Breaking News

Home / Unlabelled / Trevor Project crisis line sees a spike in calls post-election

Trevor Project crisis line sees a spike in calls post-election

November 07, 2024
November 7, 2024
theresa-g-avatar-small - light bg
Morning Rounds Writer and Podcast Producer

Good morning. Accurate watchdog journalism is essential for a more equitable and informed world. If you already read STAT, then you already know we are committed to upholding this standard in all our reporting.

Consider supporting us in that mission: We're currently offering 40% off our annual news subscription. 

politics

The latest on Trump, abortion, and the election

Alex Wong/Getty Images

In the wake of Donald Trump's presidential win, here are the stories you don't want to miss:

  • What would it mean for the FDA to let Robert F. Kennedy Jr. "go wild" on health care? Based on his public statements, Kennedy's agenda could include an effort to eliminate drug company user fees that help fund the FDA, loosening regulation of raw milk, personally reviewing data on vaccines to judge their safety, and cracking down on ultra-processed foods and food additives. Read more from STAT's Lizzy Lawrence.
  • The post-Roe effort to protect abortion rights hits its limit, for now. STAT's Sarah Owermohle runs through the final tally on abortion ballot initiatives. Losses in three out of 10 states and a Trump presidency have left advocates with limited options. For now, the country remains a patchwork of bans, restrictions, and safe havens for the procedure. Read more.
  • Opinion: Judges, lawmakers, and activists are now in control, not doctors. The legal erosion of the medical profession will only accelerate under the second Trump administration, argues Harvard law professor Carmel Shachar in a new First Opinion. Medical leaders need to work to regain public trust, Shachar writes, as "their ability to determine the scope of medicine may depend on it." Read more.

lgbtq+ health

Trevor Project crisis line sees a spike in calls post-election

After the presidential election was called for Trump, LGBTQ+ youth reached out to the Trevor Project's crisis line much more than on a typical day, according to the advocacy group's CEO Jaymes Black. Starting from midnight until mid-afternoon yesterday, when STAT reached out, the line saw about a 125% increase in contact volume, with many callers citing the election results, they added. Trump, whose campaign ran a slew of anti-trans ads, has already pledged to cut all federal funding to gender-affirming care in a second term.  

Previous research from the Trevor Project has shown that anti-LGBTQ legislation like bans on care take an alarming toll on the mental health of queer youth. The organization's most recent study, published in September in Nature Human Behavior, found that state laws restricting the rights of trans people caused more trans and nonbinary young people to attempt suicide.

mental health

Anxiety and depression increased from 2019 to 2022 in the U.S. 

In 2022, about one in five U.S. surveyed adults experienced any symptoms of anxiety (18.2%) or depression (21.4%) in the previous two weeks. That's a significant increase from the 15.6% who experienced symptoms of anxiety and 18.5% who experienced depression symptoms in 2019. Anxiety and depression was experienced most by women, young people, and those with less than a high school education, low incomes, and who live in rural areas. 

The results aren't necessarily a shock, as previous research showed how rates of both anxiety and depression climbed during the pandemic. It's the latest bit of research on a growing mental health crisis: By the age of 75, half of the global population can expect to experience a mental health disorder at some point in their lives, according to a study from last year.

infectious disease

WHO allocates vaccines to African countries hit hardest by mpox 

The WHO and a coalition of partners have allocated 899,000 vaccine doses for nine countries in Africa that have been particularly burdened by the current mpox surge. Most of those doses — 85% — will go to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which has reported four out of every five confirmed cases in Africa this year. 

The WHO declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern in August. If you're still not exactly sure what mpox is, how one gets it, or how worried you should be, check out this video explainer featuring STAT's Helen Branswell.

first opinion

Is tattoo-less radiation the future of cancer care?

Have you ever known somebody who got their first tattoo as part of cancer treatment? Tiny but permanent tattoos have long been a key part of radiation because they help doctors accurately target and deliver treatment. But afterwards, the ink is like a forever-reminder of what a cancer survivor has been through. In a new First Opinion essay, two physicians argue that cancer treatment needs to turn away from tattoos toward alternative measures. 

Read more about the history of these tattoos and the practice's most notable alternative, called surface-guided radiation therapy.

More around STAT
Check out more exclusive coverage with a STAT+ subscription
Read premium in-depth biotech, pharma, policy, and life science coverage and analysis with all of our STAT+ articles.

What we're reading

  • In Vermont, where almost everyone has insurance, many can't find or afford care, KFF Health News

  • Psychedelics decriminalization rejected by Massachusetts voters, STAT
  • The brain summons deep sleep for healing from life-threatening injury, Nature
  • Biotech and pharma executives on what Trump and RFK Jr. could mean for the industry, STAT

Thanks for reading! More tomorrow,

Enjoying Morning Rounds? Tell us about your experience
Continue reading the latest health & science news with the STAT app
Download on the App Store or get it on Google Play
STAT
STAT, 1 Exchange Place, Boston, MA
©2024, All Rights Reserved.
Update Newsletter Preferences     •    Contact Us     •    Advertise with Us     •    View in Browser

No comments

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )