Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Pandemic Has Eased, But Heavy Alcohol Consumption Has Not
The New York Times: Excessive Drinking Persisted In The Years After Covid Arrived
Americans started drinking more as the Covid-19 pandemic got underway. They were stressed, isolated, uncertain — the world as they had known it had changed overnight. Two years into the disaster, the trend had not abated, researchers reported on Monday. The percentage of Americans who consumed alcohol, which had already risen from 2018 to 2020, inched up further in 2021 and 2022. And more people reported heavy or binge drinking. (Rabin, 11/11)
On marijuana and cannabis —
The Wall Street Journal: A Surprising Source Of Dementia Relief: Cannabis
More older adults are using marijuana for sleep, anxiety and pain. A small but growing number are taking it to manage their dementia symptoms. Doctors who prescribe cannabis to dementia patients say it can alleviate anxiety, agitation and pain, and improve sleep, appetite and mood. While there isn’t much definitive research on the use of cannabis for dementia, several small studies have backed its usefulness in soothing agitation. (Reddy, 11/11)
NPR: Trump Plans To Revoke Many Biden Policies. Where Does That Leave Marijuana?
President-elect Donald Trump is expected to come to the White House with a laundry list of policies he wants to change or reverse. The Biden administration has moved to ease longtime restrictions on cannabis — so, what might Trump's arrival mean for the push to legalize marijuana? There are signs that cannabis could be a rare issue on which Trump carries a Biden policy forward. (Chappell, 11/11)
In other health and wellness news —
NBC News: More Women Seek Testosterone Therapy, Prompted By Influencers, Doctors Say
Do women have a testosterone problem? Social media influencers believe they do. And with the rise of telemedicine and testosterone replacement clinics opening up across the country, access to the drug has never been easier. In the U.S., prescriptions for testosterone increased nearly 50% between 2013 and 2023, according to recent data from the health technology company IQVIA. Doctors say interest in the hormone isn’t being driven only by men, but also by women in their 40s and 50s. (Syal, 11/10)
The Washington Post: 4 In 10 U.S. Adults With Hypertension Don’t Know They Have It
About 41 percent of U.S. adults with hypertension are unaware they have it, according to a report from the National Center for Health Statistics. Left untreated, high blood pressure can increase the risk for heart disease and stroke. The American College of Cardiology defines hypertension as having systolic blood pressure of 130 mm Hg or above, or diastolic blood pressure of 80 mm Hg or above. (McMahan, 11/11)
KFF Health News: Older Americans Living Alone Often Rely On Neighbors Or Others Willing To Help
Donald Hammen, 80, and his longtime next-door neighbor in south Minneapolis, Julie McMahon, have an understanding. Every morning, she checks to see whether he’s raised the blinds in his dining room window. If not, she’ll call Hammen or let herself into his house to see what’s going on. Should McMahon find Hammen in a bad way, she plans to contact his sister-in-law, who lives in a suburb of Des Moines. That’s his closest relative. Hammen never married or had children, and his younger brother died in 2022. (Graham, 11/12)
The New York Times: For Older Unmarried Couples, Caregiving Obligations Can Be Murky
What should be expected of an intimate partner when a companion suffers a health crisis? Seniors and their families increasingly confront the question. (Span, 11/10)
The Washington Post: New PBS Kids Cartoon Features Main Characters With Autism
A new animated series for young children premiering Nov. 14 will be PBS Kids’ first to feature main characters with autism, the network reports. “Carl the Collector,” aimed at 4-to-8-year-olds, was designed to celebrate the variety and potential of neurodivergent kids, and to expand perspectives of autism. The show follows the adventures of avid collector Carl, a raccoon who has autism, and friends including an empathetic beaver, a squirrel with a tree nut allergy and a hypersensitive fox, who is also autistic. (Blakemore, 11/10)
