The statement from Dr. Rishi Manchanda "One's zip code matters more than our genetic code", is very powerful and I could not agree more with it. I grew up in East Los Angeles, not too far from South LA, where "Veronica" lives. While I watched Dr. Manchanda TED talk, images from my childhood crossed my mind. Growing up I always saw my parents being frustrated that the only thing doctors will do is prescribe medication for their symptoms. I don't recall one single doctor asking my parents the type of work they did or our living conditions, which would explain the various health issues we faced. Like "Veronica", many individuals in low-income communities face the same struggles. Health care providers are trained to treat the symptoms individuals portray, but fail to address the underlying causes of disease, this is the main reason why I decided to go into public health. Dr. Manchanda ends his talk with a call for more "Upstreamist" in the medical community, and I can say, that is the path I want to take to help the individuals I will be working with. Many health care disparities exist in low-income communities, but in order to be able to decrease these disparities, we need to be able to think outside the physiology of the individuals we work with. We need to take the public health approach and be able to address the causes of diseases.
It's very alarming to know that such small amount of chemicals can cause long-lasting effects on the development of children. We are exposing our children to various chemicals unintentionally, and this is this is leading to an increase in cognitive impairments, learning disabilities, and a decrease in IQ. Similarly, endocrine disruptors are known to have a great impact on your reproductive health. Levels of BPA found in our bodies have been linked to altered sexual differentiation, advanced puberty, increase prostate size, and decrease sperm count. BPA, an estrogen-mimic chemical that is found in products that we use, is known to causes effects at low doses.
I found the presentation by Dr. Hayes extremely interesting. I have an interest in the development of the reproductive system and his presentation touched on the effects of altrazine. Altrazine has been linked to increasing levels of estrogen which can lead to breast cancer in females and prostate cancer in males. Latino males in central California who work in agriculture are being exposed to high levels of altrazine, leading to different health risks. It would be interesting to analyze the health conditions of this population to better understand the effects of altrazine.
I totally agree with Rishi Manchanda in the importance of the upstream approach. It is also true that healthcare providers often treat symptoms without addressing the underlying causes of them. But I’d say that PCPs and nurses know that living and working conditions have a huge impact in populations health, rather it is the system, health insurance companies, and health care regulations that frame healthcare delivery.
ReplyDeleteI am very concerned with bisphenol-A (BPA), which is an endocrine disruptor linked to breast cancer. I’d try to avoid items containing BPA as my family has a long history of breast cancer.
I agree that Dr. Manchanda's TedTalk was very powerful. It is important for public health professionals to fulfill the upstreamist approach that he coined (i believe) and often referred to. I too would like to be the individual upstream figuring out what is the reason people are falling in the stream. I agree that it is alarming that minute amounts of chemicals such as BPA have potentially dangerous and altering health effects. I avoid plastics with the recycle number 7, as there are known to have BPA.
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