Aging Fast & Slow

Social connection is more than a feel-good concept—it’s a cornerstone of community resilience and public health. In this episode of Aging Fast & Slow, Dr. Thomas Cudjoe of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine discusses the science behind social ties, how isolation undermines both individual and community well-being, and what it takes to build stronger, more connected neighborhoods. Join us for a c...

In this episode of Aging Fast & Slow, we explore how home- and community-based services—like Meals on Wheels—can enhance the well-being of older adults. Dr. Kali Thomas, Associate Director of Health Services Research at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing’s Center for Equity in Aging, joins us to discuss the evolving landscape of long-term care. From in-home support to assisted living, we examine...

Join hosts Drs. Sarah Szanton and Deidra Crews for a special segment as they recap highlights from past episodes on structural resilience. From enlightening dialogues on health equity to inspiring advice from researchers, they revisit key moments and share their reflections on the insights gained. Whether you’re a longtime listener or new to the show, this episode offers peak moments to savor from...

Social connection is vital to community well-being. It fosters support, resilience, and a shared sense of belonging that strengthens both individuals and the community as a whole. In this episode of Aging Fast & Slow, we explore the impact of social connection on community resilience. Dr. Thomas Cudjoe from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine shares research on how isolation affects health and commun...

In this episode of Aging Fast & Slow, we delve into ways to improve the quality of life of older adults needing home- and community-based services. We are joined by Dr. Kali Thomas, Associate Director of Health Services Research in the Center for Equity in Aging at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing. Dr. Thomas' research spans the long-term services and supports continuum, ranging from in-home servic...

Join us for this episode of Aging Fast & Slow as we explore the structural resilience of Indigenous Peoples amidst systemic inequities. Dr. Allison Kelliher, Associate Faculty for Indigenous Knowledge and Practice Systems at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, sheds light on pathways to positive change and health equity. With her unique background as an Alaska Native Traditional Healer and Integrativ...

Policies are pivotal for shaping the structural resilience of communities, influencing their ability to navigate and overcome adversity. In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Vincent Guilamo-Ramos, Director of The Institute for Policy Solutions at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, to explore how policies, social determinants of health, and structural resilience intersect to shape community well...

Ongoing research is shedding light on the complex dimensions of structural resilience. In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Kamila Alexander, an Associate Professor at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing. Dr. Alexander's research focuses on understanding how socio-structural factors impact health outcomes of marginalized youth, particularly regarding trauma, violence, and sexual, mental, and reproduc...

This episode delves into the powerful connection between resilience and civic engagement that enables underserved communities to not just withstand systemic challenges but to emerge stronger. Our guest for this conversation is Dr. Hahrie Han, the Director of the SNF Agora Institute and a Professor of Political Science at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Han explores how grassroots organizations trans...

Grandmothers, coaches, school nurses, barbers — what are the roles of non-traditional community leaders like these and what critical roles can they play in engaging historically divested communities and isolated individuals? How can art, imagination, and collective action model best practices for more equitable structures? We are joined by Marisa Morán Jahn, an artist whose work with low-wage work...

For the past three seasons, we've delved deep into the critical issue of structural racism, shedding light on its complex web of historical, political, and social factors that contribute to its persistence. Another critical aspect of this topic pertains to the resilience and fortitude cultivated within communities in the face of structural racism. Our upcoming podcast season will feature scientist...

The complex aspects of structural racism—encompassing policies, practices, and cultural biases—make it difficult to measure, often requiring innovative methods that account for historical and contemporary disparities. In this episode, we speak with Dr. Karen Bandeen-Roche, a distinguished biostatistician who has mastered the art of quantifying the unquantifiable. Dr. Bandeen-Roche guides us throug...

In the realm of addressing health disparities and fostering health equity, the intricacies of socioeconomic factors and their profound influence cannot be understated. In this podcast episode, we welcome Dr. Laura Samuel, an Assistant Professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, whose expertise in addressing socioeconomic disparities offers profound insights that contribute to the broader dia...

