Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Research Roundup: Pre-Term Births And Mental Health; Opioid Addiction Medication; Contact Tracing And More
American Academy Of Pediatrics: Rates And Stability Of Mental Health Disorders In Children Born Very Preterm At 7 And 13 Years
Children born VPT show higher rates of MH disorders than their term peers, with changing trajectories over time. Findings highlight the importance of early identification and ongoing assessment to support those with MH disorders in this population. (Yates et al, 5/1)
Health Affairs: Self-Help Groups And Medication Use In Opioid Addiction Treatment: A National Analysis
Self-help groups and medications (buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone) both play important roles in opioid addiction treatment. The relative use of these two treatment modalities has not been characterized in a national study. Using national treatment data, we found that self-help groups were rarely provided in conjunction with medication treatment: Among all adult discharges from opioid addiction treatment in the period 2015–17, 10.4 percent used both self-help groups and medications, 29.2 percent used only medications, 29.8 percent used only self-help groups, and 30.5 percent used neither self-help groups nor medications. (Wen et al, 5/1)
JAMA Internal Medicine: Contact Tracing Assessment Of COVID-19 Transmission Dynamics In Taiwan And Risk At Different Exposure Periods Before And After Symptom Onset
In this study, high transmissibility of COVID-19 before and immediately after symptom onset suggests that finding and isolating symptomatic patients alone may not suffice to contain the epidemic, and more generalized measures may be required, such as social distancing. (Cheng et al, 5/1)
The New York Times: Women Are Less Likely To Conceive After C-Section Delivery
Women have lower rates of childbirth after a cesarean section. A new study suggests that this is not by choice, but appears to be an effect of the C-section itself. Researchers followed 2,021 women after delivering their first babies, 599 of whom had C-sections. The women reported the number of months they had unprotected sex during the three years following the births. The study is in JAMA Network Open. (Bakalar, 5/6)
Modern Healthcare: Hospitals May Contribute To Racial Maternal Morbidity Disparities, Study Finds
An analysis published Monday in Health Affairs found women living in ZIP codes that had the highest concentration of poor black residents had a life-threatening condition or life-saving procedure during childbirth 4 out of every 100 deliveries from 2012 to 2014 compared with 1.7 cases per 100 deliveries among women in neighborhoods with the lowest concentration of poor black residents. (Johnson, 5/4)
Commonwealth Fund: New Survey Finds Americans Suffering Health Coverage Insecurity Along With Job Losses
A new survey of U.S. adults by SSRS and the Commonwealth Fund provides some answers. About a third (32%) of adults ages 18 to 64 reported they had lost their job (12%), had their hours cut (19%), and/or had their pay cut (9%) because of the pandemic.1 Of those, 3 percent said they had lost their health insurance. It is important to note that this does not include family members who also may have lost their insurance. Twenty percent of people who lost their jobs or had their hours or pay cut did not have health insurance before the pandemic hit, reflecting the fact that many of the jobs were likely in industries that frequently don’t offer health benefits and in small businesses. (Collins et al, 4/21)
The New York Times: Filtered Coffee May Be Especially Good For Heart Health
Coffee can be a healthful drink. It may be even better for you when brewed with a paper filter. Norwegian researchers gathered health data on 508,747 men and women 20 to 79 years old and followed them for an average of 20 years. The participants also reported the type and quantity of coffee they drank — filtered through paper or brewed using unfiltered methods like French press or espresso. (Bakalar, 4/28)
