Who will care for you when you’re old? Society’s assumption that children would willingly give up their lives to meet the minimum standards for their aging loved ones is harmful, says Stephen Rainey and Yasemin Erden. They argue that it hurts public care policies; by thinking that children will care for loved ones no matter what, traditional systems of care crumble when put in practice as not everyone will uproot their lives to care for others. 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