Public Health Matters Blog Posts

Assessing Community Needs in Real-time

Group photo of a Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) Team in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

What if there was a way to evaluate the needs of a community after a natural disaster? Or understand a community’s attitudes and beliefs about a specific public health behavior? Enter CASPER: Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response, a tool for health departments and public health professionals to assess community needs in real-time. What Read More >

Posted on by Amy Helene Schnall, Epidemiologist, Disaster Epidemiology and Response Team, National Center for Environmental Health3 CommentsTags , , , , , , ,

7 Ways to ‘Be Gutsy’ this March!

Let’s face it: your colon isn’t exactly a dinner party topic. It takes a lot of guts to bring up colorectal cancer—to your parents, your spouse, your doctor, your friends. Don’t be afraid to pipe up about the second-leading cancer killer of both men and women, because it’s proven that simple steps save lives. Here’s Read More >

Posted on by Blog Administrator2 CommentsTags , , , , , , ,

Shouting in the Dark: Emergency Communication in USVI After Irma and Maria

Nykole Tyson, Director of Public Relations for the US Virgin Islands Department of Health, speaking into a radio microphone.

Communication experts often say, “When you’re communicating during an emergency, always think about what you’d say to your mom. What information would she need the most? How would you explain it to her? What would you need to know for sure before you told her? And just how far would you go to reach her?” Read More >

Posted on by Blog Administrator2 CommentsTags , , , , , ,

Tackling eHealth Literacy

A female doctor discussing records with a senior female patient.

As I waited in the exam room on a recent visit to my doctor’s office, I noticed there was a large wall display with an interactive screen. It resembled a smartphone and I could use the touchscreen to scroll and learn about various conditions, diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and colon health. Each menu included signs Read More >

Posted on by Lourdes M. Martinez, PhD, Health Communications Specialist, Office of the Associate Director for Communication5 CommentsTags , , , , , ,

Responding to Emergencies One Behavior at a Time

A group of Ebola response volunteers in Nigeria.

To improve the health and safety of people in the United States and around the world, we have to influence and change behaviors. It can be difficult to try new things, or stop old things as behaviors range from simple to complex, but one way to consider behavior change is to think of any change Read More >

Posted on by Dr. Stephen Redd, Director, Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response11 CommentsTags , , , , , , , ,

After the Storm: Helping Kids Cope

A boy and his mother wait to cross the street on their way to school.

Changing schools is hard for any kid. Imagine picking up without any notice and moving to a new school in a brand new place with a different climate, culture, and maybe even a different primary language.  Harder still is the thought of moving because your home and community have been devastated by a major hurricane. Read More >

Posted on by Caitlyn Lutfy, Health Communication Specialist, Emergency Risk Communications Branch1 CommentTags , , , , , , , ,