Health disparities are widening — especially in respiratory care. According to research from JAMA Internal Medicine, over a 40-year period — 1978 to 2018 — pediatric asthma rates among children from lower socioeconomic households increased nearly 400% — 210% more than the prevalence among children from wealthier homes. Similarly, COPD prevalence among low-income Americans rose…

The emergency department (ED) is vital to any healthcare system, providing immediate care for acute injuries or traumatic/life-threatening health issues by a highly trained team of medical professionals. This kind of life-saving care is undoubtedly invaluable.   However, there are plenty of circumstances where the ED may not be the most appropriate choice. In fact,…

Primary care is associated with improved life expectancy and reduced health care disparities. It is the frontline of our health care system, and is critical for tackling the growing behavioral health crisis and addressing social needs of patients, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite its value, several indicators suggest that the sustainability…

Seasonality—the cyclical changes that occur around the same time each year—lends a certain predictability that countless industries have learned to leverage to their benefit. One prominent example: Holiday shopping season. Every fall, shoppers have come to expect Christmas decorations lining store shelves and enticing sales to lure them in. Since retailers rely so heavily on…

Food security is perhaps one of the most commonly discussed social determinants of health, with the medical and public health industries standing poised to address it. According to Healthy People 2030, food insecurity is “a household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food.” Food insecurity has two different levels of…