Public Health Out Loud

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that can follow an injury or infection and can affect anyone, regardless of age. There is treatment, but it's critical to act fast. In this episode of Public Health Out Loud, Dr. Chan is joined by Tara Cirella, a local mom who tragically lost her daughter, Gianna, to sepsis a few years ago and Dr. Lee Polikoff, a pediatric critical care specialist at Hasbro Children’s Hospital.  He was one of the physicians in charge of Gianna’s care and is an expert on sepsis. They'll talk about understanding the signs and symptoms of sepsi...

September is National Preparedness Month. It's also the peak of the Atlantic Hurricane season! In this episode, Dr. Chan talks with Andrea Creach, from RIDOH's Center for Emergency Preparedness and Response, about how hurricanes and other weather events can impact our health, and what we can do to prepare and protect ourselves from the effects of these types of emergencies. 

National Community Health Worker Awareness Week is August 26-30, 2024 but in truth, Community Health Workers, or CHWs, could easily be celebrated all year. That's because they serve as trusted community leaders, expert problem solvers, and culturally competent subject matter experts-- often bridging the gap between their community's needs and important health or social services. In this episode, Dr. Philip Chan sits down with certified CHWs Rachel Young of the Rhode Island Alliance for Community Health Worker Employers, and Kinzel Thomas, from Family Services-RI.  As we celebrate, commemorate, and  collaborate with CHWs for National CHW Awareness Week, there's no better time to...

In this episode of Public Health Out Loud, Dr. Philip Chan talks with Dr. Jerome Larkin, the new Rhode Island Department of Health Director about his background, what led him to accept this position, and a look ahead at his top priorities for the Department.  He also covers a topic that happens to be one of his specialties - ticks and the diseases they carry. 

In this episode of Public Health Out Loud we are talking about a program whose motto says it all: “We’re here for you.” The Rhode Island Department of Health's Family Visiting Program has provided prenatal support and services for infants and toddlers to improve outcomes for many years. Download and listen in as Dr. Chan is joined by Sara Remington, the Family Visiting Program Manager and Roxanne Leite, Co-chair of the Rhode Island Parent/Caregiver Advisory Council and former Family Visiting Program graduate. Together, they detail all the program has to offer, attest to its success, and share inform...

Dr. Omar Bah, a former journalist, fled his home in The Gambia when he became a wanted man for criticizing the country’s then-dictator.  Inspired by his own experience, Bah founded the Refugee Dream Center in Providence to offer post-resettlement support to other refugees in the state. He joins Dr. Chan in this episode to talk about his motivation for starting this valuable resource, and much more. What are some of the biggest hurdles facing those seeking asylum?  What services are helpful in bridging the cultural gaps? Download and listen to find out. 

You’ve probably heard about avian influenza or bird flu in the news recently, as it has made the jump to other species, like dairy cows. What is the risk to the general public? Is it safe to drink milk? In this episode of Public Health Out Loud, local experts, Dr. Suzanne Bornschein, State Epidemiologist at the Rhode Island Department of Health, and Dr. Scott Marshall, State Veterinarian at the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management fill us in on what we do know about the currently circulating strains and what we can do to reduce the risk of in...

In this episode of Public Health Out Loud, Dr. Philip Chan is joined by a guest with over 40 year's experience working to change the way we care for older adults and people with dementia. In honor of Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, Brown University's, Dr. Vincent Mor talks about his research,  steps we can all take to improve our brain health, and more.

For more information, check out The Rhode Island Department of Health's  Guide for People Living with Dementia and Their Caregivers.

May is Older American’s Month, a time when we recognize the contributions of the older adults in our lives and revisit our commitments to serve them in our communities. But how can we best support them and ensure they are aging in a healthy way? In this episode, Dr. Chan is joined by Maria Cimini, Director of the Rhode Island Office of Healthy Aging, to talk about how healthy aging differs for everyone and the importance of connecting our elders to the services they may need. 

May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. Being physically active is essential for staying healthy but what role does physical therapy, or PT, play? In this episode, Dr. Paul Ullucci, director of the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Johnson and Wales University joins RIDOH's Dr. Philip Chan to talk about the benefits of PT, what to expect from a physical therapist, and insights for anyone considering a career in this in-demand field. 

