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Arrests of immigrant parents create mental health crisis for children
Claudia Boyd-Barrett, KFF Health News, June 18
When 15-year-old Damian Zermeño got home from school last fall, he found his father had been deported to Mexico after attending a routine check-in at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement office. His father had not lived in Mexico since he was 9 years old, and was Damian’s sole caretaker. Damian is among an estimated hundreds of thousands of children, most of them U.S. citizens, who have been separated from a parent by the current administration’s deportation policies. Experts say that as a result, these children are exhibiting mental health problems that could affect them for years.
Health equity researchers fear unseen level of scrutiny under White House proposal
Anil Oza, STAT, June 22
Deep inside a White House proposal to overhaul how the government awards grants is a short section that health disparities researchers say could disqualify much of their work from federal funding. The proposed rule would prohibit the use of federal funds to “Promote or Support Theories of Disparate-Impact Liability.” Disparate impact theory is a legal concept by which seemingly race-neutral policies can be deemed discriminatory if they disproportionately harm protected groups. Researchers say that would create uncertainty about whether studies on health disparities would remain eligible for funding.
As cancer death rates plunge, clear disparities remain, new report says
Lily Avino, NBC News, June 24
Cancer death rates in the United States have dropped dramatically in the past 35 years, driven in large part by increased screening and advances in cancer treatments. However, progress has not been equal. Black and American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) populations have the highest overall cancer deaths. That means higher incidence and mortality for multiple cancers, according to experts. Disparities in cancer diagnoses and deaths stem from a variety of factors that also affect screening and treatment. For example, colorectal cancer has higher mortality rates among Black and AIAN populations, and those same groups have lower screening rates.
In Hartford, new study shows link between lead contamination and housing discrimination
Áine Pennello, Connecticut Public Radio, June 24
Historically Black neighborhoods in Hartford that faced discriminatory redlining policies are most likely to be contaminated with high levels of lead, according to a new study. The Clay Arsenal, Downtown Hartford, and Sheldon-Charter Oak neighborhoods are 20 percent more likely to have high levels of lead in the soil. Ingesting or inhaling lead can cause brain damage and slow development in children, even at low levels. Those most likely to be exposed to lead in soil are children of color living in multifamily houses.
CT tried to control hospital fees. Patients say they’re still blindsided and wary of seeking care
Sujata Srinivasan, Isabelle Marceles, and Maysoon Khan, Connecticut Public Radio, June 17
Dental assistant Michele Vincent saw a specialist at a hospital in New Britain for a cortisone shot to relieve pain and swelling in her hand. It was a quick appointment and she was charged $225 for the doctor’s services. But on top of that charge, was a $924 out-of-pocket facility fee — a separate amount that covers the hospital’s operational expenses, such as building maintenance and equipment. These fees are becoming increasingly common across the country because of consolidation in health care. In Connecticut, there are tight restrictions on these fees but state records show revenue from these fees has grown in recent years.