Health Care Access

Hands holding a mask

Racism: The Root Cause of COVID-19 Disparities in Washtenaw County

Jeremiah Simon

Black residents of Washtenaw County, like elsewhere in Michigan, have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19. In the fight to gain racial justice in the US, it is critical that we examine how racism contributes to health inequities right here in our backyard.

An imprisoned person grips a chain-link fence

Mental Health, Incarceration, and COVID-19

Chanese A. Forte

In the US, ten times more people with mental health disorders are in jail or prison than in mental health facilities. The coronavirus pandemic further complicates this matter, putting incarcerated individuals at increased risk of infection.

Micrograph of the epidermis and dermis of human finger skin.

The Worst Disease You've Never Heard Of: Caring for Children with Epidermolysis Bullosa

Bailey Brown, BS ’20

Children with epidermolysis bullosa are often called butterfly children—their skin seems to be as fragile as a butterfly’s wing. While there is no cure for EB, ongoing clinical trials have developed treatments to manage symptoms. Public health clinicians can help patients and their families build support networks by connecting them to local support groups and other families caring for children with EB.

A pharmacist in India displays hydroxychloroquine tablets

Understanding Lupus, the Disease Treated by Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine

Ekemini Hogan, Akpabio Akpabio, and Utibe Effiong

Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine are important therapies for those suffering from lupus, a complex auto-immune disease. As the world battles to overcome COVID-19, we must ensure continued availability of antimalarials to patients whose lives literally depend on them.