Population Health News Roundup: October

Interdisciplinary Spotlight

Heading upstream to build collaborative programs for kids: Early childhood trauma can lead to criminal justice system involvement later. RWJF and others are supporting several interdisciplinary programs to help children, including using human-centered design to build healthier communities that focus on kids, a place-based approach in Oakland, and comprehensive youth safety and health programs in Baltimore. (Culture of Health Blog, Oct 3, 2018)

Smoke signals: In summer 2018, wildfire smoke crept into Washington State at unhealthy and even dangerous levels. Communicating the risks, especially in rural areas, is a challenge. Groups are working together to improve response and communications, such as the UW’s Collaborative on Extreme Event Resilience (CEER) and the Methow Valley Clean Air Project.  (Northwest Public Health from the University of Washington, Fall 2018)

Place

When the whole neighborhood is the patient: A hospital in Columbus, Ohio’s Southern Orchards neighborhood has spent a decade improving neighborhood safety, housing, home ownership, and more. (Salud America, August 29, 2018.)

The whiter the neighborhood, the healthier: Race and community health strongly linked in U.S. News & World Report analysis of Healthiest Communities data (education, economy, food, nutrition, and other categories) (US News & World Report, September 25, 2018)

New kids on the block can harm: Crowding and increased commutes in poor neighborhoods linked to lower levels of early child development (EDI) (AJPH, September 25, 2018)

Technology meets tribal customs in rural Alaskan: Alaska tribes using telemedicine, medicine vending machines, and whole-person approaches to promote healthy members (HHS blog, October 9, 2018)

Can aging and gentrifying co-exist?: Podcast discusses the implications for physical and mental health (University at Buffalo School of Social Work’s inSocialWork Podcast Series, October 22, 2018)

Disparities

A move could cost you years of your life: Stark disparities found from neighborhood to neighborhood (Washington Post, September 14, 2018)

How do we measure homelessness?: Ever-homeless or current-homeless? Either way, Black Americans, baby boomers, and those in poverty are more likely to experience it.
(Washington Post, October 9, 2018)

Breast is best at the Baby Cafe: How cafes are removing barriers to lactation for certain groups, including African American women (CityLab, October 10, 2018)

Equal coverage but unequal health: LGBT populations experience disparities in areas such as smoking rates, binge drinking, and disability, despite having equal or better coverage than straight women and men. (UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, October 2018 Health Policy Brief)

Sleep and sexual risk taking: Poor sleep health is linked to risky sexual behavior among men who have sex with men (AIDS Behavior, September 28, 2018)

Global Health

The Lancet’s latest on global mental health: The Lancet’s Commission on Global Mental Health and Sustainable Development shares opinions on prevention, detection, intervention, and more in a new era (The Lancet, October 9, 2018) 

Programs & Policy

Weight change hasn’t come to America: Obesity rates still high, with few improvements; disparities also persist. But some policies and programs work (Trust for America’s Health “State of Obesity Report,” 2018)

A spoonful less sugar: After Philadelphia’s sugary drink tax, consumers are paying more (rising hire in high-poverty neighborhoods) and buying fewer sugary beverages inside the city (Next City, September 20, 2018)

Taxless in Seattle: Seattle’s sugary drink tax has generated over $10 million in 6 months; now an initiative seeks to stop similar taxes (Seattle Times, October 15, 2018)

Proposed DHS public charge rule may cause harm: Using noncash benefits (Medicaid, SNAP, others) to deny permanent residency could push even legal immigrants into health- and family-harming choices (Opinion; JAMA Viewpoint, October 1, 2018) 

Healing kids the indigenous way in Canada: Toronto hospital has a pediatric healing room painted with spirit animals, the seven grandfather teachings, and a medicine wheel (CBC News, Oct 11, 2018)