“Health is made at home, hospitals are for repairs.” Nigel Crisp argues that the “creation of health” is integral to achieve human flourishing — the Aristotelian concept of people living up to their full potential. Creating health is not the same as preventing disease; it is doing activities with health benefits, like gardening, swimming, and singing. He posits that health creation will not be taking place in hospitals, but within communities, institutions, and families. Read full article here
Societal Issues
To curb drug deaths, communities turn to Reddit, texts and wastewater
With drug overdose deaths on the rise, authorities are attempting to curb the epidemic by tracking and sharing information in real time. In one unique effort, a nonprofit in New York City is using drug-testing equipment and stamping or marking habits of dealers to identify drug batches that may endanger users. Other approaches are also being used, such as monitoring drug-related chatter on Reddit and analyzing local wastewater for opioid and other drug levels. With the combination of these efforts, researchers hope to put a dent in the opioid crisis and reduce overdose deaths. Read full article here
Merv
June 1, 2023
