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What We’re Reading: CDC Funding Cuts; Life-Threatening Heatwave; Mental Health Crisis Line
Funding cuts threaten public health programs; emergency room doctors see a surge in heat-related illnesses; national crisis line shows promising results with increased text volumes and reduced wait times.
CDC Expected to Lose About $1.3B in Funding and Resources
Funding cuts resulting from federal debt ceiling negotiations are set to impact public health programs in the United States, particularly on sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention and vaccination efforts, according to CNN. The CDC stands to lose around $1.3 billion, leading to a significant reduction in resources for disease intervention specialists and vaccine reporting systems. These cuts come at a critical time when STI cases are rising, routine vaccination rates are falling, and public health departments are already facing budget constraints, posing serious challenges for disease control and outbreak response.
Life-Threatening Heatwave Expected to Reach 118 °F in Arizona
Arizona is facing a dangerous heatwave with temperatures expected to reach 118 °F, resulting in a significant increase in heat-related illnesses, according to NBC News. Patients have been admitted to emergency rooms with severe symptoms, including organ failure and dangerously high body temperatures. These symptoms are all the results of extreme heat disrupting the body's cooling mechanisms, making it difficult for individuals to sweat and cool down, leading to life-threatening situations.
National Crisis Line 988 Sees Surge of 5M Calls, Texts in First Year
The 3-digit national crisis line, 988, has seen a significant increase in texts and reduced wait times since its launch 1 year ago, according to NPR. However, low awareness and challenges related to privacy, routing calls, and potential police interactions remain. Urgent efforts are needed to raise awareness about 988 and address these challenges to maximize its potential in providing immediate help and saving lives after receiving a surge of 5 million calls, texts, and chats in the first year.
Study Highlights Significant Increases in Utilization, Spending on DMD Drugs in Medicaid
May 17th 2024The findings add to recent research on the growing utilization, expenditure, and prices of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) therapies in the current landscape, an area health care policy could potentially address.
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Covering antiobesity medications like semaglutide could save Medicare around $500 million annually; preliminary CDC data showed a 3% decline in the number of US overdose deaths last year; the Biden administration recently announced the first national maternal mental health strategy.
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Frameworks for Advancing Health Equity: Urban Health Outreach
May 9th 2024In the series debut episode of "Frameworks for Advancing Health Equity," Mary Sligh, CRNP, and Chelsea Chappars, of Allegheny Health Network, explain how the Urban Health Outreach program aims to improve health equity for individuals experiencing homelessness.
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After the ACA Expanded Health Care Access, 2024 Elections May See Voters Demand Affordability
May 15th 2024At the spring conference of the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute, speakers discussed how health policy, affordability, and transparency may play a role in voters’ decisions.
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Panel Addresses Minority Physician Shortage, Maternal Health at Senate Committee Hearing
May 15th 2024The senate hearing held by the US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, led by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I, Vermont), chairman of the committee, and ranking member Sen. Bill Cassidy, MD, (R, Louisiana), addressed the critical issue of physician and health care worker shortages, as well as the maternal health crisis, in the US.
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