Southpaw: The Health and Science Issue 2/22/2021

Rock Bridge High School 4303 S. Providence Road Columbia, Mo. 65203 Volume 11, Issue 2 February 2021

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hen creating this issue of Southpaw, we wanted to center our attention around a topic that could engage readers as well as serve as a timely dissemination of information. As our nation and state work to distribute COVID-19 vaccines and manage the ongoing public health crisis, no issue seemed more pressing than that of examining and understanding American health science.

Our staff has worked hard to include a variety of perspectives on different areas of health care, with emphasis on the intersection of health care advancement and public opinion, medical ethics and other socio-political issues.

We also wanted to highlight the current and historical trends that inform modern health care norms and the varying degrees of confidence in medical systems among different groups. We think it is essential to consider the social and historical context in which the health care field exists in order to fully understand its

“No issue seemed more pressing than that of examining and understanding American health science.” impacts, challenges and benefits. Although we aren’t able to cover every aspect of such a complex and diverse topic, we hope to provide a broad but comprehensive glimpse into American medicine and its history, implications and future.

Despite the challenges of virtual and hybrid learning, my fellow editors Isaac and Sarah and I are proud of the work our staff has produced, and we hope you enjoy The Health and Science Issue as much as we do.

SARAH DING, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ISAAC YONTZ, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Best, THERASIA BRAUTIGAM, ADVISER

AMIRA MCKEE, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

2 COVER PHOTO BY SOPHIA EATON / LETTER FROM THE EDITOR BY AMIRA MCKEE / TABLE OF CONTENTS ART BY SARAH DING

CONTENTS STAFF

4 THAT’S DEBATABLE 6 THE HEART OF HEALTH CARE 9 DISTRUST IN AMERICAN HEALTH CARE 12 GENDER-AFFIRMING HEALTH CARE 15 EASTERN MEDICINE IN THE WEST 16 NEUROETHICS IN LAW 18 BODY IMAGE AMIDST SOCIAL MEDIA 20 DISPOSABLE MASK AWARENESS 22 BRUIN BEAR 23 ANTI-VACCINATION MOVEMENT Anti-vaxxers challenge U.S. health security.

Should governments allow unvaccinated students to attend school?

Cardiovascular health care workers discuss changes since COVID-19.

Systemic discrimination within the medical field creates skepticism.

Health science curriculums must become transgender-inclusive.

Asian health practices whitewashed by Western wellness industry.

The science of autonomy and crime.

Viewers’ perception of media influences health.

Incorrectly disposing surgical masks leaves harmful impacts.

Bruin Bear receives a COVID-19 vaccine.

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

Sarah Ding, Amira McKee, Isaac Yontz

DESIGN Sarah Ding

ART

Lorelei Dohm, Sarah Ding, Devin Hall, Rachel Stevens

PHOTOGRAPHY

Parker Boone, Sophia Eaton, Desmond Kisida, Ana Manzano

SECTION EDITORS

COMMENTARY Nora Crutcher-McGowan FEATURE Shruti Gautam SPORTS Ana Manzano EDITORIAL Amira McKee NEWS Anjali Noel Ramesh A&E Isaac Yontz

WRITING

Nora Crutcher-McGowan, Sarah Ding, Shruti Gautam, Allison Kim, Amira McKee, Anjali Noel Ramesh, Emma Stefanutti, Isaac Yontz

BUSINESS William Yoo

ADVISER

Therasia Brautigam

The Southpaw staff on

WHAT HEALTH MEANS TO THEM:

NORA CRUTCHER-MCGOWAN, EDITOR

“Doing things that make me happy and eating food is just as critical as exercising. All of these are even more important since we’re living in such uncertainty.”

ANA MANZANO, PHOTOGRAPHER

“To me, health means feeling good about yourself and just feeling comfortable in your own skin.”

RACHEL STEVENS, ARTIST

“To me, health means taking care of yourself both mentally and physically through actions such as exercise, eating well [and] resting.”

Southpaw is a newsmagazine created by the Journalism Newspaper and Honors Seminar classes. Southpaw’s purpose is to go in-depth on a specific theme. This issue focuses on scientific and medical advances, largely in the context of COVID-19. Southpaw accepts letters to the editor from its readers regarding any possible issues of concern in the publication. If you have a letter to send, email it to contact@ bearingnews.org. Limit entries to 400 words. Southpaw reserves the right to reject material based on standards set by the staff. Advertising is $50 for a quarter page, $100 for a half page, $150 for a full page and $200 for a full back page.

STAFF PHOTOS BY SOPHIA EATON 3

ANTI-VAXXERS

challenge U.S. health security

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noculation, or vaccination practices, first began thousands of years ago, not long after doubters of this health discovery began to emerge. Even as inoculation has evolutionized through myriads of diseases and discovery and grown strong in the presence of modern science and technology, skeptics are hesitant to subscribe to the idea. Anti-vaxxers, or people who do not support vaccination, challenge the needed participation in mass vaccination as Americans continue to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

The origins of distrust

After countless studies and scientific evidence proving the benefits of mass immunization, false theories and articles that illustrate negative effects of vaccinations influence people. Dr. Monique Luisi, who is an assistant professor of strategic communication at the University of Missouri — Columbia School of Journalism and specializes in media messages related to disease, treatments and the lives of minority groups, said though some of this vaccine avoidance is based on theory, it stems from a wide spectrum of reasons.

“Some of it [vaccine opposition] is [theory], like the idea that the government is trying to control people, but the issue is more complex,” Dr. Luisi said. “It’s important to understand that anti-vaxxer at-

A brief history of vaccine safety and regulation

titudes run a spectrum. Some people may feel that all vaccines are unhealthy, while others subscribe to getting only the minimum number they personally feel are required [like measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR)] while avoiding others that are elective [like HPV and influenza].”

Distorted or unavailable information also plays a part in mistrust. Columbia Area Career Center (CACC) BioMed teacher Kristine Hayes said anti-vaxxer sentiments often come from a place of misunderstanding or shared stories.

“Antivax[xer] conspiracy theories have developed over time with fear and lack of information,” Hayes said. “Someone’s child had an adverse reaction or something happened to them shortly after they were vaccinated, so once that correlation is made, [anti-vaxxers] think that applies to all vaccines.”

Fearful parents tend to be at the forefront of this movement. In 1998, British physician Andrew Wakefield published a piece in The Lancet that suggested a connection between the MMR vaccine and the development of autism in children. Despite the retraction of this piece because of findings of flawed and unethical research, the report seemed to set off a resurgence of distrust in vaccination practices, as the MMR vaccination rate dropped from 92% in 1996

This act ordered mandatory smallpox vaccination for infants with penalties for refusal. It was met with immediate public criticism surrounding general distrust in medicine, violation of personal liberty and how the vaccine was “unchristian.”

1853 The Vaccination Act of 1853

4 STORY BY NORA CRUTCHER-MCGOWAN

Founding of the Anti-Vaccination Society of America 1879 Anti-vaccinationists protested against vaccination laws in several states.

to 84% in 2002 in the U.K., according to the National Institutes of Health. This myth spread to North America as well, culminating in a measles outbreak in the United States in 2014, in which around 125 people were infected because of low vaccination rates in people visiting the Disneyland Resort in California. More locally, a mumps outbreak occurred at the University of Missouri — Columbia in 2016.

