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Check latest episodes from America Dissected podcast

Defunding Public Health? One County Tried. It Didn’t Go Well.

2024/02/20

Ottawa County, Michigan made national news last year after a MAGA take over of its County Commission. Their first major act? To try to defund their public health department. Abdul reflects on the impending risk of this across the country. Then he sits down with Adeline Hambley and Marcia Mansaray, the leaders of the Ottawa County Health Department to learn what happened — and what they did next.

How Cars Got More Deadly

2024/02/13

More pedestrians are dying in auto accidents. Abdul reflects on the public health challenges that cars pose in general. Then he sits down with Dr. Deborah Kuhls, a trauma surgeon who studies pedestrian fatalities to understand why and how to stop it.

Sickle Cell and All the Diseases We Choose to Ignore

2024/02/06

Sickle Cell Disease is a debilitating genetic disease that almost exclusively affects Black folks. While genetic breakthroughs have made a cure possible, the high price tag may keep them away from people who need them. Abdul reflects on the way that society shapes the scientific questions we ask — and whose diseases we take seriously. Then he interviews Dr. Titilope Fasipe, a pediatric hematologist who treats sickle cell disease — and has lived with the disease her whole life.

A Public Health Catastrophe in Gaza

2024/01/30

In less than four months, more than 25,000 people have been killed by Israeli bombardment in Gaza. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg of devastation. Abdul reflects on how the way we talk about this will shape how the international community values human life. Then he interviews Dr. Tanya Haj-Hasan, a pediatric intensive care doctor with Doctors without Borders and creator of the social medial channel “Gaza Medic Voices.”

Has Public Health Lost Its Way? This Public Health Dean Thinks So.

2024/01/23

Abdul sits down with Prof. Sandro Galea, Dean of the Boston University School of Public Health to talk about his new book, Within Reason, in which Galea argues that the pandemic uncovered an “illiberal,” even, at times, authoritarian, strain within the public health community.

America’s Drug Policy Czar Breaks Down the Fentanyl Crisis

2024/01/16

Over the past decade, Fentanyl, a cheap, hyper-potent, and synthetic opiate has accelerated the opioid pandemic already ravaging the country. Abdul reflects on the way that our atomized, lonely communities left us vulnerable to opioid addiction and fentanyl and sits down with Dr. Rahul Gupta, director of National Drug Control Policy to talk through the history of the opioid epidemic, fentanyl, and how the federal government is working with local communities to solve it.

New Year, New You?

2024/01/09

America’s most common New Year’s resolutions focus on health–weight loss, fitness, or something else. While almost all of them focus on physical health, they all run through our mental health. Abdul reflects on how essential health is to everything else we do. Then he sits down with psychiatrist and author Dr. Jud Brewer to understand the mind-body axis and how mastering it can help us nail down those resolutions.

Words Matter. Especially in Public Health.

2023/12/19

It’s not only what you say — it’s how you say it. And that’s often where public health gets it wrong. Our producer Emma Illick-Frank talks to a recovered anti-vaxxer about what ultimately brought him around. Then Abdul talks to Jessica Malaty Rivera, an epidemiologist and health communicator, about how far humility and accessible language can go to protecting health.

Nasal Congestion is More Complicated Than You Think.

2023/12/12

Feel that in your nose? If you’re like everyone else this time of year, you’ve probably got that dreaded nasal congestion that comes with the colds and flus this time of year. But nasal congestion is more complicated than you think. Abdul reflects on the collective burden of the annoying illnesses we fight through every year. Then he speaks with Sarah Zhang, a staff writer at the Atlantic who recently wrote about why nasal congestion is more complicated than you might think.

It’s Cold & Flu Season. Here’s How to Protect Yourself.

2023/12/05

It’s cold and flu … and RSV, and COVID season. But vaccinations are down this year — and we haven’t made critical investments in things like air purification and ventilation that we could have and should have to protect ourselves from airborne diseases. Abdul reflects on the opportunities missed and the consequences of missing them. Then he sits down with Dr. Katelyn Jetelina, author of the Your Local Epidemiologist newsletter to talk about what folks can do to protect themselves.

Reaching Back into the America Dissected Archive to Remember Ady Barkan

2023/11/28

Ady Barkan was a lion for healthcare justice. After his diagnosis with ALS, he spent his final years fighting for Medicare for All. Ady passed away this month at 39. We go back into the AD archives to 2019, when Abdul sat down with Ady to learn about his activism and his hopes for the America he’d leave his kids.

Food Contamination is On the Rise. Here’s What History Can Teach Us About How to Stop It.

2023/11/21

One of the hallmarks of living in a high-income country is that we can usually take food safety for granted. But what happens when food contamination recalls are on the rise? Food contamination was a full-blown epidemic at the turn of the 20th century. Abdul reflects on how much behind-the-scenes work goes into keeping food safe. Then he interviews Deborah Blum, a science journalist and author of two books about the history of food safety about what the history of food safety regulation should teach us about the future.

Read America Dissected podcast reviews

4.7 out of 5

4326 reviews

DNelson21956 2024/02/20

Public Health Primer

Anyone remotely interested in public health should listen to these podcasts regularly. If one is in public health, the show is a masterclass on timely...

Melinda in San Diego 2024/02/03

Crooked should do more work like this

Shame on Crooked, outside of this one episode. Your coverage has been egregious. Politics are comprehensive; everything is connected. Lead us.

Mollz223 2024/01/31

Thank You

Thank you for speaking up in support of Palestinians in no uncertain terms. To put it lightly, I’ve been disappointed in the rest of Crooked Media’s r...

CtJd2020 2024/01/15

Awesome show

Funny, informative and fascinating. Always a great time - keep it up!

EmSzat 2024/01/11

Love this show - great listen

Abdul is such a great voice in this space. He is relatable and knowledgeable. He really tries to get his audience to be able to understand things at a...

selkies are people too 2024/01/09

Excellent podcast

Really superb reporting on relevant public health topics. Been following since mid pandemic but just discovered his book Healing Politics, excellent a...

WreckoftheHesperus 2024/01/09

Love this show

Thank you Abdul for your amazing ability to convey somewhat complex information into readily digestible data and anecdotes for everyday humans. One of...

BushBerry Bush 2024/01/09

Great show

Very thoughtful and clear discussions of important public health matters. Learn something (often many things) every episode.

CL user 34557 2023/12/13

Years Later, Still an Incredible Show!

Love the continual intriguing content and subject matters you and your team continue to bring to each and every episode.

Musing by Me 2023/12/13

Too valuable to ignore.

Your topic is so important; except my top two are not this. Hopefully this will change!!!

check all reviews on aple podcasts