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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.

Report

How to Boost COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance in the United States

Sep 9, 2021

Vaccine hesitancy is a major challenge to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Reaching herd immunity will require boosting confidence in the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines, combatting complacency about the pandemic, and increasing the convenience of getting vaccinated.
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

Blog

Overturning Roe, a New Mental Health Hotline, Russia: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on how repealing Roe v. Wade could affect women in the military, whether America is prepared to launch a new emergency mental health hotline, Russia's war in Ukraine, and more.

Jul 1, 2022
Journal Article

American Single Father Homes: A Growing Public Health Priority

This commentary highlights the need for public health, child welfare and healthcare to pay more attention to fathers and their role in parenting/child development.

Jun 22, 2022
Commentary

Will the New 988 Hotline Be a Game Changer for Mental Health or a Missed Opportunity?

Someone dies from suicide in the United States every 11 minutes, a rate that has increased almost 30 percent since 2000. The 988 mental health hotline will launch on July 16, but states need to clear significant hurdles: funding the expanded crisis response system and making sure people know it's available.

Jun 20, 2022
Commentary

Jordan: Challenges and Successes in COVID-19 Pandemic Response

Lockdown restrictions that may have contributed to low COVID-19 case numbers in Jordan early in the pandemic resulted in economic stresses and increased psychological distress in the general population. RAND researchers identified challenges faced by Jordanians during the crisis and the country's innovative and equitable response to mitigate them.

Jun 20, 2022
Blog

RAND's New President, the U.S. Foreign Service, Transportation Equity: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on RAND's next president and CEO, Jason Matheny, insights into Americans' views on diplomacy and diplomats, solutions for transportation equity, and more.

Jun 10, 2022
Commentary

Qatar: Challenges and Successes in COVID-19 Pandemic Response

Qatar adopted a spectrum of policies and health measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 and encouraged its innovation ecosystem to play a role in fighting the pandemic. The health sector has gained experience during the pandemic that might inform response to future spikes in demand for health system resources.

Jun 9, 2022
Tool

Mental Health Emergency Hotlines in the United States: An Evidence Inventory (2012–2021)

This tool provides summary information to policymakers and agency administrators regarding studies on mental health emergency hotlines in the United States.

Jun 2, 2022
News Release

Preparedness Appears Low for Rollout of National 988 Mental Health Hotline

A survey of a large group of public health officials responsible for helping to roll out the nation's new 988 emergency mental health telephone service found that fewer than half expressed confidence their jurisdiction was prepared in terms of financing, staffing, or infrastructure.

Jun 2, 2022
Journal Article

Digital Technologies for the Surveillance, Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases: A Scoping Review of the Research Literature, 2015–2019

The objective of this review is to obtain an estimate of the size and nature of the literature available on digital technologies with the potential to benefit or disrupt public health functions, focusing on infectious disease surveillance, prevention and control.

Jun 1, 2022
Journal Article

Conceptual Framework for Understanding Incident Management Systems During Public Health Emergencies

We present a conceptual framework of incident management drawn from expert feedback, and a review of literature on incident management and related fields.

Jun 1, 2022
Journal Article

Digital Technologies for Key Public Health Functions: Results of an ECDC Expert Consultation, May/June 2021

In 2019, the ECDC initiated a project to assess the impact of technical advances on its key functions. The results will serve as a source of information for ECDC and its stakeholders to prepare for and benefit from advances to improve disease surveillance, prevention and control.

Jun 1, 2022
Commentary

Lebanon: Challenges and Successes in COVID-19 Pandemic Response

In Lebanon, COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, and daily deaths continue to decline. This is an accomplishment worthy of celebration in the midst of hyperinflation, all-time high unemployment, nadir purchasing power, and a health sector on the verge of collapse.

May 6, 2022
Journal Article

Assessment of Point-of-Care Testing Devices for Infectious Disease Surveillance, Prevention and Control: A Mapping Exercise

This document provides the final report of a mapping exercise undertaken as part of a wider study that was commissioned by ECDC and undertaken by RAND Europe between November 2019 and April 2020.

Apr 29, 2022
Journal Article

A Scoping Review of Point-of-Care Testing Devices for Infectious Disease Surveillance, Prevention and Control

This document provides the final report of a scoping review undertaken as part of a wider study that was commissioned by ECDC and undertaken by RAND Europe between November 2019 and April 2020.

Apr 29, 2022
Commentary

Iran: Challenges and Successes in COVID-19 Pandemic Response

Iran has faced an uphill battle since the first cases of COVID-19 were found in the country. Despite limited resources, Iran has also had its share of successes and innovations in combating the virus.

Apr 20, 2022
Report

Assessing Risk to the National Critical Functions as a Result of Climate Change

Researchers developed a framework to assess and manage the risk that climate change poses to National Critical Functions, then used the framework to assess the most-vulnerable ones. This report details the risk assessment portions of the framework.

Apr 5, 2022
Blog

Helping Ukrainian Refugees, Truth Decay, Algorithmic Inequity: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on how to help Ukrainian refugees, the link between cognitive processes and Truth Decay, tracking wastewater to understand the spread of COVID-19, and more.

Apr 1, 2022
Report

Exploration of Early COVID-19 Responses in Select Middle East Nations

Prior to the pandemic, many countries in the Middle East struggled with health care capacity and access. COVID-19 placed significant additional strain on health care delivery in the region. What common challenges did Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar, and Tunisia face in their pandemic responses?

Mar 24, 2022
Commentary

National Wastewater Tracking Could Help Us Stay Ahead of COVID-19—but Congress Cut the Funds

For years, medical experts have used wastewater to track the spread of diseases. The National Wastewater Surveillance System has the potential to significantly change the way we fight COVID-19 as well as future pandemics, bacterial diseases, and viruses. But building up the robustness of a wastewater surveillance system will take financial support, and it's not clear Congress will provide it.

Mar 24, 2022
Report

Poor indoor climate: Its impact on health and life satisfaction, as well as its wider socio-economic costs

This study looks at the prevalence of poor indoor climate in Europe, its impact on health and well-being, as well as its wider socio-economic costs.

Mar 22, 2022

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