These myths continue to permeate society. The publishing of information later disproven or rebuked can still have drastic impacts, and Hayes said the disproven claims ultimately affect populations in a negative way.

“Anti-vaccination conspiracy theories affect our ability to get to herd immunity and eradicate an illness,” Hayes said. “The more people in a population that are vaccinated, the less chance we have of someone having a disease and that disease spreading.

Groups that do not vaccinate their children intentionally put those people that cannot vaccinate or who have weakened immune systems at risk.”

Anti-vaxxers and social media

The beginning of the internet and the rise of social media platforms that allow typical citizens to organize groups with shared interests and fall to algorithms supporting particular ideologies likely lends

13 St. Louis children died from contaminated diphtheria antitoxin, a medication used to treat diphtheria. This led to federal regulation of biologic products.

1901 St. Louis Contamination Event

Biologics Control Act 1902 This was the first modern federal legislation to control the quality of drugs. The Act created what eventually became the National Institutes of Health.

to this problem. Junior Emma Howell, a the stories of others, and what results is a former BioMed student of Hayes, said she misguided conception that a coincidentally thinks the limited digital media literacy tragic accident is the norm for vaccinated skills of older generations makes these the- children, Hayes said. Though some peoories attractive. ple’s bodies react poorly to certain vac“Because these [anti-vaxxer] parents cines, they are overwhelmingly safe. grew up in an age before the need for digi“Our bodies do not read the textbook tal media literacy, they don’t have the basic that would tell them how they are to react skills to tell the difference between articles to certain things, so some people’s bodies providing them will overreact or with accurate innot react at all formation and when given vacDuring normal times, that [misinformation] articles written cines,” Hayes may have been tolerable. During a pandemic, to mislead and said. “How their misinform them. own body reacts, however, that kind of misinformation and deAs a result, they should dictate nial of scientific fact poses a significant risk to fall victim to their own personthe American population." conspiracy theal future vaccine - Emma Howell, ories,” Howell path with consuljunior said. “They have tation with their good intentions, doctor. But just but they put their because it hapfaith in bad sources.” pened to your neighbor, does not mean it Howell blames the spread of these in- will happen to you.” accuracies on unskilled social media users, Anti-vaxxers and COVID-19 and Dr. Luisi said this inaccurate informaWorries have emerged over what some tion is able to spread quickly on social me- believe is the accelerated production of dia platforms, but most groups or individu- a COVID-19 vaccine. In an NBC article als are well-intentioned. written by Dr. Lior Brimberg, assistant “While the spread of misinformation professor at the Feinstein Institutes for may be initiated by groups, it continues Medical Research, she dispels the concerns to be spread often by well-meaning, con- and myths circulating, again stating there cerned citizens. Unprofessional groups is no evidence to prove a correlation bemay be just that — unprofessional — but tween vaccines and autism. She also said they may seem credible and believable to the presence of small side effects actually many,” Dr. Luisi said. “Also, they do not means the vaccine is working. often appear to be anonymous, and many To be aware of the cautions surroundgroups may have a following.” ing the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna Though the people spreading myths COVID-19 vaccines, it’s crucial to first online may not have bad intentions, it ul- understand the science of these particular timately proves harmful, Dr. Luisi said. vaccines, as they are some of the first to use People take this misinformation seriously messenger RNA (mRNA). mRNA is a geand it can affect themselves and their im- netic coding material bodies use to create mediate communities. proteins. The COVID-19 vaccines work Concerned mothers and fathers cling to because the body is able to recognize the

About 200 people were paralyzed and 10 died after contracting polio from the Salk polio vaccine, in spite of manufacturers’ adherence to government standards. The California Supreme Court found Cutter Laboratories to be financially responsible for the harm, but not negligent.

1955 The Cutter Incident

DPT Lawsuits 1970s & 1980s Particularly from the combined diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus (DPT) immunization, the number of lawsuits brought against vaccine manufacturers increased dramatically, and many pharmaceutical companies left the vaccine business.

new protein that is delivered and develops an immune response to it, and unlike other vaccines, a piece of the virus is not injected into the body.

Despite the fact that this is the first time this practice is being used in regulated vaccines, research surrounding mRNA vaccines dates back to the '90s. Dr. Luisi said the caution surrounding the COVID-19 vaccines is, again, because of a plethora of reasons, but mainly because of the concern for the rush.

“During normal times, that [misinformation] may have been tolerable. During a pandemic, however, that kind of misinformation and denial of scientific fact poses a significant risk to the American population,” Howell said. “This movement may also act as a gateway to other conspiracy groups, which contributes to the political polarization and destabilization of this country, culminating recently in the attacks on the Capitol. Overall, I think the nature of this movement now poses a significant threat to the United States that must not be ignored.”

Despite the country’s fascination with conspiracy theories and celebrity input such as actress Jenny McCarthy who touted the vaccination-autism theory, Dr. Luisi said she thinks this provides an opportunity to change the way doctors interact with their patients.

“Doctors and health care providers, while not often famous, can do a lot of the important work to keep the conversations going with patients and the community to be relatable,” Dr. Luisi said. “Specifically, remembering that we are all human, that we want the best for ourselves and our loved ones. Scary things, even if it’s misinformation, make us want to double-check.

Addressing fears and concerns, and not shunning, may be key to increasing vaccination acceptance.”

After the DPT vaccine scare, the NVICP was founded to provide compensation to people injured by certain vaccines.

1986 National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (NVICP)

Omnibus Autism Proceeding 2002 Thousands of families claimed their childrens’ autism resulted from vaccination, so the NVICP established a program called the Omnibus Autism Proceeding to investigate assertions of a causal relationship between vaccination and autism.

ART AND INFOGRAPHIC BY SARAH DING 5

Should state governments require students be vaccinated

to attend public schools?

Vaccine policies necessary to prevent mass infection

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rom Polio to Mea- state, according to the sles, the most de- World Health Organistructive diseases of zation, otherwise strict our nation’s history have vaccine requirements are only diminished as a re- an essential tool in mainsult of vaccines and sub- taining herd immunity. sequent herd immunity.

As our country has The Centers for Dis- continued to advance, ease Control and Pre- vaccinations are more vention accessible (CDC) now than estiRequiring children to have ever bemates vaccinations in order to fore. the U.S. attend public schools is a F o r vaccine challenging but necessary children p r o provision to ensure the on Medgram, safety of students and the icaid, all includpublic at large.“ vaccines i n g the CDC vaccirecomnation mends are requirements for public free. The state departschools, has prevented ments of all 50 states more than 21 million hos- and five territories also pitalizations and 732,000 have programs dedicated deaths among children to providing low-cost or born between 1994 and free vaccines to the un2014. insured, with particular Requiring children emphasis on high-risk to have vaccinations in individuals like children order to attend public and the elderly. Though schools is a challenging further progress is cerbut necessary provision tainly necessary to make to ensure the safety of vaccines conveniently students and the public at obtainable, they are allarge. ready widely available in Though medical ex- the status quo, regardless emptions are necessary of insurance status. and available in every Although it may seem

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unfair to limit a child’s access to education based on their vaccination status, according to the CDC, local and state vaccination requirements for daycare and school enrollment were the greatest singular cause of increased vaccination coverage.

