Health and Wellness
Pharmacy closures impact minority communities most
At the start of May, we informed that in 2024 this may very well be the yr the pharmacy closes, as Rite Aid, CVS and Walgreens were expected to shut greater than 1,500 pharmacies over the following two years. C
Additionally, they reported that local pharmacies are also closing, and when these two things mix, patients will find yourself in a pharmacy desert.
According to the Boston University newspaper, closing a pharmacy just isn’t like closing a ironmongery shop or department store existing unequal health outcomes are even worse. When Walgreens decided to shut 4 of its pharmacies situated primarily in Black and Brown neighborhoods in 2022, politicians like Sen. Ed Marley (D-Mass.), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Republican Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) ) took notice of this and called on the corporate to exchange its stores, citing the creation of food apartheid zones and pharmacy deserts.
“These closures come as part of a broader legacy of historic racial and economic discrimination that has created significant pharmaceutical and food deserts and a lack of access to transportation in these neighborhoods,” Politicians Walgreens CEO Tim Wentworth noted within the letter.
The closure of major retail pharmacy chains means a disruption within the health care chain, experts say, because pharmacies often facilitate every part from vaccinations to over-the-counter drugs to baby formula.
Cole Brahim, an associate professor of health law, policy and management and coordinator of the Medicaid Policy Lab at Boston University, said capitalism is the reason for the shutdown.
“Often, an entire retail store – Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid – closes its doors due to financial problems that are, in part, the result of increased competition. If a store or pharmacy does not generate enough revenue to cover costs, or if the store could perform better elsewhere, it closes. This is especially true for retail stores in low-income neighborhoods because customers have less money to spend and margins at these stores may be less favorable.”
Brahim continued: “Income shortages and workforce constraints are leading to a limited variety of pharmacies moving from lower-income neighborhoods to higher-income neighborhoods, which in turn further exacerbates already existing health inequalities. The effects of closing pharmacies in low-income neighborhoods are each immediate and long-lasting. The lack of a pharmacy – which often is the only pharmacy nearby – means an absence of access to key medications, which in turn can mean more patients with uncontrolled chronic diseases, an extended course of disease, and sometimes serious or life-threatening complications.
Residents of predominately black and Latino neighborhoods, in response to reports less access to pharmacies than people living in majority white neighborhoods. As Healthcare Brew reports, tightening the closure of independent pharmacies is a brand new rule from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that has caused lower returns for pharmacies than they received prior to now from government programs.
The National Pharmacists Association (NCPA), a bunch representing the interests of greater than 19,000 pharmacies across the country, raised the alarm on this issue in February and called on the Biden administration and Congress to take motion.
“Nearly one-third of independent pharmacy owners may close their stores this year under pressure from falling prescription drug reimbursements from large insurance plans and pharmacy benefit managers,” said NCPA CEO and pharmacist B. Douglas Hoey.
“This is an emergency. And if Congress fails to act again, within months, thousands of local pharmacies could close and millions of patients could be left without a pharmacy.”
“If one-third of all community pharmacies close and more than 90 percent stop accepting Medicare Part D, it will be a disaster for seniors, hardship for most remaining patients and a devastating blow to the entire health care system,” he said. Hi. “This requires immediate action by Congress and the administration.”
In 2023 A research conducted by scientists from the University of Houston documented the impact these closures had on underserved areas. The study’s lead writer, Dr. Omolola Adepoju, clinical associate professor and director of research on the Humana Institute for Integrated Health Sciences, told the University of Houston: “Pharmacies have at all times been the first access point to health look after families in medically underserved areas, but this can pass. In these areas, that are primarily minority communities facing significant socioeconomic challenges, this exacerbates existing health care disparities.”
Adepoju continued: “We must address this issue, taking into account not only the economic impact of closures, but also the wider health impacts of affected communities. Our research provides key insights that can inform policy decisions and improve equitable access to health care.”
Adebosola Karunwi, a third-year medical student on the University of Houston and co-author of the study, echoed Adepoju’s concerns and stated that access to medicines is a critical health care need.
“This extra distance could have serious consequences. A diabetic who needs to take a long walk or multiple bus trips to fill an insulin prescription may not do so and instead skip doses or blood tests. We are already seeing hospitals using services like UberHealth to deliver medications and get patients to appointments,” Karunwi said. “But more needs to be done. In this day and age, there is no reason why anyone should not have access to the health care they deserve.”
Health and Wellness
The daughter says that my mother “gave me life twice” with a kidney donation as a couple a graduate of nursing together
Over the years, Ambrealle Brown was forced to dizzy about becoming a nurse because of the life -threatening kidney disease that left her temporarily overpowered.
