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LGBTQ+ Health: A Collaborative of Care

06/21/2021

When it comes to health equity, ensuring that individuals within the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning — or LGBTQ+ — community receive adequate health care is essential. Unfortunately, health disparities, social stigma and discriminatory practices often negatively impact this community, making it difficult for them to receive necessary care. At Michigan Medicine, various providers work to bring gender-affirming and other forms of equitable care to patients on a daily basis. In a recent conversation, three of these individuals, Geoffrey Barnes, M.D., a cardiologist and vascular medicine specialist, Katherine McConville, M.A., CCC-SLP, a speech-language pathologist and Amy Jacobs, LMSW, a social worker and mental health expert, shared their perspectives on these issues.

Faculty:

Geoffrey Barnes, MD, MSc

Research Topics:

LGBTQ+

Health communication

Read more about LGBTQ+ Health: A Collaborative of Care

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CBSSM Associate Director Brian Zikmund-Fisher on CNBC

06/17/2021

Brian Zikmund-Fisher, professor of Health Behavior and Health Education, joins CNBC's Meg Tirrell to discuss COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and mandates around vaccination.

Faculty:

Brian J. Zikmund-Fisher, PhD

Research Topics:

Read more about CBSSM Associate Director Brian Zikmund-Fisher on CNBC

Press Coverage

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Study suggests need to screen older adults for mental health symptoms as pandemic continues

09/16/2021

As the pandemic enters a new phase, and talk of getting “back to normal” fades in the face of surging cases of COVID-19 and lagging vaccination against it, a new study suggests a need to check on the mental health of people over 50.

Based on a poll of more than 2,000 older adults nationwide, researchers from the University of Michigan recommend that health providers screen older adults for symptoms of depression, anxiety and sleep problems brought on or worsened by the pandemic, and help them connect to resources and care.

Certain groups – those 50 to 64, women, those with higher levels of education and those who say their physical health is fair or poor – are more likely to have experienced worsened mental health during the first nine months of the pandemic, the study shows.

Study suggests need to screen older adults for mental health symptoms as pandemic continues

The pandemic is worsening mental health for women, middle-aged adults, a new survey finds

The COVID-19 Pandemic and Mental Health Symptoms Among US Adults

For some seniors, pandemic trials have brought renewal

Faculty:

Lauren Gerlach, DO, MSc

Research Topics:

Mental health

Women's health

Pandemic

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Poll finds tax-free accounts are used less by those who may need them most

09/15/2021

Most older adults are not using tax-advantaged savings accounts to save for future health expenses, a new poll of people age 50 to 80 suggests, and those who do are more likely to have high incomes and education levels, and to be in good health and under Medicare eligibility age.

At the same time, 18% of people age 50 to 80 are not at all confident that they’ll have enough money to pay their share of health costs in the next year, and 15% have had trouble paying for health care in the past year, according to a new report from the National Poll on Healthy Aging. Some said that worries about costs made them delay seeking care in 2020 (13%), or kept them from seeking care they needed (12%).

Poll finds tax-free accounts are used less by those who may need them most

Health savings accounts aren’t being used by older Americans who need them the most

Faculty:

Jeffrey Kullgren, MS, MD, MPH

Research Topics:

Aging

Healthcare costs