PORTLAND, Ore. – Actor Michael J. Fox put a face on a disease that plagues about a million people in the United States. Parkinson's is a chronic, degenerative neurological disorder that causes shaking, tremors and a loss of balance.

It affects about one in 100 people and on average, strikes at age 60. Although not as common, it hits young people as well. Fox was diagnosed at 30.

Kelly Weinschreider received her diagnosis at 29 and now reaches out to other young people who need advice, or just someone to talk to. Weinschreider chose to have a procedure known as Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) so she wouldn't have to rely on so many medications.

She thought the idea of brain surgery was terrifying, but added that she is better now because of it.

"The thought and the hope that DBS would help my symptoms and essentially reduce my medications, and just really improve my quality of life, made it worth it," said Weinschreider. "It's kind of like if you can get through one hard day in your life that improves so many, hopefully, years ahead of me, it's well worth it."

Fox revealed that shortly after having the surgery to correct the tremors on the left side of his body, the right side of his body started showing symptoms. He later announced he will rely on medications until researchers find a cure. There are a couple dozen support groups for Parkinson's patients in Oregon.

While there is no cure for Parkinson's right now, Dr. Christopher Goetz, director of the Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center at Chicago's Rush University, believes scientists are close to understanding why some cells that send signals to the body controlling movement are destroyed.

"This is an area where the whole brain is not affected, it's quite selective. And therefore, we think that if we understand that biochemistry, we really can nip this at the very earliest stage," Goetz said. "We can envision that we will crack this disease within the next decade."

Until that happens, those with Parkinson's are able to live a mostly normal life. Weinschreider said there are a lot of side effects with medications, and some of them don't work very well, all of which can have a big impact on daily life.

"Especially for people that are working or have small children," she noted. "It affects a lot of people at young ages that are at different stages of their lives. And it's difficult to remember to take your meds; and the disease itself varies from day to day."



get more stories like this via email

Health disparities in Texas are not only making some people sick, but affecting the state's economy.

A new study shows Texas is losing $7 billion a year because it does not adequately address quality-of-life issues and the health care needs of its lower-income residents.

The research was sponsored by the Episcopal Health Foundation, Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, and St. David's Foundation.

Brian Sasser, chief communications officer for the Episcopal Health Foundation, said health care includes more than doctors' visits and medication.

"Everything from increasing access to affordable health insurance to investing in under-resourced neighborhoods to give them more options, whether that's exercise options or food options," Sasser outlined. "Look at policy changes that expand health insurance coverage for new moms."

The report breaks down the economic costs of preventable health differences for every Texas county. It found Bexar, Dallas, Harris, Tarrant and Travis counties are losing the most money annually because of health disparities.

The amount of the economic impact depends on the racial and ethnic makeup of the county and the size of its working-age population. Sasser added the report shows Black and Hispanic children are more likely to grow up in neighborhoods with high poverty levels, and higher rates of diabetes and obesity.

"What can we do to work to make sure that the rate of diabetes isn't dramatically different between white households and Black households?" Sasser asked. "That we can make sure the food insecurity isn't dramatically different between someone who makes over $100,000 and someone who makes less than $30,000?"

The Texas Legislature has passed laws to address some of the disparities, including House Bill 12. It extends Medicaid health coverage for 12 months for new mothers, and pays for maternal health services for community health workers and doulas.

There is light at the end of the tunnel for Tennesseans struggling with opioid addiction, as a bill has been passed to increase access to treatment for opioid use disorder at Community Health Centers.

More than 3,800 lives were lost to overdose in the state in 2021, according to the Tennessee Department of Health.

Emily Waitt, policy and advocacy manager for the Tennessee Primary Care Association, said the original bill limited the number of patients nurse practitioners and physician assistants could treat with buprenorphine. The update removes the limitations, allowing more Tennesseans to access medication assisted treatment in their communities.

"It allows NPs and PAs to prescribe to 100 patients at a time, versus 50," Waitt explained. "Basically doubling the number of patients that they can prescribe to."

Community Health Centers serve more than 423,000 patients across Tennessee, regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay. About 7.7% of Tennesseans do not have health insurance.

Libby Thurman, CEO of the Tennessee Primary Care Association, said bringing the treatment to rural health centers expands access to a crucial service for patients who otherwise could not afford it. She noted it is important because people in remote areas often face challenges finding specialists and treatment facilities.

"We really wanted to work on this issue, because we know our Community Health Centers are where patients go for care," Thurman emphasized. "We really believe in an integrated model. So we want to treat the whole person, including if they are struggling with an addiction issue or a substance abuse disorder issue."

Health Centers offer behavioral health care, including counseling, along with treatment. The clinics also focus on creating a supportive network to help patients with family resources, job assistance and community connections.

While Black Maternal Health Week is wrapping up, health disparities for pregnant Black women continues to be an issue.

From April 11-17 this year, the high death rate of Black mothers is in the spotlight. Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than their white counterparts.

Dr. Patricia Egwuatu, a family practice physician at Kaiser Permanente in Seattle, said racism is at the root of the disparities, which create barriers to health care access. She pointed out lack of access can lead to problems during pregnancy that are preventable or treatable.

"They may exist prior to pregnancy and then it gets worse during pregnancy if it's not managed as part of that maternity care," Egwuatu emphasized. "There are more pregnant women that have chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes and heart disease that are amplified during pregnancy."

The White House released a proclamation recognizing Black Maternal Health Week. The Biden administration began recognizing the week in 2021.

Egwuatu noted there are some warning signs any pregnant woman should be aware of and check in with their physician if they develop.

"You might get some changes in your vision that is not your normal. So, like, fuzziness, you can't see as well, or an excruciating headache," Egwuatu outlined. "You could also develop new swelling in your lower extremities that's making it difficult to get around or even new shortness of breath."

Egwuatu stressed physicians also need to recognize the role of racism in medicine. She argued continuous medical education is important for learning how to confront biases, and it is important for doctors to understand how they can provide people with resources.

"Asking the questions about personal barriers," Egwuatu suggested. "Does a patient have issues with getting to work, child care, transportation? What's their education, what's their cultural background and language? And do they even have a cell phone so we can connect with them?"