When Ebony Smith began practicing yoga, she couldn’t help but feel like an outsider. “There was something about it that I absolutely loved,” she said. “But I didn’t like going to practice, because nobody ever looked like me and I just always kind of felt awkward.” Smith, 35, picked up yoga about seven years ago […]
Low income
Geographic Access to Specialty Mental Health Care across High- and Low-Income US Communities
A new study has found that high-income communities are more likely to have access to specialty mental health treatment resources, including office-based practices, than low-income areas. Researchers indicated that outpatient mental health treatment facilities, which were more commonly found in low-income communities, can provide an avenue to reduce disparities in access to care. Published in […]
A Mixed-Methods Approach to Understanding Barriers to Postpartum Retention in Care Among Low-Income, HIV-Infected Women
Optimal retention in HIV care postpartum is necessary to benefit the health and wellbeing of mothers and their infants. However, postpartum retention in HIV care among low-income women is suboptimal, particularly in the Southern United States. A mixed-methods study was conducted to identify factors associated with postpartum retention in care among HIV-infected women. Participants (n=35) […]
The Importance of Medicaid Coverage for Criminal Justice Involved Individuals Reentering Their Communities
The purpose of this issue brief is to highlight the importance of health insurance coverage for criminal justice involved individuals, particularly the importance of the expansion in Medicaid coverage made available through the Affordable Care Act. This issue brief explains why Medicaid and access to the health benefits the program covers can play a key […]
Poverty and Child Health in the United States
Identifying poverty as one of the most widespread and persistent health risks facing children, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has issued recommendations urging doctors to ask at all well-child visits whether families are able to make ends meet. The new policy statement in the April 2016 issue of Pediatrics, “Poverty and Child Health in […]
Suicide among Older Chinese Adults in the United States
A study of Chinese people over the age of 60 in the greater Chicago area revealed that living alone, poor health, and an annual income under $5,000 were significantly associated with the lifetime prevalence of suicide attempts. The authors suggest that “older adults with a lower income level may experience greater life stress that may […]