The Latest Breaking News from Public Health

As winter settles over Australia, it’s not just the drop in temperature we notice – there’s also a sharp rise in respiratory illnesses. Most of us are familiar with the usual winter players such as COVID, influenza and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), which often dominate news headlines and public health…

Decades ago, you could happily smoke inside offices, restaurants, even on planes. But the shift began in the 1970s with Minnesota’s Clean Indoor Air Act, followed by nearly every state. Airlines banned in-flight smoking entirely by 1989. Today, indoor smoking is now illegal in most public spaces, reflecting a dramatic…

Once upon a time, public spaces were seen as gathering spots for connection, celebration, and everyday life. They were where people felt free, anonymous, and relatively secure. But the world has changed. From rising crime rates and growing concerns over public health to geopolitical instability and digital surveillance, certain spaces…

Every time my mind goes down the ‘optimisation’ route, I’m reminded of my job as a public health scientist, looking into the factors that affect how long we will live, says public health academic Prof Devi Sridhar

In recent years, awareness about the critical role of sleep in overall health has surged, yet many still underestimate its profound impact on public health. As we move into 2025, sleep is rightly emerging as the next major public health priority — and for good reason. From rising rates of…

A few years ago, a student in my history of public health course asked why her mother couldn’t afford insulin without insurance, despite having a full-time job. I told her what I’ve come to believe: The U.S. health care system was deliberately built this way.

Hundreds of thousands of U.S. nonprofits provide vital services, such as running food banks and youth programs, supporting public health initiatives and helping unemployed people find new jobs. Although this work helps sustain local communities, obtaining the money and staff they require is a constant struggle for many of these…

Three-quarters of cases are in unvaccinated children, and this week saw the first fatality: a premature baby

In an age where loneliness is increasingly recognized as a public health crisis, many are questioning traditional relationship structures. Enter relationship anarchy—a philosophy that challenges conventional norms by promoting autonomy, equality, and the rejection of hierarchies in all relationships. Rather than prioritizing romantic partnerships above all else, relationship anarchy encourages…