A new APHA-supported public health web series has the potential to reach millions of viewers around the world and open their eyes to the importance of public health.

The first episode of “Crash Course Public Health” debuted today on Crash Course, a popular educational YouTube channel. The 10-episode series will explore a range of issues — from health equity, racism and mental health to climate change, gun violence and transportation — in under 15 minutes each. The first episode, hosted by behavioral scientist Vanessa Hill, introduces how social, economic and environmental conditions influence health, and the different ways public health impacts daily life.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has made a lot of people aware of public health work, but there’s so much more to public health than just infectious disease,” said Georges C. Benjamin, MD, executive director of APHA. “’Crash Course Public Health’ will help people understand the myriad factors that influence their health and the health of their communities, and how they can play a role in improving them.”

Created in conjunction with APHA and Complexly, “Crash Course Public Health” will join 44 other courses available on the Crash Course YouTube channel, which has over 13 million subscribers. Crash Course videos cover a wide range of subjects and are used by teachers, students and learners of all kinds to make learning accessible and fun.

"We believe high-quality educational videos should be available to everyone for free.” said Hank Green, CEO of Complexly. “We’re excited to launch ‘Crash Course Public Health’ to introduce the basics of social determinants, community health and health systems to a wider audience. This highly relevant series will help people be more aware of the impact of public health work, and how they can be a part of building a healthier world.” 
     
“Crash Course Public Health” serves as a companion series to “That’s Public Health,” a 20-episode YouTube series that debuted in 2021. Created by APHA and Complexly, the series features short, easy-to-understand animated videos on a range of public health topics. “That’s Public Health” has been lauded and shared by both health educators and health departments alike.

APHA began partnering with YouTube in 2020 to help elevate evidence-based content from authoritative sources. The work continues as APHA celebrates its 150th anniversary, which is highlighting the Association’s accomplishments and looking toward the future of public health.