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☆ Feeling poor compared to your neighbors can harm your health
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( Allie Kelly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

That's according to a recent study by public health experts in Canada who found stark income inequality is causing a mental health crisis. AdvertisementIt assessed Census income data, community health survey data, and hospitalization and death rates since 2006. AdvertisementResearchers said these indicators of declining community health are directly tied to economic conditions. People with less money might have a more difficult time accessing medicine and mental health services compared to their wealthier neighbors. Improving public health outcomes and reducing social stigma around money needs to start on a broad scale by addressing economic disparities, she said.

Persons: —, Claire Benny, Benny said, ” Benny, “, Vivek Murthy, Schwab, Zers, Benny, ” Organizations: Service, Business, Census Bureau, Public Health Ontario Locations: Canada

☆ In Gaza, disease could be even deadlier than airstrikes, WHO says
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Jacqueline Howard | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —As the Israel-Hamas conflict continues, there’s growing concern about how the situation may raise the risk of disease and illness in Gaza. There could be more deaths in Gaza from disease and a broken health infrastructure than from bombs and missiles, the World Health Organization has warned. “If the conflict impacts access to safe water, then there may be challenges with waterborne diseases,” she said. In this situation, the risk of death due to disease is much greater than the risk of death due to bombardment,” said Haque, who is not involved in WHO but has studied infectious disease, conflict and war. During the Israel-Hamas conflict, maternity care facilities have been affected by Israeli airstrikes due to evacuations, power outages, and a shortage of medical supplies.

Persons: “, Margaret Harris, Barry Levy, ”, Levy, Rebecca Katz, ” Katz, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, ” Tedros, Abed Rahim Khatib, Ubydul Haque, Haque, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, Shifa, CNN’s Martin Goillandeau, Eleni Giokos Organizations: CNN, World Health Organization, WHO, Tufts University School of Medicine, Center for Global Health Science, Security, Georgetown University, United Nations Relief, Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees, United Nations Office, Humanitarian Affairs, Getty, Rutgers Global Health Institute, CNN Health, Shifa Locations: Israel, Gaza, Covid, Al

“We are suing to stop the federal government from playing politics with the health of Tennessee women,” Skrmetti said in a statement. In 2021, the Biden administration reversed a ban on abortion referrals by clinics that accept Title X funds. Under the latest rule, clinics cannot use federal family planning money to pay for abortions, but they must offer information about abortion at the patient's request. Then, last year, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, allowing many Republican-led states like Tennessee to impose abortion bans. Tennessee has increasingly called for rejecting federal funding rather than comply with requirements over LGBTQ+ rights, abortion access and other hot-button issues.

Persons: —, Jonathan Skrmetti, ” Skrmetti, Biden, Donald Trump, Roe, Wade, Bill Lee, ” Organizations: U.S . Department of Health, Human Services, U.S, Supreme, Republican, HHS, Tennessee, Republican Gov, Volunteer State Locations: Tenn, U.S, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States

Cases of West Nile virus are increasing in the U.S., with health officials across several states urging residents to take precautions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 43 states have reported West Nile virus infections this year. "The trends we are seeing in our West Nile virus tracking data are unprecedented," Colorado epidemiologist Rachel Herlihy said in a statement last month. West Nile virus is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the continental U.S., according to the CDC. There are no vaccines or treatments for West Nile virus in people.

Persons: Rachel Herlihy, “, Shawn M, LaTourette, Public Health Services Nilesh Kalyanaraman Organizations: Centers for Disease Control, New, Jersey Environmental, Maryland, Public Health Services, Health Locations: U.S, Colorado , California , Arizona , Nebraska, South Dakota, Colorado, West, Southwest, East, New Jersey, ”, Jersey, Maryland

☆ A Marylander who hadn't recently traveled internationally caught malaria. Officials say it's the state's first 'locally acquired' case in 40 years.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-20 | by ( Katie Balevic | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Maryland detected a locally acquired case of malaria, the first in over 40 years, health officials said. Health officials maintain there is an "extremely low" risk of locally contracting malaria in the US. Someone in Maryland contracted malaria, and officials are scratching their heads as they grapple with the state's first local case of the disease in four decades. The Maryland Department of Health confirmed the case on Friday, saying the individual lives in the Washington, D.C., region and had not recently traveled internationally – a common flag for malaria cases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention previously reported similar, locally acquired malaria cases in Florida and Texas, calling the risk of catching the disease locally "extremely low in the United States."

