Portland, OR – Sigue adelante la investigación que defina si la vivienda es clave para conservar la salud. Se trata de la iniciativa llamada La Vivienda es Salud (‘Housing is Health’), que aborda de manera directa la creciente crisis de asequibilidad de la vivienda en Portland, con el propósito de ayudar así a la salud de la gente.

Un grupo de investigadores encontró que la asequibilidad de las viviendas es factor integral para mantener saludable a la gente, y comparan su impacto en la salud con el efecto que tiene la receta médica durante un tratamiento.

Las investigaciones recientes publicadas en la red de JAMA afirman que invertir en la vivienda mejora los resultados de salud de los pacientes atendidos y reduce los costos al público.

En Oregon varios grupos están haciendo frente a este problema. El año pasado organizaciones de atención a la salud, grupos defensores de las personas sin hogar y el gobierno local cerraron filas en Portland para dar vida a la iniciativa La Vivienda es Salud (‘Housing is Health’).

Rebeca Ramsay encabeza ‘Housecall Providers’, de CareOregon, una de las organizaciones integradas en este esfuerzo. Afirma que la crisis de asequibilidad de la vivienda hiere especialmente a la gente de bajos ingresos.

"O tienen que gastar tanto en su vivienda que les queda muy poquito -o nada- para cubrir necesidades como su salud, o terminan enfrentando la imposibilidad de tener una casa estable y segura. Así que acaban en refugios, durmiendo en sofás o mudándose de vivienda en vivienda, en albergues o, en el peor de los casos, en la calle."

La semana pasada los socios de ‘Housing is Health’, La Vivienda es Salud, comenzaron a construir en Portland un edificio que incluye clínica, unidades de respiración y paliativa, 90 unidades de transición y 34 viviendas.

La meta total del proyecto son 379 unidades en los tres edificios. Otros organismos asociados son ‘Central City Concern’, Salud Adventista Portland, Kaiser Permanente Noroeste, Legado de Salud (‘Legacy Health’), la red hospitalaria OHSU (‘Oregon Health & Science Hospital’) y la red Salud y Servicios Providence (‘Providence Health and Services‘).

La investigación que realiza en las ciudades JAMA estudia el vínculo de la inseguridad de vivienda a una gran gama de problemas de salud como asma, depresión y los efectos tóxicos de la exposición al plomo.

También encuentra que aproximadamente la mitad de los costos de atención a la salud son atribuibles al cinco por ciento de la población, cuya inmensa mayoría es pobre o no tiene una vivienda segura.

"Es un factor 10 ó 20 por ciento más alto tan sólo por una hospitalización, y en esos tres meses vimos gente que tuvo múltiples internamientos en un lapso de 30 días porque no podían cubrir sus necesidades de atención a la salud y siempre estaban afuera, en el frío."

Ramsay agrega que la falta de vivienda siempre ha sido un problema para las áreas urbanas, pero está haciéndose más urgente en Portland.

"Todos nosotros podemos ver que el crecimiento de este problema nos está viendo directo a la cara. Necesitamos hacer algo. Necesitamos hacerlo porque es lo que debe hacerse, lo que éticamente debe hacerse, pero además debemos hacerlo porque esto es insostenible."

La investigación (en inglés) está en: bit.ly/2zX4EoY



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After more than 50 years of use, some Michigan lawmakers say naloxone may not be the best choice in an overdose situation.

Naloxone is sometimes called the "Lazarus drug" because of its powerful ability to seemingly resurrect people after a drug overdose.

Sen. Kevin Hertel, D-St. Clair Shores, and some of his colleagues have introduced a bill which would open the door for what they say are more costly, but more powerful, antidotes.

"Given the prevalence of fentanyl in our communities, and how much stronger some of these drugs that we're now seeing are, we believe -- and in talking with others -- that there should be other tools to respond to an overdose," Hertel explained. "To make sure we're doing everything we can to save somebody's life."

Not everyone is on board with the proposed legislation, Senate Bill 542. Opponents argued the more expensive naloxone alternatives are not necessary, and using them would only increase profits for the pharmaceutical industry.

Jonathan Stoltman, director of the Opioid Policy Institute in Grand Rapids, said while the naloxone alternatives do help in overdose situations, they can also cause nasty side effects.

"The newer approaches, they put people into more severe withdrawal," Stoltman pointed out. "That's a pretty profound negative side effect. The one approach is very inexpensive and works great; the other approach is far more expensive and has this strong negative side effect."

Sponsors of the bill say they're hoping to give Michigan residents a chance to chime in on the issue in a public hearing sometime in June. Michigan saw more than 3,000 opioid overdose deaths in 2021.


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New Mexico saw record enrollment numbers for the Affordable Care Act this year and is now setting its sights on lowering out-of-pocket costs - those not reimbursed by insurance. More than 56,000 New Mexicans are enrolled in a medical health insurance plan on the state exchange - an increase of 12,000 people overall.

Colin Baillio, deputy superintendent with the state's Office of Insurance, said the state has boosted its outreach and made efforts to improve the overall consumer experience.

"We saw a 40% year-over-year increase, and New Mexico saw the biggest percentage increase during the open-enrollment period among all of the state-based marketplaces," he explained

Part of the enrollment increase is due to what's called the "unwinding" - a federal directive that required all states to redetermine Medicaid eligibility following a three-year pause on checks during the COVID pandemic. He said by using expanded tools made available by the federal and state government, 8% of New Mexico's population is now uninsured - down from 23% in 2010.

Following approval by lawmakers in the 2024 legislative session, the New Mexico governor signed seven health care-related bills into law - one of which requires annual reporting of prescription drug pricing. Baililo said the Affordable Care Act built the foundation that has allowed the state to pursue additional affordability initiatives.

"I'm really glad to see that there's so much interest in the next step of health reform, really leaning into these out-of-pocket cost issues and making it easier for people to afford to stay covered and see their doctors," he continued.

Two years ago, the state also passed a one-of-a-kind law that did away with behavioral health co-pays for people in certain insurance plans.

New York's medical aid-in-dying bill is gaining further support. The Medical Society of the State of New York is supporting the bill. New York's bill allows terminally ill people with only six months to live to use this option, with safeguards requiring two physicians' approval.

The bill's Assembly sponsor Amy Paulin, D-Westchester, said despite the growing support, other hurdles lie ahead.

"Now we have what I believe, if it came to the floor, a majority. There's still a hesitation on the part of leadership. You know, we need members to assure leadership that they no longer have reservations," she said.

Other newly resolved concerns center on making sure insurance companies and doctors who don't support this aren't held liable. She's optimistic the bill will pass after nine years in the Legislature. New York would be the 11th state along with Washington, D.C. to have medical aid in dying legislation.

Corinne Carey, senior New York campaign director with Compassion and Choices finds the pandemic drew a vivid picture of a person's end-of-life experience. There were images of people dying on ventilators, apart from loved ones, and unable to communicate. She said people began thinking about a "good death."

"And, what is a good death is being surrounded by loved ones, having some measure of control, experiencing the touch of your loved ones, and being the one in the driver's seat," she explained.

Now people have different options for end-of-life care, each of which presents various challenges. Polls show medical aid in dying has garnered considerable support since being introduced in 2015. A 2022 Compassion and Choices poll finds 57% of nurses support medical aid in dying professionally, although fewer support it personally.