Five on Friday: A Journey Through a Land of Extreme Poverty and Freakonomics on the Headwinds/Tailwinds Theory

Fri, 12/22/2017 | by Claire Hutkins Seda

MCN Five on Friday

MCN offices are closed today, but we still had plenty to talk about this holiday week. What health justice stories and resources excited you this week? What can you use in the new year?

A Journey Through a Land of Extreme Poverty: Welcome to America

Alyssa, Environmental and Occupational Health Intern, emailed this article about the travels of UN's Philip Alston, a deprivation expert, across the US as he studies US poverty for an upcoming UN report. The article sparked some conversation. Candace, Specialist in Clinical Systems and Women’s Health, noted that “it occurred to me as I read it that most of the people in the places described probably get their health care at health centers, which are currently facing a funding crisis.” She recommends the Health Center Advocacy Network for advocacy work that can be done.

Why Is My Life So Hard?

Jillian, Director of Education and Communication, sent around this Freakonomics piece on the headwinds/tailwinds theory, that spends a lot of time on gratitude and our perspectives on our lives: “It was interesting food for thought, especially these days when we feel so bombarded with negative news. Not to discount the challenges we face, but this is an interesting perspective to consider as well.”

Child-friendly TB Fixed-dose Combinations

Del, Director of International Projects and Emerging Issues, shared the World Health Organization prequalification of child-friendly TB fixed-dose combinations; look up TB302 for the continuation phase and TB309 for the intensive phase.

Protecting Your Project

Karen, CEO, shared this Premortem Assessment Tool to visualize, plan for, and avoid ways that a project could fail.

Study on H3N2 flu virus calls into question egg-based vaccine production

Claire, Writer and Editor, forwarded this Pump Handle article on this year’s flu vaccine. Note that the researcher makes clear that you should still get a flu shot after reading this article.

Have a safe and healthy weekend.