Persons: Laura Herrera Scott, Nilesh Kalyanaraman Organizations: Health, Morning, Maryland Department of Health, D.C, of Heath, Public Health Services, Disease Control, CDC Locations: Maryland, Florida and Texas, Washington, United States, Florida, Texas

☆ Moscow makes bizarre claim that the US is planning bio-warfare against Russian troops in Ukraine as fears of disease grow after dam destruction
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-24 | by ( Isobel Van Hagen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The outlandish claim comes amid health concerns after the destruction of the Kakhovka dam in Ukraine. The bizarre claim comes after the destruction of a major dam near Kherson caused flooding along the Dnieper River in southern Ukraine earlier this month. "When bitten, mosquitoes can infect military personnel with a dangerous infection, such as malaria," he said. Alex Babenko/Getty ImagesWhile the bizarre claim appears to have little basis, the dam's destruction has caused fears over subsequent disease and health concerns. A military partisan movement said the Russian army has recently suffered a cholera outbreak after the destruction of the dam, Newsweek reported.

Persons: Igor Kirillov, —, Max Seddon, Kirillov, " Seddon, didn't, Alex Babenko, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus Organizations: Kremlin, Service, Chemical Protection Troops, Ukraine, Financial Times, White, Yahoo News, Metro, Politico, Newsweek, WHO Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Russia, Moscow, Kyiv, Kherson, West, Nova

☆ Oregon county sues oil, gas companies including Exxon, Shell, Chevron for deadly 2021 Pacific Northwest heat dome
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Catherine Clifford | In Catclifford | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Multnomah County in Oregon is suing oil and gas companies Exxon Mobil , Shell , Chevron , BP, ConocoPhillips and related organizations for the damages caused by the 2021 Pacific Northwest heat dome. Multnomah County said these and other fossil fuel companies and entities operating in the region are significantly responsible for causing and worsening the deadly heat event. Starting on June 25, 2021, Multnomah County had three consecutive days where the heat reached 108, 112 and 116 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. The heat event is called a heat dome which is a weather event caused by a high-pressure system that in this case prevented cooler maritime winds to blow and also prevented clouds from forming. Jessica Vega Pederson, the chair of Multnomah County, is seeking to protect the residents of the county she represents.

Persons: Shanton Alcaraz, Eddy Norby, Jessica Vega Pederson, Pederson, Caron PC, Thomas, Coon, Frost Organizations: Salvation Army Northwest Division, Exxon Mobil, Shell, BP, ConocoPhillips, Anadarko Petroleum, Occidental Petroleum, American Petroleum Institute, Chevron, Koch Industries, Marathon Petroleum, McKinsey & Company, Motiva, Peabody Energy, Specialties USA, Valero Energy, Western States Petroleum Association, Worthington Locations: Seattle , Washington , U.S, Multnomah County, Oregon, Chevron, Pacific, Occidental

☆ WHO rushes supplies to Ukraine, readies to tackle disease in flood areas
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus gives a statement with German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (not pictured) in Geneva, Switzerland, February 2, 2023. REUTERS/Denis BalibouseGENEVA, June 8 (Reuters) - The World Health Organization has rushed emergency supplies to flood-hit parts of Ukraine and are preparing to respond to an array of health risks including trauma, drowning and waterborne diseases like cholera, officials said on Thursday. "The WHO has rushed in to support the authorities and health care workers in preventive measures against waterborne diseases and to improve disease surveillance." The huge Kakhovka Dam on the Dnipro River separates Russian and Ukrainian forces and people have been affected on both sides of its banks. He said Russian authorities had given them assurances that people living in areas it occupies were being "well monitored, well cared for, well fed (and) well supported".

Persons: Tedros, Karl Lauterbach, Denis Balibouse GENEVA, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Teresa Zakaria, Mike Ryan, Emma Farge, Leroy Leo, William Maclean Organizations: World Health Organisation, WHO, German Health, REUTERS, World Health Organization, WHO's, Thomson Locations: Geneva, Switzerland, Ukraine, Russia, Dnipro, Russian, Ukrainian

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla speaks during the China Development Forum in Beijing on March 25, 2023. BEIJING — U.S. pharma giant Pfizer has signed an agreement with China to cooperate on improving the country's health coverage, according to the company. China in 2016 announced a "Healthy China 2030" plan for improving the country's public health services, medical industry and food and drug safety. The Covid-19 pandemic also highlighted shortfalls in China's still-developing public health system. Pfizer's memorandum of understanding with the Health China Research Center is set to support public health research and improve the health of rural populations, according to details released by Chinese state media.

MADRID, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Hundreds of thousands of Spain's health workers protested in Madrid on Sunday over what they say is the destruction of the public health system by the conservative regional government. Protesters say it is dismantling public health services and favouring private health providers. Ayuso denies the accusation that her administration is dismantling public health services in favour of the private sector. Thousands of health workers also demonstrated in Santiago de Compostela, in northwestern Spain on Sunday, calling for the preservation of the public health system. In November, tens of thousands of people marched through Madrid in support of health workers calling for better working conditions.

