The Comstock Act: Implications for Abortion Care Nationwide April 15, 2024 Issue Brief This brief provides background on the Comstock Act, reviews how it has been interpreted by the Biden Administration’s DOJ, and considers how it could be enforced by an administration that is hostile toward abortion to severely restrict the distribution of drugs and supplies used for abortion, with implications for abortion access in all states across the country.
LGBTQ Health Policy January 31, 2024 Page Policy Tracker: Youth Access to Gender Affirming Care and State Policy Restrictions As state laws and policies restricting youth access to gender-affirming care proliferate, KFF’s new tracker assesses this landscape, describing the content of laws and policy, identifying groups of people (in addition to young people) who are impacted (e.g.,…
Recent Trends in Mental Health and Substance Use Concerns Among Adolescents February 6, 2024 Issue Brief About 1 in 5 adolescents report symptoms of anxiety or depression, according to a KFF analysis of a new federal survey of teen health. The data comes at a time of heightened concern about adolescent mental health and substance use, particularly in light of gun violence and rising drug overdose deaths among young people. This brief explores the state of adolescent mental health in recent years.
The Impact of Gun Violence on Children and Adolescents February 22, 2024 Issue Brief Gun violence has increased in recent years and adversely affects many children and adolescents. This brief explores the disproportionate impacts of gun violence on children of color and male youth and the negative mental health consequences associated with gun violence. It contains current and trend data on firearm death rates among children and adolescents ages 17 and under.
How History Has Shaped Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities: A Timeline of Policies and Events January 11, 2024 Page This timeline offers a historical view of significant U.S. federal policies and events spanning the early 1800s to today that have influenced present-day health disparities. It covers policies that directly impacted health coverage and access to care, relevant events in medicine, social and economic policies and developments that influence health, and efforts to tackle inequalities.
U.S. Global Health Legislation Tracker November 1, 2023 Fact Sheet This tracker provides a listing of global health-related legislation introduced in the current Congress.
Oral Contraceptive Pills: Access and Availability October 27, 2023 Issue Brief This brief provides an overview of oral contraception, discusses private insurance and Medicaid coverage, and reviews strategies to promote and expand women’s access to oral contraceptives.
Trans People in the U.S.: Identities, Demographics, and Wellbeing September 28, 2023 Issue Brief The recently released KFF/Washington Post Trans Survey is the most in-depth, representative survey of transgender adults living in the U.S. Building on that report, and using the survey data, this analysis provides the most comprehensive representative profile of trans Americans ever complied, while also offering insights on their experiences in the health care system.
The Right to Contraception: State and Federal Actions, Misinformation, and the Courts October 26, 2023 Issue Brief This issue brief explains how misinformation about contraceptives and how pregnancy is defined in state abortion bans may impact contraceptive access, and outlines the legal protections some states have established to affirm the right to obtain contraceptives.
The Global HIV/AIDS Epidemic July 26, 2023 Fact Sheet This updated fact sheet provides the latest data on the global HIV/AIDS epidemic, including impact on affected and vulnerable populations, treatment and prevention efforts, and an overview of the U.S. and global responses to the epidemic.