Abner Mason @abnermason Twitter profile

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@CDCDirector I'm glad you're doing well. It's also a reminder that many people lack the support required to properly cover in isolation. The bills don't go away when COVID arrives, and for many essential workers, neither does their next shift.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@uche_blackstock If there were ever a sentence to show that you are doing it right, this is it!

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@JeromeAdamsMD Thanks for bringing the key piece of information that's getting lost in this conversation: Planes are one thing, but public transportation is an entirely different animal. Lower-income workers and families depend on public transportation. We can't afford to risk their health.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

Medicaid expansion was "significantly associated" with a decrease in evictions across 40 states, from 2002-2018. Interesting findings considering that 1 in 5 households were housing insecure in 2020. Housing = health.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

3 years

@DrEricDing All the more reason why we need to think of health equity and vaccine equity from a global perspective. It's the right thing to do — but it's also the wise thing to do.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

3 years

@oni_blackstock In the U.S., so many people stand to lose everything if they get sick, even for a relatively short period of time. They could lose the very job that provides their health insurance coverage. Not being concerned about getting COVID is a luxury — and, really, few can afford it.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

3 years

@DrRayMD Incredible. While I wish it were easier for the family to find a Black pediatric nephrologist, the story gives me chills. Cultural competence, representation, trust -- it all means so much to the people and for health equity.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@EricTopol Every case of long COVID is not just one life — but many — changed. It hurts individuals, families, and communities, especially those who had already been marginalized. We need to take this problem as seriously as it is.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@oni_blackstock "Doctors said that some Black patients, especially those who are uninsured or far from hospitals, wait too long before seeking help to benefit from new treatments." The problem is not Black patients "waiting too long." It's lack of access, SDOH, & injustices that break trust.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

3 years

@kylegriffin1 @RahulRajkumar11 Some folks say that these incentives point to a sickness in American culture. That's not the real takeaway. The insight here is that when we understand what people value, we can reach them to change their behavior. And it doesn't always require a $1 million lottery.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@JeromeAdamsMD @WhiteHouse That's the key here: Most middle- and higher-income people can access the resources they need to manage COVID waves (if they choose to take it seriously). What about lower-income people? When it's hard to put food on the table, it's harder to buy or locate a free at-home test.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@DrEricDing This image is difficult to see, but I appreciate your point. We ignore global public health -- and global health equity -- at our own risk. Monkeypox further shows that our health is tied together, no matter who we are or where we live.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@oni_blackstock "The normalizing of COVID-19 deaths involves a cruel calculation that privileges resilient Americans over vulnerable ones, exacerbating their risk where it should be working to minimize it." This approach worsens long-standing health inequities. We need action, not indifference.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@uche_blackstock The scope of this problem is inconceivable. "This is hundreds and thousands of patients being affected, and that’s just at one hospital system. This is literally affecting millions of patients." Such a systemic healthcare shortcoming requires immediate and widespread action.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

3 years

@oni_blackstock "Tribal communities — though they tend to have high vaccination rates — were affected by the surrounding states and communities, which may have much lower vaccination rates." This hits hard. Underserved communities always pay the price when people choose to not do their part.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@EricTopol Sometimes a couple of data visualizations say so much more than words. It will take a lot more to convince the US of BA.5's severity. Thank you for sounding the alarm — responsibly, as always — that we need.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@meghanor I'm so concerned about what this means for people of color and lower-income communities. COVID has already placed longstanding health inequities into the spotlight. Yet prematurely removing protections threatens to put us in a worse position.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@tmprowell My father just wouldn't manage his diabetes. That all changed when he connected with a Black physician, who understood who my father was and took the time to get to know him. Everything changed. I really appreciated that.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@choo_ek Thank you for this. The actual cost of allowing COVID waves to rip through communities is unimaginable. Lower-income and diverse communities have the most to lose, which is true far too often in U.S. healthcare.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@m_scribe @GuardianUS That little blue check mark means something. It has become a quick indicator of trust. To put it up for sale muddies the waters. That's not just a trust issue for Twitter. It's a trust issue for healthcare and public health — and we just can't risk that.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

Pulse oximeters are getting the scrutiny they deserve today. For decades, we brushed aside their underwhelming efficacy for people of color. That changes now. Thanks, @ushamcfarling and @statnews , for your relentless reporting on this key issue.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

3 years

@PeterHotez @gorskon This is painful to see. A better — and more accurate — headline would be: Would you allow this kid to get COVID?

