Public Health Archives

Environment

Why Communities Across America Are Pushing to Close Waste Incinerators

They can be a threat to public health, and a poor solution to larger environmental problems. Organizers from Baltimore to Detroit to Los Angeles are working for a future without them.

Rebecca Stoner

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Education

Most Schools Don’t Have Clear Restroom Policies, and That’s a Public-Health Problem

A new survey finds that just 8 percent of schools have concrete bathroom policies. That lackadaisical approach can have serious health consequences for students.

James McWilliams

News in Brief

2018 Was a Record Year for Foodborne Illnesses

And that's actually a good thing.

Jack Denton

The Myths Behind the Idea That Domestic Violence Is a ‘Personal Problem’

A viral Thrillist story about a burger joint left out domestic abuse charges against the owner—but intimate partner violence isn't a private issue.

Emma Sarappo

An activist rolls a joint during a protest against the prohibition of bearing a minimum dose of marijuana for personal use, in Bogota on September 6th, 2018.

News in Brief

Pot Is Edging Out Alcohol and Cigarettes as the Teenage Drug of Choice. Is That a Good Thing?

By many measures, pot is far safer than alcohol. But that doesn't necessarily mean it's good for you, some public-health experts say.

James McWilliams

Romaine lettuce is displayed on a shelf at a supermarket on April 23rd, 2018, in San Rafael, California.

Why Do We Keep Having E. Coli Outbreaks?

The new, wide-ranging warning about romaine lettuce illustrates gaps in the government's ability to oversee food safety.

Francie Diep

The Environmental Protection Agency's headquarters in Washington, D.C.

News in Brief

Environment

As Wildfire Smoke Fills the Air, Farmworkers Continue to Labor in the Fields

As fires clogged the air in Southern California, farmworkers continued to work, even as public-school students and others were told to stay home and indoors.

Jack Herrera

Public Health