Databyte

Despite laws that have improved air quality and lowered emissions, “acceptable” air quality standards still expose Americans to levels of pollution that can be lethal.

Incarceration disrupts the wellbeing of families and communities. A comprehensive review in the Lancet documents how imprisonment has a disproportionate impact on black communities.

Social capital can improve mental health after disaster strikes. Strong social networks helped the elderly cope with housing damage in the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, per research in the Lancet.

Regardless of age, a majority of Americans surveyed feel that this is the lowest point in the nation’s history. Worries about the future are the biggest source of stress.

Americans are working longer to be eligible for Social Security benefits but a recent study in Health Affairs show delayed retirement is linked to worse health.

Alcohol death rates are at a 35-year high. Alcohol’s wide acceptance and stark increase in death rates requires national attention.

Laws that strengthen background checks, promote child and consumer safety, and reduce gun trafficking are linked to lower rates of fatal police shootings.

The World Health Organization has sounded the global alarm calling attention to the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Given the ease of global travel, AMR bacteria can easily spread intercontinentally.

A recent Health Affairs article pioneers a new way to gauge the impact of health insurance on poverty by taking health into account.

An innovative program, Community Aging in Place, Advancing Better Living for Elders (CAPABLE) helps the elderly overcome individual or environmental limitations so they can remain in their homes and communities.