Being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) can turn even the most easy-going, calm person into a full-time depression patient. Even during the long-term remission, when the symptoms are mercifully controlled for weeks or even months at a time, the disease has other ways to feel its presence. Vaguely visible on the periphery of your consciousness, it is always ready to derail your thinking, worrying about the next inevitable outbreak-when will it happen, where will it happen, and how bad will it be? It is issues like these that generate the constant background buzz of anxiety and fear experienced by most MS patients. Of which 43% The incidence of anxiety disorders is significantly higher than that of the general population.
It is in the shadow of this low level of anxiety that I picked my own way from the more than 6,000 healthcare professionals who came to the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center last month HLTH 2021 — An annual industry event that brings together researchers, providers, entrepreneurs and other healthcare leaders to conduct a series of keynote speeches, lectures and exchange activities; all of these are to stimulate innovation and establishment in the healthcare field Partnership is the established goal.
Although the goal is commendable, for MS patients, among the more than 6,000 people, all shaking hands, shuffling their feet, and forcibly smiling for endless new acquaintances, such incidents have become even more problematic. Live music, revolving party lights and countless jaw-dropping (and ruptured eardrums) displays all compete in open competition on the conference floor to attract the attention of attendees.
Walking out of the crowd, I found an empty seat near the main stage and sat down when the opening ceremony lights dimmed. The presentation started with a short animated video—a montage of about 15 timely and compelling public health statistics. The statistics blend today’s bleak reality with tomorrow’s inspiring trends, and focus on addressing some of the most marginalized themes in the history of public health, including race, inequality, mental health, and addiction.
“From 2019 to 2020, we have experienced the biggest drop in life expectancy in the United States since World War II,” the commentator said excitedly. “The impact on people of color is disproportionate. Although people of color are almost five times more likely to be hospitalized due to Covid, most studies ignore these communities.”
“63% of our younger generation have severe symptoms of anxiety or depression,” the narrator continued. “From 2019 to 2020, the number of deaths from drug overdose in the United States has increased by nearly 30%, with young people having the largest increase.”
Although far from revealing, these numbers are clearly influential.Listening to the last two statistics-and watching the animation accompanied by a man with a bottle of medicine collapsing in his hand-I can’t help but think my brother, Who has suffered a lifetime of untreated mental health problems. In the absence of quality care, he started self-treatment at an early age and eventually died of complications related to alcohol use disorder.
Of course, part of me is encouraged to see such traditionally marginalized topics being addressed so openly and honestly in this situation. Equally encouraging was the opening speech of HLTH CEO and co-founder Jonathan Weiner, which included an uncompromising call for gradual action and emphasized the social determinants of health (SDOH) in patient outcomes Play an important role.
“In order to solve the biggest problems, leaders need to get used to talking about differences, understanding the root causes and the various methods that must be taken to support the health needs of different groups of people,” Weiner said.
This is a strong statement. In the next few days, many other speakers will express this view, and vendors, CEOs, and activists seem to be paying attention to this need, not only incorporating SDOH into the standard care model, but actually solving them The inequality behind it. The conference agenda is full of discussions on inequality, racial justice and SDOH. The project is titled “Systematic Health Activism: Designing for Fairness”; “Achieving Social Justice in Health”; and “Is Poverty the Root of SDOH?” There is no doubt that event organizers have invested in this theme.
But despite the encouraging reports and bold, aspiring statements, part of me is not that enthusiastic. On the contrary, this part of me cannot help but feel angry at some grand statements about inequality and injustice. Despite the many enthusiastic calls to action and thoughtful strategies — and the undeniable beliefs behind both — the same question has been lingering in my mind: “Have I never heard of this before?”
In my decades-long career in health analysis, I have read, heard and thought about a lot of SDOH. Therefore, it is not surprising that I have encountered some of the very same thoughts and emotions expressed at this year’s HLTH conference over the years. Surprisingly, the change is so small.Until today, as many as 80% health results In the United States, it is driven by social determinants, such as race, income, and education. To this day, our healthcare system still allows unfair forces to operate our hospitals and clinics largely invisible and unchecked.
It’s as if the industry itself has MS. A breakdown occurred somewhere between the brain and the body, the brain’s thoughts and intentions were clearly aligned, and the body’s thoughts and intentions could not be expressed as actions. However, unlike actual MS patients, the industry does not seem to be worried. If anything, industry professionals and decision makers seem to be more confident and optimistic than ever. Perhaps this is because, unlike multiple sclerosis, there seems to be a cure for the inequalities in our healthcare system. Year after year, one thing after another, we have increased our understanding, refined our strategy, and developed new technologies that can help us identify and eliminate these injustices. But now is the time for us to follow our call and move from conversation to action.
HLTH 2021 is encouraging. Despite the lingering feeling of deja vu, this is the first time I have seen SDOH occupy a central position in such a major industry event. Although not everything said is completely newsworthy, the focus and enthusiasm behind them is indeed so. Even when SDOH is not the focus of a speech, many speakers emphasize the need to incorporate them into their speeches in a meaningful way. For those speeches that really pay attention to these topics, there is an undeniable urgency behind their words, even for chronic anxiety sufferers like me, which is encouraging. And, yes, I will continue to worry. I will continue to worry about my brother and the millions who are still abandoned in the cracks like him. However, with this worry, there is now a little flame of optimism.
I am very sure that the social determinants of health will once again play an important role in the presentations and presentations of next year’s HLTH conference and other important healthcare events. The question is whether the main content of the discussion is more detailed statistics and strong calls to action, or real-world case studies and system audits to prove real improvements in nursing.
For the first time in history, I am convinced of progress will Come.Although I still worry about how, when and most importantly WHO It will be lost in the meantime-I know that once we get there, these details will not be so important anymore.
