Archive

Perspectives in Primary Care features writing from practitioners, activists, and community members representing organizations, practices, and institutions across the United States and around the world.

Men and Primary Care: Removing the Barriers

A recent study of British dental patients found that men are more likely than women to be hospitalized due to severe dental disease. Why? Because men delay seeking help at earlier disease stages when their condition would be easier to treat. While it’s a myth to assume that all or even most men do not use, or largely avoid, primary care, there is nevertheless good evidence that services are under-utilized by many. In one Australian study,

Consequences of COVID-19: Addressing Social Isolation From Physical Distancing in Older Adults

Ms. B sits alone at home day after day, grieving. Ever since one of her loved ones died last fall in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. B has found herself struggling with feelings of depression and loneliness. Recently retired and isolated from her nearby family due to pandemic precautions, she has no one to talk to, no one to share her grief with. Ms. B tearfully ...

National Arab American Heritage Month as a Public Health Catalyst

I am a young Arab American, born and raised in New York, yet this is the first year I am celebrating National Arab American Heritage Month (NAAHM). In fact, for as long as I have been alive, Arab American advocacy groups like the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee and the Arab American Institute have been pushing for April to be named

COVID-19 Ravages the COFA Community in Hawai‘i

As of January 31, 2021, Pacific Islanders in Hawai‘i had the highest age-adjusted mortality rate in the United States at 319.6 deaths per 100,000 persons. In comparison, the United States mortality rate during the same period was 153 deaths per 100,000, and Hawai‘i as a whole had the lowest mortality rate in ...

Menstrual Health During COVID-19: How Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Can Improve Equity

Globally, over 800 million women, girls, and gender non-binary persons are menstruating while simultaneously coping with the COVID-19 pandemic. For many, the ability to safely manage their menstrual health and hygiene remains a widely

Muslim Community Engagement Efforts to Tackle COVID-19 Vaccine Misinformation

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged communities across the globe to organize and collaborate for effective public health communications, and the rapidly evolving science around the COVID-19 crisis requires a coherent and cross-functional response to allow for up-to-date messaging. Vaccines for COVID-19 also present challenges as they have been developed at a precarious time in the midst of many challenges, conspiracy theories, and ...

Evolving Concepts of Justice and Safety

Criminalizing survival Rachel stayed. She stayed to survive, and for that the criminal legal system labeled her a “frequent flyer.” When she called 911, she was lucky if she got a couple hours reprieve from her long-time partner’s life-threatening abuse before he returned home. He would often return home bragging about the arresting officer making a pit stop for him at a nearby ATM to make his bond—a common ...

Climate Health Now

Injury and drowning from worsening storm surges and flooding. Smoke inhalation and burns from wildfires. More severe and frequent heat stroke and heat-related illness. Spread of infectious diseases. Worsening anxiety and depression. These are just a few of the ways in which climate change impacts human health. ...

The Original Pandemic: Commercial Tobacco

All mentions of tobacco in this article refer to commercial tobacco and nicotine products and not sacred and traditional use of tobacco by some Native American communities. This article is solely for informational educational purposes and is not meant to lobby and/or express, promote, or influence support or opposition on any ...