Public Health

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Public health refers to social, cultural, economic, and geographic conditions that affect a population's well-being. To assist local, national, and international health agencies and organizations, RAND conducts research on public health issues including disaster preparedness and recovery; surveillance, prevention, and management of infectious disease outbreaks; screening for and prevention of chronic diseases; and ways to strengthen the public health infrastructure.

  • Customers are served at the Destiny USA mall during the reopening as COVID-19 restrictions are eased in Syracuse, New York, July 10, 2020, photo by Maranie Staab/Reuters

    Commentary

    How Much Do Americans Value Their Health During the Pandemic?

    Oct 29, 2020

    Are the social and economic costs of physical distancing measures justified by the health benefits of limiting COVID-19 transmission? To better understand how Americans weigh health against other priorities, RAND and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation conducted a survey of American health attitudes during COVID-19.

  • RAND Gun Policy in America logo

    Project

    Informing the Gun Policy Debate

    Mar 2, 2018

    RAND's Gun Policy in America initiative provides information on what scientific research can tell us about the effects of gun laws. Our goal is to establish a shared set of facts that will improve public discussions and support the development of fair and effective gun policies.

Explore Public Health

  • A family wearing masks while unloading their groceries, photo by RyanJLane/Getty Images

    Report

    American Health Attitudes During COVID-19

    In a survey including people of color and those with low- to moderate-incomes, most prioritized health even when it implies limitations to their liberty and to the economy. But white and non-white respondents differed when weighing the risk of getting COVID-19 with opening the economy or protesting injustice.

    Oct 29, 2020

  • Vials of COVID-19 vaccine, photo by MarsBars/Getty Images

    Report

    COVID-19 'Vaccine Nationalism' Could Cost $1.2 Trillion a Year

    Nationalistic behavior by governments may exclude some countries from access to COVID-19 vaccines. This could cost the world economy up to $1.2 trillion a year in GDP. A globally coordinated effort to fight the pandemic is key, not only from a public health perspective but also an economic one.

    Oct 28, 2020

  • Journal Article

    Journal Article

    Integration of Well-Being with Resilience and Other Broad Scale Social Change

    This book is a combination of scientific papers, case studies from the field, and excerpts from a lively, multidisciplinary discussion which intentionally connects issues of measurement to the imperative for action.

    Oct 22, 2020

  • Close up of a grandfather taking his granddaughter to play some basketball in the park, photo by Geber86/Getty Images

    Commentary

    Choosing a Different Path for a Healthier Future After COVID-19

    Today, every American community is sitting at a crossroads, as local governments continue to address the health crisis of COVID-19 while grappling with the financial realities of maintaining operations. While some communities may take a more traditional route of only investing further in health care services, there is an opportunity to take a more holistic approach and address the multitude of factors that have contributed to the devastation of COVID-19.

    Oct 2, 2020

  • Passengers on a flight, photo by vovashevchuk/Getty Images

    Report

    COVID-19 Was Spreading Globally for Weeks Before It Was Declared a Pandemic

    Worldwide exports of COVID-19 cases began increasing at an accelerating rate on February 19, 2020. That was three weeks before the World Health Organization declared the pandemic. By the end of February, nearly 40 cases per week were spreading around the globe via air travel.

    Sep 22, 2020

  • Airplane about to land on a runway in Cape Town, South Africa, photo by brazzo/Getty Images

    Report

    Which African Countries Are Most at Risk of Importing COVID-19?

    U.S. forces in Africa are usually in unstable areas that have low levels of international air travel. Those regions are less likely to import COVID-19. The near-term driver of COVID-19 risk in Africa will more likely be the flow of travelers from Western Europe to Morocco, South Africa, and Algeria.

    Sep 22, 2020

  • Reducing the Transmission of COVID-19 in Schools

    Multimedia

    Reducing the Transmission of COVID-19 in Schools

    RAND physician policy researcher Laura Faherty describes measures for reducing the transmission of COVID-19 in schools and the feasibility of implementing such measures.

    Sep 18, 2020

  • Sustainable Pharmaceutical Innovation

    Multimedia

    Sustainable Pharmaceutical Innovation for COVID-19 and Other Infectious Diseases

    RAND Europe's Sonja Marjanovic describes the critical success criteria for innovation in infectious disease, antimicrobial, and vaccine research and development.

