm purchaser licensing laws that have provisions such as enhanced background checks and in-person applications curb homicides and suicides, they’re bipartisan, and a majority of Americans—including gun owners—support them. In today’s episode: A look at a new report with recommendations for building a safer gun-buying process and why now is the time to implement these solutions.
Guests:
Josh Horwitz is co-director of the Johns Hopkins Center For Gun Violence Solutions.

Silvia Villareal is the director of research translation at the Johns Hopkins Center For Gun Violence Solutions.
Host:
Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content:
- Firearm Purchaser Licending: Research Evidence To Inform State Policy (pdf)—The Center For Gun Violence Solutions
- Report Recommends States Adopt Firearm Purchaser Licensing Laws That Include Five Core Components—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Contact us:
Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
Follow us:
26 February 2025, 6:50 pm
21 minutes 48 seconds

853 - The Hazy World of Cannabis Policy
About this episode:
Although cannabis is legal in nearly half of all U.S. states, policy is complicated. There's federal law, which prohibits the sale of THC-containing cannabis but not hemp. There's state law, which is an even more complex patchwork. In this episode: A new report looks at how this hazy landscape is impacting public health policy and equity.
Guests:
Dr. Yasmin Hurd is a neuroscientist and the director of the Addiction Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York.

Douglas Berman is a legal expert and the director of the Drug Enforcement Policy Center at the Moritz College of Lawat The Ohio State University.
Host:
Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content:
- Cannabis Policy Impacts Public Health and Health Equity—National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine
- The Risks of Psychotic Symptoms With Cannabis Use in Younger People—Public Health On Call (January, 2024)
- The Evidence—and Lack Thereof—About Cannabis—Public Health On Call (August, 2023)
Contact us:
Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
Follow us:
26 February 2025, 3:29 pm
16 minutes 24 seconds

857 - The Concepts Behind The Language of Equity
About this episode:
In today’s episode: A discussion with Dr. Lisa Cooper, the director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Equity, about opposition to the terms "diversity," "equity," and "inclusion."
Guests:
Dr. Lisa Cooper is a public health physician, a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor at Johns Hopkins and a winner of a MacArthur genius grant for her work to understand and reduce health disparities.
Host:
Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content:
- Why Are Health Disparities Everyone’s Problem?—Public Health On Call (February, 2022)
- Higher Bar For Health Care—Johns Hopkins Magazine
Contact us:
Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
Follow us:
25 February 2025, 11:00 am
16 minutes 16 seconds

856 - The Unequal Impacts of Abortion Bans
About this episode:
Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, some states have imposed severe restrictions on access to abortion. In this episode: New research on what's happened to infant death and birth rates in these states.
Guests:
Suzanne Bell is a Johns Hopkins demographer the department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health.

Alison Gemmill is a Johns Hopkins demographer and perinatal epidemiologist in the department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health.
Host:
Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content:
- After Abortion Bans, Infant Mortality and Births Increased, Research Finds—The New York Times
- Two New Studies Provide Broadest Evidence to Date of Unequal Impacts of Abortion Bans—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
- More Consequences of Abortion Restrictions: Increases in Infant Deaths in Texas—Public Health On Call (June, 2024)
- A landmark study tracks the lasting effect of having an abortion-or being denied one (The Turnaway Study)—NPR
- How Can We Solve the Black Maternal Health Crisis—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Contact us:
Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
Follow us:
24 February 2025, 11:00 am
18 minutes

855 - Can The CDC Communicate More Transparently With The Public?
About this episode:
During the pandemic, CDC recommendations about masking and other issues were the source of controversy. Some have asked whether the agency can better communicate the basis of its recommendations — and even seek public input along the way—to increase public understanding and acceptance. In today’s episode, Johns Hopkins cardiologist Dr. Joseph Marine and Dr. Peter Lurie of the Center for Science in the Public Interest join the podcast to discuss how the CDC can communicate more transparently to build more public trust.
Guests:
Dr. Joseph Marine is a cardiologist and a professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins.

Dr. Peter Lurie is the president and executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, and a former Associate Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.
Host:
Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content:
- Applying Class of Recommendations and Level of Evidence to Clinical Strategies, Interventions, Treatments, or Diagnostic Testing in Patient Care—American Heart Association
- Building a Better CDC—Public Health On Call (April, 2023)
Contact us:
Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
Follow us:
21 February 2025, 11:00 am
19 minutes 11 seconds

854 - The Worst Flu Season In A Decade
About this episode:
There’s a lot of flu out there right now, but just how bad is it and by what measures is it “bad”? In today’s episode: How this year’s flu season stacks up against years past, some factors that could be driving such high rates and severe disease, and how bird flu is further complicating things. Also: It’s not too late to get a flu shot!
Guests:
Dr. Erica Prochaska is a pediatric infectious disease physician at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
Host:
Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, the largest center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Show links and related content:
- U.S. facing worst flu season since 2009, experts say—Axios
- The flu has killed 16,000 people this season. These are the states with the worst outbreaks—Fast Company
Contact us:
Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
Follow us:
20 February 2025, 11:00 am
16 minutes 40 seconds

852 - The FDA’s Proposed Food Labeling Changes
About this episode:
The FDA is responsible for labeling on food packaging, such as the ubiquitous black and white nutrition label. But consumers could soon see new labels on foods offering more information about nutrition in key areas like sodium, sugar, and saturated fat. In today’s episode: the FDA’s proposed changes for food labeling and new standards for using the term “healthy” in everything from product names to descriptions and marketing.
Guest:
Dr. Peter Lurie is the president and executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, and a former Associate Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.
Host:
Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content:
- FDA Issues Proposed Rule on Front-of-Package Nutrition Labeling—FDA
- Use of the Term Healthy on Food Labeling—FDA
- FDA Proposes New Food Labels to Detail Sugar, Fat, and Salt Levels—The New York Times
- Who can say it’s healthy? The FDA has a new definition for food labels—NPR
17 February 2025, 11:00 am
18 minutes 56 seconds

851 - Policing With a Public Health Lens in South Dakota
About this episode:
Traditional police work has struggled to meet the needs of cities like Rapid City, South Dakota. Often, police are called to address situations that are related to mental health crises, homelessness, and substance use. In this episode: Rapid City’s Chief of Police, Don Hedrick talks about what it means to police with public health in mind, the success of partnerships and outreach, and how a nontraditional approach helped Rapid City address an influx of violent crime.
Guest:
Don Hedrick is the Chief of Police of Rapid City, South Dakota and a Bloomberg Fellow at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Host:
Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content:
- Law Enforcement With A Public Health Lens—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine
Contact us:
Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
Follow us:
14 February 2025, 11:00 am
15 minutes 54 seconds

850 - The History of Birthright Citizenship in the U.S.
About this episode:
In 1868, the 14th Amendment established birthright citizenship in the United States. In this episode: a look at the court cases, historical events, and people that shaped one of the Constitution’s human rights provisions.
Guest:
Martha Jones is a writer, historian and legal scholar, and a professor of history at the SNF Agora Institute.
Host:
Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland’s Health Department.
Show links and related content:
- Dred Scott v. Sandford—National Archives
- Opinion of the Maryland Court of Appeals, Hughes v. Jackson (1858)—National Constitution Center
- United States v. Wong Kim Ark (1898)—National Constitution Center
- The Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution
Contact us:
Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website.
Follow us:
12 February 2025, 11:00 am
More Episodes? Get the App