Margaret Larkins-Pettigrew, MD, MEd, MPPM, FACOG

Book Reading Chapter 17. In the pandemic we were led by public health leaders who were hardworking but ignorant. We should do a course correction else we are headed for future mishandling of "pandemics" if we do not put the right leaders at the top. https://lnkd.in/dC9mrGUZ

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Dr. Basile Njei believes Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are core principles that should guide the moral values of every individual. "These principles are not passing trends but a profound call to our shared humanity, encouraging us to rise above inherent biases and work toward a more just and equitable society. My personal journey highlights the transformative impact of diversity. I strongly believe that a diversity of perspectives, cultures, and experiences enriches and strengthens our communities. It nurtures compassion, empathy, and open-mindedness, helping to dismantle implicit biases and promote mutual respect. Diversity fosters cross-cultural connections, allowing us to see one another as fellow human beings who share common emotions and aspirations for success across different aspects of life. My background has profoundly deepened my appreciation for the beauty and strength found in diversity. I feel a moral responsibility to advocate for inclusion and diversity in every facet of life," said Basile Njei, MD, MPH, PhD. More from Njei below. https://lnkd.in/eGMQca_v

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🌍💬 During the Commonwealth People’s Forum, our Executive Director, Dr. Stellah Bosire, made a powerful call to action on Health Equity and Justice. She emphasized that the heart of primary healthcare lies in the everyday experiences of people and this is where our investments must be focused! 💪🏾 Dr. Bosire, the founding Executive Director of The Africa Center for Health Systems and Gender Justice, highlighted, “Primary healthcare is with the people who experience daily life challenges. It’s where our investment should go.” 🔍 How can we ensure primary healthcare reaches the most marginalized communities? Let’s continue this conversation and make meaningful investments where they matter most! 📢 What are your thoughts on prioritizing community-based healthcare? Share your ideas in the comments below! 👇🏾 #HealthEquity #PrimaryHealthcare #GlobalHealth #HealthcareJustice #CommunityHealth #InvestInPeople #CommonwealthAction #HealthForAll #GenderJustice #AfricaHealthSystems Commonwealth Foundation Link to article: https://lnkd.in/d24nA5me

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Patient advocacy in under-resourced areas highlights barriers to healthcare access and the essential role of advocates in bridging gaps. It emphasizes the importance of empowering communities to improve healthcare equity and support for underserved populations. https://lnkd.in/dkxAKWX8

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"In 2003, the Institute of Medicine examined the impacts of health care disparities and proposed solutions in Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial Bias and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care. Because disparities persist, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened an expert committee to revisit the 2003 report." The link to the updated report release webinar is below:

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In today’s expert blog, we hear from the Association of Directors on Public Health, on why making preventing ill health & reducing health inequalities a primary purpose of National Planning Guidance is a win-win for public health. #PowerToPlaces https://lnkd.in/eER3ppYC

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Disparities in health outcomes between Black and White Americans remain a pressing issue in public health. Over the past two decades, we’ve tracked the progress in addressing these inequities—and the results are a mix of hope and renewed challenges. Our latest study, published in JAMA Network Open, uncovers some unsettling truths. While there have been reductions in excess deaths among Black Americans—especially due to cancer, heart disease, and diabetes—progress stalled after 2015. Even more concerning, the mortality gap began to widen again due to rising deaths from accidents, assaults, and cardiovascular disease. Then came COVID-19. The pandemic has not only reversed years of gains but pushed excess mortality rates for Black Americans to levels not seen since the early 2000s. The disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable communities has laid bare the structural inequities that continue to shape health outcomes in the U.S. A Look at the Numbers Between 1999 and 2020, we saw a 5.7% annual reduction in excess age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) for Black women, and 5.2% for Black men. But from 2015 onwards, that progress halted, and by 2020, COVID-19 accounted for 43-46% of the surge in excess mortality rates. For many Black Americans, this was not just a health crisis—it was a devastating setback that erased hard-fought gains, even as we are still seeking to understand what accounted for the gains. A Legacy of Inequity Our earlier work, which looked at trends from 1999 to 2020, found that Black Americans experienced 1.63 million excess deaths and over 80 million years of potential life lost compared to their White counterparts. This staggering figure illustrates how systemic inequities are a matter of life and death. Despite some progress, these disparities remain fragile and can be easily worsened by external factors. What Must Be Done This is a call to action. Reducing excess mortality among Black Americans isn’t simply about improving healthcare access—it’s about addressing the social determinants of health, structural racism, and the many barriers that keep communities of color from achieving equitable health outcomes. Our work shows that while targeted interventions have the potential to reduce disparities, they require sustained, focused effort to truly make a difference. The data speaks clearly: we cannot afford to become complacent. These inequities must be met with urgent, systemic changes. Thx to an incredible team, including Adith Arun (medical student at @YaleMed), Rohan Khera, Clyde Yancy, César Caraballo Cordovez, MD, Mitsuaki Sawano, and Yuan Lu. We’re grateful for the support of Yale School of Medicine, Yale Department of Internal Medicine Yale School of Public Health, and Yale New Haven Health. The stakes have never been higher, and the solutions require bold, decisive action. #HealthEquity #PublicHealth https://lnkd.in/eq7fFdN5

