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Think Global Health


Think Global Health is an initiative of the Council on Foreign Relations in collaboration with the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington. Think Global Health chose IHME for its expertise in measuring the world’s health problems. Think Global Health launched on January 21, 2020.

Recommendations, analyses, forecasts, interviews, and data visualizations on the site have been circulated widely and many have been featured in or cited by Vox, The Atlantic, New York Magazine, New York Times, Intercept, Washington Post, the BBC, and many others. Think Global Health was nominated for a Webby Award in 2021.

2023

vintage portrait of Mary Dempsey at her desk
March 28, 2023
The woman behind “Years of Life Lost”

The lost story of Mary Dempsey, who developed a foundational metric of global health.

one person sprays disinfectant on another wearing full protective gear
March 21, 2023
The past, present, and future of the COVID-19 pandemic

What COVID-19 will look like in the coming months.

woman in a refugee camp pours water from a bucket into a cooking pot
March 21, 2023
For Syrian refugees, deadly hazards lurk in camps

Substandard living conditions leave Syrian refugees at a higher risk of injury than native Lebanese people.

a hospital's intensive care unit with several patients in beds
March 11, 2023
On COVID-19, the United States still lags behind peer countries

The United States continues to have among the highest rates of mortality from COVID-19 in the world.

person in full PPE conducts COVID antigen test
February 24, 2023
Avoiding health spending panic and neglect

The importance of maintaining momentum in health spending.

man walks through the airport with a suitcase
February 16, 2023
The United States should rethink its COVID entry requirements

The science shows that infection provides as much protection as vaccination.

February 15, 2023
Just how do deaths due to COVID-19 stack up?

Since the beginning of 2020, COVID has accounted for nearly 1 in 20 deaths globally. This makes it the fourth-leading cause of death worldwide, second-leading in the US, and number one in Brazil, England, France, and Mexico, among others.

wood-burning stove inside a home
February 13, 2023
Tackling air pollution starts at home

A critical need for clean household energy in rapidly developing countries.

surgeon wearing a mask while conducting surgery
February 3, 2023
COVID-19 fueled record-breaking investments in global health

Examining opportunities and challenges related to development spending.

young girl receives a vaccine in Burkina Faso. Photo by WHO.
January 27, 2023
The path to vaccinating the world against HPV

Fewer required doses, more affordable vaccines.

2022

man wearing a mask sits at a temperature check station on the street in China
December 22, 2022
Over one million projected COVID deaths in China

IHME's Ali Mokdad breaks down what that means.

patients sitting in a hospital waiting room
December 12, 2022
Why it's hard to understand how COVID-19 affected global health system performance

Universal health coverage examined through the lens of tuberculosis.

Woman looking wistfully out a window while wearing an oxygen mask, with a dog on her lap
November 28, 2022
Long COVID may catalyze new treatments for chronic pain and fatigue

Medical breakthroughs for long COVID could benefit millions.

pregnant woman sitting on a sofa
November 10, 2022
Family planning: global disparities persist

Contraception access and options need to improve to help empower women, young people.

crowded street in Tokyo
November 10, 2022
Eight billion and counting

The world's population is on the verge of hitting eight billion people, and advances in health are behind the increase.

snow-covered city street
November 4, 2022
What to expect this winter

Our questions about the "tripledemic"—COVID-19, flu, and RSV—are answered by public health expert Ali H. Mokdad.

man sitting beside buckets of vegetables at a market in Morocco
October 10, 2022
Just one to two servings of vegetables a day improves health

But eating more vegetables is still better.

Two women stand at a table, looking at pictures of healthy food options. One woman is holding a baby.
October 7, 2022
The cleft palate-malnutrition connection

During food crises, children with cleft lip and cleft palate are the most vulnerable of the vulnerable.

gloved hands administering a vaccine into a person's shoulder
September 22, 2022
Is it the end of COVID-19 as we know it?

IHME Director Christopher Murray weighs in on the state of the pandemic, the new omicron vaccine, and flu season.

Bottles of sake atop a dinner table
September 6, 2022
The curious case of Japan's alcohol contest

Japan's young people are turning away from alcohol but its tax agency wants to reverse the trend.

gloved hand holding a packet of Paxlovid pills
August 24, 2022
Wanted: global access to Paxlovid

Equitable access to COVID-19 antiviral therapy remains elusive, with many middle-income nations left out.

teacher speaking to a group of students in front of a blackboard
August 4, 2022
The steep price of education in Africa

Education is unaffordable for many families in low- and middle-income countries.

Hospital nurse assists a woman with her newborn
August 4, 2022
Kenya and maternal health: delivering results

Pregnant parents face obstacles in accessing and receiving quality maternal health services.

father administering nasal covid test to young daughter
July 21, 2022
Omicron BA.5: What to know about COVID-19's latest, more contagious variant

Public health expert Ali H. Mokdad answers our COVID questions this week. 

man drinking beer from a bottle
July 14, 2022
For young men, alcohol does not have to be a death sentence

For males ages 15 to 49, drinking alcohol causes nearly 10 percent of all years lost to death and disability.

