Denise Blough

People normally stigmatize harmful health behaviors like drug use or overeating, but healthy actions can lead to stigma too, suggests a new study co-led by epidemiology professor Kathryn Lancaster and epidemiology PhD student Angie Hetrick.

A new scholarship fund established by grateful citizens across Ohio and beyond in honor of Ohio State public health alumna Dr. Amy Acton ’96 MPH will lift up students who have overcome adversity and aspire to follow in the footsteps of the great public health leaders before them. 

The College of Public Health announced the Dr. Amy Acton Future Leaders of Public Health Scholarship Fund on Sept. 24, the same day that Acton was honored with the Ohio State Alumni Association’s top award.

As soon as September, e-cigarette companies may have to prove the safety of their products to the U.S.

While the coronavirus has changed the job landscape for college students everywhere, COVID-19 has presented an extra challenge for students in public health.

With lawmakers driving decisions around public health challenges including health care access, clean water, addiction and vaccination, advocacy is critical to keeping communities safe, healthy and equitable.

From communicating with elected officials to leading organized policy research to calling for justice on social media, students and faculty at the College of Public Health are advocating for positive change in meaningful ways.

Deeming racism a public health crisis was a new approach to acknowledging systemic inequities and obstacles in 2020, but within public health research and advocacy, racism’s broad and devastating impact on Black Americans has long been well-recognized.

Ajeet Gill was supposed to spend his summer working with a local nonprofit distributing meals and essential services to vulnerable communities. Instead, he's working as a COVID-19 contact tracer for Columbus Public Health. 

**Editor's Note: CovidCommons is now live and available for researchers here.**

With a dissertation on building models for influenza pandemics and years of experience working with health departments on complex public health problems, Ayaz Hyder was about as prepared as you could be to meet the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.