Non-medical drivers of health, also known as social determinants of health, have a significant impact on health outcomes. As fellow Sandra McKay and her co-authors explain, adequate funding to identify and address non-medical drivers — housing and food insecurity, transport issues, and financial strain — can improve patients’ health and health care delivery systems, while also reducing costs.
A well-managed U.S.-Mexico border is essential not only for millions of border residents in both countries, but for the U.S. economy and federal budget. This brief lays out recommendations to strengthen the institutional scaffolding that could allow for a safer and more prosperous North American continent.
The authors argue for an identification and tax program that would allow unauthorized residents to receive identification documents and reside and work legally in the United States. In return, they would pay taxes much like any other American.
The high-growth, high-tech sector appears poised to dramatically grow. U.S. policy to support this sector could enhance and hasten its rise, or could destroy a new American dream.
To harness the power of the market for ideas, the federal government must fund the U.S. patent office to 21st century levels and enhance the rights of patent owners.
The federal government will need a nuanced approach to properly stimulate small business growth. However, a core
focus should be on creating a level playing field for community banks to compete to provide small business loans.
This issue brief argues that continued investments in global health and the study of emerging pathogens could yield better tools to fight infectious diseases like the Zika virus long before they become a problem in the developed world.
Jennifer R. Herricks, Kirstin R.W. MatthewsMarch 4, 2016
This policy brief urges collaboration between the United States and Mexico to address widespread epidemics of mosquito-transmitted diseases like West Nile, dengue and chikungunya in both countries. Such policy development should focus on vector control programs, public awareness and the development of vaccines to curb the spread of these diseases.
Kirstin R.W. Matthews, Jennifer R. HerricksDecember 16, 2015
Officials in the U.S. and Mexico should coordinate a response to the spread of Chagas disease in their countries. Chagas is the third most common parasitic infection in the world.
Kirstin R.W. Matthews, Jennifer R. HerricksOctober 30, 2015