population health

Featured: Healthcare During Conflict

Featured: Healthcare During Conflict

By Dr. Seleem Choudhury

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 1.8 billion people live in a classified conflict zone, equal to 23% of the global population (World Health Organization, 2024). As the University of Cambridge’s Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (CRASSH) analysis indicates, conflict in modern times tends toward the “purposeful destruction and destabilisation of civil society, making non-combatants a main target,” with disregard for the rules of war, international humanitarian law, and human rights (CRASSH News, 2023).

COVID in 2022: Key components of moving to an endemic state

COVID in 2022: Key components of moving to an endemic state

By Dr. Seleem R. Choudhury

There can be no doubt that the coronavirus pandemic is ongoing, serious, and unpredictable. But based on current data and past patterns, we can forecast what Spring 2022 might bring and how to best respond.

Developing excellence in primary care

Developing excellence in primary care

By Dr. Seleem R. Choudhury

Nearly half of all Americans suffer from at least one chronic disease, and that number is growing. Chronic diseases—including cancer, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, heart disease, respiratory diseases, arthritis, obesity, and oral diseases—can lead to hospitalization, long-term disability, reduced quality of life, and death. Additionally, chronic diseases often require a long period of supervision, observation, or care. To make matters more complicated, many patients have multiple morbidities, creating particular challenges for healthcare providers.

A global pandemic calls for global response: The importance of equitable global vaccine distribution

A global pandemic calls for global response: The importance of equitable global vaccine distribution

By Dr. Seleem R. Choudhury

According to the United Nations, 75% of all COVID-19 vaccinations have been administered among just 10 countries, while 130 countries have not received even a single dose of the vaccine, as of mid-February 2021 (Al Jazeera, 2021). Global health and political leaders have condemned this unbalanced distribution of vaccines and are taking action to ensure vaccine equity. Dr. Tebros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), said in a recent address, “The world is on the brink of a catastrophic moral failure—and the price of this failure will be paid with lives and livelihoods in the world’s poorest countries” (United Nations, 2021).

Overcoming barriers to provide patient-centered care

Overcoming barriers to provide patient-centered care

By Dr. Seleem R. Choudhury

The term "patient-centered care" is in vogue and utilized by health system administrators, marketing gurus, hospital staff, and clinicians alike. It's a catchy phrase that resonates with stakeholders, and it sounds like something every healthcare organization would heartily embrace. However, the heart of patient-centered care and its implications for how care is actually provided to patients is not well understood.

Management and Rehabilitation of Long-Term Effects of COVID-19

Management and Rehabilitation of Long-Term Effects of COVID-19

By Dr. Seleem R. Choudhury

As a society, we have been enduring life in a pandemic for over half a year. Though we have been feeling the effects of COVID-19 for a long time, medically speaking the disease is still very new to us. It is important to remember that our knowledge is still developing regarding the virus and much remains unknown—specifically the long-term effects of the disease.

How to address inequality in healthcare

How to address inequality in healthcare

By Dr. Seleem R. Choudhury

Population Health invokes an image of helping to improve the health of all within the community however even in recent years a large portion of the community are being further marginalized and failed on a daily basis and this systematic failure is leading to premature deaths and poor health outcomes. Black Lives Matter protests have emphasized the racial disparity evident within the United States and the western world. It’s an opportunity to look beyond the issues of law enforcement and examine one aspect of inequality and examine how Black, Indigenous and People of Colour are impacted by being treated differently within healthcare.

Identifying and managing high-risk patients during COVID-19

Identifying and managing high-risk patients during COVID-19

By Dr. Seleem R. Choudhury

More people are infected with and have died from the coronavirus in the U.S. than anywhere else in the world, according to the available data at the time of this article’s publication (Andrew, 2020). Even with these astounding numbers, researchers are almost certain that the number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. have been significantly undercounted, since individuals with few to no symptoms are rarely tested.