Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Spate Of Violence Sparks Pediatricians' Campaign To Combat Toxic Stress In Young Patients
Stat: Pediatricians Take On New Role: Fighting The Bigotry And Violence That Hurts Kids
America’s pediatricians are tired of watching their patients traumatized by gun violence and racism. Now, they’re launching an effort to do something about it. The American Academy of Pediatrics on Monday issued recommendations that children under 6 be shielded from on-screen violence, that video games stop awarding points for shooting living targets, and that the media avoid downplaying the proven link between virtual and real violence. (Weintraub, 7/18)
Kaiser Health News: Emotional Healing After A Flood Can Take Just As Long As Rebuilding
Most of the front door of Rachel Taylor's little yellow house in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, is pasted with paw prints where her dog struggled to get inside during the flood last month. He was too big to carry through the rising waters. Across the street, nestled between two battered houses, an empty lot is marked by a cross with an array of flowers and photos — a small memorial for a family washed away by the torrent. ... But once the full extent of the damage set in, Taylor says, she developed severe nausea and carsickness to the point of not being able to drive. A number of people, she says, have chalked up her symptoms to nerves. "You know, the stress level. You don't realize your body is just having a response to this." (Lofton, 7/18)
In other news, many in the public health sphere are growing frustrated by the lack of gun violence research —
The Dallas Morning News: Lack Of Data On Gun Violence Is An Embarrassment, Researchers Say
Public health research has helped the United States slash smoking rates, tackle the AIDS epidemic and reduce deaths from car accidents to some of their lowest levels in recorded history. The country needs to take the same approach with gun violence, say a growing number of experts. They have spoken out in the wake of a series of mass shootings, including the July 7 ambush in Dallas that killed five law enforcement officers and injured 11 officers and civilians. (Kuchment, 7/15)
