Healthy Chicago Podcast

June is Men’s Health Month. On this episode, Sam Rene (CDPH Program Manager, syndemic infectious disease bureau) speaks with Dominique Wilson (African American Wellness Agency and National Center for Urban Solutions) and Walter Lindsey (CDPH Database Analyst) about Black men’s health, stigma and myth around men’s health, and how every man can prioritize their mental and physical wellness. Open to...

Joabe Barbosa is a graduate student at Roosevelt University studying clinical psychology, but that’s likely not how you know him. If you’ve watched local news or been on Instagram lately, you likely know Joabe as the Brazilian guy wearing the Chicago flag as a cape, who is trying to run every street in the city. He’s also the guy who ran a half marathon in an inflatable bee costume , ran a long-di...

Joabe Barbosa, un estudiante de posgrado de la Universidad de Roosevelt, tiene una misión extraordinaria: correr por cada una de las calles en los 77 vecindarios de Chicago. Ha recorrido miles de millas, ha construido una comunidad que lo sigue en redes sociales y ha utilizado su plataforma para destacar a personas e historias que hacen que esta ciudad sea tan especial. En este episodio descubrimo...

Many sleep-related infant deaths occur in ordinary, everyday circumstances: exhaustion, bedsharing, soft bedding, and safe sleep spaces that go unused in moments of fatigue. These situations can be life-threatening for a baby. In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Gina Lowell , Director of Community Health for Pediatrics at Rush University Children’s Hospital, and Dr. Kyran Quinlan , Pediatric Medi...

¿Sabías que hay un grupo de jóvenes de entre 14 y 19 años que ayudan a asesorar a líderes de la ciudad sobre los desafíos que existen hoy en día en la salud mental y que contribuyen a la creación de políticas que apoyan el bienestar de la juventud en nuestra ciudad? En este episodio, tuvimos una conversación sin filtros con integrantes del Grupo de Trabajo de Salud Pública de la Comisión de Juvent...

On this episode of the Healthy Chicago Podcast, Ayo and Charlotte, local high school students and members of the Mayor’s Youth Commission (MYC), join Kathy Calderon (Director of Behavioral Health Program Operations) in conversation about their work in the MYC, raising awareness about mental health amongst Chicago’s youth, and how current trends and technologies like social media present challenges...

What is National Infant Immunization Week and why is it important? On this episode, Atinuke Ajibola (Public Health Nurse II) and Diana Balbarin (Nurse Practitioner) discuss why this yearly observance is crucial for children’s health, what the current guidelines are, and how to navigate any uncertainty around vaccines and vaccine-prevention illnesses. Find out more at https://www.chicago.gov/city/e...

Como cada año, la Semana Nacional de la Vacunación Infantil se celebra la tercera semana de abril. En este episodio, Ariel Padilla y Whitney Bellido, enfermeras de las clínicas de inmunización de las vacunas, nos hablan sobre la importancia de estar al día con las vacunas, cómo estas protegen a los más pequeños y cuál es el calendario actualizado de vacunación. También abordamos los mitos que rode...

¿Alguna vez te has preguntado quién realiza la labor de investigar y contener el contagio de enfermedades en Chicago? En este episodio hablamos con la Investigadora de enfermedades, María Ferreira-Alharb, quien se dedica a investigar y contener brotes. Es un trabajo que realiza a diario para proteger la vida de los habitantes de Chicago. Nos cuenta qué pistas sigue para encontrar el origen de un b...

Noel Green speaks with LaRhonda Witherspoon about the role that CDPH's Syndemic Infectious Diseases Bureau plays in providing support for patients who have fallen out of care. The Department’s Communicable Disease Control Investigators (CDCI) connect with newly diagnosed cases of communicable and infectious diseases to help with proper use of medications, provide understanding of diagnoses, li...

March is National Nutrition Month—a time to highlight the importance of making informed food choices and developing healthy eating habits. On this episode, Tallett Vanek (Director of Nutrition at CDPH) is joined by Annie Chacko (Regional Nutrition Coordinator at CDPH) and Nancy Rivera (WIC Supervisor at Alivio Medical Center) to discuss the vital role of CDPH’s WIC clinics in supporting families a...

¿Sabías que Chicago cuenta con la red de monitoreo de aire más grande de todo el país y la segunda más grande del mundo? Esta red está formada por monitores que recopilan datos sobre la calidad del aire, permitiendo conocer qué respiran los residentes de la ciudad, medir los niveles de contaminación y prevenir problemas de salud. Además, estos datos ayudan a que los ciudadanos puedan tomar decisio...

