By June Deen and Dr. Anne Mellinger-Birdsong In the past year, a global pandemic killed millions of people worldwide and thousands here at home. COVID-19 exposed weaknesses in our health system and health inequities as people of color became infected and died at higher rates. We are coming out of the pandemic, but will we apply the…
By Jennifer Owens and Debbie Kibbe The Annie E. Casey Foundation recently released its annual Kids Count Data Book. The report provides a yearly snapshot highlighting key indicators of child well-being. Despite maintaining its overall rank of 38, Georgia took a step backward from the prior year on its health ranking and is now placed…
By Dr. Linda Walden Here in the Southeast, natural gas is a fossil fuel that provides electricity for our homes and business. We use it daily to heat our homes in the winter, power our air conditioners in the summer and cook our food. In fact, natural gas accounts for 46 percent of our electricity…
By Amber Mack The federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (H.R. 1065) passed the U.S. House on May 14 by a vote of 315-101. This is an important measure that Georgia’s pregnant and postpartum employees need to thrive in safe working environments. To date, 30 U.S. states have instituted legislation to ensure working women are protected…
By Dr. Timothy Kennedy “How are you?” is taking on a new meaning in this lingering pandemic state. We know many people aren’t doing well — beyond the physical impact of COVID-19 — because they’ve shared that. A recent Kaiser Family Foundation study showed that during the pandemic, one in four adults reported symptoms of anxiety or…
By Rochelle Smalls and Dr. Daniel Miller Lung cancer is called the “silent killer” because it is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths and is often diagnosed in its later stages. It is generally associated with cigarette smoking, though it can be caused by pollutants in the air. Additionally, lung cancer has an especially large impact…
By Maria Thacker-Goethe We are seeing economic loss, strain on our health care systems and an unimaginable loss of life in our country due to the coronavirus pandemic. While we have confronted many challenges in the medical arena in recent months, our health care supply chain – which ensures that lifesaving medications are available to…
By Jeff Graham The COVID-19 pandemic has burdened an already strained health care system for months without an end in sight for some of the most at-risk populations, including the LBGT community, seniors, and those with pre-existing conditions. It has also reflected, as a result of systematic inequalities, staggering health disparities within Black and Latino…
By Drs. Douglas Blackmon and David Paine Over the past few months, the COVID-19 pandemic has ravaged the world, our country, and our home state of Georgia. The novel coronavirus has tragically claimed thousands of lives and has garnered unprecedented attention from our leaders. But we can’t afford to lose sight of the other epidemic…
By Marguerite Schauer COVID-19 has prompted a search for lessons learned from past pandemics. Many writers have examined the well-known 1918 flu pandemic and even the plague outbreaks of the Middle Ages, while others have shared thoughtful insights from the early years of HIV. Far less has been said regarding another deadly epidemic that is…