Healthcare Blog 2026

      One major issue I have found in the US health care system is the continuously rising cost. According to KFF polling, about 1/3 of adults have skipped or postponed getting necessary health care services due to cost, 1 in 5 people said the same thing about filling prescriptions, and just under half of people say that affording health care can be difficult.      At first glance, one might think that these affordability issues are mainly due to lower socioeconomic status or household income, but studies have found that about 1/3 of people struggling with health care costs or delaying treatment or preventative care had a household income >$90,000. In terms of general concerns, health care costs are the household expense that the public is most concerned about, with over 60% of people surveyed stating that they are very worried or somewhat worried about being able to afford health care for their families. One might also think that these affordability iss...

One topic that I think is a major problem in current healthcare is prior authorizations. Prior authorizations happen when an insurance company has to review & approve a medication or treatment before they agree to cover it. Prior auths are supposed to lower costs and make sure patients are receiving the correct treatments. However, we see long delays with prescription coverage, which creates stress for patients.  The main reason it is such a big issue is that patients often don’t know their medication needs a prior auth until they go to pick it up and are expecting treatment. A doctor will prescribe a medication, the prescription gets sent to the pharmacy, and then the patient finds out their insurance will not cover it until a prior authorization is approved. Instead of being able to pick up their medication at the pharmacy right away, the patient will be forced to wait an unknown amount of time before the prior auth is reviewed and approved. These delays can be serious for ur...

According to Shahid et al., more than 43 million Americans have inadequate health literacy. Another study, by the Milken Institute, found that at least 88 percent of adults living in the US have health literacy inadequate to navigate the healthcare system and promote their well-being. Health literacy, which is a stronger predictor of poor health than age, race, income, employment status, or education level, is defined by Shahid et al. as “personal knowledge and competencies which enable people to access, understand, appraise, and use information and services in ways which promote and maintain good health and wellbeing for themselves and those around them”. They also estimated that patients with low health literacy add an additional $106-238 billion cost to the US healthcare system, which may represent over 15% of all personal healthcare expenditures.  The authors above throughout their research followed patients with inadequate health literacy, marginal health literacy, and adequat...

              Global healthcare has resulted many positive effects. For example, death rate for children under five years old dropped from 148 death per 1000 children (1950) to 37 death per 1000 children (2020). Working together resulted in eradicating smallpox and we were on the verge of eradicating polio. However, 6,600 babies die every day before they are four weeks old; 287,000 women a year die in childbirth; 128,000 children die of measles annually and 1.3 million die of TB annually. Health disparities exist, so while life expectancy in Japan is 85+ years, there are 41 countries that have life expectancy below 60 years. All in Africa. Life expectancy in Dominican Republic is 77 years, while in Haiti is 62 years. A child born in a developing country is over 13 times more likely to die within the first five years of life than a child born in an industrialized country.  Effect of ill health on every issue including schooling, economy and ...

By: Christina Nguyen As of recent years, the workforce shortage in healthcare have become increasingly more noticeable as seen with the COVID-19 pandemic and more recently, the New York nurses’ strike earlier this year. This shortage includes a multitude of professions including physicians, nurses, and even pharmacists. In an article I’ve read, it is said that the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) projects shortages of up to 5,000 pharmacists over the next 15 years, with the pharmacy technician role being one of the hardest role to fill. As of 2021, this role has a 20% turnover rate with just a 7% growth rate. We must note that our current healthcare shortage has been ongoing for over a decade, with the current nursing shortage specifically beginning around 2012. Historically, in the US, these shortages have often emerged in the post-war period due to rising demand for healthcare services, population growth, changing disease burdens, and an insufficient supply of trai...

Nowadays even though  healthcare technology and medical knowledge have advanced dramatically, many people are more likely to feel anxious, uncertain about their health ever than before. One major reason of this unusual health anxiety is the information overload.  Today, people have access to an overwhelming amount of health information online. However, more information does not always mean better understanding. With just a quick search, a mild symptom can suddenly seem like a serious illness. For example, a simple symptom like a headache can quickly escalate into fears of serious illness after a quick Google search. Instead of providing reassurance, this constant exposure often leads to confusion and anxiety. At the same time, modern healthcare emphasizes prevention and risk awareness, which has clear benefits. However, while this helps detect diseases earlier, it also means people are constantly reminded of what could go wrong, which means that it shifts attention toward pote...

     I want to take a slightly different angle on the healthcare system and talk about how the government has stepped in to help protect and support a specific at risk population in the US: the coal miner. Coal workers are at risk of developing Black Lung Disease. Yes, the lungs literally turn black, for which there is no cure. Black Lung Disease, also called Coal Workers’ Pneumoconiosis, causes inflammation and scarring in the lungs, decreasing function, and if symptoms are severe enough, supplemental oxygenation and lung transplant may be required. Workers spend years underground in the worst conditions yet the government still deems them worthy of care.      To prevent this disease, you must avoid coal dust. However, the United States relies heavily on coal. Therefore, currently it is not a viable option to no longer have coal mines. To protect workers, the federal government has implemented several regulations. In 1969, the federal government implemen...

By: Ailing Li Mental health has become a growing concern among college students in recent years. More students are reporting symptoms of anxiety, depression, and chronic stress than ever before. According to the American College Health Association, over 60% of college students reported experiencing overwhelming anxiety, and more than 40% reported feeling so depressed that it was difficult to function. Several factors contribute to this trend, including academic pressure, financial concerns, and uncertainty about future careers. At the same time, the demand for mental health support on campuses has increased significantly, putting pressure on university health systems that are often not fully equipped to handle long-term and widespread mental health needs. As this issue continues to grow, it becomes clear that the problem is not just about the number of students affected, but also about how complex their situations are. Many students are dealing with multiple stressors at once, such as ...