States with non-medical vaccination exemptions such as philosophical or religious conflicts also had the highest rates of child mortality as a result of vaccine-preventable disease. This remained true even when researchers controlled for socio-economic and insurance status.

Clearly, vaccine requirements are a tool of paramount necessity to prevent death, and supporting social programs make access increasingly convenient to all.

While maintaining medical exceptions, state and local governments have an obligation to recognize the well-researched benefits of wide-spread vaccines and require vaccinations whenever possible.

STORY BY AMIRA MCKEE / ART BY RACHEL STEVENS

Vaccine policies discriminatory, create barriers to education

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n Washington D.C., the vaccination rate for kindergartners is 80%, lower than all 50 states. Dr. Melanie Siefman, a clinician in the city, said based on her population, the lowering vaccination numbers are not because of the anti-vaccine movement but because those kids don’t come in. According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, in 2017, 17.2% of unvaccinated children from 19-25 months old were uninsured compared to 2.3% of all children. No child should be barred from education, especially if they have no weight in the decision-making process to allow them access to affordable vaccinations.

Instead of strict measures to vindicate unvaccinated children, there should be more education around vaccines and a decrease in cost of vaccines overall.

According to an article in the Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2007, the out-ofpocket costs for vaccinations were inversely related to the coverage levels. People who are the most disadvantaged face disproportionately higher costs, and, as a result, uninsured children with families below 250% of the federal poverty level have the lowest vaccination rates.

Parents are subject to years of government inefficiency and subsequently hesitant to trust the health care system.

Requiring vaccinations for education is only a bandaid solution. Vaccines need

to be accessible, available at are not able to access educaconvenient locations with no tion, officals are hurting rathcharge. Effective outreach is er than helping children for a needed for this to happen, and choice they did not make and such work is also important is often as result of external to build public willingness to circumstances.

Requiring be vaccinated, according to a vaccinations will not have study by the Kaiser Family these impacts, rather marginFoundation (KFF), a health alize already disproportionpolicy analysis non-profit, in ately affected families.

2020.

Parents might be misinUnderstanding the prob- formed about vaccinations lem behind lack of vaccina- and their safety. tions comes with realizing On top of that, lack of many people will not want to transportation and assistance blindly follow health orders only perpetuates low vacciof this sort. nation levels.

According to a survey conAccording to Dr. Edwin L. ducted by the KFF in 2020, Anderson in a publication of Black adults are less likely to the Journal of the Missouri get a COVID-19 vaccine than State Medical Association in other groups. Even if such a 2014, a study on a specific vaccine was determined to be clinic in a rural area showed safe and was easily accessi- supportive staff, convenient ble, only half of Black adults office times and limited wait said they would “definitely” time increased immunication or “probl e v ably” get els and vaccinated, destigas opposed Punishing children by taking matized to 60% of away their education because the topHispanic of problems they are not reic as and 65% sponsible for is not the proper well. of White course of action.”

The adults. Only way to 17% of increase Black adults v a c say they would “definitely” cinations and better public get the vaccine. These senti- safety is not to require famiments of mistrust permeate lies engage with a system that the family structure, with par- does not help them, especialents wanting to protect their ly when it’s concerning their children from the same fears children. Instead, families they have for themselves. need to be supported through The lack of knowledge on education and proper vaccithe issue alongside structural nation accessibility. barriers making the process Punishing children by of vaccination more difficult taking away their education harms progress. because of problems they are When unvaccinated chil- not responsible for is not the dren do not attend school and proper course of action.

STORY BY SHRUTI GAUTAM 7

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Dr. Phillip Cuculich, cardiologist at Washington University in St. Louis, Barnes-Jewish Hospital on the emotional burden of COVID-19 on health care workers, patients and visitors

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r. Phillip Cuculich is ply stopped doing a lot of eleca cardiologist at the tive procedures.”

Barnes-Jewish Hospital With a fixed number of venat Washington University in tilators available, many patients St. Louis (WashU) where he went months without getting specializes in heart rhythm dis- elective procedures done, inorders. He spends most of his cluding surgeries or ablations. time doing procedures, trying Additionally, the Barnes-Jewto correct slow, fast or irregu- ish Hospital had to increase the lar heartbeats. Additionally, he capacity of intensive care units spends time seeing outpatients (ICUs) “pretty dramatically.” in the clinic and more critical- The staffing of the ICUs that ly ill inpatients in the intensive have tripled and quadrupled in care unit. Lastly, Dr. Cuculich size has become a “major ishas the freedom to do research and invent tools I think it’s really hard to be a patient right to help solve now. I feel for patients more than ever.” problems because of his uni- Dr. Phillip Cuculich, Cardiologist at versity job.

Dr. CucuBarnes-Jewish Hospital lich has seen the hospital face problems and make ad- sue” to this day, and the cardiac justments since the COVID-19 ICU space had to move severpandemic. For example, there al times to make way for more were shortages of ventilators COVID-19 units. The staff takas patients with the COVID-19 ing care of these critically ill disease required them. patients have had to be flexible “When we saw what was in new situations and locations happening in other cities, like with different resources, Dr. what was happening in Wuhan, Cuculich said. like what was happening in MiThe patients are in unchartlan, Italy, New York, we saw ed territory, too. the healthcare resources, espe“I would say lately in the cially hospitalization resources, last three to four months, pareally stretched,” Dr. Cuculich tients have been rather reluctant said. “In parts of 2020, we sim- to come into hospitals,” Dr. Cu-

culich said. “We’ve definitely seen a resistance to the idea of having to come to the hospital for any sort of treatment, or condition. We had to get very creative for how to administer some of these treatments in a safe way but not do it inside.

Where there’s fear for spread of COVID[-19], it’s been very unique from a clinical care standpoint.”

According to Healthcare IT News, 79% of U.S. specialists said their use of telemedicine technology had increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, and telemedicine is projected to continue to be used even past it. Although it’s a helpful tool for some consults, Dr. Cuculich said others need to be done face-to-face.

“Trying to understand the acuity of somebody’s disease, it’d be certainly difficult to do just on a phone call or on a Zoom telehealth meeting, because it becomes really important to be able to assess a patient and really understand how they’re doing with their conditions, look them in the eye, examine them, really try to get a sense of how severe their condition is,” Dr. Cuculich said. “So sometimes we know that some conditions may be more of a nuisance than

a life threatening issue, but it’s really trying to understand which of those conditions is life-threatening or life-altering that would require a more urgent evaluation in the hospital, even in riskier situations.

In the spring, when we had our first wave come through St. Louis, when we stopped our elective procedures, there were tens, if not hundreds, of people with heart rhythm conditions who had to wait for their procedures. During that time, we would certainly reach out to those patients on an every week or every other week basis.

Once those resources became available again that summer and we were able to do our elective procedures again and start treating some of these patients, our staff and our doctors did a really terrific job, I would say, accelerating their ability.

That is, our typical capacity might be to do two procedures in a day in one room — we found a way to do three procedures in that day in that room in order to really try to move through that waiting list. And it was not easy. It was asking a lot of sacrifice for the staff and for the doctors to work harder and work deeper into the day, but it

STORY BY SARAH DING 9

certainly was the right thing to do, whatever we could to try to make it so that patients didn’t have to wait extended periods of time for those procedures.”

