Host Megan Hall interviews Dr. Amy Nunn, whose work in public health is at the intersection of outreach and education. Nunn has worked with hundreds of Black churches in Mississippi to develop health and wellness programs related to fighting HIV. She discusses lessons learned and her experience with COVID-19 public health outreach.

Humans in Public Health is a special podcast series for National Public Health Week. Hosted by Megan Hall and brought to you by Brown University’s School of Public Health.

You can read a transcript of this episode here:
[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xdcqpI41YVBDH_wugRenxCdFFt6g8CMJMmZPkafkuoA/edit?usp=sharing]

Partnering with Black Churches

Rhode Island is the only state that connects its incarcerated population with proven treatments for opioid use disorder. Megan Hall (MPH'15) speaks to Rosemarie Martin, associate professor of behavioral and social sciences, and others about the MAT program's life-saving impact.

Combatting Opioid Use Disorder in RI's Prisons

Erica Walker, new assistant professor of epidemiology, studies noise pollution and its effects on health. The founder of the Community Noise Lab says that sound, which has been shown to impact cardiovascular health, is a proxy for power. Walker’s particular interest is in helping communities with less power address their noise issues to improve population health and well being.

Quieting Noise Pollution

New professor of the practice of health services, policy and practice, Claire Wardle, is not a health professional. She is, however, considered one of the leading experts on misinformation. Co-founder of First Draft, a non-profit dedicated to supporting organizations fighting misinformation, Wardle talks to Megan Hall MPH'15, about her plans for collaborative work at Brown that aims not only to understand mis- and disinformation, but to create tools for more effective public health communication.

Fighting Misinformation & Disinformation

Join host Megan Hall every month as she explores the variety of public health topics making waves in 2023, from pandemics to noise pollution.

PREVIEW: Humans in Public Health 2023

Host Megan Hall sits down with emergency physician and epidemiologist Dr. Craig Spencer to discuss his work in Africa treating Ebola in 2014, and how it prepared him to serve on the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City in 2020. They delve into Spencer’s life-threatening case of Ebola, and how it shifted his perspective on pandemic preparedness and response.

Pandemic Front Lines: from Ebola to COVID-19

In honor of National Public Health Week, we're speaking with four of our students about their research and the path that brought them to the field of public health. Meet Youri Benadjaoud, Shaw Hubbard, Sophia Petrillo, and Darlene Tat, all currently enrolled in our Master of Public Health program. Get to know them as they share their stories and their research interests.

NPHW BONUS: Meet the MPHs

Francesca Beaudoin, emergency physician and epidemiologist, explains Rhode Island's newest harm reduction tool: the Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) van. By bringing treatment out into the community it serves, CODAC Behavioral Healthcare's mobile unit aims to move the needle on America's overdose crisis.

Driving Recovery: America's First Mobile MAT Van

Professors Andy Ryan and David Meyers study the cost and value of Medicare plans across the country, including controversial and rapidly expanding Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. Learn the upsides, downsides and incentives that guide these MA plans, and how reforming them could save billions of dollars every year.

The Values of Medicare

Epidemiologist Will Goedel and clinician Philip Chan were at the forefront of the mpox response in RI in 2022. These Brown professors worked to vaccinate, educate and protect the state's most vulnerable populations. Chan and Goedel join host Megan Hall to discuss the 2022 mpox response, its impact on the LGBTQ+ community and the current landscape surrounding mpox immunization.

Mpox Response in RI: What Happened, What's Next

Parents know how difficult it can be to navigate healthy eating with their kids — in a world of delicious options, how can we encourage our children to build nutritious habits? Professor Alison Tovar investigates children's food environments and the factors that shape our eating behaviors early in life. Hear about her community-based work developing engaging interventions to improve children's eating habits, and get tips for encouraging healthier food habits for your kids, too!

Navigating Nutrition

Behavioral economics is a field that combines psychology and economics. It acknowledges that humans are not rational decision makers and may need “nudges” to incentivize improvements in their health behaviors. Professor Omar Galárraga uses tools from behavioral economics to nudge those at highest risk of HIV infection toward healthier behaviors, like safer sex and the use of antiviral medication PrEP. Hear about his successful work in Mexico and his advocacy for national programs aimed at stopping the spread of HIV.

Incentivizing HIV Prevention

To kick off the School of Public Health’s ten year anniversary celebration, Megan sits down with Dean Ashish Jha to hear more about his time spent serving as White House COVID-19  Response Coordinator. Dr. Jha talks about his eye-opening experience in Washington, his plans for public health education and research now that he’s back in Providence, and even what he tells his own mother when she tests positive for COVID-19.

Brown University School of Public Health

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