Viewpoints: Why Is Everyone Sick?; Violence Against Medical Workers Is A Growing Problem

The Atlantic: Sick All The Time
All over the country, local health resources advised people that if it seemed as though everyone they knew was sick, they weren’t imagining things—just living through a time of pestilence. (Elizabeth Bruening, 3/27)

Modern Healthcare: Violence Against Healthcare Workers Must End
The statistics are sobering: Violence is five times more likely to occur in a hospital setting than in the rest of the nation’s workplaces, according to recent assessments by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (Drs. Bruce Meyer and Tom Campbell, 3/24)

The Philadelphia Inquirer: My Wife’s Dementia Started In Her 40s. And Our Medical System Failed Her
There is no cure for Alzheimer’s, but if Dora had gotten a diagnosis earlier, we could have at least known what was happening, gotten some help, and tried to slow the disease. Perhaps she would still be next to me, not living in memory care. (William Collier, 3/27)

The Washington Post: Breaking Up Organ Transplant Authority UNOS Would Save Lives 
A proposed overhaul of the system that governs how human organs are procured, transported and transplanted in the United States could save many lives — if the Biden administration succeeds in breaking up the monopoly of the network that currently runs it. (3/27)

Stat: The SNAP Benefits Rollback Will Threaten Children's Health
At our pediatric clinic, we recently saw a child whose mother lost her job during the pandemic working as a caterer. The mother struggled to put food on the table after the precipitous loss of income. After the family enrolled in SNAP, we could literally measure how that policy benefited our young patient. After teetering close to severe malnutrition, she returned to a healthy weight. Now, the mother is back to work and trying to grow her business again. But new change may once again place her family at risk of food insecurity and poor health. (Megan Sandel and Charlotte Bruce, 3/28)