Ontario has some private healthcare providers but they are a small part of the health system and provide relatively few public surgeries. Critics worry sharply expanding their footprint will take staff from the pool of public health workers. In 2021, the Commonwealth Fund ranked Canada's health system tenth out of 11 rich countries. Ontario's government said it is following the lead of provinces such as Alberta, which contracts with private providers and said last fall it will fund more surgeries in private clinics. No one disputes Ontario's health system faces serious challenges.

TORONTO, Jan 16 (Reuters) - Canada's most populous province, Ontario, plans to significantly expand its use of private providers to perform public health services, the premier said on Monday, in a bid to deal with backlogs and delays in a healthcare system strained by the coronavirus pandemic. Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston told Global News on Sunday that Canada’s healthcare system is "on the ropes." Canada's publicly-funded healthcare system has in the past been seen by some as a model system. But critics and public health advocates have argued expanding the use of private providers is a step towards privatizing the public health system and risks cannibalizing a healthcare workforce already facing a shortage. The Ford government has said it has no plans to privatize the healthcare system.

[1/5] Health workers and their supporters protest against the public health care policy of the Madrid regional government, which they say is destroying primary care, in Madrid, Spain, January 15, 2023. REUTERS/Isabel InfantesMADRID, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of health workers protested in Madrid on Sunday over what they say is the destruction of the public health system by the conservative regional government. Dressed in white coats and banging drums, many chanted: "Cutting public health is criminal." Protesters say the regional government is dismantling public health services and favouring private health providers. In November, tens of thousands of people marched through central Madrid in support of health workers calling for better working conditions.

☆ Supreme Court extends Trump-era pandemic immigration rule to allow quicker deportations
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The Supreme Court ruled Tuesday to keep in place for now a controversial Trump-era rule that allows Customs and Border Patrol officials to deport migrants at the U.S. southern border as a public health measure in response to the pandemic. The Supreme Court also agreed to hear oral arguments in February and rule on whether the states can intervene, with a decision due by the end of June. More than 2 million people have been deported at the southern border under the policy since 2020. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts temporarily blocked the Biden administration earlier this month from ending the controversial policy. But Republican-led states intervened in the case and successfully petitioned the Supreme Court to block that lower court ruling.

☆ 4 major trends in health startups in 2022, after an unexpected post-pandemic dropoff in funding
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-24 | by ( Riddhi Kanetkar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

VCs poured $13.5 billion into healthtech startups in 2022 — down nearly 50% from 2021. But a global slump and the tech downturn changed all of that, and funding into health startups fell by nearly 50% to $13.5 billion this year. AI-driven drug development and mental health startups also boomed during COVID-19 but have seen a funding dropoff in 2022. Tech that served underrepresented groups was spotlightedFrom menopause to mental health, health conditions that were billed as 'taboo' pre-pandemic have come to the forefront this year. Startups offering personalized treatments for niche issues or demographics, such as menopause app Vira Health, mental health platform MyMynd, and men's health platform Numan, all raised capital this year.

Walmart has agreed to pay $3.1 billion, mostly up front, according to two people familiar with the matter. The proposed settlement, which would be the first nationwide deal with retail pharmacy companies, follows nationwide opioid settlements with drugmakers and distributors totaling more than $33 billion. CVS, Walgreens and Walmart are the three largest retail pharmacies in the country by market share. The agency has attributed much of the recent rise in overdose cases to illegally manufactured fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid. A congressional report last month put the economic toll of the opioid crisis in 2020 alone at $1.5 trillion.

The proposed settlement calls for CVS to pay $5 billion over 10 years, Walgreens to pay $5.7 billion over 15 years and Walmart to pay $3.1 billion, mostly up front, according to the people. Walgreens and CVS declined to comment. Walmart and a spokesperson for the plaintiffs' attorneys in the litigation did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The proposed settlement, which would be the first nationwide deal with retail pharmacy companies, follows nationwide opioid settlements with drugmakers and distributors totaling more than $33 billion. CVS, Walgreens and Walmart are the three largest retail pharmacies in the country by market share.

CNN —Six people who tested positive for monkeypox – two in New York City, two in Chicago, one in Nevada and one in Maryland – have died, local health departments have confirmed. The two Chicagoans who died after testing positive for monkeypox had multiple other health conditions, including weakened immune systems, according to the Chicago Department of Health (CDPH). A person with monkeypox in Houston died in August, but officials have not determined whether the virus caused the death. In late September, Ohio reported its first death of a person with monkeypox but noted that “the individual also had other health conditions.”It can be difficult to determine if someone has died of monkeypox. There were 27,884 probable or confirmed monkeypox cases reported in the US as of Friday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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