In this episode of Public Health Out Loud, Dr. Chan sits down with psychiatrist and professor, Dr. Paul Wallace, to talk  about mental health – from a few of the common types of mental health conditions, to when it may be best to seek treatment – and from whom. Download and give a listen. #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth #NMHAM

April is not only World Autism Month but also Autism Acceptance Month. Here in Rhode Island, the Autism Project has provided quality support, training, and programming - for children and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder or ASD, since 1997. In this episode of Public Health Out Loud, Dr. Chan talks with the organization’s Executive Director, Joanne Quinn about what everyone should know about individuals on the spectrum and their eye-opening campaign to help first responders, and others,  understand how best to help people with ASD during an emergency. 

There’s a lot of talk these days about the benefits of being mindful. But a recently published study led by Brown University researchers suggests mindfulness isn’t just good for one’s mental and emotional well-being. It’s also beneficial for our physical health. In this episode of Public Health Out Loud Dr. Philip Chan is joined by Dr. Eric Loucks, director of the Mindfulness Center at Brown University, to explain how being mindful - about what we eat - can help dramatically lower blood pressure. 

WIC - which is short for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Education Program for Women, Infants, and Children - is celebrating its 50th anniversary this month. In this episode of Public Health Out Loud, Dr. Philip Chan is joined by RIDOH’s own Ann Barone, Chief for the Office of Women, Infants, and Children to talk about the program’s history and the positive impact it has had on so many families over the years. 

The CDC recently released data showing that nationally, there has been a sharp rise in congenital syphilis. Cases have more than tripled in recent years in the US, with 3,700 cases reported in 2022 alone. Here in Rhode Island we’ve seen several cases of congenital syphilis after over a decade of having none.  What is causing this increase and what can be done to prevent it from happening? On this episode of Public Health Out Loud, Dr. Philip Chan is joined  Dr. Erica Hardy, Director for the Division of Infectious Disease at Women & Infants Hospital and Clinical Assistant Professor of Medi...

Tooth decay is the most common chronic disease among children but it is also completely preventable. In honor of National Children’s Dental Health Month, Dr. Philip Chan sat down with Katherine Linwood, communications manager at TeethFirst!, a group that provides educational resources on the importance of early dental care. Download and listen in as she touches on the importance of dental care from a very young age and what parents, healthcare, and dental professionals can do to help ensure children are getting the care they need. 

In public health, the term “emergency preparedness” has become linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. But public health emergency preparedness encompasses so much more. In fact, Rhode Islanders all over the State come into contact with people who work in public health emergency preparedness, they just may not know it. In this episode Alysia Mihalakos from the Rhode Island Department of Health’s Center for Emergency Preparedness and Response talks with Dr. Philip Chan about public health emergency preparedness, recent responses to emergencies, why preparedness is important to health, and what Rhode Islanders can do to protect their health in emerge...

A blood transfusion occurs in the US every two seconds. Some examples of those in need include cancer patients; accident, burn, or trauma victims; newborn babies and their mothers; transplant recipients; or surgery patients. Despite blood being critical to saving lives, only 4% of Rhode Island's eligible population actually donates blood. In this episode of Public Health Out Loud, Dr. Philip Chan talks with Caitlin Grimaldi-Flick, marketing and communications manager at the Rhode Island Blood Center about the importance of donating blood. 

In this episode of Public Health Out Loud, RIDOH's Dr. Philip Chan sits down with colleagues Nathaniel Fuchs and Sarah Edwards.  Nathaniel is an epidemiologist who works with data about non-fatal opioid overdoses. Sarah Edwards is from RIDOH’s Drug Overdose Prevention Program, and her focus is on working with communities. Together, they explain how the Department’s enhanced data tracking system identifies upticks in drug overdoses that allow Rhode Island communities to respond in real time.  

In 2022, 75% of overdose deaths involved illicit fentanyl, a highly potent opioid. In this episode, Dr. Philip Chan is joined by Bryan Volpe, a Drug Intelligence Officer at The New England High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area and Dr. Louis Marchetti, Chief of Operations at the Center for Clinical Toxicology and Laboratory Support, at the Rhode Island State Health Laboratories for a  look at what's being done to keep Rhode Islanders safe from a deadly drug supply.  

Dr. Jan Carney, Associate Dean for Public Health and Health Policy and Professor of Medicine at the University of Vermont  and author of the book Public Health: From Past to Present  joins Dr. Philip Chan for a candid conversation on the topic of public health.  With workforce shortages and professional burnout, what does the future look like for the field? What are some of the biggest lessons learned from past events? What challenges lie ahead? Check it out on this episode of Public Health Out Loud.

