Public Health On Call

The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
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Evidence and experts to help you understand today's public health news—and what it means for tomorrow.

  1. 3D AGO

    1010 - Centering Pleasure in Sexual Health

    About this episode: Sexual education often focuses on the potential risks of unplanned pregnancies and STIs. But an approach to sexual health that includes frank discussions of what feels good could yield better health outcomes. In this episode: Sexual health expert Joshua O'Neal talks about the value of starting sexual health conversations with enjoyment and comfort. Note: This episode was produced in collaboration with the National Coalition of STD Directors. Guests: Joshua O'Neal, MA, is a sexual health educator and program director at the Southeast HIV/STI Prevention Training Center. Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Show links and related content: Promoting protection and pleasure: amplifying the effectiveness of barriers against sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy—The Lancet Pleasure and PrEP: Pleasure-Seeking Plays a Role in Prevention Choices and Could Lead to PrEP Initiation—American Journal of Men's Health Pleasure as a measure of agency and empowerment—Medicus Mundi Schweiz Pleasure As Tool For STI Prevention: Part 2—NCSD Real Talk Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel. Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website. Follow us: @‌PublicHealthPod on Bluesky @‌PublicHealthPod on Instagram @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook @‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube Here's our RSS feed Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.

    15 min

  2. 4D AGO

    1009 - What's Happening at SAMHSA?

    About this episode: Last month's abrupt cancellation and reinstatement of $2 billion in grants is just the most recent ordeal in SAMHSA's long year of funding cuts and administrative upheaval. In this episode: Dr. Yngvild Olsen, formerly the director of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment at SAMHSA, chronicles the challenges facing the agency and their possible implications for efforts to reduce opioid overdose deaths and improve mental health outcomes. Guests: Dr. Yngvild Olsen, MPH, is a nationally recognized leader in addiction medicine, public health policy, and clinical care integration. She currently serves as a national advisor with Manatt Health. Host: Lindsay Smith Rogers, MA, is the producer of the Public Health On Call podcast, an editor for Expert Insights, and the director of content strategy for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Show links and related content: 24 hours of chaos as mental health grants are slashed then restored—NPR SAMHSA Strategic Priorities—SAMHSA Progress on overdose deaths could be jeopardized by federal cuts, critics say—Stateline Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel. Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website. Follow us: @‌PublicHealthPod on Bluesky @‌PublicHealthPod on Instagram @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook @‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube Here's our RSS feed Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.

    19 min

  3. 6D AGO

    1008 - The Outlook on Direct-to-Consumer Health Care

    About this episode: Products and services like genetic testing, prescriptions for weight loss drugs, and health monitoring wearables are revolutionizing health and wellness in the U.S. But are these new gadgets and offerings easing the challenges facing the health care system or are they exacerbating them? In this episode: Dr. Josh Sharfstein speaks with health care entrepreneur Ashwini Nagappan about the pros and cons of the explosion of direct-to-consumer health care. Guests: Ashwini Nagappan, PhD, is a health care entrepreneur and researcher. Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department. Show links and related content: How direct-to-consumer health tests could impact insurance, mortgages, and employment—STAT More pharma giants embrace direct-to-consumer sales—Axios A sneak peek of pharma's Super Bowl ads: GLP-1s, tight ends, and more—STAT Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel. Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website. Follow us: @‌PublicHealthPod on Bluesky @‌PublicHealthPod on Instagram @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook @‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube Here's our RSS feed Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.

    15 min

  4. FEB 5

    1007 - Public Health and Gambling Part 2: Problem Gambling

    About this episode: Between scratch tickets, casinos, and the recent explosion of sports betting apps, opportunities to gamble abound. So too do opportunities for the development of a gambling disorder—a medical condition as serious as substance use disorders. In this episode: Will Hinman and Christopher Welsh from the Maryland Center of Excellence on Problem Gambling explain how to recognize gambling disorders and where to seek help. Guests: Will Hinman is a certified peer recovery specialist at the Maryland Center of Excellence on Problem Gambling. Dr. Christopher Welsh is an addiction psychiatrist and a professor of psychiatry at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He is also the medical director of the Maryland Center of Excellence on Problem Gambling. Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department. Show links and related content: As Online Betting Surges, So Does Risk of Addiction—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine New Survey Shows Rising Rates of Disordered Gambling Among Marylanders Since Legalization of Online Sports Betting—University of Maryland School of Medicine Warning Signs—Maryland Center of Excellence on Problem Gambling Voluntary Exclusion Program—Maryland Alliance for Responsible Gaming Public Health and Gambling Part 1: How Gambling Became So Ubiquitous, and the Potential for Problems—Public Health On Call (February 2026) Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel. Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website. Follow us: @‌PublicHealthPod on Bluesky @‌PublicHealthPod on Instagram @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook @‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube Here's our RSS feed Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.

