Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed
Each week, KFF Health News finds longer stories for you to enjoy. Today's selections are on homelessness, microplastics, Cory Booker, and more.
The New York Times:
They Work All Day And Go Home To Shelters
Thousands of working people in New York City now live in shelters, unable to afford apartments despite holding down jobs that pay them $50,000 or more. (Shapiro, 4/8)
The New York Times:
The Lab Racing To Find Out What Microplastics Are Doing To Our Bodies
Inside a New Mexico lab, researchers estimate there is five bottle caps worth of plastic in human brains. Now they are trying to find out its effects. (Agrawal, 4/8)
The Wall Street Journal:
Want Better Health And Status? For $250,000, Longevity Clinics Promise Both
For up to six figures a year, longevity clinics promise to buy their patrons longer, healthier lives. For now, they’re conferring something maybe just as valuable: status. Plenty of people are deciding the hefty fees are worth it. High-end medical clinics aimed at optimizing their clients’ health for years to come are proliferating, as demand for their often-experimental treatments grows. A few hundred such clinics now operate in the U.S., longevity doctors and market researchers estimate. (Janin, 4/6)
The Guardian:
Cory Booker Didn’t Go To The Bathroom For 25 Hours. Is That … OK?
Many praised New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker for the rousing political act. Some were also impressed by a particular physical feat: namely, he seemingly didn’t pee once the whole time. (A rep for Booker confirmed to TMZ that he did not wear a diaper during his speech.) Afterwards, Booker told reporters that he prepared for the speech by fasting for days and intentionally dehydrating himself. Booker’s speech was a feat of stamina and determination. According to urologists, his no-pee marathon was also deeply unadvisable. (Aggeler, 4/3)
The New York Times:
A New Push To Open The Doors On Childhood Sexual Abuse
A man abused as a child at a Missouri Christian camp agreed to remain silent, and took his own life. His sister is pushing several states to ban such nondisclosure agreements. (Chen, 4/8)
The Guardian:
Farmers Face One Of The Highest Rates Of Suicide. This Social Worker Believes The Solution Is Buried In Their Land
A licensed social worker, Kaila Anderson knows first-hand that farmers have a high propensity for depression and one of the highest rates of suicide of any occupation, often attributed to the demanding and precarious nature of the job. Yet she has found that crisis-line staffers, doctors and therapists in farm country often don’t have the cultural training to recognize the signs of emotional stress unique to farmers. (Kuipers, 4/10)
If you need help —
Dial 988 for 24/7 support from the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It's free and confidential.
