Discussion of public health and health care policy, from a public health perspective. The U.S. spends more on medical services than any other country, but we get less for it. Major reasons include lack of universal access, unequal treatment, and underinvestment in public health and social welfare. We will critically examine the economics, politics and sociology of health and illness in the U.S. and the world.
Wednesday, August 08, 2012
Nanny state
Here's a plug for the U.S. Department of Transportation, which is trying to get you -- and you know who you are -- to stop talking on the @#$%^& telephone while you are driving. You wanna kill yourself? Fine. You wanna kill me? Not fine. You got kids in the car? You're a schmuck.
Every single day I encounter these morons with the phone plastered to the right ear, driving with the left hand, and not noticing what the hell is going on around them. The rest of us drivers are doing our best to stay as far away from them as we can, because they obviously don't see us. Every time I walk through downtown Providence, I have to stop at an intersection because there's an idiot driving through it talking on the phone who does not see me. Almost half a million people are injured in the U.S. every year as a result of this totally irresponsible, inexcusable, stupid behavior.
While we're on the subject of public health, one third of the people in Appalachia have diabetes. This Salon article by Frank Browning highlights how difficult it is to get people to change behavior, particularly when it's deeply culturally embedded. But this is an emergency.
Part of the reason is that the official treatment doesn't work. What does fat have to do with insulin control? It's not only the sugar, it's the bread - the hamburger is not the problem (well, maybe it is when made from corn fed animals and pink slime), it's the bun!
ReplyDeleteWell yes, to some extent. Total calories and obesity matter, but the glycemic index is indeed very important. Maybe I'll do a post on it.
ReplyDeleteExcellent post I would like to share this great information: The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT or DOT) is a federal Cabinet department of the United States government concerned with transportation. It was established by an act of Congress on October 15, 1966, and began operation on April 1, 1967. It is administered by the United States Secretary of Transportation.
ReplyDeleteBest regards,
Kevin | Rx247 | Levitra | Carl Mont