AcademyHealth Blog

This month’s “Read on Washington”, available only to AcademyHealth members, includes updates on the ongoing government shutdown, new waves of layoffs, reporting on anti-science legislation in statehouses, and more.

As the U.S. faces a worsening maternal health crisis, new federal Medicaid reforms could widen racial, economic, and geographic disparities in pregnancy and postpartum care, warns a Health Affairs Forefront article by AcademyHealth researchers. Citing findings from the Doula Research for Equitable Advances in Medicaid Pregnancy Health (DREAM) project, the authors caution that proposed changes may erode recent gains in maternal health equity and urge policymakers to protect access to essential care.

As funders face growing pressure to show the real-world impact of research, AcademyHealth is helping them rise to the challenge. Drawing on more than a decade of partnership with grantmakers, staff members Sarah Weinberg and Danielle DeCosta share practical strategies in Grantmakers in Health's "Views from the Field."

AcademyHealth CEO Aaron Carroll highlights strategies to combat misinformation and build trust. Register for our course, Communicating to Build Trust, by October 24.

The cuts to the National Center for Health Statistics pose a threat to the collection of vital statistics that improve health and health systems. The resulting data gaps could have a lasting impact.

AcademyHealth is thrilled to introduce a new cohort of Research Champions who will lead the way in bridging the gap between health services research and public policy, thanks to generous support from the Doris Duke Foundation.