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The HIV/AIDS epidemic exposed how structural factors place individuals at an increased risk for infection, something we are seeing again today with COVID-19. Can lessons learned from the HIV epidemic help prevent us from making the same mistakes today?
It’s a painful statistical fact that Black babies die at higher rates than White babies—a fact all the more painful and tragic for those living with the realities of infant mortality. The difference in death rates is shared by developing and developed nations alike. But the trend can and must change.
The discovery and use of antibiotics is one of public health’s great achievements, but antibiotic use is not without its problems. At therapeutic doses, antibiotics exert a strong selection pressure on the microbial community. When antibiotics interact with an infant’s developing microbiome, they can affect gut health and with it the child’s health for years to come.
During gestation, the human body grows at tremendous speeds, and even slight changes to a child’s biology during this sensitive time can dramatically alter health outcomes. Recent studies in Puerto Rico and elsewhere provide further support for the need to address even low levels of lead exposure for all pregnant women.
In the US, Black women die from pregnancy-related complications at a much higher rate than the rest of the population. The majority of these deaths are preventable, introducing tough questions for health care. Through awareness and advocacy, says Kyle Nisbeth, we can ensure that these burdens are mitigated and that Black mothers and babies receive the care they need to thrive.
Two leaders in Native American communities discuss intergenerational trauma, oppression and dehumanization, decolonization, and how to be agents of healing, hopeful change, and health for all.