The Forum at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

What do rural Americans say are the biggest problems in their local communities? A new poll finds that drug/opioid abuse and economic concerns are the top challenges. When it comes to drug addiction and abuse, a majority of rural Americans say opioid addiction is a serious problem in their community. On economic issues, rural Americans largely hold negative views of their local economy, but nearly one-third have seen economic progress in recent years. What may help? A majority of rural Americans believe outside help will be necessary to solve major community problems in the future, and many believe government will play an important role.

Convened shortly before National Rural Health Day and after the nation’s midterm elections, a panel of experts explored the public health and policy implications of these findings within the broader context of life in rural America.

This Forum event was presented jointly with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and NPR on November 9, 2018.

Watch the entire series: https://theforum.sph.harvard.edu/

Healthcare has again emerged as a pivotal issue for American voters. Conversations around preexisting conditions protections, short-term health plans, drug costs and premium rates are as contentious as ever. Debates around Medicare and Medicaid have grabbed headlines, while the Affordable Care Act has remained divisive, despite helping millions become insured. Against this backdrop, state governments have forged ahead with their own health policy decisions, adding to the complex tangle of healthcare policies in the country. This Forum panel explored what’s at stake in the 2018 midterm elections for Americans and their healthcare future.

This Forum event was presented jointly with Reuters November 1, 2018.

Watch the entire series: https://theforum.sph.harvard.edu/

Stroke prevention and treatment is a remarkable success story — but strides appear to be stalling in some populations. Evidence suggests a dramatic increase in stroke incidence in people in their 30s and 40s. Disparities persist among race/ethnicities, and declines in stroke death have stalled in three out of every four states. This Forum examined stroke — from prevention and treatment through recovery. What is the latest information about the impacts of healthy lifestyles? What are the debates about current medications, such as TPA? What are some new treatments, including interventions in the so-called “golden period” of recovery, and the promise of basic science? What do policy changes, such as the 2018 blood pressure guidelines, mean? And how can we transform success from previous stroke prevention efforts for this new era to save even more lives and prevent disability?

Part of The Dr. Lawrence H. and Roberta Cohn Forums, this event was presented jointly with PRI's The World & WGBH on October 22, 2018.

Watch the entire series: https://theforum.sph.harvard.edu/

What is the status of evidence-based environmental policy in the U.S? Sweeping policy shifts, regulatory rollbacks, and decisions such as the withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement prompt questions. This Forum provided an opportunity to discuss the challenges facing environmental science today. Panelists explored areas potentially or already impacted by change, such as the Clean Power Plan, methane rules, and the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) implementation — and their public health implications. Experts described how the EPA and other agencies are responding and shared ideas for steps forward to nurture and protect the principles of peer-reviewed environment science.

This Forum event was presented jointly with PRI’s The World & WGBH on October 19, 2018.

Watch the entire series: https://theforum.sph.harvard.edu/

Americans pay more money – sometimes much more money – for prescriptions than consumers in many other wealthy countries. Why? The drivers are many and complicated. Pharmaceutical companies, employers, health care providers, patients, lawmakers, and pharmacy benefit managers all play a role. Calls to make prescriptions more affordable have prompted new efforts, including at the federal level. Last May, for example, President Trump introduced a plan intended to help reduce drug prices. This Forum event aimed to demystify the prescription drug pricing process. Experts weighed issues such as regulation, price negotiation and competitive market pressures, ultimately asking why prescription costs matter for public health.

Part of The Dr. Lawrence H. and Roberta Cohn Forums, this event was

presented jointly with Reuters on September 26, 2018.

Globally, people are living longer. What are the most compelling ways to ensure a sustainably healthy life? In this exciting live-streamed event, world-renowned author and speaker, Deepak Chopra, discussed the important connections between mind, immunity, genes and body. Dr. Chopra explored how chronic stress and inflammation can undermine immunity and health, ultimately seeking to empower people who wish to nurture their wellbeing over their lifetimes. He also discussed how these insights play out within public health, particularly as individuals and societies cope with epidemics, environmental threats, superbugs, aging and other challenges. He included takeaways from his new book, The Healing Self: A Revolutionary New Plan to Supercharge Your Immunity and Stay Well for Life, co-authored with esteemed Harvard neurology professor Rudolph Tanzi.

