UNMC’s Dr. Jesse Bell Co-Authors U.S. Climate Assessment Commentary
Jesse Bell, director of the Water, Climate and Health Program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, is a co-author of the commentary “Research priorities for robust climate assessments in the United States,” recently published in Earth’s Future and Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society.
North Dakota HHS Encourages Residents to Prepare for Respiratory Season
North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) encourages North Dakotans to prepare for fall and winter respiratory viruses, including influenza (flu), RSV and COVID-19. Now is a good time to talk with a trusted healthcare provider about recommended respiratory immunizations and other ways to stay healthy.
Dickinson County Public Health Offers Free Radon Test Kits
Dickinson County Public Health is offering free radon test kits to Iowa homeowners, giving local families a simple way to find out whether their home has high levels of this invisible gas.
Potential Measles Exposure on a Train in Minot
A passenger with measles traveled on Amtrak's westbound Empire Builder, which departed Chicago on Sept. 23 and arrived in Minot the morning of Sept. 24. This created a potential exposure risk for passengers and anyone at the station while the train was scheduled to be in Minot from approximately 9:06 to 9:51 a.m. CT. The passenger reported getting off the train to use the restroom at the Minot station at approximately 9:30 a.m.
University of Minnesota Researchers Pioneer the Future of Healthy Aging
The University of Minnesota is pioneering groundbreaking aging research aimed at helping people not only live longer but also live healthier lives. Scientists are translating discoveries made in the lab into real-world solutions to help revolutionize how we age.
Two Rabid Bats Reported in Bismarck, North Dakota HHS Warns
The North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is alerting residents in Bismarck that since Aug. 20, 2026, two bats have tested positive for rabies within city limits and urges residents to take precautions and report unusual bat activity.
Nebraska DHHS Urges MMR Vaccination as Measles Spreads Nearby
With measles outbreaks and significant exposure events occurring across the nation and recently in surrounding states, including southern Iowa, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services encourages Nebraskans to ensure everyone in their family is up to date on the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine.
Nebraska Cyclosporiasis Cases Linked to National Outbreak
The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has just been notified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that 92 Nebraska cyclosporiasis cases have been linked to an ongoing multi-state outbreak. Nebraska currently has 218 confirmed cases. 191 cases were acquired in the United States. Not all of these cases are related to this outbreak.
Hastings Family Care Confirms Three Cyclosporiasis Cases
With cases of cyclosporiasis, an intestinal illness caused by a parasite, topping 18,000 in 45 states, local medical providers want patients to know some tips for avoiding the problem.
Nebraska DHHS Urges Food Safety as Cyclosporiasis Cases Rise
As cyclosporiasis cases continue to rise nationwide, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services is reminding residents of the importance of routine food safety practices.
Two Iowans Earn National Honors for Advancing Public Health
Two Iowans recently were awarded national public health awards by the National Conference of Immunization Coalitions and Partnerships. Zuli Garcia, founder of Knock & Drop Iowa, has been named recipient of the 2025 Equity in Immunization Award and Blank Children’s Hospital general pediatrician Dr. Nathan Boonstra was awarded the 2025 Immunization Leadership Award.
Taking it to the Streets
It's a bitter cold Sunday morning in January and a group of volunteers has gathered at the Union Gospel Mission in downtown Sioux Falls. Bundled up against the frigid temperatures, they're filling collapsible wagons with medical supplies like vaccines and blood pressure cuffs, along with snacks, bottled water, and cold weather gear…
Long-Awaited Vision Of Collaboration Is Realized
Years of dreaming, planning and anticipation culminated into jubilant celebration for the School of Health Sciences officials, students, alumni and friends on Sept. 8, when hundreds gathered at the southwest corner of the University of South Dakota campus to officially welcome students to South Dakota’s newest home for health careers education, a state-of-the-art Center for Health Education building.
Improving Population Health through the Intersection of Public Health, healthcare, and Everything in Between
Collaboration of public health, healthcare, and diverse sectors are necessary ingredients to improving population health. Unfortunately, despite increasing healthcare costs projected to reach $5.5 billion by 2030, “health outcomes in the United States continue to fall behind other developed countries”.1 Over the past twenty years the global burden of mortality and morbidity has shifted from communicable diseases to noncommunicable diseases and associated risk factors. Specifically, rural America, which comprises a majority of the Midwest, is disproportionately affected by health outcomes due to social, economic, and environmental factors.