Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Airlines Lose Or Mishandle 29 Wheelchairs A Day
The Washington Post: Airlines Have Lost Or Damaged More Than 15,000 Wheelchairs Since Late 2018
The country’s largest airlines have lost or damaged at least 15,425 wheelchairs or scooters since they were required to start reporting those numbers to the government at the end of 2018. Those figures represent nearly 1.5 percent of all such mobility devices loaded as cargo — and would be higher if the pandemic had not kept travelers on the ground for so much of 2020. In 2019, the first full year of reporting, 10,548 wheelchairs or scooters were lost, damaged, delayed or stolen. That amounts to roughly 29 a day. (Sampson, 6/7)
Stat: New Model Improves CPR Coaching For People Who Speak Limited English
New research finds that a Los Angeles program to coach 911 callers through providing CPR improved care in cases where the caller had only limited English proficiency. The study, published this month in JAMA Network Open, looked at the difference in outcomes for telecommunicator-assisted CPR before and after the Los Angeles Fire Department rolled out a new emergency dispatch system that streamlined the questions asked of a 911 caller. The results suggest a community-specific system like the one Los Angeles developed could better address the needs of culturally underserved populations, and also point to a need for more research on the challenges people with limited English proficiency face in accessing emergency care. (Lin, 6/8)
Fox News: What Is 'Dry Scooping'? Latest TikTok Trend Could Be Dangerous For Your Heart
TikTok is chock-full of so-called "life hacks" and fitness trends, but one alleged tip involving "dry scooping" reportedly caused major health issues for at least two users, including one who claims she had a heart attack. So what is this latest gimmick, and can it really cause a heart attack? If done with extremely high levels of caffeine, yes, says one cardiologist. "This fad is similar to the ephedrine craze for weight loss that is now banned," Dr. Satjit Bhusri, cardiologist and founder of Upper East Side Cardiology, told Fox News. "The intent behind dry scooping is to allow the performance-enhancing supplements pre-workout to enter the bloodstream faster than the typical pre-workout drink." (Hein, 6/7)
North Carolina Health News: Disability Groups Struggle To Respond To Down Syndrome/Abortion Bill
Liz Newton was over 30 when she and her husband decided they’d try to have another baby. They already had Clara Ruth and they wanted her to have a sibling. There was this feeling between them that their family was not yet complete. Her first pregnancy had been pretty rough. She was sick, depressed and lost weight. When Liz became pregnant again, she and her husband Zeb faced more challenges. (Hoban, 6/8)
Philadelphia Inquirer: A Mysterious Condition Threatens Vision, Especially In Young Black And Hispanic Women
Ameerah Bond was just 20 and in college when the odd symptoms started. There were headaches that no medication could touch. An odd swooshing sound in both ears beat in time to her pulse. “It would get louder and louder to the point where I couldn’t sleep,” she said. Even more frightening were the little dark spots in her vision, which was otherwise so good that she didn’t need glasses. She had no idea that the 50 pounds she had gained after a serious car accident in mid-2017 put her at risk for a rare, dangerous condition that can damage the vision of young women. (Burling, 6/7)
