Population Health News, June 2026

Health Equity

The “strong Black woman” narrative can be dangerous: This narrative, which goes as far back as slavery, is “deeply tied to systems that have historically denied Black women rest, care, and full humanity.” Black women experience multiple health disparities, including in maternal health. (The Observer, May 29, 2026)

Some cancer disparities linked to systemic neglect and corporate strategies: Higher lung cancer mortality rates in American Indian/Alaska Native populations are “largely driven by predatory corporate strategies and systemic neglect” — for example, tobacco companies targeting more advertising toward tribes. This video series in Targeted Oncology also discusses other disparities. (January 20,2026)

Environmental and Climate Health & Justice

The AJPH issue on climate change and health disparities: Defending the endangerment finding, combating fatalism, climate hazards and the opioid overdose epidemic, and more environmental- and disparity-related topics are featured in the June 2026 issue of the American Journal of Public Health. 

Black neighborhoods in Atlanta face flash floods: Stormwater management programs in some Black neighborhoods in Atlanta are urgently needed, but funding is a problem. (Capital B Atlanta, June 2, 2026)

Looser EPA protections won’t lower food prices: Rolling back refrigerant rules won’t decrease — and may actually increase — food prices. HFC cooling agents are not a key driver of food costs, but those coolants do increase emissions, and they’re linked to global warming. (Grist, June 4, 2026)

Built Environments, Spaces, and Places

Arkansas ranks last in health for Hispanic residents: The disparities are “longstanding and persistent,” although Arkansas also ranks poorly for its care of white residents, too. (Arkansas Advocate, April 29, 2026)

Built environments linked to adolescent mental health: In New Zealand, researchers found that “greater access to and the mixture of greenspace and bluespace contributed to better mental health outcomes.” Researchers measured emotional disorders, substance use, self-harm hospitalizations, and externalizing conditions. (Nature, May 5, 2026)

Asphalt is bad for health: Asphalt fumes, which get worse as pavement ages, contain harmful volatile organic compounds. But infusing asphalt with algae can help contain these compounds. (Arizona State University News, April 21, 2026) 

Policy and Programs

Religious exemption laws can harm LGBTQ communities: Several US states now allow healthcare providers to refuse to treat patients based on the provider’s religious or personal beliefs. These states have lower rates of HIV testing and higher rates of fair or poor health reported by LBGTQ+ adults. (The Conversation, April 10, 2026, see also the article in Sexuality Research and Social Policy, November 14, 2025)

Some Medicaid managed care plans fail to cover required meds: Even though some states require medications for substance use disorders, some Medicaid managed care plans fail to cover the required medications, or they impose prior authorization requirements. (BUSPH, May 8, 2026)

Book Spotlight

Two books from University of Michigan School of Public Health faculty are featured in their spring 2026 issue of Findings.

Paul J. Fleming’s book, Imagine Doing Better: Why Policies Backfire and How Prevention Thinking Can Change Everything urges leaders to “dream big, analyze honestly and take bold steps.” One guiding principle: seven generations thinking, which compels us to think about how what we do now will impact the seven generations to come after us.

In Raiding the Heartland: An American Story of Deportation and Resistance, author Bill Lopez looks at the consequences of immigration and law enforcement in rural committees. He explains “how trauma spreads through families and neighborhoods.” He also shares how communities are helping one another, gathering supplies for families who are now without a breadwinner.

Both authors talk about the need to infuse storytelling and metaphors that help motivate people to take action.