While COVID-19 may itself compromise a person’s mental health, the social conditions of the pandemic are also having a negative impact. Economic hardship, heavy COVID-related media exposure, reduced social contact and domestic violence are just some factors that may have affected people. Indeed, studies have shown that mental health has declined during the pandemic. Our […]
Food insecurity spiked among residents living in two predominantly African American neighborhoods during the first weeks of the coronavirus pandemic, far outpacing food insecurity observed among the general U.S. population during the same period, according to a new RAND Corporation study. Following residents of two Pittsburgh low-income African American neighborhoods characterized as food deserts since […]
Two out of five individuals delayed or missed medical care in the early phase of the pandemic—from March through mid-July 2020—according to a new survey from researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The survey of 1,337 U.S. adults found that 544, or 41 percent, delayed or missed medical care during the […]
National lockdowns have been the most profound and significant public health interventions within living memory. They have been difficult socially and economically, and have negatively affected people’s health in many different ways. But for some people lockdowns have provided an unexpected opportunity to make positive changes to their lives, running counter to prevailing narratives of […]
(HealthDay)—New patient visit volumes decreased across the board at a comprehensive metabolic and weight loss center during the COVID-19 pandemic, but follow-up visits increased for certain nonsurgical providers, according to a study published in the December issue of the Annals of Surgery. Andrew M. Brown, M.D., from Stony Brook University Hospital in New York, and […]
Traditional gendered patterns of child care persisted during the COVID-19 shutdown, with more than a third of couples relying on women to provide most or all of it, according to a study from University of Georgia researcher Kristen Shockley. Some previous research has found that typical familial patterns may get upended during crises, but that’s […]
Why do we do things that are bad for us—or not do things that are good for us—even in light of overwhelming evidence? As someone with a long career in pharmacy, I have witnessed some pretty dramatic shifts in public health behavior. But I won’t sugarcoat it. It generally takes years—or even decades—of dragging people, […]
We typically host several family members and their children in our home for a visit each December. But due to COVID-19 we have decided to avoid social encounters. How can I tell my siblings that they and their children can’t come without creating a rift? Also, do you have any advice on politely declining holiday […]
California hospitals are battling to find beds to house patients amid fears the explosion of coronavirus cases will exhaust staffing resources. As of Saturday, nearly 17,400 people were hospitalized with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 infections—more than double the previous peak reached in July—and a state model that uses current data to forecast future trends shows […]
(HealthDay)—During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a decrease in the total number of emergency department visits related to child abuse and neglect, according to research published in the Dec. 11 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Elizabeth Swedo, M.D., from the CDC COVID-19 Response Team, and […]
