Blogs - Page 94 of 136 - This Week In Public Health

Policy

What if “free” preventive care wasn’t really free for everyone?

For many Americans, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) promised cost-free preventive services, from cancer screenings to routine check-ups. Yet, a groundbreaking study reveals that 40% of these encounters still result in out-of-pocket (OOP) costs for patients, often in unexpected and inequitable ways. This issue is more than an inconvenience—it has profound implications for public health […]

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Health equity

How Structural Stigma Shapes Public Health Outcomes

Imagine a community where laws quietly deny certain groups equal opportunities. Now picture institutions whose practices make accessing healthcare an uphill battle for some. These aren’t fictional dystopias—they’re the lived realities for many facing structural stigma. But what exactly is structural stigma, and how does it shape health outcomes? A recent scoping review sheds light […]

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Policy

KFF Tracking Poll: Declining Trust in U.S. Health Agencies Amid Shifting Vaccine Attitudes

Public trust in health agencies is on the decline, according to the latest KFF Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust. This ongoing trend, which began during the COVID-19 pandemic, shows a marked decrease in confidence in key government institutions like the CDC and FDA. Trust in the CDC has dropped from 66% in 2023 […]

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Commentary

How Federal Employees Can Speak Out Against Misconduct

Recent reports of systemic misuse of power and unethical practices within agencies like the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) have sparked concern among public servants. If you’re a federal employee witnessing questionable actions, there are secure, anonymous ways to report these issues. Organizations like ProPublica, Reuters, and The Guardian provide platforms for whistleblowers to share […]

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Policy

Federal Funding Freeze Threatens Public Health Programs: What It Means for Public, Private, and Non-Profit Sectors

Update: 1/30/24. The White House rescinded its directive to freeze federal grants and loans after legal challenges and widespread confusion. Still, the underlying effort to eliminate funding for “woke” ideologies remains in place. States and nonprofits, many of which temporarily lost access to critical funds, warned of the potential for deeper, more lasting cuts. The […]

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PubTrawlr News

Why Staying Informed Matters: Navigate the Complexities of Public Health with Ease

In today’s fast-changing world, public health challenges are more urgent and complex than ever before. From the resurgence of diseases we thought were under control to the lasting effects of climate change and global pandemics, the need for reliable, up-to-date information is critical. The stakes are even higher in a politically charged environment, where misinformation […]

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Funding

Why Do Patients Demand Low-Value Care?

Emma, a 42-year-old teacher, feels a twinge in her back after a weekend hike. Concerned, she requests an MRI from her doctor. Despite reassurance that rest and physical therapy are sufficient, Emma insists. Why? She believes “more is better,” a common mindset in healthcare. This scenario isn’t unique—it’s part of a global challenge called low-value […]

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Policy

Next Week in Public Health, January 24, 2025

We’ve been monitoring all of the federal policy orders that have been coming out since Trump’s inauguration. Next week, RFK, Jr. faces his first confirmation hearing to be secretary of HHS. To catch up, here’s an article from our colleague, Mandy Morgan, on what this potentially means for public health professionals. Here’s what we have […]

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Quality

Why Patients Demand Unnecessary Treatments

Healthcare systems worldwide grapple with the costly and detrimental phenomenon of low-value care—medical interventions that provide little to no benefit, may cause harm, and contribute to the inefficiency of healthcare systems. Alarmingly, low-value care accounts for an estimated 20% of healthcare spending in the U.S. and a similar proportion in other high-income countries. Examples include […]

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