Insights
This page is my digital notebook, bulletin board and sketchpad. A place to jot down what I am reading about, thinking about, and working on. A place to post random cool and interesting things I stumble upon or to share resources about important global challenges. A place to share sketches and diagrams on index cards and napkins.
A Conversation with Dr. Suraya Dalil
I had the privilege of interviewing Dr. Suraya Dalil, former Minister of Public Health for Afghanistan, and a woman I consider a colleague, role model, and friend. Her elegant narrative of a lifetime of challenges intertwined with profound moments of optimism exudes principled passion, unwavering commitment, and an infectious hope for Afghanistan's future. Our conversation was part of the "Voices in Leadership" series at the Harvard Chan School of Public Health. Read blog posting and news.
Obesity Trends
If current trends in child obesity continue, more than 57% of today’s children in the U.S. will have obesity at age 35, according to a new study published in the November 30, 2017 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. Lead author of the study, Zachary Ward from the Harvard T.H. Chan School’s Center for Health Decision Science, explains the findings.
Rise in Global Hunger
A new edition of the annual United Nations report on world food security and nutrition reports a rise in global hunger for the first time in a decade, largely attributable to the proliferation of violent conflicts and climate-related shocks. The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2017 reports 52 million children suffer from wasting while 41 million children are overweight—reflecting sweeping changes in dietary habits with globalization and a transformative epidemiological transition. The report follows the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which aims to end hunger and all forms of malnutrition by 2030 as a top international policy priority.
Venezuela: Hunger, Conflict, Instability
"Venezuela has been shuddering since its economy began to collapse in 2014. Riots and protests over the lack of affordable food, excruciating long lines for basic provisions, soldiers posted outside bakeries and angry crowds ransacking grocery stores have rattled cities, providing a telling, public display of the depths of the crisis". (Kohut M, Herrera I. The New York Times, Dec. 17, 2017) Go read this compelling piece of photojournalism from The New York Times.
Which states have the lowest vaccination rates?
Depends on the vaccine! For influenza and pneumococcal vaccination the lowest likelihood of vaccination is in Florida and Illinois, respectively, while for Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis) and herpes zoster, the lowest likelihood of vaccination is in Mississippi. Despite longstanding recommendations for these routine vaccines, uptake remains low among the United States general adult population. To learn more about the factors that influence coverage variability, read a recent analysis based on data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.
Population Dynamics
View a video of Professor Sue J. Goldie introducing a three part series on basic population dynamics. The videos are prototypes for an upcoming series of twelve videos on demographics and globalization to be released in 2019. A teaching pack featuring the collection of videos along with companion resources was produced at the Global Health Education and Learning Incubator.
Making the Effort
Check out a new short film by Jake Waxman as he follows Dean Cardinale, Founder and President of the Human Outreach Project, through rural Peru, from Pashpa to Huaripampa. Discover how respect, effort, and attention can change a communities life forever.
Opioids and Public Health
This resource collection on the U.S. Opioid Epidemic was curated by the Global Health Education and Learning Incubator at Harvard University to accompany the webcast seminar Opioids and Addiction: A Governors Roundtable on State Approaches to Treatment from The Forum at the T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
