Population Health News Roundup: January

Food swamps, racism and weathering on the human body, paleo-epidemiology, and more: here’s what we’re reading this month….

Interdisciplinary spotlight

• Did prehistoric humans get arthritis, too? Paleo-epidemiology: Knee osteoarthritis–prehistoric to present.  (Harvard Magazine, January-February 2018)

Place

• Ask the kids: RWJ Foundation projects are building health in six diverse communities (Fast Company, November 13, 2017)
• It’s not just about the food:  How supermarkets improve health in low-income neighborhoods (Rand Corporation, December 19, 2017)
• How bourbon and big data are cleaning up Louisville‘s air (Politico, November 16, 2017)
• Air pollution inequality is getting worse in Massachusets (BU Today, January 12, 2018)
• Where do farmers go for mental health care? Few options exist for rural residents (Minnesota Public Radio, January 16, 2018)
• Food swamps may be worse than food deserts (The Atlantic, December 28, 2017)
• State gaps in death rates are growing and are still higher in the U.S. South (NIH Institute on Aging, January 10, 2018 and PRB, January 2018)

Disparities

•  “Weathering” : racism can affect the human body (NPR, January 14, 2018 and NY Times, November 11, 2017)
• Gender and the built environment: Women in low-income neighborhoods are less likely to use parks (Women’s Health Issues, January-February, 2018)
• Childhood deaths in rich countries: American kids are dead last (Vox, January 8, 2018)
• Cocaine use is increasing in adolescent teens, especially black and Hispanic boys (Boston University, January 2, 2018)
• People with disabilities face 7 times the rate of sexual assault (NPR,  January 10, 2018)
• Sleep deprivation may be more harmful to youth of color (Youth Today, November 16, 2017)

Programs & Policy

• When in doubt, ask the community: Finding solutions in the Columbia River Gorge (RWJ Culture of Health Blog, December 11, 2017)
• Outcome-based ratings can mean shifting risks, denying admissions (NY Times, January 1, 2018)
• Can technology improve social determinants of health? (Slate, January 9, 2018)
• How to make meaningful population health gains (Politico, January 10, 2018)
• Community health center funding is in jeopardy (Commonwealth Fund, December 21, 2017)
• Obesity control is working in Chile (The Rand Blog, December 30, 2017)