A once obscure public health issue that’s gotten more attention in recent years, polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of synthetic chemicals used in products such as nonstick cookware, ...
As the nation grapples with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, community health workers are being recognized for the role they play in improving health outcomes of our most vulnerable communities. In ...
Though we’ve made progress on the number of HIV cases in the U.S, tens of thousands of Americans are diagnosed with HIV each year—a disproportionate number being people of color. In 2019, the federal ...
One of President Biden’s first actions just before being sworn into office was to draft up the American Rescue Plan, a sweeping proposal that ASTHO has committed to working with the Biden ...
Increasing and maintaining vaccine coverage is an important way to prevent the spread of disease and keep communities healthy. This post is an overview of 2019 state vaccine legislative activities.
As of June 2018, 49 states and Washington, D.C. have some form of cottage food law or regulation. This post is an overview of new state laws that address the production, sale, and regulation of ...
Human papillomavirus, or HPV, is a common virus that can lead to certain types of cancer later in life. Because of this, some policymakers are working to include the HPV vaccine in school entry ...
The New Frontier of Digital Proximity Tracing Association of state and territorial health officials, astho, public health, covid-19, contact tracing, case investigation, public health surveillance, ...
Midterm Elections: Predictions on Congressional Priorities for Upcoming Session astho, association of state and territorial health officials, public health, opioid crisis, congressional priorities, ...
ASTHO is closely following the current respiratory disease clusters associated with vaping. This post is an overview of what ASTHO currently knows about the present situation and anticipated future ...
The introduction of highly effective antiviral treatments for hepatitis C in 2014 marks the first time we have been able to cure a major and highly-infectious virus. Despite the significant ...
Community health workers provide a wide range of services including advocacy, health education, patient navigation, as well as social-emotional support. Because national standards do not currently ...
Environmental PFAS contamination is a complex issue that requires leadership and input from multiple stakeholder groups, including local, state, and federal public health agencies, elected officials, ...
States have begun to expand their focus when developing new approaches to improve surveillance, promote harm reduction, create linkages to care, and educate providers on opioid overdose reduction.
States can use strategies like school vaccination requirements to help combat the spread of communicable diseases that have robust availability of a highly effective vaccine, such as measles.
February is Heart Month, a time to not only celebrate our love for others but also the organ that pumps us full of life - yet heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death in the U.S. This ...
There are two alarming health trends on the rise affecting women across the United States: maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity. This post is an overview of legislative activity from the ...
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, states are using their emergency powers to authorize a variety of social distancing measures. This post is a summary of executive orders that have led to the ...
To prepare and respond to COVID-19, Congress and the administration approved three emergency supplemental bills for the federal, state, local, territorial, and tribal governmental agencies. This post ...
This Health Policy Update is an overview of policy strategies that states have taken at the executive and legislative levels to increase the healthcare workforce to more effectively and efficiently ...