Happy new year ! Hopefully this year we will benefit from the upheaval of 2017. Many of us became more political. The issues about which we care came into distinct focus. Perhaps we clarified our priorities. Hopefully health and quality time are high on your list.
In that spirit, I am going to try to streamline what I hope has already been a streamlined blogging format, and go to what could perhaps be called “ bullet blogging”. Perhaps you have heard of “ bullet Journalling” or “dot journalling”? I had been doing it for some time without realizing it. Instead of journaling in full sentences and paragraphs, I journal in bullet lists, small graphics and graphs. It is fun, fast, and lets me indulge my visual nature.
If you have been into any Michaels, Joannes or any other craft store lately, you may have seen prominent displays showing fancy little bound or three ring journals, sticker sets, small format markers, washi tape, and specialized fill pages - all for such enhanced journaling. There are also many cool online resources for bullet journalling.
I am an incredibly digital oriented person, and so it may seem a surprise that I would be interested in such analog things. I believe that for every person’s life or work management system, there is a particular optimal balance between digital and analog. Everyone one needs a little paper. In my office, I have suggested that my employees keep “ one notebook to rule them all”. Instead of a proliferation of sticky notes and other scraps to get mangled or lost, the one notebook, complete with dates and legible writing, held everything. I gave them some beautiful starter notebooks, and they took it from there. They seem to enjoy it. One co-worker in particular has made hers into what I would call an art form. That is the idea ! It is to take some joy and satisfaction in even the smallest things, like note taking and scratch calculations at work.
And so it has occurred to me to try “ bullet blogging”. It is my hope it will be faster, simpler and easier on the eyes. I’m going to give it a go.
Policy News
Via CMS( Center for Medicaid Services) :
- 8.7 million signed up for Obamacare, federal health insurance made possible by the Affordable Care Act, likely underestimated
- 95% of last years level, despite half the signup period and deep cuts to advertising
- Final figures due out in March
CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS ?
Employees of the CDC ( Centers for Disease Control) and other federally funded health and science organizations were “discouraged" from using seven words in budget reports:
Vulnerable
Entitlement
Diversity
Transgender
Fetus
Evidence-based
Science-based
#RESIST
Two separate letters have been issued from > 300 public health organizations urging the HHS ( Health and Human services) to ignore this. The second letter included signatures from
ACOG ( American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)
AAP (American Association of Pediatrics)
APHA ( American Public Health Association)
Blocking the blockers
- Last week Federal Judge in Northern CA blocked the Trump administration’s loophole which let’s objecting employers out of providing insurance with contraception to employees.
- The Justice Department is “ evaluating” LOL.
- Comment: No one ever has, because of Obamacare, made anyone else use contraception.
- Fact: Contraception reduces teen pregnancy and abortion. ALOT.
Kick the can
GOP has kicked the real budget and real health care bill into January. Stay tuned.
Medical News
ACOG President-Elect Lisa Hollier, MD MPH, Houston, Texas, brings a new clear focus: the rising maternal mortality in America.
- Missouri ranks high is maternal mortality, in the worst ten.
- Oregon is creating a special commission on rising maternal mortality.
- One in four pregnancies in central Oregon are drug affected.
- Mississippi has the highest rate of preterm birth, which is high cost in both human and financial terms. The CEO of Magnolia Health in Mississippi is taking aim at this problem.
- Infant mortality in Kansas is about three times higher for black babies than it is for all babies.
- Dr. Hollier's own state of Texas takes the cake, with the highest maternal mortality this side of the third world.
STUDIES:
Study: Breast pain is not a symptoms of breast cancer. Neither lack of pain nor lack or palpable lumps means lack of breast cancer. Upshot: Get your mammograms !
Study: Cervical Pessary may be of use in preventing preterm birth.
Study: at home STI ( sexually transmitted infection) test kits may increase detection rates.
Study: Post menopausal Estrogen therapy may protect against some forms of memory loss.
Study: Income and weight are inversely related for women. This is not true for men. Contemplate.
FDA (The Food and Drug Administration) plans to increase regulation of homeopathic remedies. Because there are no real studies on these. Contemplate.
Marijuana update
- Mj use in pregnancy has increased in CA from 4 to 7%. In pregnant teens it has increased from 10 to 19%.
- ACOG recommends discontinuation of MJ for those who are or who are contemplating pregnancy. For reasons, see HERE: Marijuana Use During Pregnancy and Lactation
- It's clear that we as a nation do not value science. Do we value drug induced relaxation over clear thinking or the cognitive development of our children ? Very little contemplation needed.
Male Contraceptives ?
NIH ( National Institute of Health) and the Population Council are sponsoring a clinical trial of a hormonal male contraceptive gel. Don’t expect it on the shelves for at least 5 years. I wonder how the GOP will attempt to regulate male methods of contraception.
It’s best if you follow up on these leads to put together your view of women’s health care in this country. What I have given you should contain enough key words so you can google your way to the source material. Remember to seek out reputable sources like the NIH, the CDC, ACOG, AAP, APHA, or major academic medical centers like Mayo Clinic or Stanford.
2018 is a new year, and a new approach is needed to ensure the best for women’s health care. Get involved.