In this podcast episode, we explore how neighborhoods and the policies that govern those communities can reveal long-standing issues of racism within our society. Our guest, Dr. Odis Johnson, Jr. from Johns Hopkins University, is an expert in multiple fields, including health policy, education, and sociology. Dr. Johnson helps us understand how these issues have led to ongoing inequalities, partic...

From enduring the consequences of forced displacement and cultural disruption to grappling with inadequate resources and discriminatory policies, Native American communities have faced multifaceted challenges that have deeply impacted their ability to receive equitable and effective healthcare. Join us in this enlightening episode as we engage with Dr. Emily Haozous, a distinguished Research Scien...

Structural racism has attracted increasing interest as an explanation for racial disparities in health. But structural racism has often been measured using single-indicator proxies such as housing discrimination. This approach leaves important aspects of structural racism unaccounted for. We kick off season 3 with social epidemiologist and associate professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School...

Structural racism is more than private prejudices held by individuals. It is embedded in institutional policies and practices that unfairly minoritize and disadvantage certain groups while advantaging others. Addressing structural racism then requires not only changing individual attitudes, but also identifying and changing those policies and institutions that foster a racial hierarchy. We are joi...

Time may be a social determinant of health that is influenced by racism across the life course. Unfortunately, time as a social resource is often not considered in most studies of health disparities. Dr. Gilbert Gee, Chair of the Department of Community Health Sciences at the Fielding School of Public Health, UCLA, joins us to examine racism through the lens of time, showing us how historically it...

Black people have the highest infant mortality rate of any racial or ethnic group in the United States. And the disparities are stark. Black pregnant people in the U.S. experience preterm birth at rates approximately 2 times that of White pregnant people and Black infants are twice as likely to die within the first year. In this episode, we are joined by University of Minnesota health equity resea...

Structural racism is a core cause of health inequities. Providing evidence of that relationship requires a reliable method to measure structural racism. Frequently, measurements of racism are too simplistic and feed the false narrative that race, rather than racism, is the cause of racial health inequities. In this episode, Dr. Roland J. Thorpe, Jr., a gerontologist and social epidemiologist at th...

Drs. Sarah Szanton and Deidra Crews kick off Aging Fast & Slow Season 2 with guest Dr. Paris "AJ" Adkins-Jackson, Assistant Professor in the Departments of Epidemiology and Sociomedical Sciences at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. One big question for health researchers is how to measure structural racism in different places and systems. Dr. Adkins-Jackson is among the leading...

Season 2 Trailer. Aging Fast & Slow is returning. With this relaunch, we are moving beyond documenting inequities and moving to new measurement methods and solutions for achieving health equity and justice. Tune in as we interview cutting-edge scientists, policy experts, and innovators as we seek to understand structural discrimination, and resilience across the lifecourse and the impact on health...

Season1. Episode 5. Wrapping up Season 1, Dr. Lisa Cooper stresses the importance of trust as a key ingredient for the patient-physician relationship, community engagement, and crisis response. Podcast References: Race, Gender, and Partnership in the Patient-Physician Relationship Unmasking and Addressing COVID-19’s Toll on Diverse Populations A Game Plan to Help the Most Vulnerable COVID-19 and H...

Season 1. Episode 4. This episode of Aging Fast & Slow highlights how business collaborations drive systems change to achieve social impact. Guest Stephen Johnston describes how Aging2.0 accelerates innovation through its global community and collective intelligence platform to improve the lives of older adults. Podcast References: Aging2.0 Connect with your local Aging2.0 Chapter The Collective A...

Season1. Episode 3. Even amid the COVID-19 outbreak, chronic conditions don't take a break. In honor of National Kidney Month, we talk to Aging Fast & Slow’s own Dr. Deidra Crews, a nephrologist at Johns Hopkins. She tells us how kidney health inequities impact us all and how common they are. Dr. Crews also helps us understand what epidemiology and intervention research are, how they differ, and h...