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

More than half of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer Americans report that they have experienced violence, threats or harassment because of their sexuality or gender identity. Nearly one in five LGBTQ people has avoided seeking medical care for fear of discrimination. In this Forum, experts in LGBTQ health explored health disparities and discrimination that impact the LGBTQ community. Drawing from a recent poll by NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, our panel looked at the impact of these experiences on physical and mental well-being — and what can be done to help.

This Forum event was presented jointly with NPR on March 21, 2018.

Watch the entire series at ForumHSPH.org.

Six months after Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, a panel of experts assessed persistent public health challenges on the island and the outlook for long-term recovery. Power restoration, health care coordination, and medical services delivery on the island are just some of the pressing issues the panelists explored. They discussed the potential threats of extreme hurricanes more broadly, noting that 2017 was one of the most destructive seasons on record. What can be done to better prepare and respond to killer storms, and to build resiliency to combat such disasters? How can the public and private sectors work together? And what have we learned generally from past hurricanes - and specifically from ongoing efforts in Puerto Rico - to meet the many challenges ahead?

This Forum event was presented jointly with PRI's The World & WGBH on Friday, March 9, 2018.

Watch the entire series at ForumHSPH.org.

More than a half million deaths each year around the world result from flu-related respiratory illnesses. This year, flu has grabbed particular headlines, driven by an early start to flu season and the dominance of a particularly severe flu strain, H3N2. The flu is most dangerous to people with underlying health problems, as well as individuals over age 65 and young children. However, each year flu cases involving young, otherwise apparently healthy people raise flags. In this Forum, experts in epidemiology, immunology, and health policy will place this year’s flu season in context. They will explore vaccine development, prevention and treatment and address growing concerns globally as this particularly virulent outbreak gains the potential to spread further — ultimately asking is there a better way to stop the flu?

This Forum event was presented jointly with PRI's The World & WGBH on Tuesday, February 13, 2018.

Watch the entire series at ForumHSPH.org.

How do Native Americans experience discrimination in daily life? A new poll by NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health illuminates Native Americans’ personal experiences with discrimination. The report reveals that more than a third of Native Americans and their family members have experienced slurs and violence, and close to a third have faced discrimination in the workplace and when interacting with police. The poll also reveals that Native Americans who live in majority-Native areas are significantly more likely to experience this kind of discrimination.

This poll is one a series of reports that surveyed additional groups, including Latinos, Asian Americans, African Americans, white Americans, men, women, and LGBTQ adults, on their experiences with discrimination.

This Forum event was presented December 12, 2017, in collaboration with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and NPR.

Will the next great medical insight come from a clinical trial, a laboratory study — or a database search? Today, health systems and insurers have access to a mountain of data about millions of Americans: what medications they take, their health history, even, in some cases, their genetics—plus an emerging body of mobile health data. Using “big data” techniques, doctors and researchers are already mining this data to deliver better care and to gain insights into the kind of hyper-specific questions that clinical trials and observational studies struggle to answer. The approach promises major, rapid-fire, highly-personalized discoveries. At the same time, with the specter of cyberattacks and hacks looming, the need for rugged privacy protection has never been greater. In this Forum, experts in healthcare data and privacy will discuss the potential for future discovery, practical steps to enable progress, and how information can be kept secure.

Part of the The Dr. Lawrence H. and Roberta Cohn Forums, this event was presented jointly with HuffPost on Tuesday, December 5, 2017.

Watch the entire series at ForumHSPH.org.

Despite decades of research and relentless messaging about the importance of diet and exercise, type 2 diabetes remains a major threat to the lives of millions of Americans. As new diagnoses in some populations plateau, rates in others groups, including African Americans and Latinos, are increasing. Why does this largely preventable and multifactorial condition persist? What are the latest treatments available for individuals living with diabetes? And what technological and medical breakthroughs lie on the horizon? In this Forum — held on World Diabetes Day — experts in medical innovation, food policy, diabetes and obesity research, and community outreach assessed the promise of new approaches to diabetes, as well as explored remaining challenges.

Part of The Dr. Lawrence H. and Roberta Cohn Forums, this event was presented jointly with HuffPost on Tuesday, November 14, 2017.

Cancer. Alzheimer’s. Precision medicine. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The opioid crisis. These are all areas that stand to benefit from boosted federal funding. On the other hand, other areas may take a hit — immunizations, preparedness for outbreaks and epidemics, and chronic disease prevention programs to name a few. And where does the support for basic research that drives innovation fit in? In this Forum, a panel of experts explored the promises for advancing cutting-edge treatments and research to prevent diseases that affect millions – while looking at the implications for areas where funding may be reduced. What lies ahead in the landscape for the future of medical research?

Presented jointly with NBC News Digital, and part of The Andelot Series on Current Science Controversies, this Forum event took place

Monday, November 6, 2017.

How do African Americans experience discrimination in daily life? A new poll by NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health illuminates reports from African Americans who share their personal experiences with discrimination. With unprecedented documentation, the poll covers a range of areas — from police interaction, to job applications, to health care, to racial slurs. This Forum explored the poll results and their implications for a healthier, more equitable, and just society.

This poll is the first among a series of reports that surveyed additional groups, including Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans, men, women, and LGBTQ adults, on their experiences with discrimination.

This Forum event was presented October 24, 2017, in collaboration with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and NPR.

Once a global scourge, polio is tantalizingly close to eradication with only 11 wild poliovirus cases reported worldwide in 2017. In this Forum event — held in advance of World Polio Day — experts from the Government of Pakistan, UNICEF, Rotary International, and the Harvard Opinion Research Program explained what factors contributed to this remarkable progress. Where were we five years ago in the effort to end transmission? What challenges emerged and how were they overcome? And where do we go from here? Looking specifically at the latest findings from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria, speakers described the key roles of polling and data collection, community and family engagement, new communication efforts and more in building trust to enable widespread vaccinations. They explored what brought us to this “last mile” of polio eradication, and what needs to be done to fully eradicate this ancient, debilitating and entirely preventable disease.

Presented jointly with NPR on Friday, October 20, 2017

Climate-related programs face challenges from federal regulation rollbacks and proposed spending cuts. In response, some members of the public and private sectors have stepped in, announcing various commitments to take action to curb climate change. What can cities, states, research institutions and businesses do to lead the way on climate change and to make the greatest impact on the environment and public health? A stellar panel of national, state, corporate and science leaders addressed the question in this Forum.

Presented jointly with Reuters on Friday, October 13, 2017.