Publications and Briefs
While some women in Ohio seek care with women’s health providers such as obstetrician-gynecologists, many others, especially those in resource-limited areas, receive care only from their primary care provider. This policy brief examines the barriers to care related to women’s health in Ohio identified by participants of the Weitzman Project ECHO Women’s Health continuing education series and provides policy recommendations on how to address those barriers.
There is growing concern nationally about the threat that climate change poses to maternal health through the increase in global temperatures, extreme weather events, and the emission of greenhouse gases. A collaboration between community-based doulas and Federally Qualified Health Centers can be a novel approach to mitigating the impacts of climate change on pregnant people in underserved communities.
With the rising costs of food and families having less money to spend, schools, now more than ever, are playing an important role in keeping youth fed who may be facing food insecurity. The Weitzman Institute’s new piece, “Addressing Food Insecurity in School-Based Settings: Keeping Youth Fed as Costs Rise” provides an overview of the important services and resources schools provide to students who face hunger, including on-site food pantries, school meal programs, and school-based health centers. It also discusses recent federal action to address this issue and what steps should be taken to ensure students can continue to access food while at school.
Federally Qualified Health Centers are uniquely positioned to address environmental justice as part of their mission to promote the health and wellbeing of the most vulnerable members of society. There are several ways in which they can have a direct impact on the patients and communities they serve by supporting environmental justice efforts.
As the use of connected devices rises, an understanding of how digital health technologies can be used for equitable healthcare across diverse communities is needed. The six Federally Qualified Health Centers involved in the NIH All of Us Research Program, including Community Health Center, Inc./Weitzman Institute, surveyed more than 1,000 adult patients regarding wearable fitness trackers. Findings indicate the majority expressed interest in having fitness trackers. Barriers included cost and lack of information, revealing that broad digital health device adoption requires education, investment, and high-touch methods.
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood (0-17 years). They are a major public health concern with high potential to worsen as a result of the health, social, and economic repercussions of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
This policy brief looks at how the health, social, and economic impact of COVID-19 may result in an increases in ACEs, especially in our most vulnerable populations, and discusses the public health responses needed to effectively address ACEs in our communities.