#access to healthcare

[clatterbane]

How Many Prosthetics Do Amputees Need?? *The Reality of Amputee Prosthetics*

Another older video from Jo, which turned up after I rewatched that other one in a recent self-reblog.

Yeah, this is why I was so relieved to find out recently that here the system will apparently cover more than one full leg setup at a time, for different use cases, without any actual fighting required. (Plus evidently a swim fin foot, if I do end up wanting one.) And the prosthetist sounded like this was just a given. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Because different hardware is good for different uses, and a lot of the time pennypinching insurance companies and some other single-payer systems will only let you have one every few years. If you need more than one setup, you'd better make do with an old one that may be worn out and/or "just" not fit right anymore--or you'd better find some kind of grant or charity willing to fund something newer.

And we are talking about something roughly on par with a car in the US. So you can walk around. The special socks and stuff that you'd already have to use with a second prosthetic really ain't gonna account for that much of the cost estimate.

Feeling unfortunately lucky not to need to worry about that, AFAICT. Still waiting on the first socket to be built now, then I guess we'll see how many legs are forthcoming.

[dererumnatura-0]

🌟🌟🌟So sweet!! More off-road mobility devices please!!

End all the monopolish like the current ownership of the wheelchair market. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[alwaysbewoke]

[indizombie]

"Leprosy remains a deep-rooted human rights issue," says Alice Cruz, the UN Special Rapporteur on the elimination of discrimination against persons affected by leprosy, a role she's held since November 2017. There are more than a hundred laws that discriminate against people with leprosy worldwide, creating a strong stigma that can act as a barrier for getting treatment, she says. In some countries, leprosy is grounds for divorce. In India, this was the case until laws were amended in 2019. Many people affected by the disease still struggle to get jobs, and the disease can hinder their access to healthcare and education. "Countries should do everything in their power to have discriminatory laws abolished and to put in place policy that can guarantee economic and social rights to people affected by leprosy," says Cruz. "Going forward, we should ask ourselves the question: are our healthcare systems working to afford full accessibility to persons affected by leprosy? This is because leprosy is much more than a disease, it became a label that dehumanises people who are affected by it."

Kamala Thiagarajan, ‘Leprosy: the ancient disease scientists can't solve’, BBC

[teenage-fangirl-dirtbag]

Do you guys know the biggest prevention of abortion is?

CONTRACEPTION!

It makes no sense being anti abortion AND anti contraception; cause contraception is waaaay more effective on lowering abortion rates than banning abortions is!

So if you're anti abortion, you should be very pro contraception! It's the most effective!

[sadderbutwisergirrl]

[trendynewsnow]

A Personal Reflection on the Impact of Reproductive Health Restrictions

A Personal Reflection on Reproductive Health More than two decades ago, I experienced a situation that many women can relate to, one that remains all too common. I went through a painful series of miscarriages, including a particularly harrowing episode that required a medical procedure to safeguard me from infection — a procedure that was essentially a measure to prevent a potential…

[nicksworld0715]

Hi, I hope you are doing well.🌹

Can you help by sharing my story, reblog, and donating if you can, to keep hope alive for me, I'm type 1 diabetes. I am calling on your humanity and kindness to help me raise $340.

This amount will enable the approval of an insulin pump that will help me better control my diabetes. Although I am happy that I have been approved the hardest part is the money to pay for the pump and equipment, please your contribution is important. Be blessed ♥️

HI EVERYONE! please consider helping and donating if you can! Sharing this also helps! Everyone deserves access to health care 🙏

[asrarblog]

Healthcare Landscape in Pakistan – Facilities for Disabled – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post 983

[teldoc-au]

The Future of Telehealth: Bridging the Gap in Mental Healthcare Access

The mental health crisis in Australia is a pressing issue, with many Australians facing significant challenges in accessing the care they need. Geographical isolation, limited resources, and stigma often prevent individuals from seeking essential support. Telehealth has emerged as a transformative solution, offering a lifeline to those who previously faced insurmountable barriers.

The Challenges of Accessing Mental Healthcare

Traditional models of mental healthcare delivery are often inadequate in addressing the needs of the population. Key challenges include:

Geographical barriers: Limited access to mental health professionals in rural and remote areas.

Financial constraints: High costs of therapy and medication can be prohibitive for many.

Stigma and discrimination: Fear of judgment and social isolation can prevent people from seeking help.

Lack of awareness: Insufficient knowledge about mental health conditions and available resources.