This special Forum presentation featured Dr. Chopra in conversation with The World’s Carol Hills, following some brief remarks. Dr. Michelle Williams, Dean of the Harvard Chan School, welcomed the audience and introduced the speaker.

This Forum event was presented jointly with PRI's The World & WGBH on September 12, 2018.

Watch the entire Forum series: https://theforum.sph.harvard.edu/

No longer the stuff of science fiction, driverless cars already are being tested in numerous U.S. markets. These autonomous vehicles may revolutionize the automotive world, potentially reducing human error, reshaping transportation systems and transforming the country’s roadway infrastructure. However recent deaths linked to self-driving technology have caused concern about safety and have raised questions about whether the field is moving too quickly. In this Forum, experts reviewed current technology, regulation, realistic long-term plans, and the risks and benefits of a driverless future.

This Forum event was presented jointly with NBC News Digital on May 4, 2018.

Watch the entire series at ForumHSPH.org.

Mental health issues are alarmingly on the rise among college students, and a serious gap exists in campus services to help them. What can be done to meet this growing need, spurred by issues of anxiety and depression, that has been described as sudden and dramatic by the Center for Collegiate Mental Health? In a spring 2017 survey by the American College Health Association, 39 percent of college students reported feeling so depressed that they were having trouble functioning, and 61 percent said that they had overwhelming anxiety in the previous 12 months. This Forum served as a call to action, asking how to develop a campus culture that prioritizes the prevention of mental health issues and the destigmatization of existing conditions. An expert panel featured leaders from academia, mental health advocacy and psychology, who spoke from a public health and health care delivery perspective. How do we support students in need; remove barriers, particularly for already marginalized students; boost communication; and promote wellness drivers, such as improved sleep, nutrition, exercise and social connectedness? And how do we gather the much-needed evidence for public health policies?

Part of The Dr. Lawrence H. and Roberta Cohn Forums, this event was presented jointly with HuffPost on Tuesday, April 17, 2018.

President Trump recently described a plan to tackle the opioid abuse crisis that includes tougher sentencing on dealers and expanding access to treatment. The President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis cites the need to move ahead quickly with treatment alternatives for those addicted to opioids. Yet, recent public surveys show that Americans are confused about opioid-treatment programs, with only about half believing there is an effective, long-term addiction treatment. There are programs offered for the treatment of opioid addiction, including medicated–assisted treatment, drug rehabilitation programs, addiction support groups, and counseling. This Forum – featuring the unique perspectives of former governors and the 21st United States Secretary of Health and Human Services — will examine the state government’s role in current and future approaches to treatment. These approaches may include educating the public about these alternatives, paying for them, regulating their performance and availability, training and certifying health professionals in their use, and developing guidelines for certification of these treatments. This is the second in a series of Governors Roundtables.

Part of The Andelot Series on Current Science Controversies, this Forum event was presented jointly with Reuters on Thursday, April 12, 2018.

Watch the entire series at ForumHSPH.org.

Inspired by students across the country, the gun violence prevention movement has gained new momentum. But can it last or lead to substantive change on the Congressional level? This Forum brought together experts in mental health, violence, and gun policy to discuss a variety of proposed gun violence and school safety measures. What is the status of background check laws? What is an appropriate way to discuss mental health in the conversation — without creating stigma or a chilling effect on people seeking care? What skills and training should educators have to spot warning signs and respond in crises? And, in light of restrictions around federally funded gun-related research, do policymakers have the information that they need to study these questions effectively? In this time of turbulence, our panelists looked at the evidence for — and possible unintended consequences of — today’s hotly debated measures to stop gun violence. This Forum event was presented jointly with Reuters on April 6, 2018. Watch the entire series at ForumHSPH.org.