The coronavirus pandemic has turned our lives upside-down. The uncertainty of a global crisis—layered with the challenges of job losses, school closures, lifestyle changes, and social isolation—can generate stress, anxiety, and depression. And for those who previously relied on face-to-face contact with therapists or support groups to cope with mental health issues or substance use disorders, this situation presents an additional challenge.

Since the beginning of this crisis, there has been significant focus on ensuring hospitals have enough health care workers to manage a huge surge in patients with COVID-19. Angela Beck, a clinical assistant professor of Health Behavior and Health Education at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, explains why it’s also important to evaluate the capacity of the mental health workforce to respond to an equally inevitable spike in people struggling with mental and behavioral health issues during this pandemic and into the future.

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According to the American Diabetes association, more than 34 million Americans have diabetes. That's 1 out of every 10 people. The CDC says, all of those people are “at higher risk for severe illness” from coronavirus because of this chronic illness. In this episode, we speak with Gretchen Piatt, an associate professor and the Associate Chair for Education within the Department of Learning Health Sciences at the University of Michigan Medical School as well as an associate professor of Health Behavior and Health Education in the School of Public Health. As a chronic disease epidemiologist, she specializes in health care issues around diabetes. Piatt explains why diabetics have been labeled a high-risk group during the COVID-19 pandemic, talks about their unique risks, and shares what we can do to keep this large population of Americans safe through this emergency.

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In recent weeks, Detroit has become a national area of concern during the coronavirus pandemic - it’s emptied the streets of the Motor City and taken a toll on the local health care systems and communities. Nearly half of the cases and deaths in the state of Michigan have been confirmed in the county surrounding Detroit, which has the third most coronavirus cases in any of the US states. In this episode, we’ll talk to Roshanak Mehdipanah and Paul Fleming of the University of Michigan School of Public Health about the historical and social legacies that have made the city a hotspot for coronavirus.. Both are Assistant Professors of Health Behavior and Health Education and experts in health equity issues.

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In addition to limited supplies of hospital beds, ventilators, masks, and other personal protective equipment, there is another limited—yet vital—health care resource needed to help us get through this pandemic: The workforce of doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, and others who are putting their own health at risk to care for patients. Angela Beck, a clinical assistant professor of Health Behavior and Health Education at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, explores what policy makers and hospitals can do to keep health care workers safe and healthy and ensure the workforce can meet the growing demands on the health care system.

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Among the many new things we are learning in the age of coronavirus is that humans can produce a lot of data. To help us sort through some of it, we connected with Neil Mehta, assistant professor of Health Management and Policy at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. Mehta’s research and teaching lies at the intersection of demography, epidemiology, and sociology. Mehta’s clear suggestions about how to digest all the data coming at us helps us think through what those really big numbers actually mean for our own health today and into the future.

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The need for diagnostic testing has been a critical issue throughout the spread of the coronavirus epidemic. But another form of testing may be the key to gaining control over the pandemic. Surveillance testing currently being performed throughout the world is what is used to gather the data that tells health officials where, who, and how populations are being affected and that can then be used to get in front of further spread. We’ll talk to epidemiologist, Emily Martin about how it works and who’s doing it right.

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Right now, the coronavirus pandemic and the measures we’ve undertaken to stop it are reshaping how millions of people live, work, learn, and manage their health. Though these measures bring difficult new challenges for each of us, for vulnerable populations like the elderly, those with chronic illness and mental health issues, and those without the means to work from home or access affordable healthcare, they can have life-threatening consequences.

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While many families are feeling additional stressors due to the spread of coronavirus, there are unique challenges to what kids are facing. How do we talk to kids about what is happening? Alison Miller from the University of Michigan School of Public Health explains how stress may manifest in children and some of the activities families can do to lessen the impact.

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In just a few weeks, our lifestyles have changed dramatically because of the coronavirus. What does it mean to "flatten the curve" of infections, and what will it look like if we don't? On this special edition of Population Healthy, preventive medicine expert and clinical assistant professor of Epidemiology Laura Power shares perspectives from the fields of public health and preventive medicine and what hospitals are dealing with right now.

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As coronavirus spreads in hotspots like New York City, New Orleans, Chicago and Detroit, hospitals are operationalizing their personnel and resources to meet the demands of caring for the sick. News coverage is sounding the alarm on supply shortages and overburdened health care workers. In the complex world of health care, how do hospitals prepare for and react to something like the coronavirus? David Hutton, associate professor of Health Management and Policy at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, discusses what's happening on the ground to take care of patients.

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