Complex referral processes: Navigating the healthcare system can be overwhelming and time-consuming.

Telehealth: A Game-Changer

Telehealth has the potential to revolutionise mental healthcare by addressing these challenges and improving access for a broader population. Key benefits include:

Increased accessibility: Telehealth removes geographical barriers, allowing people in remote areas to connect with mental health professionals.

Convenience: Flexible appointment times and the ability to consult from home enhance patient comfort and engagement.

Reduced stigma: Telehealth can help to reduce stigma by providing a private and confidential environment.

Cost-effective care: Bulk-billed telehealth options, such as those offered by online doctor services like Teldoc, make mental healthcare more affordable.

Improved continuity of care: Regular check-ins and ongoing support can enhance treatment outcomes.

The Road Ahead

While telehealth has shown immense promise, challenges such as digital literacy, privacy concerns, and regulatory hurdles must be addressed to maximise its impact. Investing in infrastructure, training healthcare providers, and developing clear guidelines will be crucial for the successful integration of telehealth into the mental healthcare system.

By embracing telehealth as a core component of mental healthcare delivery, Australia can significantly improve the wellbeing of its citizens and build a more resilient community.

[max--phillips]

Plan B has a shelf life of 4 years

Plan B has a shelf life of 4 years

Plan B has a shelf life of 4 years

Plan B has a shelf life of 4 years

Plan B has a shelf life of 4 years

Plan B has a shelf life of 4 years

Plan B has a shelf life of 4 years

Plan B has a shelf life of 4 years

Plan B has a shelf life of 4 years

(Also, you can get 4 months of over the counter birth control (progestin-only pill form) at Costco for $50. Or 3 months on Amazon for about $45.)

[clatterbane]

Almost surprised it's taken them this long to ramp these policies back up, tbqh.

A little more context:

Much too little of a reckoning, and far too late. So, now they are evidently trying to pull basically the same shit again--under the very possibly too-correct assumption that nobody else has many fucks to give over what happens to elderly and disabled people.

[mariaxmariaa]

“The problem with healthcare in America…”

[turtleblogatlast]

Leo learns something about himself 🏳️‍⚧️

Based roughly on this old post.

Bonus:

[Leo is taking the fact that he was born biologically female simultaneously very well and also not so well but overall he’s mostly coping with the fact that it was Draxum that just essentially gave him the turtle equivalent of ‘The Talk’.]

[reasonsforhope]

"The Biden Administration last week [early December, 2023] announced it would be seizing patents for drugs and drug manufacturing procedures developed using government money.

A draft of the new law, seen by Reuters, said that the government will consider various factors including whether a medical situation is leading to increased prices of the drug at any given time, or whether only a small section of Americans can afford it.

The new executive order is the first exercise in what is called “march-in-rights” which allows relevant government agencies to redistribute patents if they were generated under government funding. The NIH has long maintained march-in-rights, but previous directors have been unwilling to use them, fearing consequences.

“We’ll make it clear that when drug companies won’t sell taxpayer funded drugs at reasonable prices, we will be prepared to allow other companies to provide those drugs for less,” White House adviser Lael Brainard said on a press call.

But just how much taxpayer money is going toward funding drugs? A research paper from the Insitute for New Economic Thought showed that “NIH funding contributed to research associated with every new drug approved from 2010-2019, totaling $230 billion.”

The authors of the paper continue, writing “NIH funding also produced 22 thousand patents, which provided marketing exclusivity for 27 (8.6%) of the drugs approved [between] 2010-2019.”

How we do drug discovery and production in America has a number of fundamental flaws that have created problems in the health service industry.

It costs billions of dollars and sometimes as many as 5 to 10 years to bring a drug to market in the US, which means that only companies with massive financial muscle can do so with any regularity, and that smaller, more innovative companies can’t compete with these pharma giants.

This also means that if a company can’t recoup that loss, a single failed drug can result in massive disruptions to business. To protect themselves, pharmaceutical companies establish piles of patents on drugs and drug manufacturing procedures. Especially if the drug in question treats a rare or obscure disease, these patents essentially ensure the company has monoselective pricing regimes.

However, if a company can convince the NIH that a particular drug should be considered a public health priority, they can be almost entirely funded by the government, as the research paper showed.

Some market participants, in this case the famous billionaire investor Mark Cuban, have attempted to remedy the issue of drug costs in America by manufacturing generic versions of patented drugs sold for common diseases."

-via Good News Network, December 11, 2023