Black couple holding hands in bed
July 12, 2022
A lifelong struggle with sickle cell disease

The most common inherited disease worldwide is often ignored by health-care providers and policymakers.

elderly Native American man looks into distance
July 5, 2022
Shining a light on Native American health

AIAN life expectancy has not improved over the past decades, but there are Indigenous-led efforts aiming to change that.

colorized monkeypox virus under a microscope
June 22, 2022
Monkeypox transmission explained

David Pigott tracks the spread of diseases with outbreak potential—Ebola, Zika, COVID-19—so we asked him about monkeypox.

restaurant worker wearing a mask sanitizes a table
June 16, 2022
How the US COVID-19 response lost the plot after Omicron

The reasons why the United States is struggling with COVID-19 are changing.

pile of miscellaneous guns on a tarp
June 8, 2022
Better Mental Health Care Is Unlikely to Fix America's Gun Problem

But reducing alcohol use, promoting gun-free homes, and curbing domestic violence hold promise.

two elderly women smile while lifting weights
June 6, 2022
The rising price of dementia

As the number of people with dementia grows, so do the emotional and financial costs of care.

nurse wearing mask hangs IV drip
May 26, 2022
A help wanted sign for health workers

What the ratio of doctors to nurses in Bangladesh and the Philippines tells us about the global health worker shortage.

volunteer shares informational pamphlet about COVID in Nigeria
May 4, 2022
Unvaccinated in Nigeria, and still waiting on a jab

Scaling up COVID-19 antivirals to fight new variants is now more important than ever.

bottle of oxycodone pills
April 28, 2022
Opioid Overdose Deaths: What the United States Can Learn From Other Countries

Naloxone for everyone and supervised drug consumption rooms could be the future.

 father and daughter at doctor's appointment
April 26, 2022
The United States has a primary care problem

It lags far behind when it comes to providing primary health care for Black and Hispanic Americans.

April 15, 2022
What to Know About "Stealth" Omicron

Professor Ali H. Mokdad gives the rundown on the omicron subvariant BA.2.

person wearing PPE gives covid test to woman in car
April 6, 2022
Defanging COVID-19 in China

China has successfully managed the pandemic, omicron could change that.

baby crib with mobile
April 5, 2022
Let Ukraine Set the Example for How We Treat Children Caught in Conflict 

The world must protect the safety of children in all war zones, including those who don't make the news.

Black & white image of shelled trams in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, in 1992
March 22, 2022
Notes from a War-Torn Childhood in Bosnia

"I fear for Ukraine's children"

intubated person
March 10, 2022
COVID-19: Death in Excess

True death counts from the virus are likely much higher than official numbers.

mother and daughter wearing face masks, looking at each other
March 8, 2022
COVID-19 Led to Worse Social and Economic Consequences for Women

Around the globe, the pandemic set back girls and women in education, work, and homes.

an elderly woman sits on a couch with a doctor holding a clipboard
March 4, 2022
Memory Robber—Keeping Dementia From Stealing Our Future

Dementia cases may triple globally by 2050, here's how public health professionals can help.

man using an inhaler
February 25, 2022
Obstacles to Healing Asthma

The link between disparities in housing, access to care, and respiratory health among Black Americans.

two women wearing masks on the subway
February 23, 2022
What Happens When Zero-COVID Countries Lift Restrictions

How Singapore, Australia, Vietnam, and others are transitioning.

CDC sign at headquarters
February 22, 2022
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Needs to Be Reformed

A new CDC era calls for empowering local health experts and explaining "the why" behind policy recommendations.

people watching a performance in a theater wearing masks
February 16, 2022
After the Mandates End

Preparing for the next COVID-19 variant.

cars in traffic
February 10, 2022
Injuries: A Leading Killer of Youth in Lebanon

Traffic accidents are wreaking havoc on young lives, especially children who are refugees.

smoggy sunset over London
January 27, 2022
Every Breath We Take

Air pollution is a pernicious threat linked to millions of deaths each year.

 colonies of Escherichia coli bacteria, grown on a Hektoen enteric (HE) agar plate medium
January 20, 2022
Antibiotic Resistance is a Smoldering Crisis

More than 1.2 million people across the globe died of antibiotic resistant superbugs in 2019.

San Francisco 49ers NFL team playing the NY Jets
January 19, 2022
Sports Teams Took Their Shots, But Fans Lag Behind

What NFL, WNBA, and other professional athletes and teams around the globe can teach us about COVID-19 vaccination.

