Media Coverage
The work done by Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine faculty members (and even some students) is regularly highlighted in newspapers, online media outlets and more. Below you’ll find links to articles and videos of Feinberg in the news.
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New York Times
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Millions of Americans May Soon Lose Medicaid Coverage. Here’s how to Prepare.
Throughout the pandemic, millions of Americans on Medicaid have been shielded from losing healthcare coverage. Medicaid provides health coverage for low-income Americans; for the past three years, states suspended their typical process of redetermining whether someone remained eligible for coverage. Many people will continue the same Medicaid coverage they’ve had for years, but millions could lose their current coverage – either because they don’t qualify for Medicaid anymore, or even if they do continue to qualify, because the administrative hurdles to renew their coverage are so high. In particular, people with disabilities, people who are not native English speakers and people who changed addresses during the pandemic may struggle to wade through the red tape, said Lindsay Allen, a health economist and Medicaid policy researcher at Northwestern Medicine.
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Reuters
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US FDA approves over-the-counter sale of overdose reversal drug Narcan
The US Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved over-the-counter sales of Emergent BioSolutions Inc’s Narcan, allowing for easier availability of the life-saving medication used to reverse opioid overdoses. The formal decision makes Narcan the first naloxone-based drug available without a prescription. Currently, a 4-milligram, two-dose pack of the nasal spray has a wholesale price of about $120, according to 46Brooklyn, a drug pricing non-profit. “For people who need it most, it needs to be at a lower price point than what it is currently available,” said Maryann Mason, PhD, associate professor of emergency medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. The approval could allow for access to the drug in areas that have concentrated overdose problems and few pharmacies, she said. Naloxone rapidly reverses or blocks the effects of opioids, restoring normal respiration, especially when given within minutes of the first signs of an overdose.
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New York Times
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Exercise May Help Counteract the Toll of Poor Sleep
In an ideal world, experts say, you would get both ample exercise and ample sleep. But a new study suggests that exercise could potentially help counteract the health consequences of not getting a proper amount of sleep. The new research builds upon a large body of work showing just how critical both sleep and fitness are for overall health. “What this tells us is that if you can’t manage your sleep optimally right now, we should be scheduling time to get moderate or vigorous physical activity,” said Dr. Donald Lloyd-Jones, a former president of the American Heart Association and the chair of the department of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. And not everyone has the same need for sleep, which means that some people can function well or feel sufficiently rested with fewer hours.
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NBC 5 Chicago
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Strep Is on the Rise in Kids. Parents Should Be Aware of These Less Common Symptoms.
A recent explosion in strep infections, many of which are presenting with few or atypical symptoms, is concerning experts around the U.S. Strep throat – caused by the bacteria Group A streptococcus and common in children and teens – can occur any time of the year, but peak season usually starts in December and goes through April. And while it is typical to see strep throat spike around this time of year, this is the worst it has been in a long time, experts warn. “It is important to recognize strep because if we treat it, then you can prevent complications,” said Dr. Alin Abraham, MD, health system clinician of general internal medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. The sore throat and other symptoms of strep throat usually go away on their own within five to seven days, says Abraham. But it’s still necessary to seek treatment from a healthcare provider in order to treat the bacterial infection itself. If left untreated, it can lead to complications like abscesses, ear or sinus infections, rheumatic fever and kidney problems, the experts note.
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TODAY
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Should parents get to control whether teens use social media? It’s already law in one state
After Utah became the first state to require parental consent in order for minors to use social media, parents, teens and experts are sharing their thoughts on government-enforced mandates for social media use. Sara Houston Katsanis, MS, a research assistant professor focusing on pediatric consent and social media at Northwestern University, says the mandates are “quite extreme,” adding that “teenagers will find ways to access what they are interested in, especially if it’s touted as something forbidden.” “I don’t disagree that social media is a problem and tech addiction is a problem among teenagers and among children,” Houston Katsanis tells TODAY.com. “Rather than trying to restrict what children have access to, let’s work with communities to limit the need for phones.” Numerous studies have found links between an increase in social media use and adverse mental health outcomes in teens, including depression, anxiety and low self-esteem.
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Chicago Tribune
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Mike Adamle, the former’s Bears running back and sportscaster, deals with slowly advancing dementia: ‘I’ll wake up one day, and there goes another part of me’
Adamle’s mind is slowly eroding, a result of the brain-rattingl concussions he suffered playing for Northwestern and the NFL Chiefs, Jets and Bears. He has post-traumatic epilepsy. His doctors also believe he’s showing symptoms of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, a disease also tied to brain trauma and frighteningly common among former football players. Dr. Stewart Shankman, a professor and Northwestern Medicine’s chief of psychology in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, said he’s hopeful mental issues someday no longer will be stigmatized but rather viewed like other chronic diseases. “Nobody has to come out that they have diabetes or come out that they have thyroid problems,” Shankman said. “They just take their medicine and move on. But we need to be moving forward by having more awareness.”
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NBC 5 Chicago
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Health Experts Set the Record Straight on Menopause, From Symptoms to Treatments
Women can spend more than half their life in menopause, but women’s health experts say there are still many misconceptions about menopause care. “A lot of women think hot flashes is menopause. That’s one thing but, really, estrogen affects so many parts of your body – your bones, your brain, your skin,” said Pat Handler MSN, instructor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a certified menopause provider at the Center for Sexual Medicine and Menopause at Northwestern Medicine. Handler explained the different between perimenopause, which can start in your early 40’s, and menopause. “Perimenopuase is when a woman’s hormones begin to fluctuate,” Handler said. “Menopuase is when a woman has completely stopped making estrogen.” Northwestern Medicine created the Center for Sexual Medicine and Menopause in 2017 to help women navigate menopause and the various treatment options.
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Yahoo! News
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Asthma medication shortage is making some families feel ‘helpless and frustrated.’ Here’s what parents need to know.
Albuterol, a fast-acting medication used to treat breathing problems in children, has been on the FDA’s shortage list since October. But while there’s plenty of chatter on social media about the shortage, doctors say parents shouldn’t panic – and that there are numerous ways to handle it. Dr. Michael Bauer, clinical assistant professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, says that patients who have used albuterol in a nebulizer should be able to use an inhaler if they can’t find the drug in liquid form. “Almost anyone can use an inhaler, and when used properly, it provides the same delivery of albuterol and relief of symptoms as the aerosolized form,” he says. (However, he says, infants and small children will need to use a spacer device — a holding chamber that makes it easier to breathe in the medicine — and will likely need some coaching.)
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The Wall Street Journal
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Why Is the Maternal Mortality Rate So High in the U.S.?
Maternal mortality rates in the U.S. surged in 2021 to their highest level since 1965, as Covid-19 exacerbated longstanding problems including access to care and heart health. Rates have been trending upward over the past two decades in the U.S., even as they’ve fallen in most other countries. Public-health researchers say expanding insurance coverage so that more women are covered would be one step. Another would be making sure women are heart-healthy before they become pregnant, addressing problems such as hypertension and obesity earlier on. Ensuring women have regular care after giving birth is also vital, said Dr. Sadiya Khan, assistant professor of medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. People from minority groups are more likely to have their health complaints ignored, data show. It is vital to train physicians so they are aware of their own assumptions about a patient’s background, say public-health experts.
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New York Times
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A Little Motivation to Take a Walk
“Dr. Streicher’s Inside Information Podcast,” a frequently hilarious and always informative exploration of menopause, hosted by Dr. Lauren Streicher, the medical director of the Northwestern Medicine Center for Sexual Medicine and Menopause.