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@FacesOfCOVID This is such a sweet tribute. It's heartbreaking to feel how the small details of a human being — grizzly bear exterior, teddy bear at heart — get lost in the headlines and data points. You're doing incredible work, and I can't thank you enough.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

3 years

@VikiLovesFACS @whaaf Thank you for this insightful thread. The idea that it costs you nothing to confirm people's existence is one that has to catch on across the healthcare system. We need to treat people like they matter. Because they do.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

"There are three viruses circulating", he said, "and if you can take one or two of them off the table by getting your child vaccinated, that makes things much more straightforward." Thank you, Dr. Hotez, for making the risks we're facing and their solutions straightforward.

Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD

@PeterHotez

2 years

US health experts concerned over triple threat of flu, Covid, RSV - my comments ⁦ @BusinessInsider ⁩

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

3 years

@DrEricDing This is all incredibly concerning. The challenges and tragedies here also underscore something that we in the U.S. must remember: Our current progress doesn't reflect what's happening everywhere. We need to step up to ensure our neighbors around the world can keep fighting.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@DrEricDing @PPEtoheros So well said. When we fail to treat people like they matter, it always comes back to hurt us. The healthcare system and its record of inequities shows that. We can choose to treat people well and save ourselves the grief. It's time we do just that.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

3 years

@AbraarKaran I hope that our leaders in government recognize that many people don't have the resources to take COVID protections into their own hands. Lower-income workers, immunocompromised people & underserved communities deserve the opportunity to be healthy.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

"They were someone’s rock, and the center of someone’s world. They loved and were loved," @alexjgoldstein , creator of @FacesOfCOVID , writes for @statnews / @BostonGlobe . The people we lost to COVID-19 show us why we must keep fighting.

The faces of Covid

It's important to tell the stories of those who have died from Covid-19. Doing so shows our commitment to restoring a compassionate, empathetic society that lifts up everyone. It is how we can start...

www.statnews.com

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@PeterHotez @JHUPress It reinforces the need for public health, government, and healthcare organizations to fully embrace their role in empowering people with good, healthy information. It shouldn't solely be up to individuals like you, who accept the responsibility at great personal risk. Thanks.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@FacesOfCOVID Rest in power, Vere. You were taken too soon. Your death is not just a data point.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

3 years

@PeterHotez I'm sorry that you're going through this. Thank you for not only spreading the truth, but for spreading vaccinations to the people who need it most.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

"It benefits everyone when more workers are able to stay healthy and at work and to reduce the burden on health systems that are already over capacity during the pandemic." - @JuliaRaifman #healthequity

Boston University School of Public Health

@BUSPH

2 years

A new study found a 17% higher vaccination rate in cities with paid sick leave policies, compared to cities that do not have these policies. @JuliaRaifman @alexskinnermph Learn more ➡️

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@PressSec @US_FDA Smoother access to affordable hearing aids is great news for every American — especially seniors and people with disabilities. It's the kind of move that can lead to other positive health effects, including combating social isolation. Thanks for this great work.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@WildlifeBioGal I agree. @PeterHotez stands out as a beacon because he shines a light on this threat — and its hidden intricacies — every day. We really need to channel the ideal of patient empowerment into how we address this challenge. I'm so sorry for your losses. It shouldn't be like this.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

3 years

News! I'm honored to join the @AmerMedicalAssn External Equity & Innovation Advisory Group. I'm working w/ @DrAlethaMaybank & health tech visionaries to build health equity & diversity into the system. Language & culture are vital. Read: @ConsejoSano_US

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

1 year

"It is a lot of work to be poor and disabled." In this powerful @TeenVogue piece, @SFdirewolf examines the Medicaid unwinding through a personal perspective — and the lens of structural inequities. It'll take more than well wishes to preserve coverage.