In this episode of Public Health Out Loud, the Rhode Island Department of Health's Dr. Philip Chan is joined by Dr. Jeffrey Borkan to explore  a problem that affects everyone – a shortage of primary care physicians in RI.  It’s causing long waits for appointments and the inability, in many cases, for doctors to take on new patients. What's causing the shortage, why should we care, and can anything be done to remedy this issue? Download this latest episode to find out. 

As unusual weather patterns, heat waves, floods, and other catastrophic events in unlikely places seem to be on the rise, climate change continues to be a hot topic.  In this episode of Public Health Out Loud, Dr. Philip Chan is joined by climate scientists Dr. Gaurab Basu, Director of Education and Policy at the Harvard School of Public Health’s Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment and Rachel Calabro, Climate Policy Specialist with the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management for a frank discussion on some of the alarming changes we are seeing around the world. Is cli...

In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Krista Cunningham and Dr. Cynthia Roberts from the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence sat down with the Rhode Island Department of Health's Dr. Philip Chan for a serious look at the causes of domestic and intimate partner violence, how they can be addressed for prevention, and the work that still needs to be done, both in Rhode Island and nationally. 

In this episode of Public Health Out Loud, Dr. Chan discusses the importance of oral health with local dentists, Dr. Sam Zwetchkenbaum and Dr. Jeff Dodge and their role in the Rhode Island Mission of Mercy. This two-day, annual event, has provided thousands of Rhode Islanders, who may not have regular access, with free dental care. Download and listen in as the conversation also explores the need for more oral health professionals in Rhode Island,  and how young people interested in going into the profession have the opportunity to help eliminate dental health inequities and, in Dr. Dodge's words, "m...

Seventy five percent of mental illness begins before the age of 25 and 50% before the age of 14. In this episode of Public Health Out Loud, Dr. Philip Chan sits down with Erik Ewers, a documentary filmmaker whose recent film "Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness” sheds light on these startling mental health statistics through the lens of 23 young people growing up in America. They bravely shared their deeply personal stories with the goal of helping others. Download and listen in for some of the details behind the scenes, the common threads those featured in the film shared, an...

In this episode, Dr. Philip Chan sits down with Johnson and Wales University's Korina Ramsland Short and Roger Williams University's Dr. Jen Stanley to discuss a serious topic before the start of the fall semester. It can be difficult and uncomfortable to discuss, but it is important to talk about it openly and honestly. The topic? Sexual violence prevention. According to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN), every 68 seconds an American is sexually assaulted.  What conversations can parents and other adults have with young people to help them avoid becoming a statistic? What is being done to m...

In this episode of Public Health Out Loud, Dr. Philip Chan takes a deep dive into the world of acupuncture with Providence Community Acupuncture's Cris Monteiro. What is the science behind acupuncture? What's being done to make this centuries-old practice more available to everyone? Download this latest episode for the answers to these questions and many more.  

After a mild winter, more ticks than usual survived into the spring. Because of this, the Rhode Island Department of Health and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management have warned Rhode Islanders that this year could be a bad year for the transmission of Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases. On this episode of Public Health Out Loud, Dr. Philip Chan sits down with infectious disease expert Dr. Jerome Larkin to discuss how tick-borne diseases can impact human health, some ways to minimize your risk, and much more. 

One in every three cancers diagnosed is a skin cancer and one in every five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime. Are you playing it safe this summer?  Dr. Philip Chan explores the best ways to protect yourself with local skin cancer expert Dr. Abrar Qureshi, Chair of the Department of Dermatology at the Warren Alpert Medical School and Professor of Dermatology and Epidemiology at Brown University. What should you look for in an effective sun block? Does a hat with a wide brim really work? Find out in this latest episode of Public Health Out Loud. 

Have things returned to normal in Rhode Island's capitol city since the pandemic? What are the public health priorities-and challenges facing Providence moving forward? Dr. Philip Chan sits down with Providence Mayor Brett Smiley to get the skinny on all this, what it's like to be Mayor, where the city is at now, and much more in this episode of Public Health Out Loud. 

During the Public Health Emergency (or PHE), the federal government paused annual renewals for the Medicaid Program to ensure no one lost access to  health insurance coverage during the pandemic. Now that the PHE has ended, the Medicaid recertification process began again in Rhode Island on April 1.  In this episode of Public Health Out Loud, Dr. Philip Chan is joined by Kristin Sousa, Director of the Medicaid Program, at the Rhode Island Executive Office of Health and Human Services to share some important information about the program.  Why is Medicaid so important?  What do Rhode Islanders need to know about the...

