Early deaths are skyrocketing: Culture wars are part of the problem

The culture wars have pitted conservatives against moderates and liberals, Republicans against Democrats in their struggles for the rule of belief, policy, and law.

The culture wars have been around for decades, but have raged in many states over the last few years. Current culture wars include calls against critical race theories, limiting competition for transgender athletes, banning books in school libraries, abolishing diversity, equity and inclusion programs, trans These include gender medical restrictions, challenging reproductive rights, and the anti-wake movement.

Lost in this conversation is the idea that the culture wars, like any war, are killing lives.

Looking at the leading causes of death in the United States, we see significant age-related differences. We also know that the culture wars issue has become a leading cause of death for all age groups.

in children, reading The cause of death is an accident, suicide, or murder. A common link in these childhood deaths is firearms.Just last year, firearms past accident as a leading cause of death in children. Despite the recognition of this problem and the seemingly endless series of mass shootings using assault-style weapons, there has been little, if any, legal action to address gun safety issues. There were hardly any. In fact, gun control regulations may be going backwards. Five years after the shooting in Parkland, Florida. 14 children, 3 adultsthe culture wars are calling now open carry method With minimal restrictions in that state.

conservative culture war supporters Claim Mental health issues underlie mass shootings, and mental and behavioral health needs to be addressed to curb the problem.we also see bipartisan approval There is an escalating mental health crisis affecting our children and the United States and a clear call to address it.

But culture wars are hampering these efforts.Under the guise of parental rights, guidance counselors in some states Banned From having open and confidential conversations with children about what worries them. School mental health programs in some areas are prohibited from focusing on: social and emotional learning, helps children cope with stress.The culture wars now mean that the concept of parental rights is also being applied in unclear ways to education, but not when it is applied to education gender affirming care When the personal medical decisions of parents and children are ignored.

In-person and distance learning has been a thorny issue during the pandemic. result Lack of distance learning and Socialization Recognized. We also saw the anti-mask movement spill over into the school environment. Claim That mask-wearing disrupts a child’s education and socialization.It is wonderful to see children and adolescents return to school and socialize, as recommended by the pediatric community. suffering more stress More depressed than at any time in recent history, stress is also affecting parents.

At a time when children need less, not more, stress in their lives, students and teachers in many states are having to deal with political stress. Cultural clashes in schools over custody now extend to what is affecting them. Book Children can read when fewer children are reading. subject teachers can talk at once It is taught.

Now you can also see states refuse to participate A very important national survey to assess the well-being of adolescents means that assessing the mental health status of children will become even more difficult. These clashes also spill over into higher education. Do these restrictions have a greater impact on students’ speech, thinking, and socialization than face masks?

Gun-related deaths, suicides, and homicides are big In states where these culture clashes affect law more than in states where they are not.

Among young adults between the ages of 25 and 45, the leading causes of death are: unforeseen accident, drug overdose predominates.Mortality from overdose is 30 percent For the past 3 years. In 2022, 100,000 or more People died of drug overdoses, predominately young adults.

The culture wars have stigmatized drug users rather than the recognition that action is needed for death prevention efforts and treatment. attempts to prevent acute deaths by promoting access to treatment programmes, concept Improving the availability of naloxone or supporting needle replacement programs to combat drug-use-related infections are not useful public health measures that promote drug use. , it’s nice to see that it’s turning towards implementation program This will reduce drug-related deaths and expedite treatment programs. However, we must recognize that many states in the culture wars have high mortality rates from opioids.

Turning to individuals over the age of 55, COVID-19 3rd leading cause of death, following cancer and heart disease. At the end of 2020, when a COVID-19 vaccine became available, there was nationwide enthusiasm for vaccination and long lines at vaccination centers. By early 2021, however, we had seen an increase in disinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine and the growing influence of the anti-vaccine movement in Republican politics. By Spring 2021, the United States will rejected at vaccination rates. The sad fact about the vaccination culture wars is that political affiliation is one of her biggest risk factors for COVID-19-related death.When adjusted for age, COVID-19 deaths were taller than Red counties outnumbered blue counties, and rural America was hit particularly hard.

While it may be tempting to believe that the effects of the culture wars are limited to policy decisions related to ideology and morality, the data show otherwise. The culture wars directly affect our health and mortality, and the health and mortality of our children, who have little say in these issues. We need to ask ourselves if these political wedge issues are worth it.

Scott A. Rivkees, MD is Professor of Practice at the Brown School of Public Health. He is the former Florida Surgeon General and Secretary of Health.