Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
More Americans Say They'll Likely Remain Child-Free
The Hill: More Americans Say Its Unlikely They Will Ever Have Children: Poll
An increasing portion of Americans say they are unlikely to ever have children, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. Forty-four percent of current non-parents between ages 18 and 49 said they are unlikely to have children someday, marking an increase from 37 percent of respondents in 2018, according to the survey. Just 26 percent of people in that group said they were "very likely" to have children someday, down from 32 percent in 2018, according to the poll. (Beals, 11/21)
The Washington Post: More Americans Say They’re Not Planning To Have A Child, Pew Poll Says
More U.S. adults who do not already have children are saying they are unlikely to ever have them, a new Pew Research Center survey finds — findings that could draw renewed attention to the risks of declining birthrates for industrialized nations. Experts are concerned that the U.S. birthrate, which has declined for the sixth straight year, may not fuel enough population growth on its own to keep the future economy afloat and fund social programs. Women between the ages of 18 to 49 and men between 18 and 59 who said they are not parents were asked the question, “Thinking about the future, how likely is it that you will have children someday?” (Timsit, 11/21)
In more news on Facebook and public health —
The Washington Post: Facebook Knew Its Algorithms Were Biased Against People Of Color
“Even though [Facebook executives] don’t have any animus toward people of color, their actions are on the side of racists,” said Tatenda Musapatike, a former Facebook manager working on political ads and CEO of the Voter Formation Project, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that uses digital communication to increase participation in local state and national elections. “You are saying that the health and safety of women of color on the platform is not as important as pleasing your rich White man friends.” (Dwoskin, Tiku and Timberg, 11/21)
Also —
NPR: Why People With Mental Illness Are at Higher Risk of COVID
Even before the federal government's recent decision last week to authorize COVID boosters all adults, it had already recommended them in October for people with certain high-risk conditions. Along with with illnesses like diabetes and heart disease, that list included mental health conditions. The decision to prioritize people with psychiatric diagnoses in the early rollout of boosters came after after a growing number of studies linked mental health disorders with higher risk of both COVID-19 infection and of serious outcomes. (Chatterjee, 11/22)
The Washington Post: For Many Men, Apps Can Be ‘An Important Gateway To Mental Health’
The online help provides a “less intimidating entry to mental health,” says C. Vaile Wright, a psychologist who is senior director of health-care innovation for the American Psychological Association. “They are an important gateway to mental health for many men who need help but never considered reaching out for it before. ”Research has show that men often avoid seeking help because of gender expectations that they should not appear vulnerable or unable to handle their own problems, according to one recent study. They seek help for mental health struggles at approximately half the rate of women. Yet research has also shown that men are four times more likely to commit suicide than women, are more likely to abuse and die of drugs, especially opiates, as well as alcohol, and are at the forefront of the loneliness epidemic. (Reiner, 11/20)
Axios: Connecticut Health Officials Warn Of Fentanyl-Laced Marijuana
The Connecticut Department of Public Health is investigating reports of patients who said they only smoked marijuana, but displayed opioid overdose symptoms and required naloxone for revival. In one of the cases, the marijuana in question tested positive for containing fentanyl, according to the state's public health agency. (Doherty, 11/20)
CIDRAP: CDC Closes Salmonella Backyard Poultry Outbreak Probe After 1,135 Cases
The CDC yesterday added 272 cases to an ongoing Salmonella outbreak tied to backyard poultry, with 1,135 now confirmed sick in 48 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The CDC also said it has closed its investigation into the outbreak. Two people died from Salmonella infections during this outbreak, and 273 required hospitalization. Illnesses started on dates ranging from Dec 15, 2020, to Oct 10, 2021. Twenty-four percent of those sick were under 5 years, and 12% were under 1 year. Of 1,107 people with sex information available, 646 (58%) were female. (11/19)
Obituaries —
The Baltimore Sun: Dr. Diane M. Becker, A Public Health Scientist Who Championed Healthy Community Medicine In Underserved Areas, Dies
Dr. Diane M. Becker, a retired Johns Hopkins public health scientist who championed healthy community medicine in underserved areas and led research that found a bit of dark chocolate could help the heart, died of metastatic breast cancer Wednesday at her North Roland Park home. She was 78. She spent nearly 60 years at Hopkins — she arrived when she was 18 as a nursing student and later earned her doctorate there. (Kelly, 11/21)