Dr. Cuculich commended hospital leadership for making the “difficult decision” of limiting visiting hours as well as the number of visitors for patients to minimize the spread of COVID-19. Although it can be hard for them, he said, it’s well worth it to protect patients and the staff.

“I think it’s really hard to be a patient right now,” Dr. Cuculich said. “I feel for patients more than ever. Being a doctor now, in the hospital, requires being able to connect with families every single day.

When you’re taking care of patients in the hospital, your day gets longer because not only are you caring for patients in a more challenging environment, but you are absolutely making sure that you call their family members every single day and give

updates if they can’t be in the hospital.”

Dr. Cuculich said it’s especially important to communicate with family members of patients who are critically ill and might be in a COVID-19 unit and cannot have visitors. He said many nurses in the ICU went above and beyond in making sure family members were connected to the patients, whether it be by music or video call.

Another precaution WashU implemented was offering health care workers at the hospital the COVID-19 vaccine, and almost all of them took it. Dr. Cuculich has received both of his doses, but he also volunteered to administer the vaccine. He said everyone thinks about what it’s like to get the vaccine, but it’s equally challenging for health care systems to find people to deliver the vaccines, keep track of patients and reschedule them for their next doses.

“It was really a remarkable experience, I have to say,” Dr. Cuculich said. “When

people receive vaccines, some people are very tough, and it’s no big deal and it’s just another day in the office. But so many people seem to really have emotional reactions to finally receiving the vaccine. There were a handful of individuals … when they received the vaccine, many of them really broke down into tears and were almost overwhelmed by the seriousness of it all. We as doctors and nurses have really, I think, stored away a lot of our anxieties and really packed them away so that we can treat other people and not really worry about ourselves, but when you receive the vaccine, it’s a very self reflective moment.

There were a lot of doctors and nurses who were really overwhelmed at that moment and really shed tears, of joy, of happiness, of a release of that anxiety that they’ve been hacking away for months in and months out. It was really a unique experience, and I’m really happy that I have to do that.”

Leissa Beckman, registered nurse at University of Missouri Health Care, University Hospital on the COVID-19 vaccine and precautions

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eissa Beckman has been a registered nurse at the University of Missouri Hospital for 24 years. She specializes in cardiology and works in cardiac catheterization labs during heart catheterizations, device implants, vascular procedures and ablations.

“I have always been interested in cardiology,” Beckman said. “[The heart] is the most important organ in the body. It’s both simple and complex at the same time.”

Beckman said she has had to take additional precautions because of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as minimizing spending time at the head of a patient’s bed during procedures. Every day when she comes in, she has to get her temperature checked and go through a checklist of possible signs and symptoms.

“If we don’t know [a patient is] COVID [-19]-negative, which we don’t with the emergency patients, then we have to wear the whole PPE gear with an N95 mask on, and then we put a regular mask over that.

Then there’s a headpiece that has a splash guard, as well as plastic gowns and booties,” Beckman said. “There are more precautions. It’s more fearful.”

Receiving the COVID-19 vaccine is another new experience for Beckman. Ac-

cording to the Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC), one dose starts building protection and a second, administered a few weeks later, is needed to get the most protection the vaccine has to offer.

After Beckman’s first shot, her only symptom was a mild headache for a couple days, and she described the pain level as “better than the flu shot.” She did have a reaction to the second shot, however.

“After I received it, about 24 hours later, I was so, so, so tired, like I ended up having to leave work, because I was just so tired,” Beckman said. “And it was a different type of tired, it was like, I couldn’t even think, and I felt like my speech was even slow. I was very dizzy and lightheaded, and then I came home and I slept for about 18 hours.”

Side effects of the vaccine may feel like the flu and affect one’s ability to do daily activities, according to the CDC, but they should go away in a few days. Additionally, COVID-19 vaccines that require two shots may not be protective until a week or two after the second shot, as it takes time for the body to build immunity after any vaccination.

Although Beckman’s role as a health care worker includes tasks such as getting the COVID-19 vaccine, this doesn’t eclipse

10 PHOTOS COURTESY OF GREG FLAKER, PHILLIP CUCULICH AND LEISSA BECKMAN

her life-saving duties as a nurse. Beckman said the most rewarding part of her job is when someone comes in with a heart attack, scared and hurting, and the cardiology team helps them. They open the artery that, left untreated, would result in death.

“I became a nurse because I wanted to help people,” Beckman said. “I wanted to make a difference when they needed it the most.”

Dr. Greg Flaker, cardiologist at University of Missouri Health Care, University Hospital on the deeper meaning of the COVID-19 pandemic

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r. Greg Flaker has lived in Colum“90% of your cells in your body are bia since 1968, when he came to the microbial. They’re germs. They’re in your University of Missouri—Columbia skin, they’re in your mouth, they’re in your to pursue his undergraduate degree while gastrointestinal tract, all over your body,” on a basketball scholarship and later com- Dr. Flaker said. “So … 10% of your DNA, plete medical school. After finishing spe- the building block of your cell machinery, cialized training at the Ohio State Universi- is human, and actually 90% are microbial ty, Dr. Flaker returned to Columbia to work in origin. at the University Hospital where he resides Humans are the most highly evolved today as an adjunct professor of medicine, species on Earth, right? We’re the smartest all culminating in a 40-year long career as ones, we can think, we can come up with a cardiologist. putting people on the moon and things Dr. Flaker said the magnitude of his ex- like that. But the microbes are all over perience gives him a unique perspective on the place. They really run the earth, even the advances in medicine and cardiology, though they’re dumb, and they don’t live as he’s seen how they have evolved. very long.

“The mortality rates of heart disease But people think that the microbes in our country have markedly reduced in have sensed something wrong with Moththe 40 years since I’ve been practicing. I er Earth, something’s happening. They’ve have in my career witnessed some fasci- made an adjustment. COVID[-19] has nating developments in heart disease ther- come up … a way for the earth to protect apy,” Dr. Flaker itself.” said. “When I Some sciwas growing up entists think it I think [pandemics] reflect a life cycle [during] high would be wrong for in human existence. I think that life cycle school, if a perhumans to eradicate is coming about because we were doing the disease with vacson had a heart something wrong with our environment.” attack, gosh, cines without first that was the kiss of examining and imdeath. They didn’t - Dr. Greg Flaker, proving its underlyhave much longer ing meaning, which cardiologist at University of Missouri to live. Now, probably has to people have a do with climate heart attack, they control and fossil go back to work, they’re active, they’re fuel emissions, Dr. Flaker said. vigorous. And so while we have a long way “When I heard that, I thought that was a to go, we have made great progress in the very interesting concept, and it pretty much field of heart disease.” sums up my idea about COVID[-19],” Dr. Scientists are finding out the COVID-19 Flaker said. “I think it’s telling us somedisease is one that predominantly attacks thing about the global environment. Since the lungs, Dr. Flaker said. But the disease COVID[-19]’s been around, global pollucan also weaken the heart in a variety of tion is down 30%. So yeah, I think that’s ways, such as making the blood vessels kind of my philosophy of COVID[-19]. It’s clog more easily and causing a variety of not just me getting the vaccine and socially cardiac arrhythmias. distancing and protecting myself, but it’s At Dr. Flaker’s office on the third floor really trying to figure out how we could of the University Hospital, he often en- better preserve our Earth.” counters the infectious disease specialists Dr. Flaker also brings up the idea that who work across the hall. From them, epidemics and pandemics reflect a life he’s learned a few other new things about cycle. The 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic, COVID-19, though through a wider lens for example, infected about a third of the than its effects on the heart. world’s population and killed an estimated

20 million to 50 million victims, according to history.com. There were no drugs or vaccines at that time to treat this flu strain, so the only tools people had were masks, social distancing and shutting down public places.

