Black, Native American, and Hispanic/Latinx workers at greater risk of exposure to coronavirus
Throughout the pandemic, workers in both essential and nonessential industries have continued going to work and keeping the nation running, despite the risk of coronavirus exposure. But how does that risk translate across racial and ethnic lines? Researchers at the Urban Institute found that Black, Native American, and Hispanic/Latinx workers are more likely to have jobs that place them at greater risk of exposure to the coronavirus, and they offer clear suggestions for how to protect the health and well-being of these workers and their families.
Public transit and transmission of viral respiratory disease
A major concern around the spread of viral respiratory disease is how much public transportation use contributes. And there’s limited evidence exploring whether public transportation use is associated with the prevalence of these illnesses. Researchers at New York University examined the association between public transit use and influenza and pneumonia mortality, and their findings suggest local rates of transit use are not a singularly important factor in the transmission of influenza.
Supporting children and families affected by the opioid epidemic
About 8.7 million children ages 17 and younger live in households with at least one parent with a substance use disorder. Researchers at the Urban Institute conducted site visits to two Appalachian communities significantly affected by the opioid epidemic to investigate how it’s affecting children in families touched by drug use and how to support them. They found wide-ranging unmet community needs and service system limitations, often tied to historical policy failures and regional economic challenges.
Income support programs save lives and improve health equity
The U.S. offers a set of income supports for families with low incomes, children, seniors, and people with disabilities. But these programs do more than just help people make ends meet–recent Policies for Action analysis finds these programs can also prevent suicides and promote health equity, particularly for women and children.
School-based health services and Medicaid in the time of COVID-19
Free school-based health services, including mental health services, are critical in providing the support students need, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. New research from Child Trends, Inc. explores the impacts of state policies on Medicaid billing for free school-based health services and finds that 26 states and D.C.
face barriers
in receiving reimbursement for these services. Maintaining COVID-19-era changes to telehealth policies can help better meet student needs for support.
