February is Black History Month, an appropriate time to acknowledge noteworthy health and medical advancements of people of color. This observance also provides the opportunity to recognize cultural and ethnic health inequities and the necessary efforts to address them.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recently established the Office of Health Equity. As one of many recent changes to the overall agency’s structure, this new office will provide the vehicle for reducing health disparities and enhancing community engagement.  The New Office of Health Equity  The Office...

Various programs and initiatives in health care and medicine will get a much-needed “shot in the arm” as a result of the Consolidated Appropriations Act. At the end of 2022, President Biden signed the Act that includes $1.7 trillion in discretionary government spending.  Over $800 billion of the total bill will go toward non-defense spending. A significant portion will bolster prevention initiatives, extend provisions of several public health programs, and address health disparities.  Summary of the Consolidated Appropriations Act  The Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) of 2023 became...

It’s almost difficult to remember what the world was like three years ago before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the virus has eclipsed its third birthday, it has spawned numerous variants, some of which have been more contagious than their predecessors and have eventually spread to become the dominant strain.  Such is the case with the latest COVID-19 variant, XBB.1.5, dubbed “the Kraken” due to its virulence. The XBB.1.5 variant is crowding out former COVID-19 variants because it has mutated to become more contagious. In fact, this variant is the most contagious strain of any COVID-19...

Complaints of staff shortages, spending cuts, and compromised working conditions in the nursing profession are not new. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of contagious infections have compounded the current strain on hospitals and other facilities.  The three-day nurses’ strike in New York City last January was just one of many recent labor struggles in the healthcare sector. The increase in nursing strikes has raised concerns about the effects of work stoppages on patients, hospitals, and health systems. Here is a recap of the strike and its impacts on nursing and public health moving...

This past year has been tumultuous but promising, given the trifecta of COVID-19, the flu, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) combined with unprecedented vaccine development and responses to other outbreaks. Despite recent medical advancements and more knowledge about infectious diseases, public health is under increased scrutiny. The spread of misinformation and disinformation has undermined our healthcare system’s ability to protect the population and deal adequately with public health threats.  The start of a new year brings the potential to respond to these perceptions of mistrust and...