It Is a Lot of Work to Be Poor and Disabled

The rollback of emergency public health measures enacted during the pandemic will make things worse.

www.teenvogue.com

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

3 years

@EricTopol Much of the country has grown accustomed to staggering death counts. It's a challenge with no clear solution: How do we impress the scale of this devastation upon people who refuse to consider it? I'm grateful for the vaccines & for everyone who keeps trying to spread the word.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@JeromeAdamsMD A study of 40 million people is far more valuable than hearsay on the internet. I hope these findings can help answer lingering questions, build trust, and empower people to make the best decision for them and their families.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

3 years

NEWS: ConsejoSano is now @SameSkyHealth ! We're creating a healthier, more equitable world by helping Medicaid & Medicare plans build strong cultural connections to empower members. I'm thrilled to be on this journey. Learn more here. #ConsejoSanoNext

SameSky Health

SameSky Health is a cultural experience company that removes barriers to care and forms meaningful relationships to bring people to health. We guide health plan members on their annual wellness...

www.sameskyhealth.com

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

I returned to my hometown, Durham, NC, last weekend to receive the Joseph R. Biden 2022 Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award. I'm honored to have shared the experience with my family & friends, the city's first Black woman mayor, & my mentor's family. Thank you, Durham!

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@DrEricDing Whatever happens, I need to thank you for keeping us informed throughout COVID. Your work here — your commitment to the truth — has been invaluable. Thank you for amplifying the challenges facing all of us, including people from underserved communities.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

3 years

@Surgeon_General The truth is, we don't live in a single country. We live in global world. Ensuring every nation gets through this pandemic is morally the right thing to do, but it's also necessary for all of our health and prosperity. Glad to see the U.S. is taking Covid-19 in India seriously.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

3 years

@DrEricDing If your moral compass isn't enough to make you demand global vaccine equity, then this variant and others that might come down the road should be.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

1 year

News: I'm thrilled to make @BeckersHR 's list of 149 Black leaders to know in 2023! I'm just one of many Black leaders striving to advance health equity and DEI. It's invigorating to read this list and see so many of my peers who are right there with me:

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

31% of American who say they are unvaccinated express interest in receiving a vaccine in the future. That includes 32% of people with lower household incomes. COVID-19 isn't gone — but neither is the opportunity to vaccinate people. Medicaid members deserve our attention.

Andrew Goldstein

@AndrewMakeTweet

2 years

The US is undervaccinated, and inequitably so. This has been a policy choice, but we can do better. Totally agree with this op-ed from @RWeintraubMD @bhrenton @DavidCGrabowski .

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@DrEricDing I wonder how many excess deaths are borne by underserved communities, in both higher- and lower-income nations. This pandemic has hit communities of color and with fewer resources hard. We need to address it head on and build up our defenses against future crises.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

38% of newly enrolled Medicare-Medicaid enrollees lost Medicaid coverage in the first year. 31% lost coverage for >3 months. Most lived on fixed incomes. So what's up? Administrative burdens — like the kind we can expect with the end of the PHE. @KFF

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

#HLTH2022 brings together people who are passionate about creating a healthier, more equitable world. Don't we need more of that? It was great to spend time with @SPulim of @biofourmis , @doc_namrata of @BackedVC , @WilliamCherniak of @rocketdoctor , @draditijoshi , & David Tulle.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

- Medicaid members who used doula care were less likely to require NICU admissions (5.9%) for their child than those who did not (11.4%) - They also had lower occurrences of pre-eclampsia and anemia This is a step toward health equity. @StateofReform

