Viewpoint Archives

06.30.2017 A lead pipe from Roman times

Lead Pipes: The Cost of Kicking the Can Down the Road

City Councillor Ryan O'Malley weighs in on the lead pipe problem in Malden, Massachusetts.

Guest Author Ryan O'Malley

06.26.2017 Tomatos and avocados

Malnutrition Is About More Than Food Security

The solution to malnutrition may require focus on root causes rather than on increased food production. Gardens for Health International identifies a number of complex, interrelated factors that impact a family’s food security.

Guest Author Bailey Adams

06.12.2017 White House lit with Pride colors

Refusal Laws Threaten LGBT Healthcare Access

State laws have been introduced that frame refusal to serve LGBT people and/or same-sex couples as Constitutionally-guaranteed “free exercise” of religion. These bills undermine efforts to improve LGBT access to culturally competent care.

Guest Author Sean Cahill

05.31.2017 A model of The Pill on a black background

Contraception is Preventative Care

Before the ACA, 55 percent of woman between 18 and 34 reported struggling with the cost of birth control at some point. By declaring contraceptives preventive care, the ACA guaranteed patients, regardless of their economic status, the ability to shape their own lives. This guarantee is in jeopardy.

Guest Author Jennifer Childs-Roshak

05.03.2017 Jini Fairley at a crosswalk, with her service dog

Signaling Accessibility

Lack of uniformity in state or federal laws for crosswalk signal features leaves auditory crosswalks to the discretion of individual municipalities, resulting in inconsistent signals for those who are visually impaired.

Guest Author Kendra Sims

05.02.2017 A yellow crayon broken in two pieces

How Moderate Republicans & Democrats Could Improve the ACA

Jon Kingsdale, first director of the Massachusetts exchange, helped many states implement the ACA. He thinks bi-partisan ideas can be used to fix structural problems with the law.

Guest Author Jon Kingsdale

04.11.2017 a woman in blue dress

Health Equity

7 Dresses 4 Health

What is the role of the artist activist in public health? Marian Brown describes her performance piece adDRESSing health: 7 dresses, 7 days a week, 52 weeks, 365 days a year.

Guest Author Marian Brown

03.31.2017 Shadowy hand with yellow glow on fingertips

An Unnerving Experience

Brad Wright contemplates how different his experience with Guillain-Barré syndrome could have been without health insurance and access to health care.

Guest Author Brad Wright

03.17.2017 Shadows on the pavement of protesters holding signs

Health Equity

What Does It Mean to Be a Just Institution?

Lauren A. Taylor discusses the roles and responsibilities of academic institutions during the Trump administration, when affiliations and professional and personal boundaries can become less clear.

Guest Author Lauren A. Taylor

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