Antonio King is no stranger to Chicago Department of Public Health, spending 21 years with the department in various roles before becoming the first Director of LGBTQ+ Affairs for the City of Chicago. [Visit his previous conversation with Jamie Frazier (Executive Director of Lighthouse Foundation) on Episode 68 .] In conversation with CDPH Information Coordinator James Scalzitti, King discusses hi...

Nearly 26% of Chicago’s population lives with a disability—over 500,000 people across all ages, neighborhoods, and backgrounds. In collaboration with the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD), CDPH recently released its newest report, “Neighborhood Conditions for Adults with Disabilities in Chicago,” highlighting the lived experiences of people with disabilities and the neighborhood c...

In the summer of 2025, the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) and University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) School of Public Health installed 277 sensors throughout Chicago, making it the largest community air monitoring network in the United States and the second largest in the world. Now, the partnership has publicly launched air sensor data via Open Air Chicago . Grace Adams, CDPH Environmen...

El consumo de alimentos poco saludables, el tabaquismo y la falta de actividad física pueden aumentar el riesgo de hipertensión y enfermedades cardiovasculares. Febrero es el mes de la concientización sobre la salud del corazón y representa una oportunidad perfecta para modificar hábitos, realizar chequeos de rutina de este órgano vital y conocer los recursos disponibles para mantenerlo fuerte y s...

February is American Heart Month. CDPH Medical Director for Immunizations and Emergency Preparedness Alex Sloboda and Commissioner Olusimbo Ige discuss the importance of heart health, heart disease and its risks and symptoms, and how you can decrease your risks for heart issues. Additionally, the team discusses how CDPH, Chicago Public Libraries, and Chicago Park District work together each Februa...

Wherever you go in Chicago, it seems there’s somebody nearby with a cough, runny nose, or congestion. So, what is the city's status during the current respiratory virus season? Medical Director Dr. Brian Borah talks with Senior Epidemiologist Stephanie Gretsch about activity levels of flu, RSV, and COVID; overall trends around virus activity levels; and how to protect yourself when diseases ar...

On the last episode of the season, the two-person “Team Tobacco” Chioma Ejiofor (Public Health Administrator III) and Juan Ortega (Public Health Administrator III) discuss the difference between tobacco and nicotine, how smoking affects the brain and body, predatory marketing from the tobacco industry, and how you can get assistance should you want to quit. Get help quitting tobacco at the Illinoi...

On this episode, Dr. Francisco Rodriguez (CDPH Director of Mental Health Clinics) speaks with Donald “DJ” Watson (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Fables CEC) about themes surrounding men’s mental health. The conversation covers toxic masculinity, stereotypes vs. reality, cultural differences in masculinity, and how men can acknowledge personal challenges and ask for help. DJ Watson can be...

Hablemos de las redadas migratorias. Muchas personas se vieron forzadas a mantenerse en casa; dejaron de ir a sus trabajos, a las escuelas y de realizar sus actividades cotidianas por miedo a ser detenidas en algún operativo migratorio. Ante todo esto, ¿cuáles fueron las consecuencias en su salud mental? ¿Cómo se vio afectada su estabilidad emocional ante el temor de una separación familiar? En es...

Since June 1, 2025, Chicago has experienced another outbreak of mpox, with cases spiking in September. But what exactly is mpox? Further, what are the symptoms, who is at greatest risk for transmission, and what steps can people take to protect themselves? What should clinical providers know about testing and identifying mpox in practice? In this episode, Irina ("Dr. T") Tabidze, MD, MPH...

In Chicago and Illinois, changes are coming to the Health Insurance Marketplace. Did you know nearly 1 in 10 Chicagoans are uninsured? With open enrollment having started on November 1 and many new questions about affordability arising, it is the perfect time to take action. In this episode, Director Morgan Winters from Get Covered Illinois joins host Joy Macatangay, Public Health Administrator at...

As the 2025 respiratory virus season ramps up, Illinois and Chicago health leaders share what you need to know to stay protected. On this episode, Dr. Alexander Sloboda (CDPH’s Medical Director of Immunization and Emergency Preparedness Programs) sits down with CDPH Commissioner Dr. Olusimbo Ige and Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Director Dr. Sameer Vohra to talk about recommended gui...

En las últimas semanas, los casos de mpox han aumentado en la ciudad. ¿Sabes cuáles son los síntomas a los que debes estar atento y qué hacer si crees que te contagiaste? En este episodio, hablamos con el Dr. Jorge Cestou, Director de la Oficina de Enfermedades Infecciosas Sindémicas de CDPH. Él nos explica cómo se transmite este virus, que no es solo de transmisión sexual, sino que también puede...