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Structural racism refers to the institutional practices, policies, and norms that shape opportunity and assign value based on race, including the macro-level forces that often appear race-neutral but maintain existing racial hierarchies. In health disparities research, structural racism is often represented as neighborhood disadvantage or racial residential segregation, but some scholars argue that this approach fails to acknowledge structural racism as the underlying driver of health...

With price tags like this, parents may consider alternatives to traditional childcare. Working from home is one option. It’s definitely a growing trend, with nearly 43 percent of all employees now working remotely. However, it still may be necessary to obtain some sort of childcare, depending on the demands of the job. Hiring a part-time caregiver or local teen may be a good option in this situation. It also may be wise to utilize tax-advantaged accounts, like a Dependent Care FSA, which...

The costs of childcare in the United States has reached a neighboring amount to that of a public four-year college tuition. The increase of in-affordable childcare fees is an added stressor to all families, especially those from low income backgrounds who must work to continue to support their families with costs not including childcare services. Check out Mindful Schools article on the soaring costs of childcare as well as resources for families. ...

Young people who have experienced trauma are literally living in a world of pain which shows in their challenging behavior. Unfortunately professionals and caregivers often react in ways that perpetuate conflict and pain. Effective intervention requires a deeper understanding on the origins and management of this pain-based behavior. - James P. Anglin Your most difficult students, the young people who are extremely difficult to motivate and to manage are children in pain. We now know what...

The inside of Ani Begay Auld’s home in Columbia, Maryland, is decorated like any other home on the rez. There are Navajo rugs and artwork on the wall. She even has her children’s old cradleboards hanging near the front windows of her home. She has a sign next to her door that reads “Hogan Sweet Hogan.” Begay Auld and her husband Kiros Auld, are raising their three sons on the east coast but want them to have a strong Navajo identity. “I want them to feel comfortable knowing that they’re...

Caring for family members with dementia — which is on the rise in the U.S. — causes significant emotional and physical stress that increases caregivers’ risk of depression, anxiety and death. A new method of coping with that stress by teaching people how to focus on positive emotions reduced their anxiety and depression after six weeks, reports a new national Northwestern Medicine study. It also resulted in better self-reported physical health and positive attitudes toward caregiving. “The...

Irritable Male Syndrome (IMS) is very common in men and often linked to early trauma that is often not recognized. It is connected to depression in men and often undermines relationships if not understood and treated.

Ask a member of Sri Lanka’s dominant ethnic group why the country seems plagued by racial and religious strife, which is resurging in the wake of terrifying Islamist terrorist attacks, and you will often get the same answer. We are fighting for our very survival, they’ll say. Though the Sinhalese, who are mostly Buddhist, make up three-quarters of the population and dominate politics, many see themselves as an embattled minority. “They’re trying to destroy us — please tell someone in the...

Since the election of President Donald Trump , there's been a lot of talk about how demographic changes, and the prospect of racial equality, have left his strongest supporters fearful of losing "their" America—which they see as, by rights, a largely white nation. Yet commentators have paid less attention to the fact that many white American liberals harbor some of these same racial fears: a fear of not being part of the majority, and a fear of losing the privileges they were born with.

Another synagogue shooting. Another day of shock. Another lonely fanatic. Another cascade of insecurity and fear. I wonder if we’ve fully grasped how fear pervades our society and sets the emotional tone for our politics. When historians define this era they may well see it above all else as a time defined by fear. The era began on Sept. 11, 2001, a moment when a nation that had once seemed invulnerable suddenly felt tremendously unsafe. In the years since, the shootings have been a series...

The Collaborative is excited to feature the new article, " Adverse childhood experiences and the onset of chronic disease in young adulthood ," from Preventative Medicine . The piece, co-authored by member Stan Sonu, highlights the link between ACEs and chronic disease in young people. Sonu, along with co-authors Sharon Post and Joe Feinglass, analyzed the responses of the more than 86,000 respondents to the 2011-2012 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) to observe patterns of...

Please take a few minutes to watch the video before reading this blog post: [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IM4p62p3M0&w=560&h=315] I am asking my school nurse colleagues to share their experiences with active shooter drills. Have you felt the sense of fear that I have? Can you feel the heightened sense of anxiety, even though we know it is a drill? Does your administration alert you that a drill will be happening? How have your students and staff responded? I am curious if...