Advancing Adolescent Flourishing: Moving Policy Upstream
A new report, Advancing Adolescent Flourishing: Moving Policy Upstream, on teen well-being in the U.S. finds that 60% of those ages 13-18 are not thriving, which is defined as experiencing positive emotions as well as positive emotional and social functioning. Teens also are reporting higher stress levels than older adults, the majority of which is due to mass shootings, concern about peers with anxiety and depression, and rising suicide rates. Majorities of teens also have been discriminated against, and almost all report hearing the word "gay" used disparagingly at school. The report identifies 47 action items that policymakers at local, state, and national levels can take to improve the well-being of teens. These items range from engaging with social media platforms and influencers to promote more content that encourages teens to spend time helping others in their community to encouraging lawmakers to design budgets with teenage well-being in mind. Enhanced teen-focused health policies at local, state, and federal levels of government will contribute greatly to the larger enterprise of healing the nation for all. Yet, current national investment in adolescents is lacking. The analysis includes action items and recommendations that are promising for advancing teen psychological, social, and emotional well-being. The report can be obtained here.
Preparing For The Next Pandemic
U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) released a White Paper, Preparing For The Next Pandemic, on June 9, 2020 that calls for public comment on five recommended areas for near-term congressional action to learn from the COVID-19 response and better prepare for future pandemics. He noted in an executive summary that “In the midst of responding to COVID-19, the United States Congress should take stock now of what parts of the local, state, and federal response worked, what could work better and how, and be prepared to pass legislation this year to better prepare for the next pandemic, which will surely come.” He outlined five main recommendations to improve the country’s preparation for future pandemics:
Accelerating research and development of tests, treatments, and vaccines.
Enhancing disease surveillance.
Addressing federal and state stockpiles, distribution, and surge capacity.
Improving state and local public health capabilities.
Improving coordination of federal agencies.
The White Paper can be obtained here.
New Data On Community Resilience
Community resilience is the capacity of individuals and households within a community to absorb, endure, and recover from the impacts of a disaster. The U.S. Census Bureau on June 22, 2020 released the Community Resilience Estimates to measure the ability of a population to be successful in responding to situations that include weather-related and disease-related hazard events such as COVID-19. Estimates are based on information on individuals and households from the 2018 American Community Survey (ACS), the Census Bureau’s Population Estimates Program, and National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data. A tool showing risk level by state, county, and tract can be obtained here.
More June 2020 TRENDS Articles
COVID-19 VACCINE CLINICAL TRIAL CONCERNS
Indicates the importance of ensuring that key demographic groups experiencing the ravages of this disease are represented adequately in upcoming stage three clinical trials. Read More
PRESIDENT’S CORNER
ASAHP President Phyllis King discusses leadership during a time of change with a focus on helping academic teams with transition by working with campus administration to clarify the vision and establish structures that support change. Read More
EFFECTIVE CORONAVIRUS MESSAGES FROM ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS
Identifies the top five communicators based on frequency and consistency of mention according to an annual Student Sentiment Survey conducted by the firm Eduventures. Read More
CONGRESS IN A TIME OF CORONAVIRUS
Contains some details about an initiative by U.S. senators to increase access to telehealth because of its potential to expand availability of health care, reduce costs, and improve health outcomes. Read More
HEALTH REFORM DEVELOPMENTS
Points out how Medicare is on an unsustainable trajectory and identifies fundamental changes that must be addressed in the federal-state Medicaid program. Read More
DEVELOPMENTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Describes how doubts and uncertainties are affecting decisions on whether to reopen schools at all academic levels and some thoughts on how to rethink accreditation and quality assurance. Read More
QUICK STAT (SHORT, TIMELY, AND TOPICAL)
Prevalence Of Tooth Loss Among Older Adults, 2015-2018
Opioid-Involved Emergency Department Visits, Hospitalizations, And Deaths
Personalized Mapping Of Drug Metabolism By The Human Gut Microbiome
Magnetoelectric Materials For Miniature, Wireless Neural Stimulation At Therapeutic Frequencies Read More
AVAILABLE RESOURCES ACCESSIBLE ELECTRONICALLY
Advancing Adolescent Flourishing: Moving Policy Upstream
Preparing For The Next Pandemic
New Data On Community Resilience In The Face Of Disasters Read More
NIH FUNDING AND THE PURSUIT OF EDGE SCIENCE
Reveals the degree to which the NIH is successful in funding work with novel ideas, known as “edge science,” and some reasons why support for this endeavor is not as robust as it could be. Read More
TRANSHUMANISM AND THE PROSPECT OF NEVER HAVING TO DIE
Enthusiasm persists in some quarters that human death can be overcome, but at least in the short term, that quest still has a considerable way to go to reach fruition. Read More