“Pandemics have been with us for as long as we can remember. Even in biblical times when Moses changed the Nile River into blood, apparently, or he had the locusts and destroyed the Egyptian crops, even back then people thought those were really pandemics that were starting,” Dr. Flaker said. “So they’ve been around with us for a long time. They seem to be getting more serious, but I think they reflect a life cycle in human existence. I think that life cycle is coming about because we were doing something wrong with our environment.”

Earth isn’t just a planet for humans, Dr. Flaker said; it’s one for the germs that inhabit our bodies, too. Humans need germs to digest food, fight infection and provide nutrients to the body, but germs need humans for a place to call home. It’s a symbiotic relationship.

“We have to be in harmony with the environment. I saw some statistics that our human population has doubled since we put a man on the moon in 1969. But there are many, many animal populations in the wild that have gone down by 50%,” Dr. Flaker said. “So, maybe humans are starting to exert a little bit too much influence, consuming more resources than we should compared to animals. And I don’t know, that environmentalist part of me wants to protect us, but also protect other animals and endangered species.”

11

DISTRUST IN AMERICAN MEDICINE

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s the U.S. begins to distribute the voluntary COVID-19 vaccine, medical systems and authorities are left to confront the racial disparity in trust toward health care.

Although Black Americans are 1.4 times more likely to contract COVID-19 than non-Hispanic white Americans, and 2.8 times more likely to die of it, a Pew Research Center study found only 42% are fully confident they will get vaccinated when given the opportunity. In comparison, more than 60% of white and Hispanic adults say they plan to immediately take the vaccine.

As professor Dan Royles of Florida International University explained in an article in The Washington Post, suspicion toward the COVID-19 vaccine among some segments of the Black community serves

as only one example of overall distrust of mainstream medicine formed from generations of medical abuse and discrimination. This exploitation founded much of the American health field and medical understanding, with little to no recognition of the subjects who endured neglect and abuse.

Even in modern day, medical discrimination persists.

According to the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, traditional medical curriculum centers around identifying symptoms as they appear within white patients, with textbook examples and illustrations primarily featuring white bodies.

This makes it particularly difficult for medical trainees to accurately identify symptoms for diseases like Lyme disease and jaundice when they appear on the skin of patients with different complexions. As a result,

12 STORY BY AMIRA MCKEE / PHOTO BY SOPHIA EATON

according to a study in The To characterize health care Lancet, Lyme disease and jaun- distrust as the singular result dice are both underdiagnosed of ignorance is reductive and in Black populations when oversimplified. Most imporcompared to white populations. tantly, however, to minimize Further, according to a study the impact of historical abuse in the Proceeding of the Nation- and discrimination on medical al Academies of Science, half of curriculum and trust is a disserall survice to veyed t h e medAmeri c a l i c a n Most importantly, however, to minimize trainpoputhe impact of historical abuse and discrimination on medical curriculum and e e s lation trust is a disservice to the American popheld and an ulation and an obstacle to progress. “ one or obstacle more to progfalse ress. beliefs Only about biological differences be- through recognition and recontween pain tolerances of differ- ciliation can the medical coment races. munity and authorities begin The study found this leads to make their practices more to under prescription of anes- inclusive and comprehensively thesia and pain relieving med- address public health issues. ication to Black Americans, P1 of a package to publish on particularly Black women. rbhs.bearingnews.org March 15

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14

Transition to transgender inclusion needed in health science curriculums

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resident Joseph Biden’s first day in office sought to minimize discrimination toward the LGBTQ community by issuing an executive order including a wide range of protections for LGBTQ individuals. The order defined the prohibition of discrimination based on “sex” to include gender identity and sexual orientation and allowed transgender women to participate in women’s sports. Five days later, on Jan. 25, Biden also lifted former President Donald Trump’s ban on transgender people joining the military.

While the new administration is showing efforts to promote tolerance for LGBTQ individuals through policy changes, the lack of medical education in transgender-specific care and broader societal stigmas have created systemic inequalities in health care.

To address the lasting implications of gender-identity-related health disparities, it is imperative that health science educators include gender-affirming health care into curriculums.

Gender-affirming health care includes hormone therapy, puberty blockers and s e x reassignment surgeries, which can alleviate the effects of gender dysphoria, or the psychological distress caused when one’s assigned sex at birth is incon-

gruent with one’s current gender identity.

Gender-affirming care goes beyond just transitional health procedures. It holistically accommodates patients’ needs by utilizing depathologization, the practice of treating the term transgender as an identity rather than a medical disorder.

Transgenderism’s medicalization is rooted in cisnormativity, the societal expectation that people’s gender identity aligns with their assigned sex at birth.

This assumption facilitates transphobia and marginalizes transgender identities.

Social exclusion, rejection from families and ignorance from health care w o r k ers are issues that stem from this n o r m and contribute to increased health burdens among transgender people.

Mental health is one aspect of health care in which transgender people face more challenges. A 2017 study analyzing data provided by ninth and 11th grade students in Minnesota found 61.3% of transgender and gender non-conforming students reported suicidal ideation, which was over three times higher than cisgender students. Research conducted

by The University of Western Australia in 2020 also found 74.6% of transgender youths reported a depression diagnosis, and 72.2% reported having anxiety disorders.

This same societal transphobia extends to patients’ experiences in health care settings and can be responsible for the negative attitudes present amongst health professionals. A 2016 study by the School of

Social Work at Wayne State University found approximately 1 in 4 transgender people were denied equal treatment compared to their cisgender peers. Approximately 30.8% of transgender participants delayed required care because of discrimination. This research also found patients who had to teach their healthcare providers about transgender people or transgender-specific procedures were also more likely to postpone needed care.

The lack of knowledge amongst health care professionals can be attributed to gaps in health science curriculums. A 2011 study on LGBTQ-related content in medical education found out of 150 medical schools in the U.S. and Canada, only 30.3% of those schools reported teaching about gender transitioning and 34.8% covered material on sex reassignment surgery.

In another survey of emergency physicians, despite 88% of respondents reporting they cared for transgender patients, 82.5% said they had not received formal training for transgender people.

Of the 339 respondents, 73.9% did not know the most common gender-affirming surgery for transgender men and 90.2% did not know the most common nonhormonal gender-affirming medicine for transgender women.

Medical professionals have an ethical responsibility to reduce disparities in the health care system for the transgender community.

To achieve this, medical schools must implement gender-affirming care into their curriculum, which actively recognizes the effects of cisnormativity and helps create health care settings that validate transgender identities.

