PI's Weekly Media Digest: Gunfire legitimized by cultural norms; South Africa considers soda tax; and more

Welcome to our media digest for the week of July 15, 2016! Below you’ll find summaries of news coverage on the issues of preventing violence, trauma, nutrition, health equity, mental health, and more. The views expressed in these articles do not reflect those of Prevention Institute.

Violence Prevention and Unintentional Injury

In response to evidence linking childhood violence to a range of negative conditions, WHO announces a new plan to reduce violence against children

The Washington Post published an in depth story on childhood trauma and violence, citing a study from the January edition of Pediatrics that estimates that as many as half of the world’s two billion children experienced physical, sexual or emotional violence in the previous year. Research conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Kaiser Permanente in 1995 and 1997 found that those who experience violence in childhood are at higher risk as adults for a diverse range of conditions, including cancer, diabetes and obesity. In response, the World Health Organization announced the first coordinated plan to end violence against children, including implementing and enforcing laws that limit young people's access to firearms; changing beliefs and values around gender roles, which would presumably target countries where girls have fewer rights and less freedom; creating safe environments by doing things like improving housing; increasing parent and caregiver support; strengthening economies; shoring up support services such as treatment programs for juvenile offenders; and educating children in life and social skills.

Reframing racial violence as an issue of public health concern

Alton Sterling and Philando Castile were laid to rest this week. Unarmed black Americans are five times more likely to be killed by a police officer than white Americans. Reforms being proposed by the Criminal Justice Policy at the Center for American Progress include “increasing the use of special prosecutors in police misconduct investigations; implementing improved and robust law enforcement training, including de-escalation and implicit bias; and mandating data collection on police misconduct and fatalities and injuries involving the police to ensure transparency.” Meanwhile, a growing number of human rights advocates are pushing officials to address this kind of racial violence from a different angle: Public health. Reframing the discussion this way — to talk about racism like an issue of public health concern — could help some Americans stop tiptoeing around the topic, according to human rights activist David A. Love, who authored a recent in CNN.com piece entitled, “Racial violence by law enforcement a public health problem”.

Questions around holding law enforcement accountable for aggressive policing tactics

Despite claims that violence against police has risen because of Obama’s rhetoric and Black Lives Matter protests, according to an analysis by the Chicago Tribune, police have never been safer than over the past 8 years. A study conducted by Roland Fryer, a professor of economics at Harvard University, found that black men and women are more likely to be treated aggressively by law enforcement, but contrary to the findings of all prior research on the subject, found no bias when it comes to police shootings. Fortune magazine reports on a new poll showing only 17 percent of white respondents, compared to 49 percent of black respondents, expressed concern about police brutality. The survey findings raise concerns about what this means for efforts to hold law enforcement accountable for aggressive policing tactics.

Gunfire legitimized by cultural norms

In New York Magazine, Yale University sociologist Andrew Papachristos notes that “Gunfire is much more like HIV or hepatitis C than a flu or cold," explaining that the social contagion gets passed on through cultural norms and networks. Understanding this, he says, is key to finding solutions beyond failed criminal justice approaches.

NBA stars call for an end to racial profiling

At the annual ESPYs held last night in Los Angeles, NBA stars addressed the recent shootings of black men by primarily white police officers. Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat called for an end to racial profiling and disregard for black and brown bodies. Earlier in the week, four Minnesota Lynx players (women’s pro basketball team) wore Black Lives Matter t-shirts team before a game – prompting four off-duty police officers working security at the game to walk off the job.

Health Equity

Health disparities linked to your zip code

The SacBee and the Center for Health Journalism covered a new study that shows vast health disparities in Sacramento County depending on where you live. Between 2010 and 2015, nearly one-quarter of the 873 children under age 18 who died in the county during that six-year time frame were black, even as black youths made up just 11 percent of the population in that age group. The Bee’s review found that of the 207 black children who died between 2010 and 2015, 38 percent of the deaths were linked to perinatal conditions; 18 percent died from sudden infant death syndrome and other sleep-related episodes; and homicides accounted for 8 percent of deaths. The remaining deaths were tied to accidents, suicides or natural causes. The highest death rate for black children in the county was centered in the 95841 ZIP code, a neighborhood adjacent to Interstate 80, sandwiched between Carmichael and Foothill Farms. African American children there died at a rate six times higher than the countywide average for all children between 2010 and 2015.