The COVID-19 pandemic worsened the already significant rise in depression and anxiety, for everyone, but especially for youth. In this episode of Public Health Out Loud, Dr. Philip Chan is joined by Dr. Joseph Trunzo, practicing psychologist, incoming president of the Rhode Island Psychological Association, and chair of the Department of Psychology at Bryant University. What factors contribute to a person’s mental well-being and how does physical health play a role? How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect mental health in Rhode Island? How is a shortage of mental health workers fueling a growing healthcare crisis? Download this week’s ep...

It’s been a couple months since the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, but many people still have questions about its environmental and health impacts. What do we know about the chemicals that were being transported on that train? What can we learn about crisis communications from this event? How concerned do we need to be about chemical exposure in general and how do we evaluate our risk? Download the latest episode of Public Health Out Loud to get answers from our local experts Dr. Mike Byrns, the principle environmental health risk assessment toxicologist at the Rhode Island De...

In this week’s episode of the Public Health Out Loud podcast, Dr. Philip Chan is joined by Dr. Kara Cucinotta and Mallory Sullivan from Johnson and Wales University. They’re talking about all things diet and nutrition. How does what we eat and drink impact our health? How can we improve education about healthy eating habits?  What role has social media played in promoting harmful diet culture? Download this week’s episode to find out.   

With national and local headlines about overdoses, fentanyl, and xylazine, it’s important to know about the risks of substance use and the local drug supply. In this week’s Public Health Out Loud podcast, Dr. Philip Chan is joined by Dr. Alexandra Collins and Dr. Rachel Wightman, who are leading a new research study at the Brown University School of Public Health and Warren Alpert Medical School called testRI.

The research team tests drug residue samples from used paraphernalia collected at overdose hotspots and donated from individuals or community organizations across Rhode Island. The results of the...

We’re back for season 3! In the season opener, Dr. Philip Chan from the Rhode Island Department of Health talks about the rising number of sexually transmitted infections in Rhode Island and nationwide. He’s joined by Kathleen Roosevelt, the director of STD prevention and HIV surveillance at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, and Dr. Kathy Hsu, the medical director for that division at MDPH. The three experts focus their discussion on gonorrhea: what is it? How is it treated? How does it spread? They also talk about two recent cases in Massachusetts that are getting nationwide attention afte...

Do you have questions about monkeypox? Download the season 2 finale of the Public Health Out Loud podcast to get answers. Co-hosts Dr. Jim McDonald and Dr. Philip Chan talk about the origins of monkeypox, how it’s spread, and how to protect yourself. They also talk about the JYNNEOS vaccine, and how Rhode Island is administering it. Get the facts about monkeypox from our public health experts so you can recognize misinformation when it’s circulating online.  

To learn more about Rhode Island’s monkeypox vaccination strategy or to sign up for the Vaccine Interest Notification List, visit h...

This week’s guest expert on the Public Health Out Loud podcast is Ana Bess Moyer Bell, a drama therapist and executive director of 2nd Act. 2nd Act is a Boston-based non-profit organization that uses drama therapy to support healing and recovery for people who have experienced trauma, substance use disorder, a family member living with substance use disorder, or the death of a loved one. 

Co-hosts Dr. Jim McDonald and Dr. Philip Chan ask their guest about how the experience of writing, acting in, or even viewing a play about substance use and recovery can be cat...

This week’s guest expert on the Public Health Out Loud podcast is Dr. Patricia Cioe, an Associate Professor of Behavioral and Social Sciences at Brown University. Dr. Cioe’s current research is focused on the effects of cigarette smoking on one’s health, and the development of innovative smoking cessation interventions for people living with HIV. 

Co-hosts Dr. Jim McDonald and Dr. Philip Chan ask Dr. Cioe about the difference between combustible cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and vapes. They also talk about the health effects of smoking tobacco and different methods for decreasing or quitting smoking.  

Quitting...

This week’s guest expert is Dr. Amy Cameron, a clinical psychologist in the VA Healthcare System in Providence, Rhode Island and a faculty member of the Department of Psychology and Human Behavior at Brown University. Co-hosts Dr. Jim McDonald and Dr. Philip Chan ask her about the most common health concerns among veterans, including chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder, and treatment options that are available to veterans. Download this week’s episode to learn more. 

