Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Study Shows The Pain Of Carrying Debt Can Be Physical, Too
Acorns: People Who Carry Debt Have More Physical Pain, New Study Shows
The stress of carrying around debt is correlated with not only a mental burden but a physical one, according to a new study from the University of Missouri. Those who carry unsecured debt, such as credit card balances or medical bills, tend to have poorer physical health than those who don’t carry unsecured debt, the study found. The study examined the unsecured debt and income of 8,000 Americans over time from age 28 to age 40, as well as their physical health at age 50. (Shrikant, 10/1)
CIDRAP: US, UK Adults Report Pandemic-Related Distress, Disruptions
A pair of new studies highlights the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on adults, one showing the fallout of unstable housing on Americans' mental and physical health and the other describing how UK residents who were depressed or anxious before the pandemic experienced more disruptions to their jobs and access to healthcare after it began. (Van Beusekom, 10/1)
CNBC: Paid Family Leave Could Become Law. Families Share What It Would Mean
A sweeping new legislative proposal on Capitol Hill could give Congress a rare opportunity to address an issue that has long been on the backburner – paid family leave. Today, only some workers have access to paid time off to care for their loved ones or their own medical needs. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have proposed a national paid leave policy so that all workers can take time out of work. (Konish, 10/2)
KHN: Youthful Advisers Help Shape A Mental Health Program For Their Peers
Phebe Cox grew up in what might seem an unlikely mental health danger zone for a kid: tony Palo Alto, California, in the heart of Silicon Valley. But behind its façade of family success and wealth, she said, is an environment of crushing pressure on students to perform. By 2016, when Cox was in middle school, Palo Alto had a teen suicide rate four times the national average. Cox’s family lived by the railroad tracks where many of the suicides occurred. She got counseling. But that option, she told KHN, is not always easily available to teens in crisis — and she and her peers regarded school mental health services as their last choice because of concerns about either confidentiality or anonymity. (Kreidler, 10/4)
In other public health news —
Axios: Study Finds Women Benefit From Eating An Avocado A Day
A University of Illinois-led study found women who added an avocado a day to meals showed a healthier distribution of visceral fat vs. subcutaneous fat around the abdomen after three months. The research was published this summer in the Journal of Nutrition. The study was led by Naiman Khan, an Illinois professor of kinesiology and community health. Subcutaneous fat, found right beneath the skin, is relatively harmless when it comes to disease. But visceral fat (which lies behind the abdominal wall and around organs) is associated with higher risk of Type 2 diabetes — one of the biggest drivers of illness and health care costs in the nation. (Eng, 10/1)
CIDRAP: CDC: 140 More Salmonella Cases With Unknown Origin, 419 Total
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in an updated yesterday confirmed an additional 140 cases in an outbreak of Salmonella Oranienburg illnesses with no confirmed food source, bringing the outbreak total to 419 cases and 66 hospitalizations in 35 states. So far there have been no deaths reported in this outbreak. Illnesses started on dates ranging from Jun 19 to Sep 14, the CDC said. The CDC first announced the outbreak on Sep 17, and cases have been increasing at a significant pace. (10/1)
Houston Chronicle: More 20- And 30-Somethings Are Being Diagnosed With Breast Cancer. Early Treatment Has Saved Lives
Victoriana Lara was breastfeeding her 3-month-old baby last November when she felt small lumps in her breast. The mother of four knew quickly that was something wrong. At first, she and her husband thoughts it could be a clogged milk duct, a common occurrence for breastfeeding women. But the lumps didn’t go away. After several months, Lara, who is uninsured, began calling Houston-area clinics in search of options. A mammogram showed a large mass, covering more than half her breast and cancerous lymph nodes under her arm, said Dr. Polly Niravath, oncologist and director of cancer survivorship program at Houston Methodist. Lara’s case was referred to the Houston Methodist Community Scholars Program through a partnership with Legacy Community Health, where she receives her primary care. (Garcia, 10/1)
NPR: Why Heat Waves Are A Growing Risk For Pregnant Women
With extreme heat waves on the rise in a changing climate, doctors are finding that pregnant women are particularly vulnerable. Heat waves increase the chances of going into labor early, having a stillbirth, or having a baby with low birthweight. The risk is even greater for women of color, especially Black mothers. While women are often advised to stay hydrated during pregnancy, many are not warned by their doctors about the risks of heat. "Pardon the pun, but it really is a bun in a really hot oven and that's a dangerous scenario," says Dr. Nathaniel DeNicola, an OB-GYN and environmental health expert for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (Sommer, 10/3)
