A Recap of This Week’s Top News – May 26, 2023

Changes to policy, scientific discovery, and expert recommendations and opinions all have the power to rapidly influence the landscape of a sector. Whether you’re a leader at a non-profit, a member of a university’s marketing department, or a stakeholder for a public health agency, being informed about the latest industry happenings can be the difference between exceeding and falling short of organizational goals. At Hager Sharp, our experts vigorously scan media coverage to identify areas of opportunity. And now, with the introduction of the Sharp Round-Up, you too can review what we consider to be some of the top news of the week.

Here’s what you need to know.

Education News:

• Interventionists could be the solution to the post-pandemic learning problem in America’s schools. A recent story by Chalkbeat looks into how a Chicago school is giving children one-on-one or small group support through the interventionist approach to catch up on the learning lag spurred by the pandemic.
• Starting August 1, colleges will be able to hide an applicant’s race on the Common App, a preemptive move by the popular college application program in preparation for the Supreme Court’s decision on race-conscious admissions.
• A recent article highlights a lack of education opportunities for students who are in jail. Jails, which are used to hold people awaiting trial or serving short sentences, often have less of a push for educational or rehabilitation programs than prison, which holds people with longer sentences. This leaves those in jail as a “neglected population,” one that could benefit from education during their time there.
• According to teachers, schools can and should do a better job at providing resources and education to parents on how to monitor students’ mental health at home.

Health News:

• Hearing aids have slowly become more mainstream following FDA’s decision to make the products over-the-counter (OTC). The administration’s ruling in October has helped bridge the gap between consumers and hearing aids, allowing for more accessible and cost-effective options for those that need them.
• A story this week from The Washington Post linked rising temperatures to poor sleep quality. As nighttime temperatures rise, sleep conditions worsen; so much so that people are already losing 44 hours of sleep per year, according to the article.
• A new study found that regular, population-wide kidney disease screenings could prove to be beneficial towards people’s health and finances. According to the study, screenings every five years, along with sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, could prevent 658,000 people from dialysis or kidney transplants.
• More Americans are avoiding the doctor because of high costs, according to a Federal Reserve Survey that was released on Monday. Dentists as well as other doctor visits and prescription costs were the three most common things that people skipped due to costs.
• According to the latest Hologic Global Women’s Health Index, yearly checkups could add two years to a woman’s life. The survey credited regular checkups with early detection of deadly diseases as well as increased health literacy.