"Ending welfare as we know it" is not working as designed

One of the many downsides of Bill Clinton’s “ending welfare as we know it” is that in 2014, just 26 percent of TANF spending (which is controlled at the state level) went to "basic assistance" — cash welfare — and another 24 percent went to work programs and child care, according to a Center on Budget and Policy Priorities analysis. A third went to activities well outside the intended function of welfare reform. For example, Michigan has used the money for college scholarships, and Louisiana has used it to fund anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers.

Why adults still go to work when sick

A new NPR/RWJF/Harvard poll finds most adults in the United States still work when they have a cold or the flu. KQED cites lack of paid sick leave (and accompanying fear of job loss) as one reason for this unhealthy norm.

Women 80% more likely than men to be impoverished at ages 65+; Black and Latino women earn only 64% and 54% of what white male counterparts earn

The National Institute on Retirement Security recently reported that women are 80 percent more likely than men to be impoverished at 65 and older. Experts attribute this disparity to the rising rates of single parenthood, divorce and pay inequity between men and women. The article also touches on the intersection of race, class and gender in perpetuating the gap: African American and Latino women receive only 64 percent and 54 percent, respectively, of what white men are paid for the same jobs.

National Cancer Institute provides $12 million grant to fund a study to find out why black women are at higher risk of dying of breast cancer

A $12 million grant provided by the National Cancer Institute will finance a new study that seeks to answer the question of why black women are at greater risk of dying of breast cancer. This is the first study that analyzes trends in breast cancer specifically for women of African descent. Researchers will examine the role of genetics, environmental factors and access to care in causing lower survival rates for black women with breast cancer.

No funding for Zika before Congress leaves for August recess

Congress failed to pass funding dedicated to addressing the Zika virus before leaving for August recess. Senate Democrats rejected Republicans’ proposal because it denied funds for contraceptive access.

Multiple sexual harassment suits filed against Roger Ailes

Former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson sued Roger Ailes for sexual harassment, and several other women came forward to report their experiences with Ailes. This Vox piece tracks the short history of recognizing and addressing sexual harassment in the workplace.

21 states sue Obama administration over transgender bathrooms; GOP-led Congress proposes legislation to permit descrimination against LGBTQ community

As rewire reports, 10 additional states have sued the Obama administration after federal government guidance advised public schools to allow transgender students to use bathrooms that correspond with their gender identity. This brings the total number of states pursuing legal action on this issue to 21. UNITE HERE, a national labor organization committed to LGBTQ rights, commenced a 49-hour sit-in at Republican Senator Marco Rubio's Orlando office this week. The protesters demanded action from Rubio and other "opportunistic political leaders" who they say have done nothing to help the LGBTQ communities of color most impacted by the Pulse Nightclub shooting. "If politicians won't do anything for us, we need people to start organizing and strategizing for reform," stated a UNITE HERE representative. Meanwhile, in response to the mass killing in Orlando, the GOP-led Congress is proposing legislation, ironically named the “First Amendment Defense Act” (FADA), to permit discrimination against the LGBTQ community on the basis of religious freedom. The anti-LGBTQ bill has 171 co-sponsors, nearly all of them Republicans.

California

Oakland City Council members file complaint with FCC against soda tax

Three Oakland City Council members are filing an ethics and false advertising complaint with the FCC against soda tax opponents who claim the city’s proposed sugary drink tax is a tax on groceries.

SF Police Department's culture propagates institutional racism

A three-judge Blue Ribbon Panel on Transparency, Accountability, and Fairness in Law Enforcement investigating reports of bias in the San Francisco Police Department determined institutional racism and bias exist among officers and the biggest hurdle to change is the department’s culture.