STORY BY ALLISON KIM / ART BY DEVIN HALL 15

ASANA — POSTURES/PHYSICAL POSES PRATYAHARA — WITHDRAWAL OF THE SENSES

NIYAMA — INTERNAL DISCIPLINES

PRANAYAMA — BREATH CONTROL

YAMA — EXTERNAL DISCIPLINES

Holistic medicine

Asian health practices whitewashed by Western wellness industry

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hifting attitudes toward health have placed wellness at the forefront of many people’s lives. Whether it’s growing awareness about clean eating, trendy new exercise classes or growing emphasis on mental health, the concept of wellness is evolving from the occasional workout class or massage into an everyday mindset. This is reflected in the rapid growth of the global health and fitness industry, worth $4.2 trillion as of 2017, according to the Global Wellness Institute.

Practices like traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Ayurvedic medicine, like

yoga, have been practiced for thousands of years and have been adopted by the West in recent decades as some of the most popular forms of holistic, non-traditional wellness.

While TCM and yoga have proven benefits for alleviating pain and stress, some have accused Western companies of profiting from a whitewashed version of wellness, one that disrespects or even erases their spiritual and cultural significance to make practices more palatable to white consumers.

The practice of yoga dates back to around 3000 BCE in the Indus valley civi-

16 STORY BY EMMA STEFANUTTI / ART BY LORELEI DOHM

lization and was originally a deeply devotional practice. While yoga predates most modern religions, it has also become closely linked with Hinduism over time. Traditional yoga emphasized spirituality and a mind-body-soul connection above other aspects, like fitness. In yogic philosophy there are eight basic limbs of yoga that practitioners should live by at all times, such as Dhyana (meditation), Pranayama (mindful breathing) and Dharana (concentration).

Western yoga, on the other hand, tends to focus only on Asana, which is the limb

of yoga that involves physical exercise and Advances in Health and Medicine journal poses. Many white yoga studios largely found that more than 10 million acupuncignore the spiritual limbs of yoga to cater ture treatments are administered in the US to their fitness-oriented demographics and alone. maximize profits. As a result, Western yoga Dry needling, another type of acupunctends to be a whitewashed, commodified ture, has also risen in popularity in the West. and ‘trendy’ version of traditional yoga.

Its use, however, is supported by little reJunior Abbie Sivaraman, author for Angry search and outlawed in certain states. Dry Asian Americans, a social media blog dedi- needling is when someone other than a licated to educating others about injustices af- censed acupuncturist performs acupuncture fecting the Asian American community, said without any TCM training and without takthat while yoga doesn’t have to be tied to ing important details into account, such as one cultural or religious group, practitioners the patient’s pre-existing health conditions, should still show respect for its roots. lifestyle and environment.

“I think there’s definitely been ways Emily Grace Siy, a Doctor of Acupuncwhere cultural practices, words and images ture and Chinese Medicine based in New have been used as ‘trendy,’ like with using York City, is opposed to dry needling and the ‘om’ symbol or by disregarding the re- does not offer it to clients. By taking a TCM ligious association of yoga to Hinduism,” procedure and removing all Chinese aspects Sivaraman said. “There has to be an appre- from it, Siy thinks dry needle practitioners ciation and an understanding of the religious are appropriating Chinese culture for their history associated with it.” own financial gain while harming others.

Megan Hall, “[Dry needling] is a teacher at essentially a way to Yoga Sol, a advertise acupuncWe should respect the lineage of yoga and yoga studio ture without it being honor it in our own teaching, not pretend from Asia,” Siy said. in Columthat we invented a new thing.” bia, also ac“Practitioners are benknowledges efiting and profiting off that while yoga - Megan Hall, Yoga Sol instructor of a modality by using a is beneficial for quick and cheap version everyone, it is of a treatment and important that pretending it does not Western yoga come from a specific teachers keep their teachings consistent system of East Asian medicine.” with traditional yoga out of respect for its The idea of cultural appropriation is culture. often tied to specific clothing items, hair“I think it’s wonderful that Westerners styles or costumes. Nowadays, many peopractice yoga,” Hall said. “Mindfulness is ple are quick to call out the appropriation of good for all of us. However, I’m not real- headdresses, cornrows and bindis. But with ly into the branding of many western yogis. wellness practices, which are beneficial to We should respect the lineage of yoga and people’s health and wellbeing, it’s harder to honor it in our own teaching, not pretend distinguish between respectful appreciation that we invented a new thing.” of a practice and appropriation.

Disregarding the cultural and spiritual TCM and Ayurvedic medicine should be significance of Eastern holistic medicine is for everyone, but Western wellness companot only disrespectful to their original cul- nies and consumers must be more mindful tures, but can also lead to inadequate train- of where they came from and ensure those ing in those practices, which can be poten- cultures are respected in their practice, Sivtially harmful to consumers. TCM, which araman said. dates back around 3000 years, aims to cure “There’s a fine line between disrespector prevent disease by maintaining a balance ing a practice and not being educated,” between yin and yang, two complementa- Sivaraman said. “I think Western wellness ry forces present in the body. TCM’s main companies need to do more research on modalities include herbal therapy, acupunc- the practices and goods they are selling, ture, moxibustion, Tui na, which includes and need to be willing to make changes to massage and cupping and Qi Gong, which them if they’re inappropriate based on the involves physical postures and exercises. cultures and religions connected to them.

The most popular form of TCM in the West- Despite things like yoga being of Hindu orern world is acupuncture, as a 2014 review igins, it’s great that others want to try them on acupuncture published in the Global out, but it needs to be done respectfully.”

DHYANA — MEDITATION

SAMADHI — UNION

DHARANA — CONCENTRATION

17

NEUROETHICS the impact of brain science in law

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K, a man in his late 50s, was ar- University of Calgary, has published nurested for gross lewdness and child merous books and papers on neuroethics endangerment as a result of public and culpability. His interest in the philosourination near a school. Despite no phy of the mind manifests as in-depth ethipsychiatric history, FK would spit compul- cal studies of cases like FK’s. sively and fondle himself in front of others.

“A deontological[,] or Kantian theoFK had immigrated to the U.S. two ry, says that people deemed criminally reyears before he committed these crimes sponsible for an action deserve to be punand had then shown no signs of concerning ished for committing a criminal act. This social behavior. His deteriorating condition assumes that the offender had free will, or was later supplemented by neurological what I prefer to call behavior control,” Dr. testing post-arrest; the neuroimaging found Glannon said. “If the offender lacked this FK suffered from Pick’s disease. control because of a brain abnormality, then Pick’s disease, or frontotemporal de- they would not deserve to be punished.” mentia, is characterized in scans by atrophy Neuroscience, although not a comof the frontal lobes. Patients with Pick’s pletely charted field, provides insight and disease are highly susceptible to criminal explanation regarding one’s behavior. Dr. behavior because of sociopathic tendencies Judith Edersheim is the co-Founder and from neurological abnormalities. Although co-Director of the Center for Law, Brain FK did commit criminal violations, the and Behavior (CLBB), based at Harvard discussion of his autonomy brings light to Law School, Harvard Medical School and the importance of neuroethics, an intersec- Massachusetts General Hospital. With both tional field that emphasized the importance a J.D. and a M.D., Dr. Edersheim works of philosophy when assessing neurological at the intersection of science and the legal data. system.

