Viewpoints: Health Care Fosters System-Wide Injustice To Elders; Stop Discussing Mental Health, Gun Reforms At The Same Time

Stat: U.S. Hospitals Ignore Improving Elder Care. That's A Mistake
In the 21st century, health care is to elderhood as education is to childhood. But we don’t see bond measures for the “construction, expansion, renovation, and equipping” of hospitals to optimize care of old people, an investment that would surely benefit Americans of all ages. People age 65 and older make up just 16 percent of the U.S. population but nearly 40 percent of hospitalized adults. In 2014, Americans over age 74 had the highest rate of hospital stays, followed by those in their late 60s and early 70s. (Louise Aronson, 11/16)

The Hill: The Solution To Mass Shootings Has Nothing To Do With Mental Illness
We hear again and again calls for reasonable gun policy reform and “mental illness” uttered in the same breath. This apparent advocacy for improving mental health care seems fair- even though it has been clearly demonstrated, in countries such as Australia and Japan, that creating sensible gun laws is the only proven way to eliminate mass shootings and decrease gun violence- why not also work to solve the mental health crisis at the same time? (Rebekah Diamond, 11/15)

The Washington Post: What Michelle Obama’s Miscarriage Teaches Us About Modern Pregnancy
In her new book, “Becoming,” Michelle Obama reveals that she miscarried her first pregnancy, and went on to conceive her two daughters by in vitro fertilization. In an interview with ABC’s Robin Roberts, the former first lady described feeling “lost and alone” and like a failure after she miscarried. She didn’t realize that early miscarriages are very common, ending about 20 percent of confirmed pregnancies. (Lara Freidenfelds, 11/16)

The Washington Post: Insurance Companies Should Be Required To Cover In Vitro Fertilization
Michelle Obama’s revelation in her new memoir that she and Barack Obama conceived their daughters through in vitro fertilization has placed the increasingly common medical procedure into the national spotlight. Malia and Sasha, it turns out, are among the more than 1 million babies born in the United States through IVF. Yet a full 40 years after the first IVF baby was born, even as the procedure has become safe and remarkably effective, it remains financially out of reach for many U.S. couples struggling to become parents. (Daniel Hemel, 11/15)

JAMA: New Physical Activity Guidelines: A Call To Activity For Clinicians And Patients
Probably the most important message from the 2018 guidelines is that the greatest health benefits accrue by moving from no, to even small amounts of, physical activity, especially if that activity is of moderate (eg, brisk walking) or vigorous (eg, jogging and running) intensity. Multiple studies demonstrate that the steepest reduction in disease risk, such as for coronary heart disease, occurs at the lowest levels of physical activity. Patients need to understand that even small amounts of physical activity are beneficial and that reductions in the risk of disease and disability occur by simply getting moving. The evidence demonstrates that adults obtain the maximal benefits of physical activity by regularly performing 150 to 300 minutes per week of moderate-intensity or 75 to 150 minutes per week of vigorous-intensity activity or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity. These levels of activity are possible for most healthy people. (Paul D. Thompson and Thijs M. H. Eijsvogels, 11/12)

Detroit News: Thanks To Trump, States Can Improve Health Care
The United States is clearly at a health care policy crossroads. One path, promoted by liberals, entails more federal government intrusion, which will eventually force all Americans into a one-size-fits-all government-run system. Another path, favored by conservatives, embraces federalism and freedom, which would allow individuals to choose the type of health insurance best suited to their unique needs. As pundits digest the midterm results and political ramifications, one must wonder: Which health care policy path is the nation more likely to take over the next two years? (Chris Talgo, 11/15)

Chicago Tribune: If You Think Organic Food Can Prevent Cancer, Think Again 
Observational studies like the ones investigating the link between organic food and cancer have a fatal flaw, a concept called residual confounding. Consider a guy moving into a new apartment who notices his neighbors are members of the trendy new gym and are all really fit. He might conclude that simply changing his gym membership to the new gym is enough to get fit. Obviously, the real reasons are that the trendy gym members are eating right and exercising. The link between the gym membership and being fit is confounded by other factors, diet and exercise. (Suneel Kamath, 11/15)

Omaha World Herald: Nebraska Needs To Prepare For The Impending Increase In The Elderly Population
Population-trend analysis by the University of Nebraska at Omaha points to one of Nebraska’s biggest challenges in coming years: making sure the state is prepared to meet the needs of the elderly.The number of Nebraskans ages 65 and older increased by 4.1 percent during the 1990s and by 6.2 percent in the first decade of this century.But the projected increase during the 2010s is dramatically higher: 31.6 percent. For the 2020s, this population group is projected to increase 28.9 percent. (11/16)

Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky Cancer Patient Resources For Rides To The Doctor
Richard lives in Louisville and has been diagnosed with leukemia. His treatment is extensive, with intense chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant. The cost of his trips to Lexington following the stem cell transplant are overwhelming, and he and his wife have little monthly income. They struggle to find the money for gas to make the much-needed appointments. As staggering as it sounds, thousands of your neighbors miss and delay cancer treatment every year because they cannot afford transportation to the doctor. In Kentucky, where we have the country’s highest overall death rate due to cancer, we simply can’t allow these kinds of barriers to keep anyone from getting the care they need. (Vicki Blevins-Booth and Jeff Reynolds, 11/15)