Public Health On Call - 318 - Gun Violence Prevention: What a Study of Mass Shootings Tells Us About How to Prevent Them

318 - Gun Violence Prevention: What a Study of Mass Shootings Tells Us About How to Prevent Them

05/17/21 • 14 min

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Mass shootings are very rare, but they receive a lot of media attention and have enormous social costs. Guest host Dr. Daniel Webster, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Prevention and Policy, talks with Dr. Jillian Peterson from Hamline University and Dr. James Densley from Metropolitan State University about The Violence Project, research that collects data about the life history of mass shooters and their psychological profiles. They discuss what they’ve learned, how this research can inform interventions, and why evidence suggests that many of the ways we’re currently trying to prevent violence are all wrong.

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317 - Book Club—Jonathan Cohn and The Ten Year War: Obamacare and the Unfinished Crusade for Universal Coverage

The Affordable Care Act was meant to bring the US into alignment with every other developed country in offering universal health coverage. Author Jonathan Cohn joins Dr. Josh Sharfstein to talk about how a health care law that has been debated since the 1930s finally gained traction under Obama and insured millions of people with serious health conditions, and yet leaves so much undone. The Affordable Care Act is a story of just how hard policy change in the US can be. Note: You do not have to have read Cohn’s book to enjoy this conversation.

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319 - COVID-19, Kids, and Summer: Thinking Ahead About Camps, Vacations, and Family Fun

Families in the US are ready for rest and fun this summer after a very long year. But with unvaccinated children and changing guidance for vaccinated adults, how can families plan ahead for summer camps and travel? Guest host Dr. Colleen Barry talks with epidemiologist Dr. Keri Althoff, and Lisa David, director of an overnight camp in Pennsylvania, about COVID safety this summer and making sure that kids, who have been through so much over the last year, have a summer of fun and joy. Note: Dr. Althoff references this framework which has been updated to reflect changing guidance on vaccinations and masks.