Center for Public Health Systems

Who the Health Cares? with Prof Michael Sparer

No. of episodes

10

Latest episode

2026-06-02

Where can you listen?

America has 3,300 local health departments. They are the backbone of our public health system, yet they are agencies most of us never think about. Until there's a crisis.

They respond to disease outbreaks, inspect restaurants, ensure safe drinking water, and coordinate emergency responses. Yet their work remains invisible, their budgets are perpetually squeezed, and their authority is increasingly questioned.

Host Michael Sparer traces how we built this fragmented public health infrastructure, from Constitutional debates to 1866 garbage collection to today's vaccine controversies. He examines why healthcare spending dwarfs public health investment, why public health agencies vary so dramatically from community to community, and why understanding this system matters for everyone.

This isn't partisan politics. It's about the public health infrastructure that protects us every day.

Who the health cares? We all should.