Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Study: Millennials Using More Health Services Than Other Generations
Fox News: Millennials Are Racking Up More Chronic Health Conditions Compared To Other Generations: Study
Millennials are seeking more professional help for health issues than ever, a new study revealed. Conducted by United Healthcare and Health Action Council, the study explored factors and claims data from policyholders ages 27 to 42 — a total of 126,000 individuals. It compared current data from April 2021 through March 2022 to historical data dating back to 2012. The findings were presented in the groups' sixth annual white paper. (Stabile, 3/9)
More health and wellness news —
Newsweek: Murder-Suicides Reach Record High
Though shocking, murder-suicides are far from rare: some 1,200 Americans die in such incidents each year, according to research by the nonprofit Violence Policy Center. Although there is no agency comprehensively tracking the toll of murder-suicides in the U.S., what data there is indicates that they are on the rise. According to the Gun Violence Archive (GVA), 2022 saw the highest number of murder-suicides using firearms on record. Some 670 occurred last year, up from 594 in 2021 and 570 the year before. As of March 9, there have have been 134 murder-suicide incidents involving guns, the GVA reports, meaning 2023 is on course to top last year's total. (Rahman, 3/9)
The Wall Street Journal: Hepatitis B Screening Recommended For All Adults
Federal officials recommended that all adults be tested for hepatitis B, a virus that can lead to liver damage and cancer. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday that people 18 years or older should get screened at least once for the virus, which is transmitted through contact with infected blood or body fluids. An estimated 580,000 to 2.4 million people are living with chronic hepatitis B in the U.S., the CDC said, and two-thirds might be unaware they are infected. Universal screening of adults is inexpensive and could avert liver disease and death, the agency said. (Toy, 3/9)
Politico: The Pentagon Is Funding Experiments On Animals To Recreate ‘Havana Syndrome’
The Defense Department is funding experiments on animals to determine if radio frequency waves could be the source of the mysterious ailment referred to as “Havana Syndrome” that has afflicted hundreds of U.S. government personnel in recent years, according to public documents and three people familiar with the effort. ... The Army in September awarded Wayne State University in Michigan a $750,000 grant to study the effects of radio frequency waves on ferrets, which have brains similar to humans, according to information on the grant posted on USASpending.gov. (Seligman, 3/9)
The 19th: Experts Call For Revisions To New AAP Guidance On Treating Childhood Obesity
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released new clinical guidelines on evaluating and treating “obesity” in children, the first issued in 15 years. The guidelines have prompted a host of questions from experts on children’s general health versus the long-term effects weight stigma has on kids. That means taking into account how words like “overweight” and “obese” themselves could hurt children not just today, but in the future. (Gerson, 3/9)
KHN: Seniors With Anxiety Frequently Don’t Get Help. Here’s Why.
Anxiety is the most common psychological disorder affecting adults in the U.S. In older people, it’s associated with considerable distress as well as ill health, diminished quality of life, and elevated rates of disability. Yet, when the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an independent, influential panel of experts, suggested last year that adults be screened for anxiety, it left out one group — people 65 and older. (Graham, 3/10)
CNN: Calico Critters Recall: More Than 3.2 Million Toys Recalled After Deaths Of Two Children
More than 3.2 million Calico Critters toys that were sold in a set with a baby bottle and pacifier accessories are being recalled because they pose a serious choking hazard for small children, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said Thursday. Epoch Everlasting Play, based in Pine Brook, New Jersey, makes the products. It said it is aware of three incidents involving the pacifier accessory, including two deaths. (Kavilanz, 3/9)
On race and health —
KHN: Black Patients Dress Up And Modify Speech To Reduce Bias, California Survey Shows
A young mother in California’s Antelope Valley bathes her children and dresses them in neat clothes, making sure they look their very best — at medical appointments. “I brush their teeth before they see the dentist. Just little things like that to protect myself from being treated unfairly,” she told researchers. A 72-year-old in Los Angeles, mindful that he is a Black man, tries to put providers at ease around him. “My actions will probably be looked at and applied to the whole race, especially if my actions are negative,” he said. “And especially if they are perceived as aggressive.” (Sciacca, 3/10)
Sahan Journal: Poor Sleep Hurts Black Health, Minnesota Researchers Say
Over the last two decades, researchers and policymakers have been paying more and more attention to how everything from housing to racism to pollution influences health — and how these social determinants contribute to health disparities. But newer research is finding that one thing has been missing from that list: sleep. (Eldred, 3/9)
Bloomberg: Dementia Signs Among Some US Minority Groups Highlight Screening Need
About 17% of American Indians or Alaska Natives 45 years and older reported worsening memory loss, compared to nearly 10% among all Americans in the same age group, according to results of a telephone survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published Thursday. Hispanic and Latino adults had the second-highest rate at just over 11%. (Meghjani and Peng, 3/9)