Among the inner doubts as as to if she ever returned to a normal life, Mother Brown entered and proposed the nerves. The doctors made the first robotic kidney transplant in Louisiana, giving Brown a again a probability to live, and Nija Butler is capable of see her daughter.
Almost two years after a successful transplant, mother and daughter from Louisiana shared one other journey. Putting white hats and dresses, they went through the stage throughout the Rouge Baton and graduated from the nursing school.
“As parents, we always tell our children, we would die for you, and children do not always understand this kind of love,” said 48 -year -old Butler. “I would give her something to live. I mean it from the bottom of my heart, without thinking.”
During the interview with The Associated Press last month, two women thought of their joint journey and challenges that they defeated.
The Mother-daughter duo from Louisiana has throughout the least times been close. Butler gave birth to a daughter when she was in highschool, as a result of which they grew up together. Butler poured into the upbringing of her daughter and son, and Brown planned to differ into a nurse.
But in 2016, when the brownie was diagnosed with a branch -like glomerular segmental (FSGS), a rare kidney disease that may cause kidney failure, all of the thing modified. Her prognosis quickly worsened. One day Brown, who took the required courses for a nursing school, felt her legs tightened to such an extent that she couldn’t move.
Shortly afterwards, the Brown doctor provided harmful messages: Brown would should begin out out out out dialysis or survive the kidney transplant. The average waiting for a kidney transplant throughout the US will even be from two to five years or longer, depending on some facets, based on data from the National Kidney Foundation.
Brown desperately hoped for a latest kidney. But when she waited for the news of the transplant, she was forced as an example to dialysis – treatment lasting from nine to 13 hours on on day-after-day basis basis. Brown’s on day-after-day basis life was limited and needed to stop school.
After years of dialysis, butler said that she saw a change in her daughter, who was normally optimistic.
“It was as if she wanted to give up,” butler remembered about a telephone conversation with her daughter. “She was simply tired of connecting to the tube that her life rotated.”
Although the doctors had previously told Butler that he was probably not a match to differ into a kidney donor for his daughter, she still planned a meeting to be tested the following day. She decided not to tell her daughter, not wanting to lift hope in case it wasn’t a real match.
Soon after, Brown got news that she waited five years to take heed to – she got a latest kidney. She called her mother to tell her, but her mother already knew. Measured, Brown asked his mother how she would know.
“It’s me,” said Butler.
They each underwent surgery in March 2023, when the Tulane University of Medicine Tulane did the first kidney transplantation using a robotic surgical system. Practice offers increased precision, as a result of which the procedure is barely invasive, hoping that there shall be less pain and faster recovery.
After a successful operation, Brown turned to highschool. Her mother also decided to amass a license of her registered nurse.
For 16 months they were attached to the hip. They sat together, studied together, and in April they achieved the Rouge General School of Nursing Baton together.
“I couldn’t do it without her because the nursing school is difficult,” said 34 -year -old Brown. “I am glad that I could go through this milestone with her side by side.”
Brown took up work on the Burns Intensive Care Department, and Butler continues his occupation in a psychiatric institution.
Ladies hope that their story inspires others to resign, and as well as disseminated awareness of the importance of medical research as well as the donor and transplant process.
“Thank you for gave me life twice,” said Brown to her mother. “I have to repeat it because you gave me a second chance to live, and most people don’t get slide.”
Butler wiped the tear and said without skipping the rhythm: “And I would do it again.”
(Tagstranslatate) black health and well -being
Ghettos
Putting and turning into bed and random waking up at night is uncomfortable, but as compared with night sweat it could take the dough. Perhaps you suffered from night sweats once on a blue moon or more often; Despite the term, it have to be examined.
