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Black mothers in Connecticut face double the rate of life-threatening pregnancy complications
Cris Villalonga-Vivoni, Connecticut Post, Nov. 22
For every mother who dies during pregnancy, dozens more come very close to it. Severe maternal morbidity, or life-threatening complications during pregnancy, childbirth, or the postpartum period, affects more than 350 Connecticut families each year. Black mothers experience life-threatening health complications at twice the rate of their white peers. Connecticut currently ranks 35th in the nation when it comes to severe maternal morbidity, despite having the third lowest maternal mortality rate. A new blueprint on maternal health equity by the Connecticut Health Foundation highlights several long- and short-term solutions to address maternal morbidity.
Maternal distress in plain sight
Jennifer Porter Gore, Word in Black, Nov. 19
Videos posted to social media of expectant Black mothers in distress may be raising awareness of the disparate medical treatment Black women face. One video out of Texas shows a pregnant Black woman in a wheelchair, clearly in labor, crying out in pain as a white nurse does nothing to help. Instead, the nurse is seen asking her routine questions while sitting at a computer. Another video, out of Indiana, shows a Black woman who was reportedly denied treatment at the hospital and ended up giving birth in her car on the side of the road. These videos highlight scenarios that illustrate why the United States has the highest maternal mortality rate of all developed nations and why Black women have a rate three times higher than white women.
Homeless camp sweeps can harm health. Some cities are trying a new way.
Ryan Levi, Tradeoffs, Nov. 20
As the number of homeless people has increased by nearly 60% in the last decade, sweeps and arrests by local governments have also risen. Growing evidence shows that forcing people to move by clearing encampments without offering shelter can worsen their mental and physical health. It can also make it more difficult for them to continue working with street medicine teams, medications and medical supplies are often thrown away, and repeated displacement can decrease people’s trust in future offers of help. Some experts say it is possible to limit potential health impacts when clearing encampments by ensuring that people go from an encampment to long-term housing with appropriate services for their needs.
CT survey finds ties between financial stress, mental health issues
Sasha Allen, The Connecticut Mirror, Nov. 20
A recent community survey found that Connecticut residents are struggling more with mental health issues and basic needs now than they were in 2018. Many of the questions in the survey were related to the numerous changes and cuts being made to social safety nets at the federal level, and found that nearly 30% of families have struggled this past year. The survey found a strong correlation between mental health issues and income. Black, Latino, and Puerto Rican residents reported heightened feelings of anxiety compared with other racial groups. The survey also included questions about immigration status and deportation fears and found that 31% of residents either worried “a lot” or “some” about themselves, family or a close friend having their immigration status revoked or being detained or deported.
More health insurance denials are being appealed in Connecticut. Here’s what to know
Cris Villalonga-Vivoni, CT Insider, Nov. 29
The Connecticut Insurance Department has seen an increase in external review applications in recent years. These reviews are often the last resort for those looking to appeal health insurance denials. The state’s appeals process typically overturns close to 40% of denials, offering an impartial medical review and options that many people don’t know they have. If the reviewer overturns a denial, the insurer is legally required to accept the decision. The increase in these applications is attributed in part to a 2023 change that allows people to waive the $25 fee required to file an appeal.