New research from Northwestern Medicine in Chicago shows that states with the most severe abortion restrictions often lack robust public support programs for low-income families. The study, published in the American Journal of Public Health, categorized states based on their abortion laws and assessed access to reproductive healthcare and social services. The research also revealed that the most restrictive states had the highest rates of uninsured women of reproductive age and lower enrollment in state-funded assistance programs.

A STAT investigation reveals that race-based algorithms are still prevalent in healthcare, affecting millions of patients. Clinicians and researchers are debating the best ways to modify these tools to reduce harm and promote fairness. The Biden administration has introduced a rule to address discriminatory tools, but advocates remain skeptical about its impact.

Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital in Murfreesboro has reportedly stopped offering forensic exams for sexual assault survivors since early this year. Ericka Downing, director of the Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Center, said no exams have been performed since January. District Attorney Jennings Jones expressed concern, stating the hospital’s refusal to provide forensic exams hampers prosecution efforts. Despite these claims, hospital spokesperson David Leaverton denied any change in services, citing challenges in maintaining 24/7 nurse coverage. Rachel Freeman, CEO of Nashville's Sexual Assault Center, confirmed her facility has conducted exams for Rutherford County survivors.

Dr. Kade Goepferd, medical director of Children’s Minnesota Hospital’s Gender Health Program, like many providers who treat transgender youths, has received death threats. Goepferd said the growing waitlist, which has expanded due to surrounding states' bans on gender-affirming care, is more concerning. The program has seen a 30% increase in calls, leading to a waitlist of at least a year. NBC News found that clinicians in states like Connecticut and California are similarly overwhelmed by the influx of out-of-state patients. Legal risks and logistical challenges, such as insurance denials, are straining providers. Shield laws are "a tenuous protection," according to Dr. Molly McClain of the University of New Mexico’s Deseo clinic. A "majority of gender-affirming care providers NBC News interviewed had received threats, ranging from angry calls and emails to arson."

cross-posted from: https://midwest.social/post/16044688

Brain enlargement may be linked to symptom severity in kids with autism spectrum disorder

Specifically, social and communication symptoms appear to be more severe in children who display brain overgrowth on MRI scans. Experts believe this overgrowth may be associated with alterations in the activity of the Ndel1 enzyme, which is related to embryonic neuron differentiation and migration.

Study: https://molecularautism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13229-024-00602-8

Brain enlargement may be linked to symptom severity in kids with autism spectrum disorder

Specifically, social and communication symptoms appear to be more severe in children who display brain overgrowth on MRI scans. Experts believe this overgrowth may be associated with alterations in the activity of the Ndel1 enzyme, which is related to embryonic neuron differentiation and migration.

Study: https://molecularautism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13229-024-00602-8

In a cohort of over 600,000 hospitalized patients, each day of low RN staffing was associated with an increased risk of death within 30 days of admission (adjusted HR 1.08, 95% CI 1.07-1.09), as was each day of low nurse support staffing (aHR 1.07, 95% CI 1.06-1.08), reported Peter Griffiths, RN, PhD, of the University of Southampton, and co-authors in JAMA Network Open.

While these findings aren't novel, knowing the level of nurse staffing for every single day of a patient's stay makes it more likely that the findings are causal, Griffiths told MedPage Today. Of note, when low staffing was prevented with the use of temporary staff, the risk of patient death was reduced but remained elevated compared with the baseline, the authors said.

Many individuals who lost their sense of smell when infected with COVID-19 show structural and functional brain alterations on imaging, according to new work published in Nature. Now, experts are concerned that the symptoms could be associated with long-term brain alterations. In a group of people who reported anosmia as one of their COVID symptoms, experts recently observed an association between the loss of smell and decreased functional activity during decision-making tasks, reduced cortical thickness and other neural measures.

A study offers insights into the inequity in trauma activation fees, showing that for-profit hospitals have trauma activation charges that are 60% higher than those at nonprofit hospitals. What's more, "much of the variation in trauma fees can't be explained by clinical need, indicating that the current system for financing trauma centers is inequitable for both the patients receiving care and the hospitals themselves, the researchers said."

The mental health of adolescents and young adults has been on the decline and it’s partly because of “harmful megatrends” like financial inequality, according to a new report published on Tuesday in the scientific journal The Lancet Psychiatry. The global trends affecting younger generations also include wage theft, unregulated social media, job insecurity and climate change, all of which are creating “a bleak present and future for young people in many countries,” according to the authors.

Full text link: https://dnyuz.com/2024/08/13/are-we-thinking-about-the-youth-mental-health-crisis-all-wrong/

cross-posted from: https://midwest.social/post/15659995

New research from the University of Southern California indicates cannabis may help individuals reduce or quit opioid use. Lead author Sid Ganesh, a PhD student at USC's medical school, interviewed 30 opioid and cannabis users in Los Angeles. Participants, receiving services from a methadone clinic and syringe exchange, found cannabis useful for managing opioid use due to easier access. The study, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports, highlights cannabis's role in easing withdrawal symptoms and cravings.

New research from the University of Southern California indicates cannabis may help individuals reduce or quit opioid use. Lead author Sid Ganesh, a PhD student at USC's medical school, interviewed 30 opioid and cannabis users in Los Angeles. Participants, receiving services from a methadone clinic and syringe exchange, found cannabis useful for managing opioid use due to easier access. The study, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports, highlights cannabis's role in easing withdrawal symptoms and cravings.