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

3 years

@DrEricDing Thank you for cutting through the noise to deliver information that matters to people. It might seem like inside-baseball stuff, but this is the kind of data that I've seen help convince people to get vaccinated or take another measure to protect their health. Truth empowers.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@PeterHotez “We continue to underestimate what I call anti-vaccine, anti-science aggression,” he said, adding that until it’s met head-on, “this will continue to haunt us.” Thanks for your continued advocacy here. One of the greatest threats to health, equity, and well-being is ourselves.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

3 years

@ASlavitt This is a big win for access, especially for patients from underserved communities. As we fight to stomp out COVID-19 and vaccinate Americans, it's important that people can afford to go to the doctor.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

Great news: I've been invited to the @WhiteHouse #CancerMoonshot Colorectal Cancer Forum, where I plan to champion health equity at every turn. This moment reminds me of one that led to the creation of @PEPFAR . See why: #ColorectalCancerAwarenessMonth

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

3 years

Who else is heading to #ViVE2022 ? I hope you're ready to talk health equity — because I sure am. Let me know what you're most excited about. (I know there are so many great people and sessions, so it's hard to choose!) @theviveevent @CIOCHIME @HLTHEVENT

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

3 years

@GeorgeLDavis @AmmahStarr I'm so sorry for your loss. But I need to thank you for doing what's right for your community even in the face of pushback. You have trust, and you have relationships. That's invaluable in the vaccine distribution effort.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@DrEricDing Thanks for keeping us updated — in some cases, before anyone else. I wish the news were better. We need to take more precautions, and we need to take them now.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@ushamcfarling Thank you for this important reporting. We can't get the care we need without the physicians we need. Representation isn't a nice-to-have -- it's essential to quality, culturally intelligent, equitable care. We need to fix this.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@PeterHotez @TexasChildrens @BCM_TropMed "Access to vaccines in the developing world is critical to the eradication of this virus." Succinct, powerful, and on the nose. Thank you, @PeterHotez , for your relentless pursuit of accessible and equitable global health.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

3 years

@PeterHotez I'm sure many agree that we are grateful for your taking the time — and lending your expertise — to help move the world through this pandemic. Not everyone can explain the complexities of what's happening in a way that resonates with people. Healthcare needs more of you.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

T1: The patient voice is missing across healthcare. The occasional bright spot doesn't outshine the industry's failures to include patients, from idea conception through the care journey. Digital health companies that think tech first, not people first, often miss this. #hcldr

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

3 years

@amymaxmen @oni_blackstock "Food and agricultural workers in California had an almost 40% increased risk of dying last year, compared with the state’s general population... Latinx food and agriculture workers experienced a nearly 60% increase in deaths compared with previous years." Such a powerful piece.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@EbonyJHilton_MD @nytimes Thank you for this. Most of us want to reclaim the daily activities that we took for granted before COVID. But how can we when social and health inequities persist? If we're not analyzing the data and making decisions through an equity lens, we're missing the full picture.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@dermatoIogy This is so beautiful. Congratulations to you, and thanks for sharing this heartwarming story with us. Black representation means so much more than we can really say.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@JuliaRaifman @paimadhu Thank you. Equity doesn't mean we settle for less. It means we demand more.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@FacesOfCOVID Something as simple as the song Kerry was listening to when he passed is so moving. Although most of us will never know him, small details — a song or a smiling photo — prove that many people did know and love him. Thanks for going beyond the data and into the human story.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

3 years

Trust is the most valuable currency in healthcare. Yesterday at #ViVE2022 , I was thrilled to meet with leaders to discuss how we can leverage cultural intelligence and personalized journeys to improve care for people in underserved communities. It's vital to health equity.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

'Black people are bearing the brunt of long Covid, making up a majority of long Covid hospitalizations as researchers project that Black people’s life expectancy will drop significantly in the next 5 years as a result.' This is a heartbreaking evolution of health inequity.

Oni Blackstock, MD MHS

@oni_blackstock

2 years

On her experience as a Black woman w/ Long COVID: “Smith…visited hospitals a dozen times seeking help, but the physicians brushed her off & one doctor labeled her “aggressive” when she insisted that severe headaches she experienced were due to Covid.”

