- Center on Health Equity and Access
- Clinical
- Health Care Cost
- Health Care Delivery
- Insurance
- Policy
- Technology
- Value-Based Care
What We're Reading: School Closures' Impact on COVID-19; Baylor Mandates Testing; Grants Awarded to Study Gun Violence
A study outlines the association between early school closures and reduced coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) incidence and mortality; Baylor University will ship COVID-19 testing kits to all students expected to return to campus in the fall; the National Collaborative on Gun Violence awarded $7.5 million in grants to fund research on the crisis.
School Closures Associated With Reduced COVID-19 Incidence, Mortality
A new study found a temporal association between statewide school closures and lower coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) incidence and mortality during the early stages of the global pandemic. The population-based time series study, published in JAMA, analyzed incidence and mortality of COVID-19 from March 9, 2020, to May 7, 2020. Researchers found school closures were associated with an adjusted relative change per week of —62% in COVID-19 incidence and –58% in mortality. Models found that school closures, when the cumulative incidence of COVID-19 was in the lowest quartile, were associated with 128.7 fewer cases per 100,000 population over 26 days.
Baylor University Mandates COVID-19 Testing for Students
Baylor University will mail students COVID-19 test kits that must be completed and yield negative results before students return to campus in the fall, The Hill reports. The school, based in Texas, will begin mailing out the kits next week and will not exempt students who wish to opt out from taking the tests. Currently, the CDC does not recommend testing for all returning students and faculty as part of reopening plans for in-person instruction. Texas is one of the states hardest hit by the pandemic, as recent numbers show cases have surpassed those recorded in New York, the previous epicenter of the pandemic.
Grants Will Fund Research on Gun Violence
Amid recent reports of surging gun violence during the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Collaborative on Gun Violence announced it would award $7.5 million in new funding for gun policy research. The funding will support projects aimed at filling data gaps on risk factors for gun suicide, in addition to urban gun violence among youths and veterans. Funds will be utilized by a variety of experts spanning several fields including sociology, psychology, social welfare, public health, and epidemiology. In December, the federal government allocated funds to the National Institutes of Health and CDC to conduct research on gun violence, marking the first time the issue would be federally funded in 2 decades.
Examining Low-Value Cancer Care Trends Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic
April 25th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the April 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on the rates of low-value cancer care services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Listen
Insurance Coverage Limits JAKi Therapy Access for Patients With AA, Especially Non-White Populations
April 25th 2024A survey study showed major barriers to Janus kinase inhibitor (JAKi) therapy for patients with alopecia areata, especially for non-White patients who face higher rates of being uninsured and struggle more to afford the treatment.
Read More
Empowering Community Health Through Wellness and Faith
April 23rd 2024To help celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are bringing you a special month-long podcast series with our Strategic Alliance Partner, UPMC Health Plan. In the third episode, Camille Clarke-Smith, EdD, MS, CHES, CPT, discusses approaching community health holistically through spiritual and community engagement.
Listen
