Public Health Policy

Paid Parental Leave: Policy, Practice, and Public Opinion

Paid Parental Leave programs allow expecting and new parents to take time from work while maintaining a paycheck, with the guarantee/expectation that they can/will return to work after leave expires. Amid the ongoing push for expanded PPL, this brief aims to analyze the past and future outlook for such initiatives.

The Polarizing Reality of Comprehensive Sexual Education

For far too long, sexual education has been a topic of debate in America, with party lines determining the education American children so desperately require. With sexual education and policy pertaining to curricula framing political agendas and covering national broadcasts, this brief will explore the pressing political polarization behind comprehensive sexual education.

Public Perception of California's Proposition 1

Mental health-related issues and the consequences of them have been a key discussion in healthcare policy in the United States. The growing prominence of the prevalence of mental health conversations in both political debates and daily life comes as a result of a continued mental health shortcoming experienced across America. As a result, this brief conducts an in-depth analysis of the dialogues within US healthcare policy, focusing on California’s Proposition 1, which aims to address the effects of America’s mental health epidemic.

East Palestine: One Year Later

Health-related issues as a result of mankind’s increasing pollution have been a key discussion in healthcare policy in the United States. While pollution is often a byproduct of an economically considered policy, pollution can also come as a result of unintended catastrophes, one of which occurred in East Palestine over a year ago. As a result, this brief conducts an in-depth analysis of the conversations within US healthcare policy and legislative suggestions to address the effects of the East Palestine train derailment that remain even a year after the event unfolded.

Drug Overdose Prevention

Drug overdose prevention has been a key discussion in healthcare policy in the United States. As a result, this brief conducts an in-depth analysis of the conversations within US healthcare policy, and legislative suggestions for drug overdose prevention, which have the potential to help US citizens. Access is a large question in the context of overdose prevention, with overdoses at historical levels. As a result, one of the most important healthcare considerations in recent years is associated with drug overdose prevention policies. Thus, some policies are analyzed with their unique ability to help the United States and its citizens.

Public Perception of Medicare for All

Medicare for All has been a key discussion in healthcare policy in the United States. As a result, this brief conducts an in-depth analysis of the public perception of US healthcare policy, and legislative suggestions for Medicare for All, which have the potential to help US citizens. Accessibility is a large question in the context of healthcare because it is currently too expensive for many Americans

Preserving Privacy in Healthcare: Policy Actions for a Secure Future

This brief will cover the current state of privacy protection of health data in the United States and current policy considerations to further this. Some key pieces of our analysis are analyzing historical subjects within the field of public health privacy and an in-depth overview of the current actions the federal government is taking and their pitfalls, so we can inspect legislation that could potentially solve these pressing problems.

Urgent Yet Overlooked: The Monkeypox Virus

The COVID-19 pandemic has overwhelmed public discourse and news coverage over the course of the past three years. However, while COVID remains an incredibly important and timely topic of discussion, monkeypox should also be at the center of the country’s focus. The monkeypox virus has taken lives & threatened marginalized communities, warranting the attention of the federal government and state legislature nationwide. In this brief, we will explain exactly what the monkeypox virus is and policy measures that governments across the country can take to counteract its effects and increase public awareness about the virus.

Complex and Controversial: An Overview of American Abortion Policy

Few issues in political and social discourse are as polarizing as that of abortion. Abortion policy has been shaped by influential Supreme Court decisions like Roe v. Wade, Planned Parenthood v. Casey, and most recently, Dobbs v. Jackson, each of which has presented unique viewpoints on the constitutionality of abortion in the United States. Abortion policy has a major influence on public health, especially maternal and neonatal health. Often intertwined with public health arguments are moral and philosophical arguments about abortion, which further contribute to its controversial nature. In this brief, we will examine the evolution of abortion policy in the United States and the debates surrounding it in the present day with a special emphasis on public health.

The History and Progression of Birth Control

The development of birth control has brought about great autonomy in pregnancy planning and sexual freedom. Yet, the development of birth control in the United States is rich with trials and tribulations that continue to this day. Today, there are many forms of birth control available for men and women, and its accessibility is increasing. However, stark inequalities in birth control access still exist among various demographic groups, notably along racial and socioeconomic lines. A variety of government policies, non-governmental organizations, and advocacy groups have influenced the development and accessibility of birth control in the United States, and research continues to flourish in this area.

The Vicious Cycle of Poverty and Healthcare

The relationship between poverty and healthcare (both in quality and accessibility) has long been a subject of concern. On both the domestic and international fronts, poverty leads to environmental pressure, diminished health literacy, and financial inaccessibility, each of which detrimentally impacts healthcare quality and accessibility. In turn, the subpar healthcare services have a negative impact on economic development of impoverished areas, trapping impoverished communities in a vicious cycle. There have been policies implemented in attempts to break this vicious cycle, such as Medicaid, COBRA, HIPAA, and the ACA. However, more efforts on this front are warranted, especially those targeting quality, accessibility, and acceptability.

The Opioid Crisis: An Unprecedented Epidemic

In the late 1990s, pharmaceutical companies assured the public that individuals would not become addicted to opioid pain relievers, and healthcare providers began to prescribe them at an increased rate. It soon became clear that these companies were misleading the public—misuse of these drugs had become a serious issue and was declared a public health emergency in 2017. In this brief, we will discuss the opioid epidemic in depth, including its beginning, its effects on public health, and its relation to COVID-19.

Healthcare Disparities for Disabled Individuals

This paper will examine some of the disability health disparities that arise from inaccessible physical environments, social assumptions and prejudices, and inflexible policies and procedures, as well as how federal and state governments should actively work to reduce inequities.

Healthcare equity and inequity amongst BIPOC and immigrants in Sweden, Pakistan and the United States

This paper will dicuss the said topic and will provide some proposals that can improve health inequity.

Rethinking Vaccination Policy: Insights from the Latest Data

Debunking Covid Myths