By the Numbers: A Public Health Podcast

In this episode of By the Numbers, we talk to Dr. Stephanie Ettinger de Cuba, executive director of Children’s HealthWatch and a nationally recognized health policy expert. With decades of research connecting housing stability to child and family health, Stephanie shares how safe, stable, affordable housing acts as preventive care—and what communities can do to make that a reality.   Dr. Ettinger...

In this special edition of By the Numbers: A Public Health Podcast , members of Primary Health Care’s Student Advisory Council host part two of a podcast takeover to discuss youth mental health and the stigma that so often surrounds it. From the pressures of school and social media to the challenges of seeking help, these young leaders share their perspectives on what it’s really like to navigate...

In this special edition of By the Numbers: A Public Health Podcast , members of Primary Health Care’s Student Advisory Council host a podcast takeover to discuss youth mental health and the stigma that so often surrounds it.   From the pressures of school and social media to the challenges of seeking help, these young leaders share their perspectives on what it’s really like to navigate mental hea...

Measles is one of the most contagious diseases in the world, but it's also preventable. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are 97% effective at preventing measles. In this episode of By the Numbers, we talk with Dr. Nathan Boonstra, a pediatrician at Blank Children's Hospital and chair of Iowa Immunizes, about the recent measles outbreaks and the role of immunization in keeping communities saf...

Are you one of the 20,000 homeowners that received a letter from Des Moines Water Works saying you may have a lead or galvanized water service line? We're joined by Ted Corrigan, CEO and General Manager of Des Moines Water Works to talk about what that means.  We're also joined by Frank Morano, Lead Abatement Coordinator and HUD Program Manager with the Polk County Health Department to l...

In this special edition of By the Numbers, we dive into part three of a three-episode series about the 2024 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) that was completed in Dallas, Polk, and Warren Counties.  The 2024 CHNA revealed that 37.1% of survey participants experienced or worried about meeting their food needs. Everyone needs access to nutritious food to thrive. Matt Unger of DMARC and Melis...

In this special edition of By the Numbers, we dive into part two of a three-episode series about the 2024 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) that was completed in Dallas, Polk, and Warren Counties.  The 2024 CHNA revealed that 42 percent of respondents worried about paying for their housing in the previous year. Angie Arthur of Homeward Iowa and Matt Hauge of the Polk County Housing Trust Fu...

In this special edition of By the Numbers, we kick off a three-episode series about the 2024 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) that was completed in Dallas, Polk, and Warren Counties. In part one, we learn what the assessment is, and explore the connection between financial stability and health.  The 2024 CHNA revealed that 36 percent of respondents could not cover a $400 emergency expense....

According to a report from the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence , more than 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men in Iowa have experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime. In this episode of By the Numbers, we're joined by Lori Jensen of Children and Families of Iowa to discuss the hidden crisis taking place in communities here and across th...

Iowa has had a record 122 tornadoes in 2024. In this episode of By the Numbers, we dive into how to be prepared for emergencies like natural disasters with two local experts. We hear about the personal experience of a family who lost everything in the E4 tornado that tore through Greenfield, Iowa in May 2024, and learn the important lessons they would like to share with others.

Iowa has the 2nd highest rate of new cancers in the U.S. In this episode of By the Numbers, Addie talks to Kari Lebeda Townsend, Disease Prevention Supervisor with the Polk County Health Department (PCHD). Kari dives into Iowa's rising cancer rates, shares important advice for catching cancer early, and talks about PCHD's Ribbons of Hope program which provides free cancer and heart healt...

One in three people reported knowing someone who died of an overdose per a recent report from the Journal of the American Medical Association, and 18 percent of people say the person they lost was a family member or close friend.  In this episode of By the Numbers, Gabbie Ruggiero with Polk County Behavioral Health and Disability Services joins us to talk about opioids, the overdose epidemic, and...

In August of 2023, the Polk County Health Department launched a gun safety campaign called Talk It Up, Lock It Up. In the first year of the campaign, more than 1,700 free gun locks have been distributed across Polk County. In this episode of By the Numbers, we're joined by Helen Eddy, director of the Polk County Health Department, and Dr. Amy Shriver, president of the Iowa Chapter of the Amer...

Nationally, syphilis cases increased by nearly 80% between 2018 and 2022. In Iowa, there was a 210% increase in syphilis cases during that same timeframe. In this episode of By the Numbers, we break down the syphilis surge with Melissa Brown, a Public Health Investigator with the Polk County Health Department. 

In 2023, nearly six percent of students in Polk County were not fully vaccinated when the Polk County Health Department completed its countywide audit. What does this number mean? In our first episode of By the Numbers, we're joined by the Health Department’s childhood immunization expert, Susan Brooks, RN, BSN, to talk all things kids’ vaccines.