Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Cancer Screenings And Vision Checks Have Taken A Dive
CIDRAP: In US, Millions Missed Cancer Screenings Amid Pandemic Disruptions
A US survey study published today in JAMA Network Open reveals that screenings for breast cancer and cervical cancer fell 6% and 11%, respectively, in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers from the American Cancer Society (ACS) and Emory University analyzed responses to the 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2020 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) from women eligible for screening for breast cancer (ages 50 to 74 years) and cervical cancer (ages 25 to 64), and men and women eligible for colorectal cancer screening (ages 50 to 75). Data were analyzed from September 2021 to February 2022. (Van Beusekom, 6/3)
The Washington Post: Child Vision Screening Fell Off During The Pandemic
Eye exams for children are required under federal law to be covered by most private health plans and Medicaid. Vision screenings are mandated for school-age children in 40 states and the District, and 26 states require them for preschoolers, according to the National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness, a nonprofit advocacy organization. Still, many children who are struggling to see clearly are being overlooked. The pandemic has only exacerbated the issue since in many places classes moved online, and for many students in-school vision screenings are the only time they get their eyes checked. (DeGuzman, 6/5)
In mental health news —
Crain's Detroit Business: More Companies Invest In Mental Health Services For Employees During Work Hours
Mental health is the newest arms race for companies looking to retain and attract talent. Roughly 90 percent of employers surveyed in Wellable Labs' 2022 Employee Wellness Industry Trends Report released in January reported increasing investment in mental health programs. Another 76 percent said they were boosting investment in stress management and resilience programs and 71 percent were increasing investment with mindfulness and mediation programs. (Walsh, 6/3)
Fox News: Children Who Play Team Sports Tend To Have Better Mental Health Outcomes Than Kids Who Don't: Study
Children and adolescents who participated in team sports in the United States have fewer mental health difficulties compared to kids who did not participate in organized sports, but children who participated only in individual sports had worse mental health outcomes compared to those who don’t play any sports, according to a recent study published in the open-access journal Plos One. The researchers analyzed self-reported data from parents or guardians regarding their children’s mental health difficulties using the Child Behavior Checklist. (Sudhakar, 6/5)
In other public health news —
NPR: Paris Brothers Recalls Some Cheeses Due To Potential Listeria Contamination
Paris Brothers, a specialty foods company based in Kansas City, Mo., is recalling several cheese products because they could have been contaminated with listeria. No illnesses have been reported, but listeria can cause serious, even fatal infections, among frail people and young children. The voluntary recall covers eight products that were produced May 4-6. The affected products carry these lot codes: 05042022, 05052022 and 05062022. (Torchinsky, 6/4)
KHN: Immigration Bureaucracy Threatens 11-Year-Old’s Spot On Transplant Lists
Nicolas Espinosa’s hopes for his 11-year-old daughter, Julia, are basic and profound: He wants her to stay alive and perhaps be able to eat normally someday. And she might, if she can get three organs transplanted — and if the U.S. immigration system doesn’t get in the way. (McAuliff, 6/6)
KHN: She’s 31, Has Stage 4 Kidney Cancer — And Talked Openly About It In A Job Interview
Katie Coleman stood face-to-face with a choice no job seeker should ever have to make. She could tell her prospective employer she had stage 4 kidney cancer, the most life-threatening stage of all. Or she could stay mum. She knew she risked losing any shot at the job by being honest about her diagnosis — or risked losing her self-respect by keeping quiet about it. This may sound like the plot of an episode of “Grey’s Anatomy.” It’s not. It’s the decision that confronted the 31-year-old resident of Austin, Texas, who has been battling the deadly disease for nearly three years. (Horovitz, 6/6)
KHN: Addressing The ‘Trust Factor’: South Carolina Researchers Tackle Health Disparities Using Genetics
Quenton Tompkins’ family tree is deeply rooted in rural McCormick County, South Carolina. His grandfather was a sharecropper in McCormick. His mother, who turns 88 this month, grew up as the youngest of 24 children. Branches of aunts, uncles, and cousins now stretch from Florida to Chicago. And although 48-year-old Tompkins has heard plenty of stories, his family holds its secrets, too. He didn’t know until he was an adult that his grandfather died of leukemia. And he’s still unsure if his father’s bout with prostate cancer runs in the family. Tompkins’ mother and her siblings have dealt with a range of health issues, including diabetes, heart attacks, and strokes, but he still doesn’t know what killed his grandmother more than 70 years ago. (Sausser, 6/6)
