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New evidence shows how discrimination shortens lives in Black communities
Akilah Johnson, The Washington Post, Jan. 26
Nearly half of the mortality gap between Black and white adults can be traced to the cumulative toll of a lifetime of stress and heightened inflammation, according to a new study. Researchers tracked the prevalence of two proteins linked to inflammation in the body and tied it to enduring discrimination and related social challenges. They found that decades of stress were associated with higher levels of inflammation later in life, which correlated with earlier death. “This is important evidence that continues to contribute to what we know about the fact that racism drives racial inequities,” said Linda Sprague Martinez, who runs the Health Disparities Institute at UConn Health.
ICE is using Medicaid data to find out where immigrants live
Anna Claire Vollers, Stateline, Jan. 20
A recent court ruling has cleared the way for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to resume using states’ Medicaid data to find people who are undocumented. Last summer, nearly two dozen states, including Connecticut, sued the Trump administration to block information sharing between ICE and Medicaid. A federal judge ruled that ICE can pull some basic Medicaid data to use in deportation proceedings but is not allowed to collect information about lawful permanent residents or citizens, or records containing sensitive health information in the states that sued. In the 28 states that didn’t sue, however, the court did not place any limits on the Medicaid information ICE can access. The case is ongoing.
Immigration enforcement drives health concerns in CT
Sasha Allen and Katy Golvala, The Connecticut Mirror, Jan. 27
Since immigration enforcement ramped up in the past year, Patricia hasn’t slept through the night. “Any small noise startles me,” she said. “I’m afraid to fall asleep deeply. Fear has taken over.” She moved to the U.S. from Mexico 18 years ago and built a life as an active member of her community in Connecticut. But today, she rarely leaves the house. This is a trend seen across the state: Residents who fear they or a loved one may be deported are self-isolating and facing mounting mental and physical health consequences as a result. Advocates say that fear has led to immigrants skipping medical appointments, often waiting until their problem is so bad it requires urgent care.
CT launches country’s first public dashboard to track and fix emergency room overcrowding
Sujata Srinivasan, Connecticut Public Radio, Jan. 26
Connecticut’s new public-facing dashboard aims to address overcrowding at emergency departments. The problem is likely a result of what’s called ED boarding. Patients who have been discharged from the emergency department may need longer-term care, but they’re stuck on hallway stretchers for hours or even days. According to the Connecticut College of Emergency Physicians, there is an increased demand for inpatient beds and patients often face delays in getting insurance companies to authorize longer-term care. The dashboard shows boarding trends in hospitals across Connecticut to help raise awareness and encourage solutions to address the ongoing issue.
Native Americans are dying from pregnancy. They want a voice to stop the trend.
Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez, KFF Health News, Jan. 15
Native American and Alaska Native people had the highest pregnancy-related mortality ratio among major demographic groups, according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In response to the disparity, Native organizations, the CDC, and some states are working to boost tribal participation in state maternal mortality review committees to better track and address pregnancy-related deaths in their communities. Funding for these committees is expected to dry up on January 31. A bill that would allow funding to continue needs to be approved by the House, Senate, and president to take effect.