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Disparities in Medicaid Coverage: Black and Hispanic Americans Disproportionately Affected Recent data reveals concerning trends: Black and Hispanic Americans are more likely to experience disenrollment from Medicaid compared to their white counterparts. This study investigates the underlying factors contributing to this disparity, shedding light on systemic barriers to healthcare access and equity. By examining Medicaid disenrollment patterns, we aim to advocate for policy reforms and interventions that address racial disparities in healthcare coverage. Join us in our mission to ensure equitable access to healthcare for all Americans, regardless of race or ethnicity. 🏥✊🏽 #HealthcareEquity #MedicaidCoverage #RacialDisparities https://lnkd.in/dX3j3Uq7

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Key takeaways from yesterday's Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) webinar: "What the US Presidential Election Outcome Means for Public Health." Speaker Ali S. Khan, MD, MPH, Dean, University of Nebraska Medicine Medical Center College of Public Health: 1) "Public health can be political... We cannot be perceived as partisan." 2) "There are 39 credited public health schools and 77 credited programs in red states. It is possible to do really good public health...if you're in a red state." 3) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) priorities in 2025 may include: child health, substance abuse, mental health, obesity, rural health, preparedness (#H5 Bird Flu). "We'll see, time will tell." 4) "Public health has long been viewed as an invisible safety net - we cannot be invisible anymore." 5) "We're all scientists. We should have a sense of curiousity." Speaker: Mark Mioduski, Principal and Director, Cornerstone Government Affairs: (1) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) funding in 2025 is "a wild card." Funding for inequalities and disparities will "fall out of favor in next year's appropriations." "New threats we've never seen before." You can view the webinar recording: https://lnkd.in/eSu9rRG6

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Learn to develop, implement, and evaluate public health interventions through a fully online, flexible MPH program with a concentration in public health practice: https://buff.ly/3IDtT3J

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✨ PROUD ANNOUNCEMENT 🌟 🌎 Our founder and CEO Pernille Yilmam, PhD has been nominated for the Social Impact Leader of the Year Award by Forttuna Global Excellence Awards. 💧 Pernille has spent innumberable hours getting our organization off the ground, and we are now in a position where we are making a #realimpact. 👥 This Fall we are running 3 independent in-person weekly #mentalhealtheducation programs, in addition to hosting workshops and trainings around the country. 🤝 The folks in our programs can be characterized by following words: #lgbtq #bipoc #singlemothers #lowincome #inrecovery #youth #parents #communitycenters #teachers Our approach is a bit different than most other #freeofcost #mentalhealthliteracy offers: 👉 We sit down with the community members and craft a 4-12 week session plan that works *for them*. 👉 We get to know them, we listen to their concerns, their thoughts, their suggestions, and we put together a completely customized and tailored session program. 👉 We provide them with access to all of the slides and material so they can repurpose and share it in their communities 👉 We offer to train their members to give the training so we can work towards sustainably implementing the program in their community without depending on a third party group like us 👉 We provide ongoing (free) consultation, training, and support to ensure that the program is integrated into their community at the highest quality 💪Pernille is a staunch believer in making #mentalhealtheducation accessible and sustainable while ensuring the highest quality. Her vision drives our work forward, and it's because of her that we meet new demands and challenges with curiosity, flexibility, and a "go-getter" attitude. 💓 We are excited to continue growing, and see how Pernille continues to evolve her #socialimpact efforts. Teaser: her next project is likely to involve building new methods of making #houseownership accessible to all. If you are interested in supporting our work, you can submit a donation on our website: https://lnkd.in/eY4ptx4n #socialimpactaward #neuroscience #psychoeducation #underservedcommunities #togetherwearestronger #equitable #socialjustice #equity

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Check out the newest edition of #JAMIAOpen, which includes the report "Topic Modeling on Clinical Social Work Notes for Exploring Social Determinants of Health Factors." The study suggests that social work notes could serve as a valuable, yet underutilized, source of information on Social Determinants of Health (#SDoH). Read more. https://hubs.ly/Q02ts9hp0

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