Public Health


Health Policy 101 is a comprehensive guide covering fundamental aspects of U.S. health policy and programs, including Medicare, Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, employer-sponsored insurance, the uninsured population, health care costs and affordability, women's health issues, and health care politics. The Public Health chapter examines how public health is governed and delivered in the United States. It includes explanations of key public health frameworks, services, capabilities and characteristics, how the public health system works in state, local and territorial governments, and public health funding, workforce, and communication challenges in an era of declining trust.

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  • Where Americans Saw Information About Tax and Budget Legislation on Social Media, and False Measles Narratives Target Immigrants — The Monitor

    Feature

    This volume shares findings from KFF’s latest poll on how the public encountered information about the recently passed tax and budget legislation; misleading narratives blaming undocumented immigrants for the current measles outbreak; misrepresentations of vaccine safety systems; claims that climate change isn’t real following deadly Texas flooding; and confusion around statins for preventing heart disease.

  • Shifts in Funding Priorities and Vaccine Guidance Contribute to Safety Myths, Plus Reactions to Ruling in U.S. v. Skrmetti — The Monitor

    Feature

    This volume examines how the cancellation of contracts to develop a bird flu vaccine and unfounded claims by new vaccine advisors reflect persistent myths about the safety of mRNA technology. It also explores false claims linking COVID-19 vaccines to miscarriage and analyzes how reactions to a Supreme Court ruling on gender-affirming care for minors highlights misconceptions and inflammatory language.

  • U.S. Public Health

    Feature

    This Health Policy 101 chapter examines the evolution, governance and delivery of public health in the United States. The chapter includes explanations of key public health frameworks, services, capabilities and characteristics, how the public health system works in state, local and territorial governments, public health funding, workforce, and communication challenges in an era of declining trust and more.

  • How Does the Federal Government Monitor Vaccine Safety?

    Issue Brief

    This issue brief gives an overview of the main systems used by the federal government to track vaccine safety and adverse events following vaccinations. The brief reviews the history of federal vaccine safety systems, describes the key systems and their strengths and limitations, and also discusses how vaccine safety issues have become the subject of more scrutiny under the Trump administration.

  • KFF Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust: Tylenol-Autism Link and Vaccine Policies

    Poll Finding

    Following the Trump administration’s warning last month that using acetaminophen – the active ingredient in Tylenol – during pregnancy can increase the risk of autism in children, very few adults say the claim about a causal relationship is “definitely true,” though much of the public is uncertain whether to believe it. Trust in the CDC to provide reliable vaccine information has fallen to a new low.

  • From Margins to Mainstream: How Amplification May Be Giving Misinformation New Reach

    Policy Watch

    Efforts to correct misinformation can unintentionally amplify it by increasing engagement, repetition, and visibility. During times of low trust, even debunked claims can erode confidence in health institutions. Communicators can limit amplification by focusing on verified facts, using prebunking and strategic debunking, and strengthening trust with credible messengers.