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

The movement for health equity has no single leader, but @uche_blackstock is as close as they come. It was great to hear Dr. Blackstock discuss solutions to structural racism in healthcare, including REL data, at the Health #EquityInAction summit. Thanks for moving us forward!

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

3 years

Health equity does not end at our borders. Neither does herd immunity. This statistic should serve as a call to action for our global leaders.

Oni Blackstock, MD MHS

@oni_blackstock

3 years

Haiti Has Yet to Receive a Single Vaccine Dose for Its 11 Million People We need global vaccine equity now. None of us will be safe until all of us is safe.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@DrEricDing @Twitter This makes the fight for good health information and patient empowerment that much more difficult. But I believe that those of us who advocate for good information — for the truth — will come out ahead in the end.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

3 years

@DrEricDing Each hospitalization represents a life hanging in the balance, strained resources, & the threat of collapse. It's never been more critical to engage vaccine-hesitant people. Healthcare, government, & public health leaders don't have a choice. We need to change hearts & minds.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@HHS_ASH @PressSec @WhiteHouse The ceilings that you are shattering will provide light to shine upon many more LGBTQIA+ people. Thank you, and happy #PrideMonth .

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

"Data on disparities must drive our response -- not simply our outrage." I'm really grateful that @asosin , @Lakshmi_RKG , & @GYamey wrote this @medpagetoday article. (Thanks for sharing, Anne.) A critical call to action for addressing health inequities.

Opinion | A BA.2 Surge Could Wreak Unequal Havoc

COVID's 'new normal' response must target those repeatedly left behind

www.medpagetoday.com

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

Does drive time affect whether people receive care? Yes, says @JAMANetworkOpen . For COPD diagnoses and cardiac rehabilitation, "the odds of receiving recommended services significantly declined with longer drive times." Now, imagine not having a car.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

3 years

@aslavitt46 Great news. Health equity and public health depend on getting resources to underserved communities. Thank you for heeding the call.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

3 years

T4: We can all push patient-centered care forward. 1. Listen to patients 2. Focus on cultural competence 3. Meet patients where they are, through their preferred means, in all stages of the journey Progress comes down to thinking of patients as people. Because we are. #hcldr

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

3 years

@PeterHotez It is heartbreaking. Most of us have lost someone we love or know. It's all the reason in the world to keep pushing forward — to help empower everyone to do what's right for their health. There's been enough death and devastation.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@JuliaRaifman @WHCOVIDResponse @CDCgov So important for diverse and lower-income communities whose families depend on public transportation. We can't pump up the need to address SDOH in one breath and then enact policy that neglects the neighborhood in the next breath.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

3 years

@mahad_minhas @abhaydandekar @AAMCtoday @TheNRMP @JAMA_current This isn't surprising, but it is unacceptable. Black med students will become Black doctors who are well equipped with lived experience to gain the trust of and treat patients. This issue should matter to everyone who wants to build a more equitable & effective healthcare system.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

3 years

"For example, Black and Hispanic adults are more likely than White adults to be concerned about having to miss work due to side effects, having to pay out-of-pocket for the COVID-19 vaccine (even though it is free), or not being able to get the vaccine from a place they trust."

Larry Levitt

@larry_levitt

3 years

Reaching President Biden's goal of 70% of adults with at least one vaccine shot by July 4 will be a challenge as demand slows. It's going to take a lot of educating and nudging, and making vaccines super easy to get.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@mjs_DC @shefalil That's really hard to read. It goes to show how one bad decision can severely jeopardize the lives and well-being of high-risk patients, people with chronic diseases, and marginalized communities.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@DrEricDing @jburnmurdoch Thanks for sharing this important information. While much of the world has moved on from COVID, COVID has not moved on from the world. Vaccines save lives. We need to do everything we can to get shots in arms — especially among Medicaid members, whose vaccination rates lag.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@DWUhlfelderLaw This doesn't only threaten health in the near term — it threatens trust and health over the long term. Muddying the waters with misinformation makes it hard for people to know what, if anything, is true. How can you trust in that environment? It takes a lot of work to undo.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

