Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Over Half Of Those Hurt, Killed In Car Crashes Had Drugs Or Alcohol In System: Study
AP: US Study: Over Half Of Car Crash Victims Had Drugs In System
A large study by U.S. highway safety regulators found that more than half the people injured or killed in traffic crashes had one or more drugs, or alcohol, in their bloodstreams. Also, just over 54% of injured drivers had drugs or alcohol in their systems, with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), an active ingredient in marijuana, the most prevalent, followed by alcohol, the study published Tuesday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found. (Krisher, 12/13)
In related news —
The Boston Globe: ‘No One Really Wants To Talk About Alcohol’: Alcohol Abuse Costs Mass. More Than $5 Billion Yearly, New Analysis Finds
Alcohol abuse costs Massachusetts at least $5.6 billion annually, while causing thousands of deaths and illnesses, according to a new analysis from Boston University researchers. (Lazar, 12/13)
In other health and wellness news —
The New York Times: When Black Psychiatrists Reach Out To Teens Of Color
The lack of specialized and long-term care has contributed to poor teens of color being underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Black children and adolescents are more likely to be diagnosed with a disorder involving hostility or aggression than their white counterparts are, even when their symptoms are similar, according to an analysis published in 2019 in the journal Families and Society. And they are less likely to be diagnosed with “internalizing” disorders, such as depression and anxiety. ... For adolescents, such a misdiagnosis can be a fork in the road, leading to the wrong care, improper medication, school detention or misperception by a justice system that is inclined to view adolescents labeled hostile as inherently threatening. (Richtel, 12/13)
The CT Mirror: 10 Years After Sandy Hook, First Responders Still Struggle To Forget
Scott Ruszczyk, a Newtown police officer, walked into roll call the morning after the shooting. Several other officers were there who had witnessed the horrors inside the classrooms of Sandy Hook Elementary School the day before, when 20 children and six educators were shot to death. They were sobbing in their chairs. (Altimari, 12/14)
