Category: Module 3

More Research

Los Angeles Times: Starbucks Serving Up Less Healthcare

By David Lazarus

Starbucks offered US workers a raise that will boost compensation by 5-15 percent. However, they also announced giving out a health insurance plan that was more affordable but less comprehensive. This is a part of a greater trend of tiered healthcare in the US. Those who have the money get strong coverage, while everyone else ends up with high-deductibles and spotty coverage. Healthy workers and shareholders will fare just fine, but the sicker workers will pay the price. Throughout the country, costs rise for the sick as healthier people choose cheaper, high-deductible plans.

 

The doctors are in–the homeless encampments (Contra Costa Times)

By Mark Emmons

A program in which doctors go out to treat the homeless is a smart use of resources since the homeless tend to be a “drain on social services such as emergency room visits and ambulance calls. One doctor said the chronicaly homeless have an average life expectancy of just 47. Even simple illnesses and infections become serious quickly. Many have diabetes without knowing it, which complicates infections.

 

They demand action-stat! Flushing nurses march for better hours & more money

By Lisa L. Colangelo

Claiming to be overworked and underpaid, Flushing Hospital Medical Center nurses protested on the streets. This is the lowest paying hospital in Brooklyn and Queens, paying them a salary of $63,000. The union wants to increase staffing and offer more 12 hour shifts rather than 7.5 hour shifts which would allow nurses to work fewer days. Some are also concerned about health plans as they receive $750 a year for health insurance when it costs more like $3,000 a year.

 

7% jump in healthcare costs

By Jay Greene

While single coverage through healthcare has dropped in price by 4%, from $116 to $95, health costs for family have increased. In addition, fewer companies are now offering wellness programs. To gain company healthcare benefits, employees must also now meet criteria: body weight, smoking, blood pressure and cholesterol, for lower copayments.

 


Few with insurance grasp medical care’s costs

By Bobby Caina Calvan, McClatchy Newspapers

Healthcare spending is estimated to hit $2.5 trillion this year, but those who have good insurance often care little. Though policy makers argue what plan will lower healthcare costs, studies show that this carelessness and ignorance to cost by the consumer are the real drivers of extreme prices. There are more and more Americans uninsured–$46 billion currently, and to cover costs, healthcare providers have shifted to bill to the insured. At the same time, doctors order more tests just to make sure they won’t be sued.

 

Brainstorming

  1. Comparing cost of medication with and without insurance for students
  2. How do the homeless get healthcare treatment?
  3. Rising cost of pharmaceuticals on the market
  4. Medical bills are the biggest cause of US bankruptcy (according to CNBC)
  5. Nutritional health among the poor
  6. The cost of becoming a doctor
  7. Nurses are underpaid and overworked, according to survey
  8. Depression treatment depends on socioeconomic class and race (according to study)
  9. Seeking help for opioid abuse, what are the societal costs?
  10. Getting off your parents’ healthcare plan is a difficult and complicated process, that leaves some, uninsured

 

Organizations: Health and Fitness Charity Events

Here are five organizations useful for and/or relevant to my beat, the charity side of health and fitness.

  1. Great Nonprofits

  2. The Color Run
    • Found at: The Color Run – Charity
    • Why: The Color Run is not a charitable race event itself, but in most of the cities in which it holds runs, it works with local organizations to increase cause awareness for those organizations.

  3. Outside Online
    • Found at: “Yes, Charity Races Are Losing Money. No, They’re Not Going Extinct.”
    • Why: Although this article is a little outdated (written in January 2015 and referencing stats from 2013 because 2014’s numbers weren’t in yet), this article makes the good argument that races are going away from three-day-long epic events by big companies (like the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life or Susan G. Komen for the Cure’s Race for the Cure) and toward shorter, themed races like mud runs, obstacle courses, and glow runs, many of which raise money for charities.

  4. Runner’s World
    • Found at: “Run for All”
    • Why: This is an authoritative source on running commenting on the reason many people run: to raise money for charity.

  5. Race Entry
    • Found at: “How to Organize a 5K”
    • Why: While this article encompasses all dimensions of planning a race, it has a specific section dedicated to planning fun runs or charity races.

Social Media: Health and Fitness Charity Events

Here are the profiles of 10 sources (individuals, local experts, national experts, etc.) on social media involved with my beat (the charity side of health and fitness).

  1. Allison Gauss

  2. Terri Harel

  3. Laurie Pani

  4. Danny Brown

  5. Deanna deBara

  6. Benjamin Roodman

  7. Aline Selyukh

  8. Anita Gerhardter

  9. Gary Lineker

  10. Molly Barker

Social Media

1. Karen Larson, Licensed Professional Counselor

2.  Lauren Coheley, Doctoral Student- Department of Foods and Nutrition at the University of Georgia

3. Anllela Sagra

4. Angela Schaffner, Licensed Psychologist at Atlanta Center for Eating Disorders

5. Li Xueni, a Chinese psychiatrist

6. A Chinese eating disorder patient

7. Gu Zhongyi, a Chinese nutritionists

8. Johanna S Kandel, CEO & Founder at Alliance for Eating Disorders Awareness

9. Lea Valencia Noring, therapist at Atlanta Center for Eating Disorders

10. Meade Fields, psychotherapist at Atlanta Center for Eating Disorders

5 Organization Sources

The University of Illinois at Chicago hosts the Urban Forum, a national event designed to advance the dialogue about the future of urban communities. It is run by Howard Wial who is an expert on gentrification and a professor at UIC.

The MacArthur Foundation does lots of different kinds of work to “make the world better,” but they have lots of great information available about gentrification.

The Urban Democracy Lab promotes sustainable forms of urbanism.

Athens for Everyone is a grassroots organization that promotes equality and social justice, and that works toward reducing poverty in Athens. They have hosted several panels about gentrification in Athens.

Athens Land Trust

The Athens Land Trust helps stop gentrification into culturally significant areas in Athens-Clarke County, such as the Hancock Neighborhood in East Athens.

Old Stories — Downtown Life & Business

Link: Art districts help secure small business dreams in Arizona

Date Published: September 12, 2008

Summary: This is a story about how urban redevelopment in downtown Phoenix’s art district helped local artists explore business ventures that, eventually, sort of re-built that area. I think it’s particularly relevant in today’s Athens because it deals with gentrification and how development in low-income areas can affect a community. With all the redevelopment happening in Athens, I think it’s fitting.

Link: Cinema project displacing locals; City to pay $7.9 million for six parcels on Middlefield Road and Jefferson Avenue 

Date Published: February 22, 2003

Summary: This is a story about how Redwood City government is forcing local small business owners to sell property or relocate so as to have a bigger, incoming cinema bring big business to the area. This is especially relevant to Athens’ downtown because businesses like Urban Outfitters, Zaxby’s and (soon) American Eagle are moving in and displacing small businesses.

Link: YUPPIES IN THE ‘HOOD: Proposed gentrification of poorer areas of city sparks clash of values and cultures

Date Published: June 24, 1995

Summary: This article is about gentrification and the clash of cultures (middle class and low-income) that come along with it. It is written about Vancouver. I think it’s particularly interesting and relevant, again, because gentrification is such a huge issue in Athens. I think this article does a good job of showing both sides of the equation — those who see gentrification as a problem, as well as the possible benefits of gentrification.