Public Health in the News – March 23rd

Global

• Drug-resistant tuberculosis is spreading around the world at an alarming rate.
• “We’re making a hard life harder for Jordanians.” Syrian refugees in Jordan are straining access to the country’s resources, including hospitals, schools, and infrastructure.

U.S.

• A new analysis indicates that saturated fat may not be so bad for your heart after all.
• Kids who have experienced traumatic events are more likely to have behavioral problems. However, new programs such as Head Start Trauma Smart are teaching caregivers how to help children work through intense emotions.
• A new study shows that the reason some people develop Alzheimer’s may be due to a defective response to stress in the brain.
• President Obama and staff have been appearing everywhere in the media lately, pushing for people to sign up for health insurance on HealthCare.gov.
• Drug experts discuss new ways to help combat addiction – they advocate for everything from decriminalization to giving people a drug that combats overdose to actually helping people take drugs within a safe environment.
• Patients with chronic diseases often take to support groups, and this has become even easier with social media. However, researchers conducting clinical trials should consider that crosstalk between people on the same trial may undermine these trials.
• Access to drugs used for lethal injections is decreasing. Texas has a new supply, but won’t say where they’re from.

Chicago

• Researchers at UIC released a large study about the health of Hispanics in Chicago and three other large cities. They found that many people were at risk for, or had, diseases like diabetes and did not know it. Researchers now think that they will be better able to help this population become healthier.
• Presence Health is selling one of their hospitals on the Northwest Side, Our Lady of the Resurrection Medical Center.

Northwestern

• NU Professor Paloma Toledo talks about health disparities with Hispanics, both when it comes to pain management and access to health care.
• “Many nursing homes are bastions of elder abuse and neglect and need to be shaken up and turned around.” NU professor Dr. June M. McKoy talks about abuse in nursing homes.

Cover Photo by Tookapic via Pexels: Creative Commons