Public Health Out Loud

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...

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 Environmen...

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 Dep...

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 connect...

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 ...

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 ...

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...

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, ...

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...

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 Respo...

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-Fl...

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 overd...

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 Isla...

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 challen...

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 i...

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 Pol...