Empowered Health

America has a critical need for more doctors, especially in underserved communities. The American Medical Association estimates a shortage of about 35,000 primary care physicians and 60,000 specialists by 2025. Rural areas will be hit hardest by this, along with inner-city communities, both of which already face additional socio-economic barriers to adequate healthcare. The MAVEN Project is working to connect experienced volunteer physicians to vulnerable health centers to combat these shortages.

COVID-19 has caused many patients to shift from their usual office visits to now-covered telehealth appointments. Virtual visits allow for the ability to remotely manage medical issues during a time when in-person care may not be an option for many. But even in pre-pandemic times, the U.S. has limited access to mental healthcare, while demand for support increases. We explore the mental health app landscape and investigate how effective telepsychiatry really is. We hear from Karan Singh, CEO of Ginger, an on-demand mental healthcare app, on how his platform delivers care. Dr. Lynn Bufka, of the American Psychological Association, discusses if therapy is as engaging over a screen versus face-to-face. Lastly, digital mental health researcher Dr. Jennifer Nicholas helps us understand how to vet mental health apps, addresses privacy concerns, and talks about issues in the space.

Social media allows those living with medical conditions to share health anecdotes and advice to a wider audience, turning many patients into influencers within their condition's community. Healthcare companies, in turn, have increasingly tapped into these networks by partnering with influencers on campaigns. Julie Croner of WegoHealth, a patient influencer talent agency, joins us to discuss the ethical dilemma that advocates face when compensated. We revisit the credibility issues around influencers' sponsored content with journalist Suzanne Zuppello.

Influencers aren't just promoting beauty, lifestyle, and fashion products anymore, they're posting #ads with medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and even testimonials on surgical techniques. But is this ethical? Dr. Sophie Boerman, who studies consumers' understanding of sponsored content, helps us understand why these posts are so influential. Suzanne Zuppello, who has been reporting on the trends in health sponcon, breaks down the ways the government has failed at regulating these ads.

While the coronavirus shutdowns have been difficult for everyone, they weigh especially heavy on single moms who are navigating everything alone. Dr. Marika Lindholm, a sociologist and founder of Empowering Solo Moms Everywhere (ESME), an online community for solo mothers, explains how the pandemic has amplified single mothers' socioeconomic vulnerabilities. Across dozens of ESME-hosted Facebook groups, the moms' posts contain the same undertone: They are scared.

Bladder leakage is not something women have to live with, yet many do. While approximately half of U.S. women over 50 experience urinary incontinence, very few seek treatment. Urogynecologist Dr. Carolyn Swenson breaks down the most common forms of urinary incontinence, addresses leakage during the postpartum period, and lays out treatment options. Dr. Donna Mazloomdoost, director of the NICHD Pelvic Floor Disorders Network, discusses the lack of attention around the condition and shares helpful resources.

With more Americans dying in their homes than in hospitals, end-of-life doulas are stepping in to assist the process. While doulas are mainly associated with the role of supporting mothers through pregnancy, doulas who guide clients through their last moments are rising in popularity. For those with a loved one nearing the end, death can be a taboo topic. The end-of-life doula helps make everyone comfortable with the process, assisting with burials, legacy work, estate planning, companionship and more.

A constant theme on Empowered Health is the importance of advocating for your own health, but what does that exactly mean? Christie VanHorne, a public health consultant, joins us to explain how she helps others understand good patient-provider communication. VanHorne teaches how to best prep for office visits, communicate efficiently during appointments, and understand bias in health care in her various workshops.

Manal Rostom has never let her hijab stop her from excelling at her sport. In 2015, the Dubai-based athlete broke barriers as the first hijabi woman in a Nike campaign, modeling their new sports hijab. Later, she became the first Egyptian woman to run Great Wall of China Marathon marathon—the pharmacist-turned-runner is on track to run all six of the major marathons. Rostom runs Surviving Hijab, a female-only Facebook community, as a space for other veiled women to find support, advice and inspiration.

Dr. Heather Hirsch, who leads the Menopause and Midlife Clinic at Brigham and Women's Hospital, breaks down what women should expect as they go through menopause. We discuss estrogen replacement therapy, hot flashes, changes in metabolism during menopause, and the Women's Health Initiative. Hirsch also explains how cognitive behavioral therapy can be beneficial when dealing with the symptoms that arise during the menopausal transition.

