The USDA’s order to test raw milk samples nationwide is a proactive measure that underscores the importance of public and zoonotic disease surveillance. This is of special importance when we are talking about viruses since they are known to change and adapt to new hosts. Early detection of zoonotic diseases like bird flu virus is important because it has a highly pathogenic strain (H5N1) that poses a potential zoonotic risk causing disease in humans.

With 47 million people in the U.S. facing food insecurity in 2023—more than the combined population of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Texas, the urgency of this issue cannot be overstated. In one of the wealthiest nations in the world, it is unacceptable that many people struggle to access enough safe, nutritious food.  

Warning: This story talks about suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, please call, text or chat the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. You matter. You are important.

Crystal Cederna is an associate professor in the Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health in the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. She has worked with more than 4,000 youth patients and families and sees a clear need for preventive mental health. Here, she shares insight about how parents and caring adults can help tweens and teens who may be at risk for suicide.

There’s widespread evidence that anxiety is growing and mental health is declining among people ages 18 to 24. We also know that the number of people — especially students of color — in this age group who are seeking mental health care has declined since the start of the pandemic.

As the realities of climate change become increasingly impossible to ignore, its effects are proving to be far more wide-reaching than previously imagined. One of the less publicized but deeply concerning consequences of climate change is the expanding prevalence of Lyme disease-bearing ticks in Michigan. 

Not all public health researchers are fortunate enough to help build an academic department from the ground up, let alone have the full backing and partnership of community members along the way. But Jennifer Johnson is among those lucky few. At Michigan State University, she's part of a public health department that is fast becoming a national model for community-based participatory research and implementation that’s making a profound impact on the health of Michigan residents.

Cultural competence is more than just a buzzword; it’s the essential skill of understanding, appreciating, and effectively interacting with people from diverse cultural backgrounds. But why is this so crucial for public health practitioners? Simply put, cultural competence ensures that health initiatives are not only respectful and relevant but also finely tuned to the unique needs of every community, paving the way for better health outcomes and greater social equity.

Flint is a national leader in community-based participatory research and has a long history of creating social justice change. In partnership with the Michigan State University Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health, Flint will continue to advocate for public health policy change locally, nationally, and internationally.

The H5N1 strain of avian influenza - or bird flu - was recently discovered in herds of diary cows across the United States, leading to the infection of a farm employee. Mohamed Satti, PhD, MSc, assistant professor in the College of Human Medicine's Master of Public Health program, explains what this means for the general public and discusses the virus's potential pandemic potential.

Warning: This story talks about suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, please call, text or chat the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. You matter. You are important.

According to Jennifer Johnson, C.S. Mott Endowed Professor of Public Health in MSU’s College of Human Medicine in Flint and Chief Translation Officer with the MSU Office of Health Sciences, suicide can be avoided with proper behavioral intervention. The key, of course, is to connect the right people with the right resources at the right time.

Violence extends beyond the inner circle of relationships and affects all persons inside and outside of the family system, mentally, physically, and emotionally. The CDC puts it this way, “Living in a community experiencing violence increases the risk of chronic diseases, such as depression, high stress, anger, PTSD, and anxiety (cdc.gov).” However, when we live in safe communities where neighbors help each other, people are treated with kindness, dignity, and love. They are creating a sense of community where we all WIN.

Breastfeeding can be difficult. While women want to do the right thing (for themselves and their baby) and value the benefits received from breastfeeding, they are often left alone trying to navigate many obstacles related to and beyond simply breastfeeding.

Ideally, women would be supported throughout their pregnancy and postpartum – making their breastfeeding goals feasible. But this rarely occurs.