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U.S. Investments In Medical And Health Research And Development 2013 - 2018

A new report from the advocacy group Research!America finds that the total spending on health and medical research was more than $194 billion in 2018. Since 2013, medical and health R&D spending has increased by $51 billion. Industry and academia funding have increased by nearly 40% over this time. Industry was responsible for two-thirds of the 2018 R&D funding, while federal agencies invested about 22%. Academic institutions and foundations made up the rest. Spending on health care far outweighs spending on health research. In 2018, $3.6 trillion was spent on care, which means research funding accounts for only five cents of every health sector dollar. The report can be obtained here.

More Americans Delaying Medical Treatment Due To Cost

Approximately one out of four Americans say the cost of treatment caused them to delay care for a serious medical condition, according to Gallup’s annual Health and Healthcare poll in 2019. An additional 8% of respondents indicated that costs played a factor in deciding to delay seeking care for less serious conditions. In 2018, 19% of Americans claimed that treatment costs led to a delay in treatment for a serious condition. The poll tracked a few trends within this data, including the following: On the basis of household income, 36% percent of adults with household income of less than $40,000 reported delaying treatment for a serious condition, a jump in 13 percentage points since last year. Rates stayed relatively flat for middle-and high-income households. Americans who reported having a pre-existing condition, or living with someone who has, were more likely to delay medical care for a serious condition this year compared to 2018. According to Gallup, these trends could have broad implications for both the health care system and the economy. The report can be obtained here.

Do Advanced Driver Assistance And Semi-Automated Vehicle Systems Lead To Improper Driving Behavior?

According to a report from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, the ultimate goal of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) is to increase traffic safety and driving comfort. Despite their potential safety benefits, there are concerns about unintended consequences associated with intermediate levels of automation. In these scenarios, speed control and/or steering are automated, but the driver still is required to monitor traffic and be ready to resume control. A key concern is that drivers may become inattentive due to engagement in non-driving-related tasks or become drowsy while driving using these systems. As drivers gain experience using advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), such as adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist, they also are more likely to drive distracted while using the systems, according to research from AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Conducted in collaboration with the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, the study found that drivers with experience using ADAS were nearly twice as likely to engage in distracted driving while using the systems compared to when they were driving without the systems. Researchers noted the opposite effect in drivers with less familiarity using the technology. Those drivers were less likely to drive distracted with the systems engaged compared to when the systems were not in use. The report can be obtained here.

More Articles from Dec 2019 - Jan 2020 TRENDS

RESOLVING NETTLESOME HEALTH POLICY DISPUTES

Indicates the importance of deciding which groups should be involved in making decisions about controversial initiatives, such as gene editing. Read more

PRESIDENT’S CORNER

ASAHP President Phyllis King discusses   Read more

LABOR-HHS FUNDS ALLOCATED FOR FY 2020

Lists funding for certain activities for the Departments of Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies. Read more

HEALTH REFORM DEVELOPMENTS

Discusses court rulings involving the individual mandate and also repeal of some taxes that help to finance provisions of the Affordable Care Act. Read more

DEVELOPMENTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Describes undergraduate pricing at higher education institutions and Department of Education policy regarding cancellation of debt of federal student loan borrowers based on a college's misconduct. Read more

QUICK STAT (SHORT, TIMELY, AND TOPICAL)

  • Adult Physical Inactivity Prevalence Maps By Race/Ethnicity

  • Driving Under The Influence Of Marijuana And Illicit Drugs Among Persons Aged ≥16 Years—U.S.

  • Benefit To Patients Using Wearable Devices Such As Fitbit Or Health Apps On Mobiles

  • Light-Degradable Hydrogels As Dynamic Triggers For Gastrointestinal Applications Read more

AVAILABLE RESOURCES ACCESSIBLE ELECTRONICALLY

  • U.S. Investments In Medical And Health Research And Development 2013 – 2018

  • More Americans Delaying Medical Treatment Due To Cost

  • Do Advanced Driver Assistance And Semi-Automated Vehicle Systems Lead To Improper Driving Behavior? Read more

A CONCEPTUAL ANALYSIS OF DECISION FATIGUE

Mentions an impaired ability to make decisions and control behavior as a consequence of repeated acts of decision-making that often lead to choices that seem impulsive or irrational. Read more

GEOGRAPHY DETERMINES WHEN A DEATH CAN BE DECLARED

Refers to how incomplete adoption of the Uniform Determination of Death Act (UDDA) into definitions of death in states around the nation can result in an individual being pronounced dead in one state, but not dead in a neighboring state. Read more