video
Answering your FAQ on mpox
Hyacinth Empinado/STAT
Last month, the WHO declared the mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other African countries a public health emergency of international concern. You may have heard of this disease back in 2022, when an outbreak that reached the U.S. triggered the same alarm. But if you have lingering questions about what mpox is, why it's spreading again, and what needs to be done, then STAT's Helen Branswell has you covered. Watch this video, produced by STAT's Hyacinth Empinado, to have all your questions answered.
For folks who are already caught up, you can read this First Opinion essay by WHO's interim pandemic threat director Maria D. Van Kerkhove on how she thinks we should combat the outbreak.
health care
Survey: Older adults' concerns with the health care system
People over age 65 are largely unsatisfied with the health care they receive, according to a new national survey of more than 5,000 people, over half of whom were over 65. Of those older respondents, 82% felt that "the health care system is not prepared for the growing and changing needs of our country's aging population." Here are a few more interesting takeaways:
- Stay at home: Almost all (95%) older adults want to age in place — meaning they want to stay in their homes, rather than move to a long-term facility. They have specific concerns: bad care, losing independence, mistreatment and disrespect. But not everyone can afford to age in place.
- Fragmented care: More than half (52%) of older adults see at least three different physicians each year. Almost a third see at least five. But only half of older respondents said that their primary care doctor coordinates with the others.
- Disease worries: Older people reported worrying more about Alzheimer's disease and dementia than any other disease. Only 40% of those who have a regular health care provider said the provider routinely evaluates their cognitive functioning. For those over age 80, about 47% said they received regular evaluations.
medical devices
Heart devices recalled for safety aren't usually tested on patients
Over the last decade, more than 150 cardiovascular devices have been recalled because of a risk of serious injury or death. A new study of FDA documents found that only 30 of those devices had clearly documented clinical testing before coming to market. Most recalls were due to design flaws, and one out of every four devices were recalled more than once.
"There needs to be better identification of which devices are truly going to pose high risk to patients," Jonathan Dubin, an orthopedic surgeon who has researched device recalls, said to STAT's Katie Palmer. Read more in STAT+ on how these dangerous devices slip through cracks in the regulatory system.
No comments