U.S. Women Living In Areas Devoid Of Proper Maternity Care

Maternity care deserts are characterized as being areas without hospitals that offer obstetric care, birth centers, or a specialized provider. According to a new report from the March of Dimes, these areas continue to be a problem in the U.S. as women die of pregnancy complications at rates higher than women in other high-income nations. More than 2.2 million women of childbearing age live in such deserts and an additional 4.8 million live in areas with limited access to maternity care. Women in the rural U.S. are especially at risk of giving birth without proper access to care. Also, there are more than four times as many rural counties that are maternity care deserts than urban counties, and only 8% of obstetrics providers report working in rural areas. At the same time, 1 in 3 women of childbearing age in a maternity care desert lives in an urban setting. The report can be obtained here.

Mental Health Of U.S. Adults

Three new data briefs from the CDC outline the state of mental health among U.S. adults in 2019. More than 1 in 7 of these individuals experienced some level of anxiety during 2019, before the pandemic, while nearly 1 in 5 reported depression. Additional information is as follows:

Anxiety: When asked about their anxiety symptoms in the two weeks prior to being surveyed, nearly 10% of adults reported mild anxiety, while around 3% reported severe forms of anxiety. Women and those aged 18-29 were most likely to report being anxious. The data brief can be obtained here.

Depression: Nearly 12% of respondents reported mild depression symptoms in the two weeks prior to being surveyed, while nearly 3% reported severe depression. White and Black adults were most likely to report depression than other racial groups. The data brief can be obtained here.

Treatment: Around 1 in 5 U.S. adults reported having any mental health treatment last year. Around 16% said they had taken some medication, while around 10% reported obtaining counseling. The data brief can be obtained here.

Integrating Systems And Sectors Toward Obesity Solutions

The Roundtable on Obesity Solutions of the Health and Medicine Division of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine held a virtual public workshop, Integrating Systems and Sectors Toward Obesity Solutions, on April 6, 2020 (Part I), and June 30, 2020 (Part II). The event explored complex systems and contributing factors that can influence obesity, and shared real-life examples of applying systems thinking and systems science approaches to addressing obesity and population health and well-being. In Part I, speakers provided an overview of systems science theories and approaches and their application. In Part II, speakers discussed complex systems in society that have the potential to shape the public’s health and considered opportunities for systems change with regard to obesity solutions. Specifically, the workshop explored how factors such as power dynamics, structural racism, relationships, resources, place-based issues, policy, and political will affect systems that can influence obesity, as well as how these factors can have an impact on communications and cross-sector collaboration to address obesity. The Proceedings of the Workshop can obtained here.

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