According to a study done by Dr. Ma“Medicine is applied science; iterative, rio Mendez, Professor of Neurology and guided by the scientific method and geared Psychiatry at University of California— toward seeing a replicable data driven Los Angeles, truth,” “as many as Dr. Eder94% of hos h e i m Medicine is applied science; iterative, guided by the scimicide ofs a i d . entific method and geared towards seeing a replicable fenders, 61% “The law of habitually searchdata driven truth. The law searches for the truth, but aggressive es for the within a system with other large and sometimes compersons and truth, but peting goals such as social cohesion, predictability and 78% of sex within a moral authority. This makes the intersection complicated offenders system and fascinating.” may have with oth- Dr. Judith Edersheim, brain dyser large co-Director of CLBB at Harvard University function.” and someAssessing t i m e s offenders’ competing autonomy is integral to understand moral goals such as social cohesion, predictabiland legal responsibility. Neuroethics, or ity and moral authority. This makes the the study of the ethical implications of neu- intersection complicated and fascinating.” roscience, deals with just this. Dr. Walter Dr. Edersheim’s unique education ofGlannon, a professor of Philosophy at the fered her perspectives, specifically in the

18 STORY BY SHRUTI GAUTAM / ART BY LORELEI DOHM

realm of criminal law and forensic science, that allowed her to see the potential of neuroscience to explain cases like FK’s.

She started the CLBB in an effort to offer more research and knowledge into the growing field.

“My legal training and background made it evident to me that in certain ways, the law was misunderstanding how to apply brain s c i ence in its existi n g frameworks, and neuroscientists were misunderstanding their roles in the larger legal sys- T YPIC tem,” Dr. EderAL B RAIN sheim said. “It was this dysjunction that was leading to palpable injustices, and I wanted to remedy that.” However, neuroscience must be cautiously used in criminal cases. Dr. Glannon’s work details how and if we should assessneuroimaging, such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans of the brain, in context of a criminal proceeding.

“Structural [such as] CT [and] MRI, and functional [such as] PET [and] fMRI

imaging has been used to supplement rather than supplant behavior evidence when it is ambiguous or inconclusive. But there are degrees of brain dysfunction and uncertainty about its implications for responsibility,” Dr. Glannon said. “It is not clear what degree of function or dysfunction indicates that an offender lacked the capacity to control her behavior, had difficulty controlling it or had this capacity but failed to exercise it when she performed a criminal act. Imaging alone will not answer the question of control except possibly in rare cases, like … FK.” The CLBB tackles these issues and many more, taking on cases and projects to revolutionize the legal field. Emily Rehmet, the Project Manager and Clinical Research Coordinator for the CLBB, previously studied Neuroscience and Public Policy at Brown University and worked as a research fellow for the Center of Science and Law, a non-profit in Houst o n , Te x a s which focused on the technology behind incorporating science into law.

H e r IA N R B e x ASE perience E S I D across multiple K’S fields allows her PIC to understand both the limitations and potential of

criminal neuroimaging. fend. Others will not. Looking at images “Because science is ever-evolving of their brains will not provide a definitive as new evidence comes to light, it can be answer to this question.” tricky to successfully translate the most reThe CLBB’s goal is to supplement the cent scientific evidence to tackle real-life growing field as much as possible, collatproblems. This translation of life sciences ing information and frameworks to propinto the realms of social science and the erly understand situations and increase the law [and] policy will never be perfect, but efficacy of neuroscience practices in law. it is importThe U.S.’s legal ant that as system is pursua society ing actionable Neuroscientists need to educate the public in we are uswork to achieve general, and judges and juries to ensure that ing the best improvement. knowledge “ C L B B they do not make brain-biased judgments available to integrates neuabout offenders.” inform our roscience into decisions,” high-impact - Dr. Walter Glannon, R e h amicus briefs Professor of Philosophy at the University of Calgary met said. related to crim“There are inal justice, times when including an it is clear that science should be appropri- amicus brief challenging the harsh punishately incorporated, and other times when ment of juveniles submitted to the U.S. Suscience cannot or should not be integrated preme Court, and an amicus brief cited by at all.” the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Think tanks and researchers work to that led to improved rules for governing the make sure there is as much context and use of eyewitness memory in courtrooms,” support for the people working on such Rahmet said. “[A CLBB -led] training has complex cases as possible. served federal judges and probation and “There have been cases where juries pretrial officers in more than 40 federal were unduly influenced by images of the districts, focusing on improving responses brain without considering that images are to justice-involved individuals with mental not exact representations of brain activity, health and substance use disorders, from or that mental activity in reasoning and initial appearance to sentencing.” decision-making correlates with but is not Neuroethics and neuroimaging in law identical to brain activity,” said Dr. Glan- is revolutionary. Despite all that is unnon. “Neuroscientists need to educate the known, neuroscience has shown a capacity public in general, and judges and juries to to explore criminal behavior through new ensure that they do not make brain-biased perspectives. judgments about offenders.”

“What should the law do to protect Neuroscience data is powerful and those affected without sacrificing liberty? undoubtedly offers unique evidence, how- What does the new neuroscience of memoever, the holes in understanding the field ry tell us about memory in the courtroom? of neuroscience also translate to the use of What does traumatic experience do to the neuroimaging in cases. human brain and the structure of human “Imaging may help to predict which narratives?” Dr. Edersheim said. “Contriboffenders will re-offend and help to decide uting neuroscience that leads to someone’s which offenders should continue being in- exoneration is life affirming. Contributing carcerated and which should be release[d],” accurate and actionable neuroscience to Dr. Glannon said. “But this is probabilistic law reform efforts is critical for remedying rather than deterministic. Some will re-of- injustice on a larger scale.”

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Levels of imagery

How perceptions of body image correlate to social media

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clear and exact definition of tions do not fully prove time spent on meAccording to kidshealth.org from Nebody image, according to the dia platforms causes poor body image or mours Children’s Hospital, giving kids National Eating Disorders Col- disordered eating. compliments to strengthen their self-eslaboration (NEDC), is “a perDr. Ginny Ramseyer Winter, assistant teem and teaching them how to maintain son's perception of their physical self and professor at the School of Social Work at a healthy lifestyle that is not centered on the thoughts and feelings, positive, neg- the University of Missouri—Columbia and how they look helps children grow with ative or both, which result from that per- Director of the Center for Body Image Re- healthy behaviors concerning their body ception.” This impression is usually for- search and Policy, said the levels of nega- rather than those induced from exposure to mulated by internal judgements, but can be tive body image can increase or decrease adverse body perception. It said building a impacted by external factors in the process. between different categories of people, mental framework based on positive body Some of these components include the some of which include women and trans- health at a young age provides a higher views of family members and friends, out- gender individuals. chance of children maintaining that mindside acquaintances, stereotypes highlighted A study published by the National Li- set and thriving as they grow older. by a person's cultural background and in brary of Medicine found about 25% of Dr. Killoren said rather than categorizrecent years, an onslaught of images shared male children and adolescents in the Unit- ing body image as either a positive or negthrough social media. ed States felt dissatisfied with their body, ative concept, research and evidence can According to the NEDC, much of the while another study published in the Wi- help show when and how it harms people, content spread through the various types of ley Online Library found 50% and 80% of and where it is more neutralized. She said media promotes “unrealistic, unobtainable girls aged 13 and 17, respectively, revealed factors that influence a person’s self-perand highly stylized appearance ideals,” feelings of body dissatisfaction. Females ception are shared throughout a common that “cannot be achieved in real life.’’ It expressed a much larger amount of discon- environment and among close relationadded that people often face feelships. ings of dissatisfaction with their "Parents’ body image is assobodies because of standards set by ciated with their children’s body The time someone spends on social media is associated the media, which can lead to both image, particularly for mothers physical and mental health issues and daughters," Dr. Killoren with different aspects of body image. Overall, more time if a person attempts to change to fit said. “Friends and romantic parton social media is linked to a higher drive for thinness, the created norm. ners can also have influence on more disordered eating, more focus on one's appearance Dr. Sarah Killoren, associate one another’s body image by and greater body dissatisfaction." professor at the Department of engaging in conversations about Human Development and Family their bodies.”