Are you a veteran in crisis or concerned about one? You're not alone. The Veterans Crisis Line is available 24/7. Call 1-800...

This week’s guest expert on the Public Health Out Loud podcast is Dr. Scott Rivkees, the former surgeon general for the State of Florida. As the state’s leading public health officer from June 2019 to September 2021, Dr. Rivkees oversaw the state’s COVID-19 response. Now, Dr. Rivkees is a professor of practice of health services, policy, and practice and vice chair of the Department of Health Service, Policy, and Practice at the Brown University School of Public Health.  

Co-hosts Dr. Philip Chan and Dr. Jim McDonald ask Dr. Rivkees about his experiences leading the COVID-19 response in Flor...

There are a lot of unanswered questions when it comes to Long Covid, which refers to the prolonged symptoms that some patients experience after an initial COVID-19 infection. People experiencing Long Covid have reported symptoms ranging from fatigue to brain fog to difficulty breathing. For some, the symptoms last a couple weeks after their initial infection with COVID-19. For others, the symptoms have lasted much longer. This week on the Public Health Out Loud podcast, find out what we do and don’t know about Long Covid, and what local researchers are doing to get more answers.  

Thi...

This week’s guest expert on the Public Health Out Loud podcast is Dr. Carol Lewis, a general pediatrician at Hasbro Children’s Hospital and the director of the Refugee Health Program there. Co-hosts Dr. Jim McDonald and Dr. Philip Chan ask her about pediatric health trends and common health issues among the refugee community. They also ask her about how Rhode Island has welcomed recent waves of refugees arriving from Afghanistan and Ukraine. Download this week’s episode to learn more.  

What did COVID-19 teach us about pandemic preparedness? How concerned should we be about monkeypox? Download the latest episode of the Public Health Out Loud podcast to get the answers from Dr. Jennifer Nuzzo, an epidemiologist, pandemic preparedness expert, and the director at the new Pandemic Preparedness Center at the Brown University School of Public Health.  

Co-hosts Dr. Jim McDonald and Dr. Philip Chan talk about their experiences as local public health officials throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and ask Dr. Nuzzo what Rhode Island, the nation, and the world could do to better prepare for another pandemic.  

Did you know 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men have experienced domestic violence in their lifetime? Listen to the latest episode of the Public Health Out Loud podcast to learn more about the patterns of behavior that can occur in abusive relationships and local resources that are available to Rhode Islanders.  

This week’s guest expert is Vanessa Volz, the executive director at Sojourner House. The mission of Sojourner House is to promote healthy relationships by providing culturally sensitive support, advocacy, housing, and education for victims and survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking; and to eff...

This week’s guest expert is Erin Bertoldi, the state breastfeeding coordinator at the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH).  Co-hosts Dr. Jim McDonald and Dr. Philip Chan ask Erin about the health benefits of breastfeeding, the challenges that parents may face, and the resources that are available to support parents through their breastfeeding journey.  

Why does the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that infants be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life? Has the national formula shortage increased interest in breastfeeding support and training programs in Rhode Island? To learn more, download this week’s epis...

Did you know about 10 million people a year develop an active infection of tuberculosis? Although cases in the United States are rare, tuberculosis continues to be prevalent in other areas of the world. And since there isn’t an effective, long-term vaccine, cases can be fatal. In fact, before COVID-19, tuberculosis was the leading infectious disease killer in the world.  

This week’s guest expert is Dr. Natasha Rybak, the director of the RISE Clinic for Tuberculosis in Rhode Island. She describes how tuberculosis spreads, how it’s treated, and who’s most at risk. She also talks abo...

Ending homelessness is a public health issue. One possible solution? More housing.  

This week’s guest expert on the Public Health Out Loud podcast is Karen Santilli, the CEO of Crossroads Rhode Island. Crossroads is the leading provider of housing and homeless services in Rhode Island. Santilli talks about how rates of homelessness have increased not just in the state, but throughout the country during the pandemic. She also shares stories about how something called a “housing first” model can help homeless or at-risk individuals and families get on a path to stability. 

Hear co-hosts Dr. Jim...

This week’s guest expert on the Public Health Out Loud podcast is Dr. Andrew Saal; a family physician and the chief medical officer of the largest community health center in Rhode Island, Providence Community Health Centers (PCHC).  

