When jobs began disappearing during the COVID-19 pandemic, it was presumed health insurance coverage would soon follow. But a new analysis indicates the percentage of uninsured working-age adults remained the same from March 2019 to April 2021 at approximately 11%.

There was internal change, however. Many people moved from employer plans to public programs after losing jobs, even in states without expanded Medicaid coverage. But where Medicaid was more broadly available, it made a difference: 1 in 3 low-income workers were uninsured in states without Medicaid expansion compared with 1 in 7 with Medicaid expansion.

Vicious Cycle

Cyclists are at higher risk of suffering traumatic spine injuries than any other sport, primarily due to collisions with motor vehicles, followed by falls.

A review of 12,000 injuries to the spine or spinal cord over five years recorded in a national database found that 1 in 5 were related to sports. Cyclists suffered the vast majority (81%), followed by skiing and snowboarding (12%), aquatic sports and contact sports (3% each) and skateboarding and rollerblading (1% each).

Half of the diving injuries were to the spinal cord, while cervical and spinal fractures made up most of the cyclists' injuries.

Body of Knowledge

While humans are not the biggest, fastest or strongest animals around, we are the best at something: long-distance running. Our long legs, upright posture, particular musculature and ability to shed heat via sweat are all factors that make us good runners. In fact, early humans often hunted prey by chasing it for long periods of time until the animals literally died from exhaustion, a technique known as persistence hunting.

Mark Your Calendar

November is awareness month for diabetes (including diabetic diseases of the eye), bladder health, lung, pancreatic and stomach cancers, epilepsy, health skin, Alzheimer's disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It's also Prematurity Awareness Month, though it's fine to be aware in October and earlier. More than 15 million babies are born preterm each year around the world.

Doc Talk

Proctalgia: literally a pain in the butt

Phobia of the Week

Koinoniphobia: fear of rooms full of people (not a good phobia to have during holiday season)

Never Say 'Diet'

The Major League Eating record for turkey is 9.35 pounds in 10 minutes, held by Joey Chestnut. This month, we'll note some holiday-themed records held by professionals, though as amateurs, we all will do our best when the day comes.

Best Medicine

Patient: "Doc, when did you decide to become a dermatologist?"

Doctor: "It took some time. A long time, in fact."

Patient: "Why?"

Doctor: "I didn't want it to be a rash decision."

Hypochondriac's Guide

Formication is the sensation of having insects crawling on or under the skin. The name comes from the Latin word "formica," which means ant.

It's a so-called tactile hallucination: You feel the physical sensation, but there is no physical cause. The sensation can lead to itching, which may be worse at night and can be severe enough to impact a person's quality of life.

Formication is part of a larger neurological phenomenon called paresthesia, which refers to a burning or prickling sensation that is usually felt in the hands, arms, legs or feet, but can also occur in other parts of the body. It's usually temporary, but chronic paresthesia may be a symptom of an underlying neurological disease or traumatic nerve damage.

Observation

"It's better to be healthy alone than sick with someone else." — Former psychologist, TV personality and Oprah Winfrey's friend, Phil McGraw

Medical History

This week in 1848, the New England Female Medical College, the first institution in the U.S. to train women in medicine, had its first class of 12 students. Founded by Samuel Gregory, who disapproved of male doctors attending childbirth, the early curriculum focused on midwifery, but two years later, the curriculum expanded to all medical services. By 1873, the college had graduated 98 women doctors, including Rebecca Lee, MD, the first African American female physician. Shortly after Gregory's death, the college merged with Boston University School of Medicine, becoming one of the first co-ed medical colleges in the world.

Ig Nobel Apprised

The Ig Nobel Prizes celebrate achievements that make people laugh, then think. A look at real science that's hard to take seriously, and even harder to ignore.

In 2000, the Ig Nobel Prize in public health went to Scottish researchers Jonathan Wyatt, Gordon McNaughton and William Tullett for the unsettling report, "The Collapse of Toilets in Glasgow."

Aging public toilets were breaking under users' weight, producing wounds requiring hospital treatment.

Self-Exam

Q: How many times per day does the average adult pass gas, in pints?

a) 1-3

b) 4-5

c) 6-7

d) 9-10

A: a) 1-3 pints per day, which translates to 14 to 23 episodes, both belching and farting

Last Words

"Good dog." — Russian revolutionary leader Vladimir Lenin (1870-1924), spoken to his pet hound who had brought him a dead bird

To find out more about Scott LaFee and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.