Public Health Disrupted

Global Mental Health: Rights, Care and the Global Landscape   In this episode, Xand and Rochelle discuss the intricate relationship between geography and global mental health. Alongside guests Parth Sharma and Dr Kelly Rose-Clarke, they explore how factors such as conflict, climate, and social inequalities shape mental health experiences around the world, challenging conventional narratives and hi...

In the first episode of Season 6 of Public Health Disrupted , Dr Xand van Tulleken and Professor Rochelle Burgess explore why younger generations are drinking less, and what that shift means for public health.   Alcohol consumption among young people has fallen sharply over the past two decades, but the reasons behind this change are complex. Is it greater awareness of alcohol harms, economic pres...

In this episode of Public Health Disrupted, host Rochelle Burgess is flying solo, and dives into the transformative power of play in the context of ageing.  Joined by Rachel Colles, a professional performer and ‘Elderflower’ with Hearts and Minds , and Dr Carrie Ryan , a lecturer in Creative Health at UCL, the discussion explores how playfulness can disrupt conventional narratives surrounding agei...

What if the key to better mental health, stronger families, and a more sustainable society was working less ? In this episode, Xand van Tulleken and Rochelle Burgess explore how reducing the working week could transform not just our work-life balance but public health more broadly. They’re joined by: Joe Ryle – Campaign Director of the 4 Day Week Foundation , advocating for a shorter working week...

In this episode of Public Health Disrupted, hosts Xand van Tulleken and Professor Rochelle Burgess tackle the concept of the "nanny state". Alongside guests Dr Adam Briggs and Professor James Wilson, they delve into the delicate balance between government intervention and individual freedom in the realm of public health. The conversation explores how public health policies can sometimes be perceiv...

Hosts Xand van Tulleken and Rochelle Burgess dive into how we form beliefs, and how they shape our understanding of critical public health issues. From vaccination hesitancy to climate change, the episode explores the psychological mechanisms that lead to entrenched views and the challenges of changing minds.        Joining them are Mia Forbes Pirie, a leading international mediator, and Dr. Kris...

Welcome back to a brand new season of Public Health Disrupted ! As Rochelle makes her return to the podcast following maternity leave, we’re excited to present the very first episode of Season 5: a fascinating examination and celebration of the power of movement to foster connection and belonging. This episode will be of particular interest to runners and fans of group or community exercising, or...

The World Health Organisation highlights the tobacco epidemic as one of the greatest public health crises in history, claiming over 8 million lives annually. Over 7 million of these deaths stem from direct tobacco use, while around 1.3 million are due to second-hand smoke exposure among non-smokers. The scale of the human and economic tragedy that tobacco imposes is shocking, and preventable. In t...

The development of wastewater systems in the 19th century was one of the greatest achievements of public health, but in recent years there has been growing concern and scrutiny of water quality and sewage pollution. The critical issue of sewage contamination in the UK's rivers and seas is having a profound impact on environmental sustainability and recent reports have urged upgrades in wastewater...

In this month’s episode, our experts dive into the exciting world of genetics, exploring the latest technological breakthroughs and innovations. They discuss not only the value of these advancements but also the ethical considerations surrounding them, particularly in how they can enhance the health of the public. Dr Adam Rutherford, bestselling author, broadcaster and lecturer in genetics and soc...

"It's not our children who are disordered, it's the environment in which we're expecting them to operate." In this month’s episode, our experts explore the pressing issue of children's mental health in the UK. With one in five young individuals facing probable mental health disorders, the urgency for effective support systems is undeniable. Joining the conversation are Kate Silverton, renowned bro...

"Is technology the magic bullet for humanitarian aid, or does it come with its own set of ethical dilemmas?" In this episode, hosts Dr Xand van Tulleken and Dr Rochelle Burgess delve into the complex world of humanitarian crises and the transformative role of technology in emergency responses. With the expertise of Professor Maria Kett, an anthropologist with a rich background in disability-inclus...

