A weekly roundup of public health news
Survey finds strong public support for eliminating health inequities
Most Americans believe eliminating health inequities should be a priority for U.S. leaders and that everyone should be able to access health care, regardless of their ability to pay.
The findings came from a survey by Johns Hopkins University’s Institute for Policy Solutions. The National Health Inequities Survey, conducted in September and October, found that 67% of adults believe the nation should prioritize eliminating health inequities for everyone.
Despite the nation’s political divides, the survey found agreement on several key health care issues. Three-quarters of adults said everyone should be able to access health care, and about 70% said health care coverage should be considered a right rather than a privilege. About 81% of survey respondents said the U.S. health system should focus on keeping people healthy and preventing disease, not just treating them when they become sick.
Many Americans also support a broader approach to care. Nearly three-quarters of respondents said health care should address the whole health of a person, including physical, mental and social health needs. About 74% said care should be delivered in languages that patients understand.
Many respondents said health care institutions and researchers should play a role in eliminating health inequities. About 61% said health care institutions should take an active role. And 63% said federally funded research should prioritize measurable progress toward reducing inequities.
While most Americans supported national action to address health inequities, the survey found differences in how people thought solutions should be carried out. For example, 70% of insured adults favored universal approaches to eliminating inequities, compared with 49% of uninsured adults. Researchers said people who face greater barriers to care may prefer targeted strategies that address their challenges.
Many respondents also said that they personally experienced issues that can contribute to health inequities. More than 1 in 5 adults reported skipping medical care in the past year because of cost. Nearly 15% said they struggled to pay medical bills and 11% lacked health insurance. Food insecurity affected about 26% of adults and 13% reported housing instability.
The findings come even as the Trump adminstration has halted federal work that would help close the gap on health inequities. Since taking office, President Donald Trump has revoked funding for health equity research and programs, supported policies to reduce Medicaid enrollment and opposed the extension of tax credits that help low-income Americans afford insurance, among other measures.
Certain groundwater sources tied to higher Parkinson’s risk
Drinking water that comes from “newer” groundwater sources may raise risks for developing Parkinson’s disease, according to a new study.
Researchers found that people whose water came from more recently formed groundwater were more likely to develop the neurological disease than those whose water came from much older sources. Newer groundwater, which comes from precipitation that has fallen within the past 75 years, often contains more pollutants than older groundwater, which is usually deeper underground and better protected from contamination.
The findings, presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 78th Annual Meeting, also found that risk varied depending on the type of aquifer that supplied the water. People whose drinking water came from carbonate aquifers — natural underground water systems often formed with limestone — had a 24% higher risk of Parkinson’s disease compared with those whose water came from other aquifer types. Their risk was 62% higher when compared with people whose water came from glacial aquifers, which were formed when glaciers advanced and retreated more than 12,000 years ago.
Carbonate aquifers are found mainly in parts of the Midwest, the South and Florida. Because water can move quickly through fractures in limestone, those aquifers may be more vulnerable to surface contamination, researchers said. Glacial aquifers, which are more common in the Upper Midwest and Northeast, are made of sand and gravel deposited by ancient glaciers and tend to filter water more slowly, which may help remove contaminants.
The study also found that groundwater age was also a factor: For every increase in groundwater age, risk of Parkinson’s disease declined by about 6.5%.
Investigation finds arsenic, lead in baby formula products
Potentially harmful levels of heavy metals are still a concern in baby formula sold in the U.S., an investigation by Consumer Reports finds.
New tests by the consumer safety and advocacy group detected inorganic arsenic in more than half of the infant formulas analyzed and lead in several products. The findings come about a year after Consumer Reports reported similar contaminants in formula products.
Researchers tested 49 infant formula products, including powdered, liquid and ready-to-feed formulas, including soy-based, goat-milk-based and hypoallergenic varieties. Researchers screened the products for arsenic, lead and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — also known as “forever chemicals” — along with cadmium, mercury, acrylamide and several bisphenols.
The latest testing found inorganic arsenic at or above Consumer Reports’ level of concern in more than half of analyzed products. Inorganic arsenic — a highly toxic form of the metal that naturally occurs in soil, water and air — may harm infant growth and brain development.
Lead was also detected at concerning levels in three powdered formulas. There is no safe level of lead exposure for children, as it may damage developing brains and nervous systems in any amount.
Consumer Reports also detected PFAS in more than a quarter of the products tested. The chemicals, which are used in many industrial and consumer products, can accumulate in the body and have been linked to a range of health problems.
Unlike regulations in the European Union and some other countries, the U.S. currently does not set limits on heavy metals such as arsenic or lead in infant formula.
Other recent public health news of note:
• Poverty is linked to worse health and developmental outcomes for babies, according to two new studies. Research published in JAMA Pediatrics found infants born to families earning below 200% of the federal poverty level had higher rates of preterm birth and low birth weight than those in higher-income households. Another study, published in Acta Psychologica, found babies from lower-income families reached developmental milestones such as rolling over, sitting up and grasping objects at a later age than those from higher-income families.
• Lung cancer patients who are Black are less likely to receive medical treatment that may cure them than white patients, even when they share the same insurance, a new study in JAMA Network Open says. The research, which looked at data on 28,000 patients who were all covered by Medicare, found 74% of Black patients received curative treatment compared to 82% of white patients.
• Biodegradable plastic used in agricultural mulch may not break down as safely as expected, according to new research in Environmental Science and Ecotechnology. Scientists found that plant roots can speed the breakdown of some biodegradable plastic particles in soil, but the process can leave behind chemical byproducts that may harm plants. Biodegradable mulch films are promoted as a more sustainable alternative to conventional agricultural plastics, but the findings show the materials may still contribute to microplastic pollution.
The Watch is written by Michele Late, who has more than two decades of experience as a public health journalist.of experience as a public health journalist.