3 years

@CDCDirector @HHSGov The pandemic has exposed health inequities baked into our system. We need bigger changes to make sure everyone gets a fair shot at health. But as we work on them, it's critical that we continue to take COVID-19 seriously. Masks help. It only makes sense.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

3 years

@EricTopol This is incredibly concerning. Thank you for highlighting the data, as you do every single day. I continue to wonder: What does this mean for people from underserved communities — the folks who work low-wage jobs, who don't have any choice to leave the safety of their homes?

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@DrEricDing It's incredible to see innovations like this finding life thanks to persistent and passionate researchers. Yet, considering what we've seen since COVID first struck, the greatest challenge we have is expanding access to -- and acceptance of -- these innovations.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

3 years

@EricTopol @Nature That's great news. Dr. Topol, I'm curious about your take on this: Many low-income people work in challenging, if not outright subpar, environments. What do you think it would take to get these filters into workplaces at scale?

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

T3: Texting can engage people of all health literacy levels. - 97% of Americans own a cellphone - Same percentage for households making <$30K a year - Medicaid members prefer texting 10:1 Meet people where they are. Culturally tailor outreach. Texting = health equity. #hcldr

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@EricTopol "Our booster rate in the United States is pathetically low. It ranks lower than 70th in the world’s countries. Less than 1 in 3 seniors have had the bivalent booster since it became available 3 months ago." Well said. Thanks for continuing to spotlight a problem we must fix.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

3 years

@EricTopol Heartbreak represented in the form of a graph. Unvaccinated people are disproportionately lower-income — more likely to be at risk of food and housing insecurity. We need to reach everyone in ways that resonate when it comes to vaccines and COVID-19 public health messaging.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@EpiEllie It's discouraging to see this cycle — or, perhaps a better word, spiral — play out. Lower-income families and people of color are already dealing with life-threatening health inequities. To ignore COVID is to place every underserved community at greater risk.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

3 years

@uche_blackstock This is hard to fathom. There is still so much more we can do to prevent people from getting infected, undergoing hospitalization, and dying.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@DrEricDing @zalaly @hereandnowrobin @hereandnow Thank you for amplifying this message consistently and with such power. Long COVID can affect anyone. It's all our problem. But people of color have encountered considerable inequities around long COVID, further worsening health risks baked into the system. We need to act.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@DrEricDing Gun violence is a public health issue, period. It's another area where health inequities put people of color and lower-income people at greater risk. If we care about building a healthier, more equitable world, we need to care about gun deaths.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@EricTopol @latimes "Only 1 in 3 eligible Americans has had a booster, which means the U.S. ranks 67th in the world for being up to date on protections against COVID." That's astounding. We can and must do better. But that requires us to try much harder and more intentionally than we have.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

3 years

@AmandaJoyMD @NEJM "I did not want those teenagers to expect safety in the medical system. I wanted them to remain vigilant, question doctors, advocate for their families. Their lives might depend on it." Chilling and beyond powerful. Thank you.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@DrEricDing @USGAO It's also a tremendous risk to health equity. People of color seem to face greater challenges associated with long COVID. This is a future we can work to change. But we need to take meaningful, equitable, public health-minded action now.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

3 years

@RheaBoydMD This is spot on. Right now, we're looking at a situation in which COVID-19 will continue to hurt Black and Brown communities. It doesn't have to be this way, but it's up to US to steer toward this vision.

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Abner Mason

@abnermason

2 years

@DrEricDing @AbdulElSayed Thanks for sharing this story. I hope that the vilification of Dr. Fauci doesn't discourage too many people from trying to make a difference. He sacrificed a lot to get the truth out and to help us through this challenging time. Trust is hard to get, but he deserves ours.

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