You may be conscientious of the ingredients—or even the macronutrients—in the meals you eat, but what about the chemicals used during crop production of your food? For the past two decades, journalist Carey Gillam has covered American agriculture. Her book "Whitewash" chronicles what happens when agribusinesses place corporate interests over public safety. Gillam explains the potential health hazards of glyphosate, one of the most widely used herbicides, which is most commonly found in the weedkiller Roundup.

After altering her diet to fix her own health problems, psychiatrist Dr. Georgia Ede became fascinated by how what we eat affects our physical and mental health. Ede helps her patients reduce or eliminate their need for psychiatric medications using nutritional strategies. She will also explain how to thoroughly examine nutrition studies, specifically taking a look at EAT-Lancet's plant-based recommendations and unpacking its inconsistencies.

Metformin, most commonly used to treat type two diabetes, is one of the most prescribed medications in the United States. We talk to Cindi Morshead, whose research found metformin has sex-dependent effects on brain repair in mice. In recent years, metformin’s off-label benefits have become an area of interest, with some even deeming it a miracle drug. We were curious about the adverse effects of the drug, so Adam Konopka joins us to explain his study looking at how metformin blunts the effects of exercise.

After watching the Sandy Hook tragedy unfold on the news, Shannon Watts knew she needed to do something. She went on to found Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a non-partisan grassroots movement working to end gun violence. We talk to Watts about the power of organized mothers, the organization's main initiatives, how Moms Demand Action gets major retailers to listen, and the pushback she gets from oppositional groups.

Human trafficking is a major public health crisis in the United States. While most cases remain unreported, we know that women and children are often the victims of the modern day slavery. Dr. Hanni Stoklosa, an emergency medicine physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital and executive director of HEAL Trafficking, breaks downs what human trafficking consists of and clears up misconceptions. Stoklosa explains how clinicians are in a unique position to help trafficked persons due to how frequently they access health care.

TIME'S UP, a movement against sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace, launched affiliate TIME'S UP Healthcare in March 2019 to create more equitable conditions for female healthcare professionals. The healthcare industry is dominated by women, they make up 80 percent of the workforce, yet they only hold 20 percent of leadership roles. We speak to TIME'S UP Healthcare's new executive director, Dr. Lauren Powell, to hear what she hopes the organization can accomplish.

The new year is often accompanied by the desire to change whatever feels stagnant in our lives. For some, that change may be a pivot in their career path. But what does switching industries entail? Melini Jesudason, who is currently a yoga teacher and influencer, explains how she had to start over from scratch after leaving a successful career in investment banking. Pivoting expert Wendy Sachs shares some of the tricks of the trade from her book “Fearless and Free: How Smart Women Pivot and Relaunch Their Careers."

In the first part of our mammogram series, we unpack the doubts regarding mammography’s effectiveness. In this episode, Dr. Daniel Kopans, a retired radiologist, explains why he thinks women should get mammograms. We break down how statistics surrounding screening can be manipulated and why you should be aware of your absolute risk. These opposing opinions can leave women feeling confused, so we ask ob-gyn Dr. Jenn Conti how she advises her patients in their decision-making process.

If breast cancer is detected early, it is very responsive to treatment—but the choice to get screened via mammogram, an x-ray picture of the breast, is an area of heated debate. Different governing bodies offer conflicting guidelines on when and how often to get a mammogram. In part I of our two-part series on mammography's effectiveness, former breast cancer surgeon and current epidemiologist Dr. Mette Kalagar explains the impact of mammography overdiagnosis, which is when mammograms find tumors that wouldn’t turn into harmful cancer if left undetected. Dr. Anthony Miller discusses the findings from his large randomized control screening trial, which followed almost 90,000 women for 25 years. The study concluded that annual mammograms did not cause a difference in breast cancer mortality for the mammography and control arms of the study.

While completing her undergrad at the University of Michigan, Dr. Julie Foucher-Urcuyo craved the community she felt as a high school athlete. She rediscovered that feeling after joining a local Crossfit affiliate. Foucher-Urcuyo went on compete in the Crossfit Games–some of which she was in medical school during– and became an influential member of the Crossfit world. Emily and Foucher-Urcuyo talk goal-setting, overcoming perfectionism and personal fulfillment. They also discuss why she went into family medicine and how she incorporates what she learns in the Crossfit world into her practice.