Here are 10 public health books to add to your 2021 reading list (book list). I haven’t gotten to read too many public health books in 2020, but in 2021 I look forward to sharing more of those reads with you all.
If you have been thinking about public health books to add to your 2021 book list, I’ve got you covered. I’ve read some of these books already and others have been on my list for a while.
I hope you find this list of books worthy to add to you list! I’m sure you’ll love one or all of them!
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1. Biased – Jennifer L. Eberhardt
This is a book I will be reading as part of a Public Health Book Club with Christie VanHorne (@christie_publichealth). I look forward to reading it in the coming weeks and sharing more with you all.
2. The Health Gap – Michael Marmot
This is a must read for any public health student, professional or enthusiast! The health gap highlights the social inequities through the social determinants of health using a global perspective. If you want to understand public health and the social determinants of health, be sure to start here!
3. Doing Harm: The Truth About How Bad Medicine and Lazy Science Leave Women Dismissed, Misdiagnosed, and Sick – Maya Dusenbery
I look forward to reading this book and I especially encourage my bros out there to tune in. I haven’t heard many people speak on this book, but I look forward to digging in to learn more about the systemic health care experiences of women in the US.
4. The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of how Our Government Segregated America – Richard Rothstein
I’ve began reading this book earlier this year but haven’t gotten to deep into it. I believe it was the book that one of the networks my foundation is apart of had a December book club around – so that being said, it is a very intellectual read. With strong data and great specific narratives of racial injustices by the US government.
5. Ask Me About My Uterus: A Quest to Make Doctors Believe in Women’s Pain – Abby Norman
This memoir highlights the importance of advocating for women’s health issues. Abby centers her experiences with illness into this page turning book. I look forward to adding this to my “memoir” list. I haven’t read much memoirs so here it goes.
6. Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men – Caroline C. Perez
This one has great reviews and the fact that the author studied behavioral and feminist economics at London School of Economics has me intrigued. I have always loved data lol, that’s how I got my fellowship right! It will be fascinating to see how she talks about the gender data gap.
7. The Political Determinants of Health – Daniel E. Dawes
Just like the social determinants of health have illuminated the underlying of the social constructs of health, the political determinants of health shows how does politics and policy influence the social conditions underlying health outcomes and disparities. I haven’t read this book yet, but I have been recommended it by a few public health friends!
8. Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present – Harriet A. Washington
A highly revered read. A book that depicts the history of how the US medical system has shockingly mistreated black people. This has been on my book list for a while and I will surely want to get to this one in 2021. It said to be a masterful read for anyone in public health and social justice.
9. The Social Determinants of Health: Looking Upstream – Kathryn S. Ratcliff
I know I bought this book for a class during my MPH program, but I either never took that course, the book changed without me knowing or we didn’t use it. That being said during my MPH I was in possession of this book and read it right after I read The Health Gap and I would describe it as a easier read but less detailed than The Health Gap. So if you want a easy read over more dense stuff I’d start off with this one.
10. The New Jim Crow (Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness) – Michelle Alexander
This book is a must read if you want to better understand why there is so much fight needed to be done around the criminal justice system. This book has been a pivotal book in shedding light on the injustice of the criminal justice system and has even been cited in judicial decisions.
Conclusion
If you’ve been thinking about what books to add to your public health book list for 2021, I got you covered!
These 10 public health books to add to your booklist in 2021 are:
- Biased – Jennifer L. Eberhardt
- The Health Gap – Michael Marmot
- Doing Harm: The Truth About How Bad Medicine and Lazy Science Leave Women Dismissed, Misdiagnosed, and Sick – Maya Dusenbury
- The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America – Richard Rothenstein
- Ask Me About My Uterus: A Quest To Make Doctors Believe in Women’s Pain – Abby Norman
- Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men – Caroline C. Perez
- The Political Determinants of Health – Daniel E. Dawes
- Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to Present – Harriet A. Washington
- The Social Determinants of Health: Looking Upstream – Kathryn S. Ratcliff
- The New Jim Crow (Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness) – Michelle Alexander
I hope everyone has a safe and good end to the year. Add these books to your list to enjoy some great public health reads for the new year!
Which one of these books are you most looking forward to?