Although many different variables could cause night sweats, akin to menopause, home environment (temperature) or drinking alcohol, there’s also also more serious causes, akin to disease (infections and even cancer). To understand why we can sweat in a dream, we should check with several potential causes and prioritize the planning of a medical visit with a basic healthcare provider to know the cause. Talk to your doctor, in case you incessantly experience night sweats and throughout the event that they start to influence the usual of sleep, incessantly life or general health. When meeting a physician, give them problems or concerns about sleep so that you simply just just simply simply simply just just simply simply simply simply simply just just simply just just just simply simply just simply just simply just just just simply just just simply just just simply simply just just simply simply just just simply just just just just simply simply just just simply simply just just just just simply just just just simply simply simply simply just just just just simply simply just just simply just just just just simply just just simply simply simply just simply just simply simply just simply simply simply just just just just just just simply just just simply simply just just just just just simply simply just simply just just just simply simply simply simply just just simply simply just simply simply simply just just just just just just just simply simply simply simply simply just just simply just just simply just simply just simply simply simply just simply just simply just just simply simply simply just simply just just just simply just just just just just just just just simply simply just just just simply just simply just simply simply just just just simply just simply just just just just simply simply simply just just just simply just simply just just just just just simply simply just simply just simply simply just simply just just simply simply just just just just just simply just simply simply just simply simply simply simply simply simply just simply just simply just just simply just just simply simply simply simply simply simply just simply simply simply simply simply just just just simply just just simply just just just simply simply simply simply just simply simply just simply simply simply simply just just just simply simply simply just simply just simply simply just just just just simply just just simply simply just simply just simply just simply simply simply just simply just just simply simply just simply just simply just just simply simply just just simply just just just just simply just just just simply just just just just simply simply simply simply just just just simply just simply simply just simply simply just simply just simply just simply simply simply just just just just just simply simply would supply you with with with the selection to be monitored for sleep apnea or insomnia. See the potential the rationale why you’d offer you the selection to sweat in a dream.
Monitor your sleeping environment: By experiencing night sweat, it’ll be vital to contemplate the sleeping environment. Think about these questions: where do you incessantly sleep? How many blankets do you likely can have? What is the temperature in your private home and bedroom? If you sweat while sleeping, attempt to adapt the sleep environment to make it cooler.
Hormonal problems: According to Sleep foundationSweating is normal and integral throughout the adjustment of the body temperature. However, in case you sweat an excessive amount of, you’d offer you the selection to experience hormonal irregularities. According to National Center for Biotechnology, as much as 64% Women often report sleep problems and higher insomnia indicators during perimenopause and menopause.
Neurological problems: The reason for night sweats may thoroughly be conditions affecting the nervous system, akin to stroke or Parkinson’s disease (nerves threatened with the brain and spinal cord, which extend to the remaining of the body. In addition, all serious damage or injuries of the spinal cord can potentially cause night sweats.
Potential sleep disorders: Although it has not been proven that sleep disorders, Sleep foundation He informed that a third of people with obstructive sleep apnea (wasp) tends to occur regular night sweats – like people WASP Have difficulty respiratory while sleeping, causing drops of oxygen levels throughout the blood which could produce night sweats.
See easy ways to attempt to stop sweating in a dream:
Monitor the sleep environment: Try to make your bedroom cool. Spread the window or sleep with a light-weight fan to make sure that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that that the sleeping zone mustn’t be highly regarded.
Try to sleep naked: If you sweat at night, try sleeping naked or minimal pajamas.
Consume fluid: Drink a glass of cold water before bedtime, not alcohol.
Think about what you eat: Try to avoid caffeine, spicy food and hot drinks before bedtime.
Align your fitness routine: Exercises during the day or early throughout the evening, but not only before bedtime.
Health and Wellness
The study states that ingredients causing cancer in many products sold to black women
The recent study reveals that greater than half of black women and Latina repeatedly surveyed in Los Angeles Use personal hygiene products containing known cancer cancer.
Journal Lists of environmental sciences and technology published Study at On March 7, revealing that out of 64 women surveyed, 53% reported using shampoos, nutrients, whitening creams, eyelash glue and other products containing formaldehyde and formaldehyde components that are known cause cancer in humans.
“It is really disturbing that we deliberately place chemicals that release a carcinogenic factor to our products that we use every day”, ” Robin Dodson, Deputy Director for Research in Silent Spring Institutenon -research process, examining the environmental causes of breast cancer NPr.
ResearcherS collected data in 2021 disproportionately exposed For formaldehyde in cosmetic products compared to white women. Experts suspected that the frequent use of chemical hair loosens containing formaldehyde releases by black women is one in all the the reason why they die of breast, uterine and ovarian cancer At much higher rates than their white counterparts.
In a study conducted by the Environmental Working Group (EEC), non -profit organizations, environmental agency, Scientists found that from 4011 personal hygiene products sold to black women, only 21% They were evaluated as a low threat in EWG’s Skin Deep® Cosmetics database.
The FDA announced its plans to propose a formaldehyde ban in 2023. The proposed ban was geared toward protect From health threats with chemical use. The agency planned to implement a proposal in April 2024, but he met with many delays. Last yr, EEC condemned FDA for his failure implement the ban.
“Despite the overwhelming evidence of formaldehyde risks during hair treatment, the FDA did not consistently work definitely,” EEC wrote in a press release.
From May 2025, the agency has not implemented the proposalEd Ban. Europe banned formaldehyde as a cosmetic component in 2009.
(Tagstranslatate) black women
