Dear John,

Join us Wednesday, April 24, for our next Journal Club featuring a closer look at an upcoming Health Affairs research article, “Antidepressant Prescriptions Increased For Privately Insured People With Perinatal Mood And Anxiety Disorders, 2008–2020,” which will be published in our April theme issue focusing on perinatal mental health and well-being.

Author Stephanie V. Hall of the University of Michigan Medical School and Health Affairs Senior Editor Laura Tollen will participate in a detailed discussion of the paper’s data, methods, and policy implications.

Celebrating Women's History Month

For the month of March, we are recognizing Women's History Month. Throughout this month, we're elevating women who work to advance health equity and policy.

Take a moment to look back at a number of featured articles.

In a November 2023 Forefront article, Nalani Thomas and coauthors recommend a transdisciplinary approach to support diverse perinatal mental health (PMH) providers and birthing people across the nation.

In our Housing & Health theme issue from February 2024, Kierra S. Barnett and coauthors determine how policies have affected segregated neighborhoods—such as Linden in Columbus, Ohio—and shaped neighborhood-level demographics and resources during the past 100 years. For more about her findings, revisit an episode of A Health Podyssey featuring Barnett.

In a September 2023 article, Sara C. Handley and coauthors emphasize the importance of integrating dyadic outcomes into clinical care, research, and policy to support the health of parents, infants, their families, and communities.

In a February 2024 Forefront article, Madison Featherstone explores why diabetes should be considered an epidemic and ways to address it immediately.

Also released in February 2024 in Forefront, Carol Sakala and coauthor discuss how changing how we pay for maternity care can drive improved maternal health outcomes.

Sign up for our newsletters to never miss our Elevating Voices series as well as monthly observances of cultural and community celebrations in the health policy world.

We are still accepting applications for our upcoming summer internship program! But keep in mind, this is your last week to apply.

Our summer internships for college students and high school graduates will run from mid-June through early August.

Available jobs are listed on our website and applications are due this Sunday, March 31, 2024.

Health Affairs is committed to providing a robust intern experience, including special projects, access to Health Affairs staff, and inclusion in various team and all-staff meetings.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at [email protected]

Health Affairs Reads: An Anthropologist’s Exploration Of Public Health

James Trauer

The Effects Of Dobbs On Cancer Care

Nicole Huberfeld et al.

Biden Administration Finalizes Limits On Junk Health Plans

Sabrina Corlette

A Health Podyssey: Amanda Chen on New CMS Nursing Home Ownership Data

Health Affairs' Editor-in-Chief Alan Weil interviews Amanda Chen of Harvard University on her recent paper that identifies major gaps and discrepancies in new CMS nursing home ownership data.

The insights provided by Chen highlight the need for transparent ownership data in order to understand the adequacy of public payments to provide patient care, enable policy makers to make timely decisions, and evaluate nursing home quality.

Newsmakers: A Rise Of US Measles Cases, Along With Continued “Vaccine Hesitancy”

Recently, the West Virginia Legislature passed a bill which could allow more vaccination exemptions for students not attending public school.

In a WTOP-FM interview, Health Affairs Editor-In-Chief Alan Weil mentioned that public health research has observed a correlation between more vaccination exemptions and increases in preventable diseases, as evidenced by a current rise in measles cases.

Weil noted that parents’ reluctance to vaccinate their children can stem from multiple sources, including mistrusting public health information campaigns. 

Weil also mentioned a new Health Affairs study about the growing rate of perinatal mood and anxiety (PMAD) diagnoses in the US, by Kara Zivin and coauthors, part of the upcoming April edition, a theme issue about perinatal mental health and well-being.