Last week, Congress passed arguably the most comprehensive health legislation since Medicare. After over a year of passionate debate (and nearly a 100 years in the making), the bill was signed into law. Though not a perfect bill, far from it for many, the legislation establishes a fundamental social precedent where we as a society...Continue reading
Tag: health
Men’s Health Caucus in the American Public Health Association
On February 24, 2010, Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association (APHA), announced the Association’s support for the Men’s Health Caucus, which will draw awareness to an emerging and cross-cutting public health concern. Scott Williams, Chair of the newly formed Caucus and Vice President of Men’s Health Network (MHN), explained that...Continue reading
Time to reassess
“Health is the soul that animates all the enjoyments of life, which fade and are tasteless without it.” – William Temple I recently read “Wake-up Call” by Erika Lovley in Politico this week and my suspicions have been confirmed through anecdotal evidence: people working in Washington, especially those working on Capitol Hill, are extremely stressed...Continue reading
Beyond Health Care
Health reform has been a topic of great importance here in Washington for the past few months since discussions and debates have intensified in June, 2009. Health reform, however, has primarily focused on one aspect of health – health care. In the broader sense, though, health encompasses a wider reach. For example, health professionals are...
The Business Case for an Office of Men’s Health
Below is an excerpt from a forthcoming study that I authored, which investigates the federal costs associated with excess disease burden in men in an attempt to substantiate the need for a federal Office of Men’s Health. Despite the increased risk of disease and injury, the health of men is oft an overlooked subject. Men...Continue reading
More Money, More Problems
First of all, Happy New Year! USA Today featured a comprehensive story on college football coaches and their total salaries (breakdowns of base salaries and bonuses, etc.) in early November. The highest paid coaches in 2009 lead the most prestigious football programs in the country, including Pete Carroll of Southern California, Bob Stoops of Oklahoma...Continue reading
A Pavlovian Experiment
Since June I have participated in several health fairs and I consistently notice a clear trend: Men by-passing our tables like one would do with a slow car on the highway. Men would most likely ignore our table and all the valuable information we have to offer like the plague if we fail to catch...Continue reading
Health Reform: What’s in it for Men?
With health reform sound bytes swirling across the media as ferociously as a September hurricane, I thought it would be helpful to assess some of the real proposals on the table. Most elements of the reform effort will surely benefit men’s health outcomes. Health insurance subsidies and ending harmful insurance market practices will allow men...Continue reading
Sleep, That Unconscious Feeling You Get Sometimes
We all wish there were more hours in a day. A little more time with our families, a few more hours of daylight to play another game of tackle football with our buddies, just an hour more to complete that last level on the new Call of Duty video game. Unfortunately most often the thing...Continue reading
Men’s Health in Public Policy by Adam Dougherty, MPH
As you may or may not be aware, health reform is THE topic of the summer in Washington, DC and men’s health has a lot to gain (and lose) in the talks. There are two bills making their way through Congress that deal specifically with men. First the good news! The resolution H. Con. Res....Continue reading