PHivot Blog

Public Health's Guide to Pivots & Possibilities

More local health data: valuable, confusing, or both?

May 23, 2018

In my days doing epidemiological modeling, I always heard the phrase “Models are always wrong, but some are useful” (attributed to George Box). And, I’m struck by the potential utility of this mindset when looking at the various population health data reports, summaries and rankings published with regularity.… Read more

Elder Abuse & Fraud – Fueled by the Opioid Crisis?

April 21, 2018
My summary of "How Elder Abuse, Fraud and Exploitation are Fueled by the Opioid Epidemic!" 

Partial Gen-X Results Unveiled Resulting in More Questions

April 20, 2018

On Tuesday (4/17/18), I attended my first Cape Fear River Watch event to hear the water results of the GenX exposure study being conducted by NC State’s Center for Human Health & the Environment. It seems the results were not surprising: the contaminant levels were below the regulatory thresholds in all samples taken.… Read more

How did Wilmington, NC go from ranking high in well-being to one of the least motivated communities in the country?

March 29, 2018
I recently came across the Gallup-Sharecare Well-Being Index, and had to check out where my new neighborhood - Wilmington, NC - ranked. In 2015, Wilmington was listed as one of the Top 10 highest well-being small communities. Two years later, the region has slipped to the bottom on all rankings except physical health.

While opioid lawsuits are pending, is there an immediate role for philanthropy?

March 28, 2018
How can philanthropy enable and support municipalities as they prepare for (and get) funding from lawsuits and from the government? Philanthropy can enable preparedness, so when settlements are awarded, jurisdictions can act in the fastest and most effective way possible.

If pharmacy deserts exist, can there be pharmacy deluges?

March 14, 2018
When driving around Wilmington, NC, the density of pharmacies in some areas is comparable to the density of coffee chains in some major cities. While that isn't necessarily a bad thing (especially when you are in need of either cold medicine or a coffee), it is something that has caught my eye recently. Was what I noticed the result of a convenience sample because of the roads I drove on, or am I living in a city with high pharmacy density?

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