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Before the Next Crisis

Untold Stories of Public Health and Why They Matter

Tista S. Ghosh

$49.95

Paperback

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English
Columbia University Press
05 August 2025
Another pandemic is coming. It's only a matter of time. It could be a novel flu virus, a biological weapon, even a prehistoric virus from melting glaciers-and we are not prepared. No one wants to endure the lockdowns and social isolation, the confusion and mixed messaging, or the fear and distrust that we experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic ever again. Yet that's exactly the path we're headed down if we erase the last pandemic from our memories.

In Before the Next Crisis, the public health expert Tista S. Ghosh implores us to remember. She shares the pandemic stories of everyday Americans from all walks of life-red and blue states, urban and rural areas. This gripping and relatable book recounts the real-life struggles that Americans faced: a Colorado grocery store manager dealing with harassment over mask policies, an Indiana police officer encountering a growing mental health crisis, a rural Wisconsin physician fighting rising public distrust, a California company leader struggling to keep frontline workers safe, and an Ohio health official grappling with the decision to cancel the city's largest tourist event. These and other powerful narratives not only preserve the history of the pandemic but also highlight the lessons we must learn before the next health crisis-not just politicians or scientists, but all of us.
By:  
Imprint:   Columbia University Press
Country of Publication:   United States
Dimensions:   Height: 216mm,  Width: 140mm, 
ISBN:   9780231220934
ISBN 10:   0231220936
Pages:   288
Publication Date:  
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Undergraduate
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Preface Part I. What Is Public Health? 1. Health Does Not Equal Healthcare 2. David and Goliath: Public Health Versus Healthcare 3. You Get What You Pay For Part II. Interviews Across America: People’s Experiences in the COVID Pandemic 4. Why Stories Matter 5. The Early Pandemic: The Varied Experiences of Everyday Americans 6. The Postvaccine Pandemic: The Varied Experiences of Everyday Americans 7. The Healthcare Worker Perspective 8. The Large Employer Perspective: Protecting Essential Workers 9. The Local Public Health Perspective Part III. Knowing Is Half the Battle 10. Key Takeaways 11. Recommendations Notes Index

Tista S. Ghosh is a physician, epidemiologist, and award-winning health journalist. She has served as the chief medical officer for the state of Colorado, an Epidemic Intelligence Service officer, and an appointee to the US Community Preventive Services Task Force. During the pandemic, Ghosh provided guidance on worker safety to several Fortune 500 companies.

Reviews for Before the Next Crisis: Untold Stories of Public Health and Why They Matter

Those who don't learn from the follies of history are, famously, destined to repeat them. In Before the Next Crisis, Tista Ghosh reveals crucial errors in our responses to COVID-19 with an engaging storytelling approach. Past mistakes become lessons here—providing us all an important opportunity to make public health better. -- David L. Katz, MD, MPH, preventive medicine and public health specialist, founding director of Yale University Prevention Research Center Through the power of storytelling, Before the Next Crisis gives a compelling picture of the role our country's public health system played as the nation navigated the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. -- Georges C. Benjamin, MD, executive director, American Public Health Association


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