On Feb. 21, 2022, global health advocate Paul Farmer, MD, PhD, passed away. Farmer leaves behind a legacy of radical compassion, generosity, and a commitment to social justice. He will be remembered ...
Overdose fatality reviews allow states to examine and understand the circumstances surrounding fatal drug overdoses. Knowing the who, what, when, where, and how of fatal overdoses provides a better ...
The National School Lunch Program, a federally-assisted meal program run by USDA, has provided millions of children with nutritionally balanced, low-cost or no-cost lunches each school day.
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 ...
Midterm Elections: Predictions on Congressional Priorities for Upcoming Session astho, association of state and territorial health officials, public health, opioid crisis, congressional priorities, ...
State health agencies are equipped with the data, scientific evidence, and policy options that are needed to protect young people from the harms associated with e-cigarette use and nicotine addiction.
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 ...
ASTHO spoke with Karyl Rattay, MD, MS, director of the Delaware Division of Public Health, about Delaware’s statewide plan to reduce infant mortality and improve birth outcomes.
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 ...
Hazel Dean discusses the serious threat to women's health presented by the convergence of syphilis and drug use.
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.
Many of the activities that protect our hearts also protect our minds. Recent studies have shown that lifestyle modifications and medical treatments are associated with slowing cognitive impairment ...
The newly-released second edition of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans is timely - its emphasis on the significant increase in documented health benefits of physical activity dovetails ...
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 ...
This Health Policy Update is an overview of state legislative activity addressing access to and support for breastfeeding or lactation practices.
State health agencies are well-positioned to build the infrastructure necessary for scaling up the use of community health workers by defining their core competencies and building opportunities for ...
Over the past several years, states and jurisdictions have continued to implement important policies to reduce tobacco and nicotine use, including increasing tobacco prices, expanding areas deemed ...
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a particularly negative impact on the mental health of adolescent girls. Fortunately, state legislators have been addressing school-based mental health through ...