    16 min

  5. FEB 4

    1006 - Public Health and Gambling Part 1: How Gambling Became So Ubiquitous, and the Potential for Problems

    About this episode: Sports betting has exploded in popularity, offering bettors the opportunity to gamble on everything from coin tosses to touchdowns. But experts are becoming increasingly concerned about the public health implications. In this episode: Researchers Matthew Eisenberg and Mark Meiselbach discuss the rise of online sports gambling, its potential dangers, and how policy guardrails could make it safer. Guests: Matthew Eisenberg, PhD, is a health economist and associate professor of Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health where he also serves as the Director of the Center for Mental Health and Addiction Policy. Mark Meiselbach, PhD, is a health economist and assistant professor of Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs. Show links and related content: As Online Betting Surges, So Does Risk of Addiction—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Magazine New Survey Shows Rising Rates of Disordered Gambling Among Marylanders Since Legalization of Online Sports Betting—University of Maryland School of Medicine Warning Signs—Maryland Center of Excellence on Problem Gambling Voluntary Exclusion Program—Maryland Alliance for Responsible Gaming Public Health and Gambling Part 2: Problem Gambling—Public Health On Call Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel. Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website. Follow us: @‌PublicHealthPod on Bluesky @‌PublicHealthPod on Instagram @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook @‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube Here's our RSS feed Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.

    15 min

  6. FEB 3

    1005 - Vaccines 101: The Past, Present, and Future of the Federal Vaccine Schedule

    About this episode: For decades, the recommended immunization schedule has guided physicians through the proper administration of vaccines and empowered individuals to protect themselves against preventable diseases. But recent changes to the schedule and the overhaul of the CDC committee leading vaccine recommendations throws public and personal health into uncharted territory. In this episode: Vaccine expert Walter Orenstein explains the importance of a transparently developed, standardized schedule and shares his concerns about recent changes to the recommendations. Guests: Dr. Walter Orenstein is the associate director of the Emory Vaccine Center. He previously held roles with the CDC and served as the director of the United States Immunization Program and Assistant Surgeon General of the United States Public Health Service. Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department. Show links and related content: CDC Acts on Presidential Memorandum to Update Childhood Immunization Schedule—U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Who Decides Which Vaccines Americans Should Get and When?—Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health The history of the United States Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)—Vaccine Vaccines 101—Public Health On Call Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel. Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website. Follow us: @‌PublicHealthPod on Bluesky @‌PublicHealthPod on Instagram @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook @‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube Here's our RSS feed Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.

    17 min

  7. FEB 2

    1004 - The State of Obesity in the U.S.

    About this episode: Following decades of surging adult obesity rates, numbers have leveled out since 2022. But with GLP-1s dominating culture, nutrition guidelines shifting, and funding for chronic diseases vanishing, the state of obesity is set to undergo even more change. In this episode: J. Nadine Gracia returns to Public Health On Call to talk about the latest State of Obesity report from Trust for America's Health. Guests: Dr. J. Nadine Gracia, MSCE, is the president and CEO of the Trust for America's Health, a nonprofit, nonpartisan public health policy, research, and advocacy organization that promotes optimal health for every person and community. Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs. Show links and related content: State of Obesity Report 2025 : Better Policies for a Healthier America—Trust for America's Health RealFood.gov—U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Dismantling CDC's chronic disease center 'looks pretty devastating' to public health experts—STAT Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel. Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website. Follow us: @‌PublicHealthPod on Bluesky @‌PublicHealthPod on Instagram @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook @‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube Here's our RSS feed Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.

    17 min

  8. JAN 29

    1003 - The U.S.'s Insurance-Based Health Care System

    About this episode: The U.S. takes a unique approach to health care by tying coverage to employment. This has led to high rates of uninsured Americans, the creation of the Affordable Care Act, and ongoing fights about health care spending culminating in a government shutdown late last year. In this episode: Jonathan Cohn details the health care debate happening in Washington right now, the nuances of universal coverage in other countries, and what might come next for health insurance in the U.S. Guests: Jonathan Cohn is a writer for The Bulwark and the author of "The Ten Year War: Obamacare and the Unfinished Crusade for Universal Coverage". Host: Stephanie Desmon, MA, is a former journalist, author, and the director of public relations and communications for the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs. Show links and related content: Lawmakers reached a surprise bipartisan health deal. Now they have to keep it.—POLITICO Oregon Health Insurance Experiment—National Bureau of Economic Research Defenders of Medicaid cuts are misunderstanding a study I worked on—STAT Inside Rising Health Insurance Costs—Public Health On Call (November 2025) Transcript information: Looking for episode transcripts? Open our podcast on the Apple Podcasts app (desktop or mobile) or the Spotify mobile app to access an auto-generated transcript of any episode. Closed captioning is also available for every episode on our YouTube channel. Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website. Follow us: @‌PublicHealthPod on Bluesky @‌PublicHealthPod on Instagram @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook @‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube Here's our RSS feed Note: These podcasts are a conversation between the participants, and do not represent the position of Johns Hopkins University.

    21 min
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4.6
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625 Ratings

About

Evidence and experts to help you understand today's public health news—and what it means for tomorrow.

Information

  • Creator
    The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    1.1K
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright of this audio content is owned by The Johns Hopkins University.
  • Show Website
    Public Health On Call

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