Policy Archives

11.05.2024 Illustration of a building with two sides: a hospital and the State House. intersection of public health and politics concept

A Healthy Democracy

PHPod sits down with Matt Motta, assistant professor of health law, policy & management at Boston University School of Public Health, and Marjorie Decker, Massachusetts State Representative and Chair of the Joint Committee on Public Health, to discuss the role public health plays in our elections.

Fellow Abby Varker

04.25.2024 Whitney S. Rice headshot

Sexual & Reproductive Health

Whitney S. Rice

Whitney S. Rice, assistant professor at Emory University Rollins School of Public Health and director of the Center for Reproductive Health Research in the Southeast (RISE), speaks about her work to advance reproductive health.

Fellow Dani Weissert

02.07.2024 scatter plot graph depicting racial differences in street possession arrests before and after decriminalization efforts went into effect, comparing Black individuals with those of all other races in Baltimore, MD.

scatter plot graph depicting racial differences in street possession arrests before and after decriminalization efforts went into effect, comparing Black individuals with those of all other races in Baltimore, MD.

Decoding Decriminalization

Decriminalization can reduce drug-related arrests and improve racial equity, but it does not fully eliminate structural racism from arrest practices.

Fellow Adna Jaganjac

02.06.2024 water flowing into to drain that is contaminated with oil and gas and other harmful chemicals

Thirst Trap: Oil and Gas on Tap

A quarter of LA County’s water systems are at risk for oil and gas contamination, with historically disenfranchised communities most at risk.

Fellow Caroline Dignard

01.31.2024 line graph depicting the proportion of health centers offering onsite contraception by Choose Well participation status in South Carolina vs Alabama

line graph depicting the proportion of health centers offering onsite contraception by Choose Well participation status in South Carolina vs Alabama

Beyond Abortion Bans: Choose Well and Access to Contraception

After the Dobbs v. Jackson decision, Choose Well, a state initiative to reduce unintended pregnancies in South Carolina, greatly improved access to contraception, particularly IUDs, which increased from just 37% of clinics offering them to over 85%.

Fellow Adna Jaganjac

01.09.2024 blurred cars, simulating driving under the influence of cannabis

Cannabis and Collisions

While serious and fatal traffic collisions fell following cannabis legalization in the state of Washington, minor crashes increased with cannabis sales.

Guest Author Annie Voy

01.08.2024 Close up of someone holding and looking down at a sonogram image

Pro-Life? Abortion Bans Increase Infant Deaths

U.S. counties in states with restrictive abortion laws had a 16% higher infant mortality rate than those counties in less restrictive states.

Fellow Caroline Dignard

10.26.2023 PHPod logo and player on the left with an optical illusion on right, representing body dysmorphia, weight discrimination, and stigma

Health Equity

Fat Liberation and Weight Discrimination

PHPod host Kara Schmidt sits down with Rev. Dr. Anastasia Kidd, director of Contextual Education at Boston University School of Theology, and Massachusetts State Senator Becca Rausch to discuss the fat liberation movement, the health effects of weight stigma, and recent legislation to address size discrimination in the Commonwealth.

10.13.2023 Line graphs depicting the change in volume of sales of taxed sugary beverages (oz, millions) in Philadelphia, PA vs Baltimore, MD before and after sugar-sweetened beverage tax implementation.

Line graphs depicting the change in volume of sales of taxed sugary beverages (oz, millions) in Philadelphia, PA vs Baltimore, MD before and after sugar-sweetened beverage tax implementation.

A Spoonful of Sugar, A Spoonful of Artificial Sweetener

After Philadelphia, PA implemented a tax on sugar-sweetened and artificially-sweetened beverages, volume sales decreased by 50% and remained low in the years following.

Fellow Adna Jaganjac

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