Viewpoints: Scurvy May Be More Common Than We Think; Is Melania Trump Really Pro-Choice?
Editorial writers delve into these public health issues.
Scurvy now primarily affects populations with limited access to nutritious food, such as people experiencing food insecurity, smokers, those with certain eating disorders, and individuals with malabsorption disorders or severe dietary restrictions. Why aren鈥檛 doctors and public health experts talking about this? Did we forget about scurvy once we found the cure? Or does the health care business model neglect problems that cost little to treat? (Ramona Wallace, 10/2)
Melania Trump鈥檚 revelation on Thursday that she has been a passionate believer in abortion rights throughout her 鈥渆ntire adult life鈥 has been met with no small amount of cynicism. (Karen Tumulty, 10/3)
Today, the fastest-growing care setting isn鈥檛 the hospital or home 鈥 it鈥檚 the mobile phone. Google now receives more than 1 billion health-related searches every day, and patient messages for medical advice have increased sixfold in the past decade. The explosion in patient messaging is a clear sign that patients want more access to information about their health, despite the long wait times and often unclear responses.聽(Muthu Alagappan, Rishi Khakhkhar, and Ben Kornitzer, 10/4)
Since 2020, the US has seen an explosion in laws targeting transgender youth. Hundreds of bills have sought to restrict which sport teams they can join, which bathrooms they can use and what medical care they can receive 鈥 legislation that opponents say creates a climate of fear and intimidation so severe it could lead some trans youth to suicide. (Lisa Jarvis, 10/4)
Betty Ford was determined not to keep her breast cancer a secret from the American public when she was diagnosed 50 years ago during her time as first lady. As she later remarked, 鈥淥ne day I appeared to be fine, and the next day I was in the hospital for a mastectomy. It made me realize how many women in the country could be in the same situation.鈥 (Barron H. Lerner, 10/3)