Podcasts
The Nation's Health Podcast brings you expert insights from public health leaders. Join us each month as we explore issues that are impacting the field and the nation's health and well-being. Brought to you by APHA, this is a can't-miss public health podcast!
Listen to episodes here and subscribe through your favorite podcast platform, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts. And check out our new Public Health Podcast Directory.
NEW! S26, Ep03 — Fluoridation: Your secret hack for better health
Fluoride — one of public health’s most effective and equitable tools — is facing a growing wave of policy rollbacks, misinformation and public skepticism. Host Sophia Meador talks with Wade Rakes, MBA, CEO of the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, and pediatrician Susan Fisher-Owens, MD, MPH, to unpack what’s at stake for oral health, who could be most affected by potential bans and how to build trust in fluoride.
Listen to the episode and read the transcript.
Released: April 24, 2026 Runtime: 15:13
S26, Ep02 — AI chatbots and teens: What’s concerning public health professionals
As loneliness and isolation grow among U.S. teens, some are turning to AI chatbots for companionship, sparking new concerns for public health professionals. Host Sophia Meador talks to experts about what the trend could mean for teen mental health.
Listen to the episode and read the transcript.
Released: March 18, 2026 Runtime: 15:13
S26, Ep01 — Reducing uncertainty: Talking with parents about vaccines
As public confidence in vaccines ebbs, clinicians and public health workers are increasingly addressing concerns and confusion with parents. In the latest episode of The Nation’s Health Podcast, host Sophia Meador speaks with Alexandra Cvijanovich, a pediatrician and official spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics. They discuss common parental concerns, strategies for addressing vaccine hesitancy and what lies ahead as federal guidance challenges established vaccine science.
Listen to the episode and read the transcript.
Released: Feb. 6, 2026 Runtime: 12:21
Season 25 episodes
S25, Ep11 — Public health isn’t giving up: What’s fueling hope for 2026
Listen to the episode and read the transcript — Dec. 19, 2025
S25, Ep10 — The hunger gap: Higher prices, less assistance means emptier plates for Americans
Listen to the episode and read the transcript — Nov. 21, 2025
BONUS — Lessons from the dead: CDC reporting system helping prevent violent deaths
Listen to the episode and read the transcript — Nov. 20, 2025
S25, Ep9 — Silence isn’t science: Why public health needs to get loud
Listen to the episode and read the transcript — Oct. 29, 2025
S25, Ep8 — E-cigs, pouches and teens: Why the tobacco fight isn’t over
Listen to the episode and read the transcript. — Sept. 30, 2025
S25, Ep7 — CDC attack signals lack of support for public health workforce
Listen to the episode and read the transcript — Aug. 22, 2025
S25, Ep6 — Voices to trust amid federal vaccine chaos
Listen to the episode and read the transcript — July 31, 2025
The Heat Rx, Episode 3: Policy to practice: Leading the way in climate health
Listen to the episode and read the transcript — July 28, 2025
S25, Ep5 — The budget breakdown: Public health on the line
Listen to the episode and read the transcript — June 30, 2025
The Heat Rx, Episode 2: Educating health workers to reduce harms of extreme heat
Listen to the episode and read the transcript — June 26, 2025
The Heat Rx Series: Episode 1, Smart surfaces for public health
Listen to the episode and read the transcript — May 30, 2025
S25, Ep4 — Magic mushrooms go mainstream
Listen to the episode and read the transcript — May 6, 2025
S25, Ep3 — 5 threats to vaccination in the age of RFK Jr.
Listen to the episode and read the transcript — April 11, 2025
S25, Ep2 — What the president's order on DEI could mean for public health
Listen to the episode and read the transcript — Feb. 5, 2025
S25, Ep1 — Public health 2025: What’s ahead
Listen to the episode and read the transcript — Jan. 10, 2025
For questions or problems about our podcast, send us a message from our feedback page. Check out our Public Health Podcast Directory.