Join hosts Doctor Xand van Tulleken and Dr Rochelle Burgess for Season 4, Episode 1 of Public Health Disrupted with Prof Helen Bedford and Doctor Ranj Singh. "It's about building knowledge with communities and allowing people to ask questions without negative labelling." Why are vaccination rates declining, and how can we rebuild trust?  Vaccine rates are falling in the UK, and it's time we turn t...

“It’s the indirect act of racism that is leading to poorer outcomes for racialised groups.” How does racism impact people’s health? And how big is this problem?  We're three years on from George Floyd's murder, which launched a wave of global protests under the banner never again. This, of course, has not been the case. We're also three years since the COVID pandemic began, which really highlighte...

Join hosts Doctor Xand van Tulleken and Dr Rochelle Burgess for Season 3, Episode 4 of Public Health Disrupted with Prof Joyce Harper and Rachel Lankester.   “We’re more valuable to our communities post-menopause as leaders than as breeders.”   How does our society value menopausal women? The lack of public awareness around this natural phase in a women’s life has resulted in the menopause being a...

“A remarkable number of claims you see in newspapers and magazines about sex are essentially made up.” What does the average British person think about sex? For over 40 years the Natsal surveys have been recording sexual data, capturing striking changes in our behaviour and sexual lifestyles across the decades. They have been pivotal in the population measurement of the social, behavioural and bio...

“It’s really not our fault that we struggle with our health, we have to look to the system around us and hold them accountable.” In our fast-paced world, convenience is king where food is concerned and many of us are now fuelling our bodies with an entirely novel set of substances called Ultra-Processed Food. In today’s episode, we’re taking a closer look at this industrially processed food (which...

EPISODE DESCRIPTION “The way to get economic growth in a sustainable way is to improve the income of the bottom 60% of the population.” How does the cost-of-living crisis affect the health of the public? What impact does financial stress have on our physical and mental wellbeing? This episode aims to reshape the narrative and create a clearer understanding of the growing economic and health proble...

“The ways in which we talk about our bodies, the metaphors we use to understand our bodies in the world around us radically shape our health and the way we approach health.”   What is meant by the obesity crisis and where does the power lie to address the social determinants and intricacies that impact it? With a growing epidemic of chronic illness, is there a need to reframe public health’s appro...

“There’s much more room for nuance in the conversation than it feels like we have now.” Social media is a huge part of our lives, but growing fears are fuelling debate that it is bad for children and young people. What should the conversation around social media be and what questions should we be asking? Exploring the binary complexities of social media, Dr Chris Bagley and Ella Gregory bring a fr...

“Death is something that affects us all and by not talking about it we make it harder.”   Death is not infinitely deferrable, yet the successes of traditional modern Western medicine in increasing life expectancy have hugely impacted the human psyche of immortality. Where can people go to understand death, where is the narrative? Can we prioritise public health in a way that is reflective of socia...

“It is imperative that we learn to create homes that truly support and sustain us.”   Interior and external environments affect our health and wellbeing in ways that we are only now beginning to truly understand: from the impact of the urban spaces that are fundamentally unhealthy due to air pollution and noise, to acknowledging the changes that colour, daylight, mess and a good night’s sleep can...

Summary Grammy-award winning composer and conductor Eric Whitacre joins chair of the UK’s largest COVID-19 social study and UCL's Professor Daisy Fancourt to talk about the power of community. They explore how people bound by common experiences can improve their health through non-clinical methods, looking at how singing and music can form a part of that process, and the wider implications that ha...

Summary Author, chair of WHO Council on economics, and UCL Professor Mariana Mazzucato joins renegade economist, creator of the “Doughnut” model of social and planetary boundaries, and Oxford Senior Associate Kate Raworth to share their considerable expertise on the relationship between public health and the economy; and why taking a mission-oriented approach will improve the overall health of the...

For this final episode, we’re reflecting on what we’ve learned about public health over the past six months. Hosts Xand and Rochelle explore the episodes we’ve recorded so far that show what needs disrupting in public health, and look back at what our wonderful guests have been doing to shake up the system. Featuring clips from interviews with Prof Paul Ekins, Dominique Palmer, Laura Lexx, Dr Matt...