Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Amid Money Headaches, Americans Are Skipping Therapy
The Wall Street Journal: Americans Are Starting To Skip Therapy To Save Money
When Katie Dunn skipped a therapy session in June, she didn’t think much of it. Prices had gone up at her local grocery store and her rent went up by more than $300 a month. She saved $85 by skipping the session. Within a few weeks, a procedure at the dermatologist added more costs and she canceled therapy again. She canceled for a third time a few weeks later and quit altogether in July. “I was having to choose between going to the doctor and taking care of my mental health,” she says. (Janin, 8/24)
In other health and wellness news —
Scientific American: Some Sugar Substitutes Affect Blood Glucose And Gut Bacteria
In a new study of four sugar substitutes, researchers found that these nonnutritive sweeteners don’t just travel through the body unnoticed. The study results, published on August 19 in Cell, link two of the sweeteners—saccharin and sucralose—to spikes in glucose levels and suggest all four are tied to a shift in gut microbe profiles. Whether these findings translate into trouble, benefit or neither remains to be seen, and aficionados of diet drinks don’t need to trash the diet soda can just yet. (Willingham, 8/19)
Stat: Religion, Spirituality Can Improve Black Americans' Heart Health
For as long as Daniel McKizzie can remember, church has been part of his life. McKizzie — Reverend McKizzie to his congregation — is the pastor and founder of New Creation Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minn. A new study suggests that church may be part of his long-term health as well. (Gilyard, 8/25)
KHN: Rural Americans Have Difficulty Accessing A Promising Cancer Treatment
Suzanne BeHanna initially turned down an experimental but potentially lifesaving cancer treatment. Three years ago, the newlywed, then 62, was sick with stage 4 lymphoma, sick from two failed rounds of chemotherapy, and sick of living in a trailer park near the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. It was fall 2019, and treatment had forced her to migrate 750 miles east from rural New Mexico, where she’d settled only months before her diagnosis. (Waldman, 8/25)
ABC News: Tattoo Ink Is Under-Regulated, Scientists Say
Researchers are raising concerns about the quality of tattoo ink, saying the ink isn't always properly labeled and, in some instances, could contain possible carcinogens. But the biggest problem, researchers say, is that the tattoo ink is relatively unregulated, meaning the ingredients inside this ink are not always known. (Wellman, 8/24)
The Washington Post: More Wheelchairs Are Being Damaged On Planes. Travelers Want Action
Since the Transportation Department started tracking in December 2018 through May of this year, travelers have reported nearly 26,000 instances of wheelchairs or scooters being mishandled. Passengers with disabilities have also described long waits for check-in help; bungled security screenings; clumsy assistance transferring onto planes, which can result in injuries; delays while waiting for wheelchairs after flights; slow and lax DOT enforcement; and a lack of recourse to hold airlines accountable. (Sampson, 8/24)
NBC News: Firefighters' Protective Gear May Contain Chemicals Linked To Cancer
A firefighters union and a chiefs association are both warning members that the protective gear firefighters wear poses a health risk because it can contain PFAS, synthetic chemicals associated with issues such as an increased risk of liver and kidney cancer. (Costello and Bendix, 8/24)