Insulin Level Test Conducted by an EMT
January 13, 2022
Casualties of COVID: Insulin and Dialysis 

How the pandemic has been life-threatening to people living with diabetes and chronic kidney disease.

photo of Ali Mokdad
January 7, 2022
Omicron Right Now

Public health expert Ali H. Mokdad answers our omicron questions this week.

2021

December 23, 2021
A Sensible Approach to Omicron

New estimates suggest omicron is just 3 percent as deadly as delta.

December 9, 2021
The Seismic Shift in Mental Health Care Since COVID-19

Isolation, job loss, and gender based violence contributed to the uptick in people living with anxiety and depression.

December 1, 2021
Wrong Code

How many HIV/AIDS deaths are we missing?

November 30, 2021
Ending the COVID-19 Pandemic Hinges on Trust

Science alone won't pull us out of the pandemic.

November 23, 2021
A U.S.-European Measles Moment

The unfortunate return of a potentially fatal virus can be blamed on one thing. 

November 17, 2021
Countries Hit Hardest by COVID-19

Which countries will have the highest mortality from COVID-19 come September 1, 2021? The numbers may surprise you. ​

November 16, 2021
Adapting Our Cities to the Future

Why cities need to plan for climate change now. 

September 30, 2021
Ending Police Violence in America

It is time Americans hold themselves accountable for preventing police violence and invest in Black communities.

September 23, 2021
For COVID-19, Development Spending Hasn't Necessarily Matched Need

So how should those investments be targeted?

September 15, 2021
How to Keep Schools Open in the Face of Delta

Face masks and vaccines are just some of the methods schools can use to stay open.

September 14, 2021
Supporting Kids With Long COVID as They Head Back to School

Schools will need to accommodate children with lingering post-virus symptoms.

September 9, 2021
Women and Suicide During COVID-19

In some countries, suicide among females has increased as the pandemic wears on.

September 8, 2021
Putting Vision Loss and Aging into Focus

Addressing high blood sugar can reduce vision loss in older adults.

September 7, 2021
Hearing Loss, Social Isolation, and the COVID-19 Pandemic

Socially distanced environments require inclusive policies for hard-of-hearing people.

August 20, 2021
Hot, Cold, and Deadly

Extreme temperature is a threat to global health. As temperatures increase globally, any reduced risk for death from cold will be more than offset by the increased risk from heat.

August 12, 2021
Time for a Smart Approach to Boosters

Some privileged Americans are seeking out supplementary COVID-19 vaccines, but the most vulnerable should be prioritized.

August 3, 2021
Exclusive Breastfeeding Faces Continued Challenges in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Only six LMICs are projected to meet the WHO's Global Nutrition Target of 70 percent or greater EBF prevalence by 2030.

June 9, 2021
Planning Amid Uncertainty

While only a fraction of the world is fully vaccinated, some regions—mostly within high-income countries where vaccines are accessible—are entering a liminal space where businesses, governments, the public sector, individuals, and families may start to consider longer-term plans.

June 9, 2021
Criminalizing HIV Slows Progress

Discriminatory laws keep people from seeking care, prevention information.
 

June 9, 2021
Traversing Nepal’s COVID Peaks and Valleys

While Nepal's lockdown worked to contain COVID-19, the measures had severe consequences on the economy.

May 30, 2021
How Tobacco Advertising Woos Women

The myth of "You've come a long way, baby" and other ploys to lure female smokers.

May 27, 2021
Unknowing victims: the risk of secondhand smoke exposure during COVID lockdowns

The risk of secondhand smoke exposure during COVID lockdowns.

May 26, 2021
Opioid Deaths and Lockdowns: A Complicated Story

In the United States and Canada, the synthetic opioid fentanyl and lockdowns were a deadly combination.

May 13, 2021
E-Cigarettes and the U.S. Menthol Ban: A Missed Opportunity to Protect Youth

The FDA's recent promise to ban menthol-flavored tobacco needs to go further, nixing flavors in all tobacco products.

May 12, 2021
Tracking Lives We've Lost to COVID-19

It's surprisingly hard to answer how many lives we've lost to COVID-19.

April 14, 2021
Reducing Inequity in the United States' Vaccine Rollout

We need to rethink what vaccine access means.

April 1, 2021
Through Understanding and Empathy, We Can Convince Women to Get the COVID-19 Vaccine

Many are concerned about side effects, and want to wait and see if the vaccine is safe.

March 8, 2021
Violence Against Women

Addressing the most shameful human rights violation.

March 8, 2021
Gender Equality in the Global Return to School

COVID-19 is threatening to unravel decades of progress on women's education.

February 18, 2021
Staring Down Gender Disparities in Vision Loss

We need to face gender gaps in vision loss.

January 28, 2021
We May Never Get to COVID-19 Herd Immunity

Vaccine hesitancy and other behavioral risks reduce the likelihood of herd immunity.


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