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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  • The Red/Blue Divide in COVID-19 Vaccination Rates Continues: An Update

    Policy Watch

    This analysis is an update to a previous analysis conducted in September 2021. Using county-level data, we analyzed trends in COVID-19 vaccination rates in counties that voted for President Trump in the 2020 election compared to counties that voted for President Biden. We find higher vaccination rates for counties that voted for Biden. However, rates among those fully vaccinated that have received a booster are similar between the two groups.

  • Monkeypox Vaccine Roll-out in the U.S. – Are Jurisdictions Requesting All Their Doses?

    Policy Watch

    This analysis examines monkeypox vaccine allocations and jurisdictional requests. It explores jurisdictional request rate (the number of vaccine does requested as a share of the jurisdiction’s allocation from HHS) for JYNNEOS, the preferred vaccine. Overall, while most jurisdictions have requested at least their full supply, some are well below that mark, raising questions about how quickly their at-risk populations can get protected.

  • KFF Analysis Finds That Firearms Were Involved in 79% of Homicides and 55% of Suicide Deaths in 2022

    News Release

    A new KFF analysis finds that firearms are involved in the majority of all homicides and suicides in the U.S., playing a role in 79% of homicides and 55% of suicide deaths in 2022, the most recent data available.The analysis, based on data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, also shows that firearm deaths increased sharply over the decade, from 33,563 deaths in 2012 to 48,204 deaths in 2022. Looked at another…

  • KFF Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust: Update on Common Vaccine Myths

    Poll Finding

    This poll looks at exposure to and belief in several vaccine myths and finds that people without a trusted health care provider, and those who regularly use social media or AI for health information, are generally more likely than others to belief the false claims. It also analyzes belief across vaccine myths, showing the share of the public that are consistent myth believers, consistent myth deniers, and those who land in the "mixed middle."

  • KFF Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust: Use of Social Media and AI For Health Information and Advice

    Poll Finding

    This poll finds that about 3 in 10 adults turn to social media for health information and advice at least monthly. Community connection and the need for immediate answers are the top reasons why people are turning to these tools. Slim majorities of those who use social media for health are confident they can tell what is true, and relatively few take steps to check the information they receive.