Co-hosts Dr. Jim McDonald and Dr. Philip Chan ask Dr. Saal about the difference between reactive and proactive healthcare. They also ask him about how transforming primary care to a team-based approach could relieve crowded emergency rooms and reduce burnout among healthcare workers.  

How has PCHC implemented a team-approach to care? Download this week’s episode to find o...

Pharmacists do a lot more than dispense medication. Pharmacies have become a major hub for people to access health care services—like testing, vaccine, and treatment—during the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, roughly 75 percent of the country’s eligible population got their COVID-19 vaccine from a pharmacy.  How has the role of the pharmacist evolved over time? This week’s guest experts, Dr. Jeffrey Bratberg and Dr. Sabrina Silveira, will explain just that. 

Dr. Bratberg is a clinical professor of pharmacy practice at the University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy, the academic collaborations officer at the Rhode Isla...

This week’s guest expert has been managing outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics throughout her career. Meet Dr. Utpala Bandy, the Medical Director for the Division of Preparedness, Response, Infectious Diseases, and Emergency Medical Services at the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH). Dr. Bandy gives a tour of her healthcare experiences from around the globe, including her education and the onset of her career in India, and the front-line training she received throughout the United Kingdom and America.  

At RIDOH, Dr. Bandy has played a critical part in managing outbreaks and epidemics throughout the state’s recent histo...

Trauma-informed care shifts the focus from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?” A trauma-informed approach to health acknowledges that physicians and healthcare organizations need to have a complete picture of a patient’s life situation — past and present — in order to provide effective healthcare services with a focus on healing. 

This week’s guest experts are Dr. Catherine DeGood; a physician in family and addiction medicine, medical director of CODAC Behavioral Healthcare, and a physician at Butler Hospital; and Linda Hurley, the chief executive officer at CODAC Behavioral Healthcare, which is a non-profit organization in Rho...

This week’s guest on the Public Health Out Loud podcast is an expert on housing instability, the eviction crisis, and related impacts on health outcomes. Dr. Gracie Himmelstein is a resident in internal medicine at the University of California Los Angeles with a PhD in demography from Princeton University. She has also conducted research with The Eviction Lab at Princeton University, which creates data, interactive tools, and research to help neighbors and policymakers understand the eviction crisis. 

Co-hosts Dr. Jim McDonald and Dr. Philip Chan talk about how COVID-19 shed light on housing instability, and what Rho...

In July of 2021, Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee signed legislation allowing for a two-year harm reduction center pilot program in the state. This means Rhode Island will be among the first in the nation to license and establish harm reduction centers, which are places where people can go to use drugs safely.  

What will a harm reduction center in Rhode Island look like? How effective have harm reduction centers been at preventing overdose deaths in other countries?  

Learn more about Rhode Island’s pilot program from guest experts: Dr. Liz Samuels, an emergency and addiction medi...

In this week’s episode, you’ll hear co-hosts Dr. Jim McDonald and Dr. Philip Chan talk about their roads to becoming doctors, and their journeys into public health. What did Dr. Chan’s time as an ambulance driver teach him about medicine? What made Dr. McDonald decide to drop his undergraduate major in photography? Download this week’s episode to learn more.  

When we think about vending machines, we imagine sugary drinks and candy bars. But in Rhode Island, vending machines are being used to dispense harm reduction tools that can help prevent overdose and reduce the spread of infectious diseases like HIV and hepatitis C. Through these vending machines, individuals can access free, sterile syringes, rapid tests for sexually transmitted infections, naloxone (Narcan®), wound care and hygiene kits, and fentanyl test strips any time of day or night.  

In this week's episode, you’ll learn about this innovative harm reduction strategy thanks to our guest experts from the Rhod...

Research shows that adverse childhood experiences, like abuse or parental abandonment, can negatively impact a person’s health outcomes later in life. This week’s guest expert, Dr. Robert Sege, is determined to flip pediatrics upside down by asking the question: Can positive childhood experiences foster better health outcomes for children later in life? 

Dr. Sege is a pediatrician at Tufts Children’s Hospital in Boston, Mass. In this week’s episode, he talks with co-hosts Dr. Philip Chan and Dr. Jim McDonald about how positive relationships, environments, engagements, and opportunities for emotional growth play a critical role in a...

Many Rhode Islanders living in specific geographies have experienced higher rates of COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, and deaths throughout the pandemic. For example, in the seven hardest-hit ZIP codes, people of color as young as 25 are experiencing higher hospitalization rates than white people over 60 years old. Such differences are directly connected to the social conditions in which some communities of color are more likely to live and work every day, and to systems of structural racism and discrimination that have historically undermined the health and well-being of these communities.  

