Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
COVID, Racial Strife Bring Stress To Many -- But Especially Vulnerable Parents
CIDRAP: Vulnerable Parents Report Less Well-Being Amid Pandemic
Moods have deteriorated among US hourly service workers and their children since the COVID-19 pandemic began—especially in those experiencing hardships, according to 30-day survey results published today in Pediatrics. Researchers at Duke University and Barnard College collected survey data from 645 workers living in a large city with a child 2 to 7 years old from Feb 20, before the US epidemic escalated, to Apr 27, when it was well under way. A subsample of 561 parents completed a one-time survey on the effects of the pandemic on mental health from Mar 23 to Apr 26. (Van Beusekom, 8/6)
GMA: Michelle Obama Says She's Suffering From 'Low-Grade Depression' Amid The Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has been stressful for many people, including Michelle Obama. The former first lady opened up about her mental health in the newest episode of her eponymous podcast. (Stone, 8/6)
Boston Globe: The Multitude And Magnitude Of Coronavirus Stressors On Children
We’re months into the “new normal” of the coronavirus pandemic: social distancing, economic lockdowns, isolating ourselves from one another. But this new normal creates stress and even trauma, especially in Black, Latinx, and immigrant communities. And while we are hearing about the devastating emotional impact that COVID-19 has had on adults in these communities, it also has long-term emotional and physical impacts on children. (Barry Zuckerman and Katherine Gergen Barnett, 8/7)
Los Angeles Times: L.A. Homeless People Are Taking Their Lives By Hanging
Increasingly, homeless people in Los Angeles and its environs are dying by hanging. Over 4½ years ending in mid-June, 196 people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles County took their lives. In 2016, 40% of the suicides were by hanging; so far this year, it’s 55%, according to a Times analysis of coroner’s reports. Many homeless people hanged themselves in public — on a freeway off-ramp or sidewalk, in an alley, field or vacant lot — but their deaths went largely unremarked. (Holland, 8/6)
The New York Times: Five-Minute Coronavirus Stress Resets
In this emotional equivalent to an ultramarathon, it’s key to have some stress-reducing strategies available that work quickly and efficiently to help you hit the reset button. Here’s why: Struggling with chronic worry gets in the way of effectively managing your emotions. Unfortunately, many people who experience distress try to escape their unpleasant emotions by distracting themselves in ways that ultimately backfire. (Taitz, 8/6)
Stat: As Headspace Booms, The App's Popularity Outpaces Its Evidence
This has, by all accounts, been a banner year for Headspace. Demand for the mindfulness and meditation app has skyrocketed since the Covid-19 pandemic and its ripple effects began taking a brutal toll on mental health. Downloads have jumped dramatically in recent months, and Headspace has been flooded with requests from companies looking to buoy their staffs’ well-being while they work from home. (Isselbacher, 8/7)