    Sep 16, 2020

  • The Future of the Pharmaceutical Industry (Crop)

    Multimedia

    The Future of the Pharmaceutical Industry

    RAND Europe's Sonja Marjanovic explains how changes in society have brought about opportunities for the pharmaceutical industry to innovate to better meet the needs of patients and health care systems.

    Sep 8, 2020

  • Periodical

    Periodical

    RAND Review: September-October 2020

    Feature stories explore how Pardee RAND is helping to shape the future of public policy through its Faculty Leaders Program; the safety and sustainability of the U.S. blood supply; and how telemedicine is changing the delivery of health care.

    Sep 8, 2020

  • Group of people exercising at a community center, photo by Anchiy/Getty Images

    Report

    Assessing Health and Human Services Needs to Support an Integrated Health in All Policies Plan for Prince George's County, Maryland

    This report describes a health and human services needs assessment of Prince George's County, Maryland. Findings from this report can inform Prince George's County's pursuit of a Health in All Policies approach to policymaking.

    Sep 1, 2020

  • Instructional assistants help students maintain social distancing as in-person learning resumes at Wilson Primary School in Phoenix, Arizona, August 17, 2020, photo by Cheney Orr/Reuters

    Commentary

    Do Children Really Transmit COVID-19 Less Than Adults? The Evidence Is Questionable

    The theory that children are unlikely to contract or spread COVID-19 may feel reassuring, but it's based on flawed science. Until more is known, adopting aggressive strategies to limit viral spread in schools is the best way to keep students and teachers safe.

    Aug 31, 2020

  • Child wearing a face mask and gloves, holding a binder with Back to School and drawings of coronavirus, photo by Amy Mitchell/Getty Images

    Commentary

    To Reopen Schools Safely, Prepare for New COVID-19 Test Capabilities

    Safely reopening K–12 schools for in-person instruction requires complicated protocols ranging from symptom monitoring to physical distancing, as well as containment of transmission in the community. State policymakers and school leaders could begin planning now to draft, pilot, and evaluate protocols for reopening schools that incorporate rapid testing.

    Aug 28, 2020

  • Blog

    Voting in a Pandemic, the U.S. Postal Service, Defunding the Police: RAND Weekly Recap

    This weekly recap focuses on Americans' views about voting in the age of COVID-19, what makes the U.S. Postal Service so essential, why some in law enforcement may be open to “defunding the police,” and more.

    Aug 28, 2020

  • A person donates blood during a Red Cross and Arizona Diamondbacks baseball team blood drive at Chase Field in Phoenix, April 28, 2020, photo by Ross D. Franklin/AP Images

    Essay

    A Stable Blood Supply Is Critical in the COVID-19 Era

    Millions of lives depend on the U.S. blood supply. But no one knows exactly how much blood is in the system at any given time, or whether it's enough to meet demand. The federal government has no way to collect that data, and hospitals don't share it with each other. What can be done to strengthen the system?

    Aug 27, 2020

  • Homeless encampments along Central Avenue in downtown Los Angeles, California, photo by MattGush/Getty Images

    Report

    How Social Service Providers in L.A. County Are Responding to COVID-19

    Social service providers have adapted quickly to ensure continuity of care for their clients during the pandemic. Obstacles have included a lack of technology access among clients, reductions in revenue and workforce, difficulties having clients shelter in place, and other stressors on staff.

    Aug 24, 2020

  • Testimony

    Testimony

    The Strategic National Stockpile and COVID-19: Rethinking the Stockpile: Addendum

    Document submitted August 21, 2020, as an addendum to testimony before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on June 24, 2020.

    Aug 24, 2020

  • Globed hand holding a vial makred COVID-19 Vaccine with a syringe drawing liquid, photo by Ridofranz/Getty Images

    Commentary

    It's Going to Be the Vaccination, Stupid!

    The increasingly positive news on COVID-19 vaccine development is also bringing growing alarm over whether Americans will trust these vaccines when they become available. While we were clearly not prepared for this virus, we now need to understand how we are going to roll out any proven vaccine.

    Aug 21, 2020

  • Woman using a phone with a coronavirus tracking app installed, photo by kzenon/Getty Images

    Commentary

    Mobile Health Surveillance Is Here to Stay. How Do We Protect Privacy?

    Mobile phone surveillance can augment public health interventions to manage COVID-19 and might help countries prepare for the next outbreak. But these programs collect sensitive health and behavior data. That raises significant risks to personal privacy and civil liberties.

    Aug 20, 2020

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