This week’s guest experts, Dr. Katrina Byrd and Jen...

People who are incarcerated have a constitutional right to quality healthcare services. This week’s guest expert, Dr. Justin Berk, is responsible for ensuring every person who is incarcerated at Rhode Island’s correctional facilities has access to, and receives, quality healthcare.  

Dr. Berk is medical director at the Rhode Island Department of Corrections and a faculty member at the Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University. He is a staunch advocate for increased access to medications, such as buprenorphine and methadone, for people who are incarcerated and living with opioid use disorder. 

In this episod...

This week’s guest expert is Dr. Tom Bledsoe, a general internist and chair of the Rhode Island Hospital Ethics Committee. Co-hosts Dr. Jim McDonald and Dr. Philip Chan ask him about how medical ethical issues are handled in Rhode Island. 

Do physicians have a different ethical responsibility from the average person? What were some of the ethical conundrums that arose during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic? Download this week’s episode to find out.  

As the COVID-19 pandemic has evolved, Rhode Island has relied on data and science to help guide its response. At the Rhode Island Department of Health, the COVID-19 Data and Analytics Team is responsible for collecting and organizing statewide data that has informed decisions about reopening businesses and schools, and protecting people from the virus. This week, you’ll hear from some of those team members.  

Co-hosts Dr. Jim McDonald and Dr. Philip Chan get into the nitty gritty of COVID-19 data, asking our guest experts to clarify the difference between reporting deaths from COVID-19 and deaths wit...

At the Rhode Island Department of Health, the Medical Countermeasures Distribution Program is responsible for giving out things like medicine, vaccine, and personal protective equipment to healthcare professionals and members of the public in response to an outbreak. 

The program has detailed plans prepared for responding to various emergency public health scenarios. In recent years, the program has responded to measles cases among international travelers, a meningitis outbreak at a university, and the arrival of flu strains like H1N1. But nothing they’ve responded to so far compares to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

This week’s gues...

According to co-hosts Dr. Jim McDonald and Dr. Philip Chan, this week’s episode is long overdue. We’re talking to a nurse! 

This week’s guest expert is Erin Abrahamsen. She is a nurse and team lead on the Rhode Island Department of Health’s COVID-19 Prevention Field Team. She also works in the emergency department at Rhode Island Hospital and serves as a nurse in the Rhode Island Air National Guard.  

Erin shares stories that highlight the versatility and adaptability of nurses working in emergency response scenarios. She talks about her experiences being deployed t...

In this week’s episode, Dr. Jim McDonald and Dr. Philip Chan talk about something that impacts the health of every person living on this planet: climate change. Learn more about what climate change actually means and how it’s already impacting Rhode Island from guest expert Dr. Stephen Porder. 

Dr. Porder is a Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, a Fellow in the Institute at Brown University for Environment and Society, and the Assistant Provost for Sustainability at Brown University. 

How do the subtle, slow-moving impacts of climate change threaten our health? What are some p...

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are stressful or traumatic events that can undermine a child's sense of safety and well-being. They can include emotional abuse, exposure to substance use, sexual abuse, having a member of the household be incarcerated, and having separated or divorced parents. According to research, including studies published by this week’s guest expert, ACEs may have a negative impact on a person’s health and behavioral outcomes later in life.  

Our guest this week is Dr. Tracy Jackson. She is an epidemiologist at the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH), and analyzes the State’s data...

This week’s guest expert, Dr. Mitchell Levy, is a member of the National Institutes of Health’s panel on COVID-19 treatment guidelines. He is also the medical director of the Medical Intensive Care unit at Rhode Island Hospital, and a professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.  

Dr. Levy is joined by co-hosts Dr. Philip Chan and, the newly appointed Interim Director of the Rhode Island Department of Health, Dr. Jim McDonald. They ask their guest expert about the incre...

Understanding the American healthcare system can be complicated. This week on Public Health Out Loud, we’re joined by guest experts Dr. Robert Hackey and Dr. Todd Olszewski, two healthcare policy experts from Providence College. Co-hosts Dr. Philip Chan and Dr. Jim McDonald ask them about the good, the bad, and the ugly of national and state-level healthcare policies. What do our guest experts think works well about the American healthcare system? What do they think works less well? Download this week’s episode to find out.