Only 1% of the country’s total health spending is devoted to public health activities.4 State public health spending was flat in the decade following the 2008-09 recession5 despite growing needs, including rising maternal mortality6 and stagnant or declining life expectancy.7 However, the challenges facing government public health go beyond budgetary constraints. Public health research: funded publicly, pursued privately The US has a system of health research that is largely publicly funded but privately directed by scientists at (predominantly private) universities. The political challenges to building a robust public health system in the US are formidable, and the task is far too large for the public health workforce to take on alone. This experience gave rise to many of the concerns regarding government public health capacity explored in this article. JMF researches health equity, policing, structural racism, and the political economy of the US covid-19 pandemic response.

Source: Washington Post February 05, 2024 23:44 UTC