Many Illinoisans find themselves still working from home, and ergonomic and health experts say it's past time to take a more critical look at their home-office setup and daily work practices.

A 2016 analysis by the United States Bone and Joint Initiative estimated that one in two U.S. adults suffers from musculoskeletal disorders.

Dr. Nikki Weiner, clinical director and co-founder of The Rising Workplace, an ergonomic consulting agency that operates in Chicago and other major cities, said the pandemic-induced pivot to working from home and a general decline in physical activity likely increased these problems.

"These conditions are cumulative in nature," she said. "So, it could be something that initially bothers you every now and again, to the point where it's a persistent issue that keeps you from performing your job."

She suggested a few simple steps to prevent posture-related health issues; including focusing on good posture and staying active. In equipping a home office, she said an adjustable office chair is important, and computer screens should be raised to near eye level.

In a September 2021 Gallup poll, nearly half of respondents indicated they still were working from home at least part of the time. Dr. Russell Amundson, national senior medical director for UnitedHealthcare, said it's important for a home office to have proper ergonomic equipment.

"There's been a shift to telecommuting, which seems to have become persistent - the so-called "hybrid" workspace," he said. "So, folks have surrendered or have been removed from more ergonomically designed workspaces with good office chairs, with good support, and of course the appropriate-height desk."

The Bone and Joint Initiative report said musculoskeletal ailments cost an estimated $213 billion in annual treatment, care and lost wages pre-pandemic. According to the World Health Organization, more than 1.7 billion people worldwide suffer from a musculoskeletal ailment, and lower back pain is the leading cause of disability in 160 countries.

A New York group has a new program to help veterans.

The Center for Independence of the Disabled New York's Veteran Direct Care program helps veterans choose a home care provider. Initially, the program began with a few veterans on Staten Island but has grown to include people from other New York City boroughs.

Sharon McLennon-Wier, executive director of the center, said the program has been a year in the making with some challenges along the way.

"There was a lot of paperwork to become a provider through the federal government, the Veterans Administration," McLennon-Wier explained. "It required a lot of background checks, it required developing a manual, a lot of training with getting connected to the VA portal system, their referral system, their payment structure."

Since the program's launch, she reported feedback has been positive since New York City did not have such a program before. McLennon-Wier noted it also provides benefits for veterans' caregivers, who can earn income from this program.

An AARP report showed caregivers for veterans spend an average of $11,500 of their own money, since they often require more advanced care.

Though the program is still relatively new, McLennon-Wier hopes to grow it into a new department at CIDNY to help veterans access necessary services but it comes as the state and nation face a shortage of mental health providers for veterans. She pointed out along with extra training, the roles involve an understanding of veteran culture.

"Post-traumatic stress disorder in a veteran is something that a clinician who hasn't worked with veterans needs to understand the nuances of it," McLennon-Wier emphasized. "It's a different military lifestyle. It's a different culture. It's a different mentality."

She added mental health providers would also need training to help veterans with traumatic brain injuries. A Department of Veterans Affairs Inspector General report found psychologists are the fourth top shortage position, while psychiatrists are the top shortage among specialty physicians.

November is National Diabetes Month and experts said with healthier habits, more Tennesseans can reverse prediabetes and prevent Type 2 diabetes and all its complications.

The prevalence of diabetes is quite high in Tennessee, at 14.6%, which is three points higher than the national average.

Dr. Griffin Rogers, director of the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases in Bethesda, Maryland, said it is possible to prevent the wide range of health problems caused by high blood sugar, from heart attack and stroke, to kidney disease and vision problems. Rodgers said a helpful acronym is "ABCs."

"The A stands for hemoglobin A1C. The A1C is a measure of what the average blood sugar is in the preceding three months. The 'B' stands for blood pressure, and the 'C' stands for cholesterol," Rogers outlined. "High blood pressure and high cholesterol, in addition to high blood sugars, can contribute to the nerve and blood vessel damage."

The "s" in ABCs stands for "stop smoking." He pointed out smoking can also damage your blood vessels and can cause or increase your risk of these complications.

Rodgers recommended a diet based on fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins like fish. He also suggested replacing sugary drinks with water to improve overall health, plus regular exercise and getting seven to eight hours of sleep can help.

"On the physical activity side, 30 minutes a day, five days a week for most adults is what's generally recommended," Rodgers explained. "Just walking. And if you can't do the 30 minutes all at one time, breaking it into either two 15, or three 10-minute intervals is sufficient."

Rodgers stressed diabetes is preventable and manageable. He added it is important for people to have their blood pressure and blood glucose levels checked as part of their routine wellness visits.


get more stories like this via email

According to experts in the field, the system of developing new antibiotics is broken and doctors are running out of ways to treat deadly infections.

Lawmakers have proposed the PASTEUR Act to fix the pipeline. New antibiotics are critical but they must be used sparingly, which means private drug companies cannot recoup their investment.

David Hyun, director of the Antibiotic Resistance Project at the Pew Charitable Trusts, said the bill would establish a subscription model to fund research for certain drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

"It delinks their revenue from the volume of sales and provides an up-front payment to the companies purely based on the value of the public-health value of the new antibiotic," Hyun explained.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said patients in the U.S. contract 2.8 million antibiotic-resistant infections each year and more than 35,000 of them die. Experts estimate the U.S. spends $4.6 billion a year to treat infections caused by drug-resistant germs.

Dr. Sarah Doernberg, an infectious disease specialist and professor of medicine at the University of California-San Francisco, said the ability to treat infection dictates the safety of all kinds of medical procedures from giving birth to having surgery.

"We are able to operate ICUs and transplantation and give chemotherapy agent," Doernberg noted. "All of these things that we do that are very invasive and come with risks of infection, and we need to be able to treat the infections in order to be able to provide modern health care."

Despite bipartisan support, a similar bill failed to pass in 2021. Senate lawmakers reintroduced the PASTEUR Act in 2023 with reduced funding but it remains stalled in committee.

Support for this reporting was provided by The Pew Charitable Trusts.