- Dr. Sarah Killoren, associate professor at the Science at the University of MisResearch Dr. Killoren has University of Missouri—Columbia souri—Columbia, said there are looked at has shown that in chilcomparisons between a person's dren and adolescents, television body image and social media based has a large impact on internalon studies that focus on adolescent ized self-representation, alongdevelopment. side family and peers as kids “The time someone spends on social tent with their bodies. Although the study is enter a school environment. Dr. media is associated with different aspects limited to adolescents, Dr. Winter said peo- Killoren said sometimes teleof body image,” Dr. Killoren said. “Over- ple of all ages can experience the effects of vision influences young all, more time on social media is linked to a having a negative body image. people by “having an higher drive for thinness, more disordered “It is important to note how early this impact on what eating, more focus on one’s appearance and starts,” Dr. Winter said. “Children as young they think is greater body dissatisfaction.” as three can articulate that thin is good and a 'good' She said, however, it was important to fat is bad; some girls in elementary school note while there are significant correlations are starting to diet, which can severely between social media and body health, impact their growth and developboth physical and mental, these associa- ment.”

20 STORY BY ANJALI NOEL RAMESH / ART BY DEVIN HALL

versus a 'bad' body.”

Media content can become dangerous to users in its impacts on their perceptions of themselves, RBHS nurse Tammy Adkins said. There is a risk of constantly being exposed to content that promotes unhealthy behaviors, and then picking up on and practicing such habits. Adkins said the more negatively people view their bodies, the more damage they can cause themselves in attempts to improve their self esteem and become similar to the bodies they view on a screen.

“A person’s perception of their body can become harmful to themselves,” Adkins said. “Especially if it escalates to the development of eating disorders or episodes of self-harm or suicidal ideations which in turn, change physical and mental health.”

Another possible result of a negative body image is fixating on being thin and comparing oneself with others as a result of lowered self-confidence and depression, Dr. Killoren said. This in turn could lead to an eating disorder and increased body dissatisfaction.

Since body image is an internal perception, however, it is susceptible to change as a result of internal and external influences. Dr. Killoren said body image does not have to be a fixed idea, and can fluctuate with time.

“I think that it is possible to help people change the way that they think of their bodies in order to have a more positive body image,” Dr. Killoren said. “For instance, there are researchers at the University of Missouri who have found positive effects of a body image intervention that they tested with college women.”

Although there are negative effects of social media on body image,

there can also be positive outcomes.

According to an article by King University, health-based accounts can provide inspiration for individuals to create fitness plans, as well as health and wellness information to give viewers a more positive outlook on their body. Dr. Winter said although social media provides an outlet for all types of media, users can better protect themselves by immersing in constructive, healthy content.

“What I always recommend is to fill your feeds with positive body image influencers,” Dr. Winter said. “Make sure you are seeing posts that support neutral and positive body image and not just negative body image, and unfollow those who are spouting diet culture and negative body image.”

Dr. Winter went on to say body image is both taught directly and shaped from a person’s surroundings. She said the possible consequences that may spring from a person’s negative perception of themselves must therefore be addressed in terms of both environments.

“We cannot solve this problem by [only] addressing it at the individual level,” Dr. Winter said.

“We must address the societal weight stigma and fatphobia to truly improve body image on a large scale.”

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Disposable masks pose threat toward environment

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round mid-March 2020 schools throughout the country shut down, and lockdowns ensued across the globe to accommodate the growing COVID-19 pandemic.

Toiletries and cleaning supplies suddenly became scarce as people stocked up to reduce trips to the grocery store. On top of it all, a new product became necessary—the face mask.

As the contagiousness of COVID-19 became apparent, spread in part through tiny respiratory droplets released into the air from a person’s mouth when they cough, sneeze or speak, the need for masks developed. Types of masks vary, but while cloth coverings and face shields can be cleaned and used again, N95 professional grade masks and surgical masks are non-reusable after three to four days, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, resulting in new and excessive amounts of trash produced as a result of COVID-19 guidelines.

Disposable masks are to the environment what the pandemic is to the general population—an immediate and large-scale health concern. According to a report in American Chemical Society’s Environmental Science and Technology Journal, nearly 129 billion face masks and 65 billion latex gloves are used and discarded per month. Although a portion of this personal protection equipment (PPE) makes it to a trash can, global environmental conservation organizations, such as the Marine Conservation Society

and Ocean Conservancy, have noticed ex- people from COVID-19. treme spikes in ocean pollution because of The real question becomes apparent: waste from PPE that end up as litter. Masks are we putting people’s health above the and gloves are very lightweight and there- prosperity of the environment? It appears fore can be moved away from their desig- so, by the treatment of the ocean ecosysnated location by intense wind or rain. It’s tem during the pandemic. Combating habsafe to assume, however, that out of the 129 itat deterioration has been an uphill battle billion used disonly exacerbated posable masks, a by the climate crisis significant portion and although PPE The real question becomes apparent: is a direct outis a necessity right are we putting people’s health above come of littering. now, disregarding the prosperity of the environment?

This new type the effects of these of debris largely products leads to harms the ocean short-term and longecosystem, acterm maltreatment of cording to conservation institution Ocean- the environment. Although disposing one sAsia, who reported an estimated 1.56 mask may have minuscule impacts, it adds billion masks were discarded into oceans to the over 5.25 trillion other pieces of trash across the globe in 2020. Disposable surgi- already contaminating the ocean. Additioncal masks pose a threat to ocean wildlife, as ally, OceansAsia further reported masks they take centuries to decompose and can take up to 450 years to decompose, surpotentially ensnare animals. Specifically, passing the lifespans of people alive today. the straps on a mask can injure small an- The debris we leave behind pose a threat imals if caught on their limbs, according now, and will remain an obstacle for futo the Royal Society for the Prevention of ture generations. One improperly disposed Cruelty to Animals. Dolphins and sea tur- mask may have no impacts, but if everyone tles, who venture close to shore, chance adopted this mindset, mask waste empirics ingesting a mask, mistaking it for a small increase exponentially. Instead of leaving crustacean or fish. PPE also presents the the planet with a heaping plastic quandary, same issue to larger animals; the accumula- a solution so achievable starts the path to tion of said plastics can appear as a source improvement. of food and be swallowed, leading to internal stomach damage. The entire ocean animal life system is at risk because of the introduction of devices to protect

22 STORY BY ANJALI NOEL RAMESH / PHOTO BY ANA MANZANO

Bruin Bear

receives a COVID-19 vaccine

ART BY DEVIN HALL 23