Community environments

Multi-unit housing residents more likely to smoke

People who live in multi-unit housing are more likely to smoke and be exposed to secondhand smoke, according to the CDC, underlining the need for smoke-free multi-unit housing policies.  

American Academy of Pediactrics find that teens who would not smoke use e-cigarettes

The American Academy of Pediatrics released a report this week finding that teens who would not smoke cigarettes or use other tobacco products are using e-cigarettes.

Redlining in Baltimore likely to leave negative physical impacts on affected communities

Researchers at Johns Hopkins plotted redlined neighborhoods in Baltimore (based on 1937 government maps) and found that the 80-year-old practice continues to leave a physical mark on community food environments, with previously redlined areas being disproportionately likely to be food deserts (only four of the city’s 43 supermarkets are located in previously red- or yellow-lined neighborhoods).

South Africa considers soda tax

South Africa, where over one-half of the population is obese, is considering a 20% tax on sugary drinks.

"Active Design" improves urban planning

A New York Times op-ed promotes “active design,” the ways that urban planning can promote physical activity as a regular part of people’s lives.

Being overweight or obese can shorten lifespan

An international contingent of researchers analyzed existing studies of obesity, overweight status, and health impacts, finding that being overweight or obese alone can shorten the lifespan. The Guardian reports that “if obesity does directly cause early deaths, they calculate that if all those who are overweight or obese were instead of normal weight, one in seven early deaths could be avoided in Europe and one in five in north America, where obesity rates are higher. “Obesity is second only to smoking as a cause of premature death in Europe and North America,” said co-author Prof Sir Richard Peto, from the University of Oxford.”

Fernando Quintero calls on celebreties to stop promoting sugary drinks

BMSG’s Fernando Quintero called on music stars like Selena Gomez to stop promoting sugary drinks, illustrating the aggressive target marketing of youth of color as a public health issue and a racial justice issue.

Health Systems Transformation

First article released in a series that offers a comprehensive approach to addressing social determinants of health disparities 

In the first of a series of articles in Nation’s Health on the role of social determinants of health, the author lays out a comprehensive approach to addressing the underlying contributors to health disparities, noting “Today, the evidence base on social determinants gets bigger every day, from studies that link poverty and shorter life expectancy to those that document how unconscious bias leads to lower quality health care for black Americans.”

Center for Health Journalism suggests that doctors' and hospitals' compensation should depend on their patients' well-being

The Center for Health Journalism writes on the need to signal to doctors and hospitals that their compensation depends on their patients’ measurable well-being. We’ll know we’ve had real health care reform when we can show we’ve improved Americans’ health. Two proposed measurements would be how well a health plan cares for a large population and measuring patient health after major procedures.

Obama calls on Congress for further ACA reforms, including adding a public option health plan

President Obama says Congress should add a public option health plan to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) as a way to improve his signature health reform law, according to a special communication Obama published yesterday in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Obama also called on Congress to take additional action to curb rising prescription drug prices and urged states that have not yet expanded Medicaid under the ACA to do so.

Hospital groups request that CMS further delay its release of hospital quality star ratings

Several hospital groups have sent a letter to CMS calling for the agency to further delay its release of overall hospital quality star ratings. CMS originally planned to release the ratings in April, but delayed their publication until at least July in response to providers' and lawmakers' concerns about the ratings' methodology.

Mental health

Senate approves bill to seek alternatives to jail for opioid abusers

The Senate approved an opioid bill this week, reframing addiction as a health problem, not a crime, and seeking alternatives to jail for opioid abusers.

Politico reports that suicide rates and drug addiction are at record highs in the US

Politico reports on shortcomings in the United States’ mental health care system: “Suicide rates are at a record high; drug addiction is epidemic. There aren’t enough therapists, particularly not enough who accept insurance. And too often the most vulnerable and severely ill end up on the streets, or fill our prisons and jails. The Affordable Care Act was never meant to mend every crack in the system.”