Public Health Me

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the goal of this episode is to provide BIPOC and disadvantaged communities with the knowledge that they need to combat high mortality rates associated with breast cancer. Although, black women comprise 12% of new breast cancer diagnoses their rate of mortality comprises 41% of breast cancer cases. This episode seeks to provide knowledge and prevention strategies to mitigate the high rate of mortality among women of color as it relates to breast cancer. This episode features Dr. Wendy Goodall-McDonald, is a board certified OB/GYN and  graduate of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine who practices in Chicago at Northwestern Prentice Women's Hospital. Dr. Goodall-McDonald, also known as Dr. Every Woman shares evidence-based health information to educate the masses and inspire future physicians through music and literature in fun and innovative ways using her social media platform on Instagram @dreverywoman. Throughout this episode Dr. Goodall-McDonald provides pertinent information regarding breast cancer screenings, monthly breast exams, and important signs and symptoms that may be of concern. 

In honor of World Mental Health Day, this episode explores mental health and breaking the stigma surrounding mental health, especially as it relates to communities of color. This episode provides tools for both patients and physicians to discuss their mental health openly in safe spaces without the fear of judgment or feeling like they are "weak". This episode features Dr. Danielle Johnson, MD, FAPA who is board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.  She treats adults in the inpatient and outpatient settings and has expertise in treating women’s mental health issues.  She is a board member of the International Society of Reproductive Psychiatry.  Dr. Johnson is an Assistant Clinical Professor in the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences.  She has spent her career at the Lindner Center of HOPE in Mason, OH. Dr. Johnson has spoken locally and nationally about mental health, she is particularly passionate about topics relating to women and minority and underserved communities. On this episode, Dr. Johnson, speaks candidly about eradicating mental health disparities, lack of access, provider bias, shortages of mental health professionals particularly those of color, and ways to break the stigma surrounding mental health. 

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, this episode discusses the plight of the AAPI community from historical and current perspectives. This episode features special guests, Dr. Thuy Ho-Ellsworth, a board certified foot and ankle surgeon and Allison Maladore, MS, a Doctor of Public Health Student (DrPH). Dr. Ho-Ellsworth and Allison provide suitable solutions to mitigate AAPI hate in our current social climate and beyond. Both Allison and Dr. Ho-Ellsworth share the plight they both faced as either a child of Asian American immigrants or as a first generation immigrant from Laos and Thailand, respectively. Steps to promote solidarity against Asian hate in medicine, public health, and communities are discussed in order to bring about sustainable changes that will propel the AAPI community forward, and ultimately helping to eradicate AAPI hate for our posterity. 

May is Mental Health Awareness month and this episode focuses on tools to improve self-care, mindfulness, and gratitude while experiencing difficult times. This episode features, Dr. Deepti Gandhi, MD a Family Medicine and Aesthetics Medicine Physician with an interest in lifestyle medicine. Dr. Gandhi believes that mental health is integral to an overall sense of well-being. She is passionate about empowering her patients to take control of their own health and wellness. She hosts a weekly series called Ruminations on Gratitude on Instagram in which she discusses the science and wisdom of gratitude as well as insights and tips to implement gratitude into daily life. On this episode Dr. Gandhi provides sustainable solutions regarding how self-care and gratitude can play a role in improving one's life. Dr. Gandhi explains to listeners how difficult times often subjugate the mind and body, however, implementing small tools each day can gradually improve a person's outlook on life. 

This episode explores strategies to empower healthier eating habits in low-income communities, food insecurity, and food deserts. Empowerment of healthier food options and choices is explored from adolescence into adulthood as a preventive measure to decrease disease incidence in addition to public health strategies to combat these issues. This episode features special guests: Dr. Rahmatu Kassimu, PhD, MPH, CHES and Adebusola Ogunnaike, MPH. Adebusola Ogunnaike, MPH who completed her Master of Public Health degree at Emory University and is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Public Health at the University of South Carolina. Busola is passionate about reducing Non-Communicable Diseases, particularly in Low Middle Income Countries. Dr. Rahmatu Kassimu is an educator, a researcher, a public health consultant, and a change agent. Dr. Kassimu possess a heart for public health and kids, a desire for health equity, and a passion for advocacy. She created Dr. K.'s Health Minute to serve as a source of easily accessible and digestible health and wellness information. Her work focuses on reduction of health disparities and increasing the quality of life in POC, particularly African American/Black people.

This episode explores the topic of infertility and diseases associated with infertility. This episode features special guests: Dr. Serena L. Chen, MD who serves as Director of Reproductive Medicine at the Saint Barnabas Medical Center, and IRMS, the Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Science in New Jersey, and a Clinical Associate Professor at both Rutgers Medical Schools; Dr. Sara J. Mucowski, MD a fertility specialist in Dallas, TX who is double board certified in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) as well as Obstetrics and Gynecology; and Mindi Huber who graduated with academic honors from the University of Cincinnati with a bachelors in anthropology with a minor in psychology, who has since become a philanthropist, infertility advocate and warrior herself. Diseases such as endometriosis and PCOS are explored and discussed as they relate to fertility issues as well as strategies to mitigate these tumultuous diseases. Support strategies are also discussed in order to help to empower infertility warriors, while breaking infertility stigmas along the way!

This episode explores global health security and diseases of poverty in developing nations with special guest Dr. Tara Bracken, PhD who is a global health advocate supporting global malaria programs. Tara obtained a doctorate in Infectious Diseases from the University of Georgia Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, specializing in the immunology and pathogenesis of malaria in pregnancy. Tara has previously aided communications and advocacy efforts around vaccine hesitancy and neglected tropical diseases at the Sabin Vaccine Institute. In this episode Dr. Bracken discusses diseases of poverty such as malaria and other communicable diseases such as Covid-19 which affect global health security. This episode also explores mitigation strategies for communities and for government agencies to explore in order to decrease the burden of communicable diseases within the population.

This episode defines what public health is from the lens of budding and career professionals in the field of public health. Kimberly Green, MPH, the founder of SMART Health Education and Brooke Mootry, MSW, the CEO and lead recruiter for the Public Health Network, discuss careers in public health and their own personal journeys breaking into the field of public health. Strategies for success and networking  are also discussed to provide listeners with a knowledge base regarding the steps needed to begin one's career in public health.