Clinical decisions should always be made in consultation with a qualified healthcare professional.

For those who choose to independently review health information, the criteria below reflect how public health professionals assess the credibility and reliability of health claims.

Start by reviewing a credible source, then use the check list below to evaluate health claims. Use the Click For Source button to view an example of a credible source.

How public health professionals evaluate health claims:

• Clear authorship & credentials (names, degrees, affiliations).

• Cite primary evidence (peer-reviewed papers, systematic reviews, official guidance).

• Use reporting standards (GATHER for health estimates; link to data/methods).

• External peer review / expert review (domain experts, clinicians).

• Disclose funding & conflicts of interest (COI statement).

• Show currency & versioning (published date, last updated).

• Provide plain-language summary & technical appendix (audience layers).

• Accessibility & translations (WCAG basics; common languages).

• Privacy & legal compliance (don’t publish identifiable health data; follow HIPAA where applicable).

• Monitor & correct (feedback channel, correction policy, metrics).

What's Circulating Now: "Pregnant women should not take Tylenol."

This section examines health claims currently circulating in public discourse. Topics are update as conversations evolve.

Global Public Health Authorities (CDC-Equivalent Agencies)

These organizations serve roles similar to the U.S. CDC in their respective countries.

They are responsible for disease surveillance, outbreak response, public health guidance, and health policy support. When evaluating health claims, guidance from these agencies represents high-quality, government-level public health consensus.

Use these sources to cross-check claims, compare international guidance, and identify consensus across health systems.

Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC)

Australian Department of Health and Aged Care (Health.gov.au)

Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC)

Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office (WHO EMRO)

Folkhälsomyndigheten (Public Health Agency of Sweden)

Japan Institute for Health Security (JIHS)

National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC, India)

National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD)

Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC)

Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)

Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)

Statens Serum Institut (SSI)

Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH / BAG)

UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)

Agency scopes and mandates vary by country; inclusion reflects surveillance and public-health authority, not identical legal powers.

1. Picking an article to launch this project was challenging because there is so much I want to share. Ultimately, I chose an article that speaks to the purpose of this work: closing the gap in maternal healthcare. It serves as this project's North Star. In 2019, The World Journal of Gynecology and Women's Health published "Black Maternal Mortality-The Elephant in the Room".

2. This article by Lister, Drake, Baldwin, and Graves provides a clear, digestible summary of a complex problem with numerous root causes.

3. The authors identified factors contributing to the high rate of Black maternal mortality beyond socioeconomic barriers. Even when socioeconomic status was equal, Black women experienced more pregnancy complications.

4. The authors pointed to racism from physicians and supporting staff as a contributing factor to disparities in Black maternal mortality.

5. In the United States, the maternal mortality rate is 26.4 deaths per 100,000 live births — approximately five times the rate of other developed nations.

6. White women in the United States have a maternal mortality rate that is roughly one-third that of Black women.

7. The authors also emphasize that solutions include treating Black women with respect and compassion and addressing overall health by managing comorbidities such as obesity, stroke, chronic hypertension, metabolic syndrome and Type 2 diabetes.

8. Another recommendation is improved and immediate postpartum care by primary physicians for women who experience pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia and preterm birth. The authors also call on healthcare professionals to bravely confront their own implicit biases.

9. Notably, even when Black pregnant women presented as "ideal patients" — with strong socioeconomic status, private insurance, early prenatal care, and healthy lifestyles — their maternal mortality rates remained higher than those of white women.

10. Other contributing factors include the location of hospitals, such as receiving care at high-volume hospitals and teaching hospitals.

Foundational Reading in 10 Points

Read the full article ↘️ Read my comments after this section ⬇️ Add your comments below⬇️⬇️

This section highlights peer-reviewed research that informs long-term understanding of public health, bioinformatics, artificial intelligence, data science, and evidence-based decision-making.

Below is a structured, plain-language summary of this month's featured article, highlighting key findings, context, and implications for Black maternal health.

Expecting doctors to not be biased without training is a sure way for Black birthing people to continue to die at this pace.

Racism in healthcare has to be reduced in order to save the life of Black birthing people.

There must be a public health campaign that targets Black birthing people who do not feel comfortable visiting doctors offices.

There must be enforceable accountability for healthcare professionals with substantiated, findings of racial harm — including license revocation and legal consequences where applicable.

The United States should be collectively alarmed — and held accountable — for outcomes that mirror those of under-resourced health systems.

There must be a trustworthy reporting system for Black birthing people to report disparate treatment.

Anyone who says some version of "they need to eat better and exercise" has missed the whole point and should be first person signed up for implicit bias training.

There are too many children growing up without their Black parent due to the lack of care from those who chose to have a career as healers.

My thoughts

Deflecting conversations about Black maternal outcomes with "what about white babies" obscures systematic inequalities and reflects resistance to confronting racial bias. This reaction is a well-documented from of defensive response to discussions of racial inequity.

These reflections inform the questions and discussions that follow.

The Reflecting Table

A moderated space for evidence-informed reflection and lived experience

Where research, reflection, and community voice meet.

Prompt: ✍🏾Share a reflection, question, or evidence-based response related to the article above.✍🏾

How to participate:
Choose a card color, write a reflection or question, and submit.
Posts are reviewed before appearing publicly to maintain a respectful, evidence-informed space.

A fuller interactive table is coming soon

This space if open for early reflection