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POLLING
MENTAL HEALTH: Via Gallup, VERBATIM: “Americans’ assessments of their own mental health continue to erode. For the first time, the percentage of U.S. adults who describe their mental health as “excellent” has dropped below 30%. Just six years ago, before the COVID-19 pandemic, 43% rated their mental health this positively. In addition to the 29% who now say their mental health is excellent, 43% describe it as good. The combined 72% rating their mental health as excellent or good is also a low by three percentage points.”
The Gallup site has much more data including how mental health for each generation changed since COVID. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4j562wh
AI: Via American Psychological Association, VERBATIM: “Though few psychologists use AI for clinical assistance, these tools may become an increasingly important part of routine administrative work, such as research and writing, as more experiment with AI. In the past year, the number of psychologists who reported that they had never used AI to assist with their practices fell dramatically from 71% in 2024 to 44% in 2025. And close to three in 10 respondents (29%) said they use AI on at least a monthly basis – more than twice as many who said the same in 2024 (11%).” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4oYdCdx
CANADA: Via Canadian Press, VERBATIM: “A new poll says that about three-quarters of Canadian adults still have confidence in vaccines, but hesitancy has increased over the last five years. The survey conducted by Leger Healthcare and released on Tuesday says 74 per cent of respondents said they were either ‘very confident’ (42 per cent) or ‘somewhat confident’ (32 per cent) in the safety and effectiveness of vaccines. But about a quarter of respondents said they are less confident than they were before.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3KQpqAL
Check out all the episodes of Sunday Take on 830 WCCO. CLICK: https://fluence-media.co/3KsuDrZ
MEDICAID SUPPORTS HEALTH CARE FOR ALL OF US: Medicaid keeps Minnesota’s hospitals strong and ensures communities across the state have access to care. Policymakers must protect Medicaid so every Minnesotan — regardless of income or health status — can get the care they need, when they need it. LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/3FtrCuH (SPONSORED: Minnesota Hospital Association)
NEW TODAY
POT: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “President Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to downgrade cannabis from the most restrictive category of drugs, easing research and other restrictions but falling short of legalizing marijuana. The move also authorizes a pilot program to reimburse Medicare patients for products made with CBD, a popular compound of cannabis that is not psychoactive.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/49iIPn7
RELATED: From the University of Michigan via Science Daily, VERBATIM: “More than 20% of young adults say they use cannabis or alcohol to fall asleep, with cannabis leading by a wide margin. Researchers warn this strategy can backfire, disrupting sleep quality and increasing the risk of long-term sleep and substance-use problems.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ql9fdO
VACCINES: Via MDH, VERBATIM: “With an uptick in respiratory disease activity in recent weeks, and many end-of-year celebrations and gatherings happening, health officials are reminding Minnesotans that vaccination is one of the best ways to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases. Influenza (flu), COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are all viruses that can spread easily and make people very sick. They are called respiratory viruses because they attack the nose, throat and lungs. While these viruses may only cause mild illness for some people, they can cause severe illness — leading to hospitalization and even death — for others.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Y34IRc
MEASLES: Via Stateline, VERBATIM: “The number of measles cases is continuing to grow, reaching 1,958 confirmed cases in 43 states through Dec. 16 and threatening to undo next year the United States’ status as a nation that has eradicated the disease, according to a report released Dec. 17 by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The increase of 46 cases in one week, including dozens more in South Carolina alone, raises concerns for holiday travelers.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4b3NU3U
MORE: From MDH:
SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3IDnfzp
HEALTH IN MN
WORKFORCE: Via WCCO-Radio, VERBATIM: “Minnesota nursing home workers are no doubt frustrated as they learn that an expected pay raise is going to wait. The promised wage increases were intended to kick in on January 1, but are now are facing a delay as the state’s funding plan must first be approved by the Federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4joHvTr
FORAGING: Via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “State Sen. Susan Pha, DFL-Brooklyn Park, has been gathering plants like Solomon’s seal, fiddlehead fern and stinging nettle for years. It’s a tradition she learned from her parents and one she’s passed to her children. And like many in Minnesota, for a long time she didn’t realize gathering plants is legal in some areas and restricted in others . . . Like other lawmakers, Pha got involved with creating a task force after advocates contacted her in 2023 with concerns about potential Department of Natural Resources (DNR) restrictions on mushroom foraging. But the issue had been on her radar long before that.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3YGnptX
DESPITE THE CHALLENGES OF RURAL HEALTH CARE, ESSENTIA IS RECOGNIZED FOR PROVIDING TOP CLINICAL CARE: According to the latest report from Minnesota Community Measurement, a statewide resource on health care quality, costs and equity, Essentia ranked as a high performer with 19 of 20 clinical quality metrics scoring above statewide averages. According to Dr. Maria Beaver, chief quality and patient safety officer at Essentia: “This is a testament to the amazing care provided by all our clinical care teams and all our colleagues who support them.” LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/4dCxy1D (SPONSORED: Essentia Health)
DC + MN
GENDER CARE: Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Thursday unveiled a series of regulatory actions designed to effectively ban gender-affirming care for minors, building on broader Trump administration restrictions on transgender Americans. The sweeping proposals — the most significant moves this administration has taken so far to restrict the use of puberty blockers, hormone therapy and surgical interventions for transgender children — include cutting off federal Medicaid and Medicare funding from hospitals that provide gender-affirming care to children and prohibiting federal Medicaid dollars from being used to fund such procedures.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3KF2LaB
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING:
“This is not medicine, it is malpractice,” Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said of gender-affirming procedures on children in a news conference on Thursday. “Sex-rejecting procedures rob children of their futures.”
“We want our hospitals returning to healing, not harming, the patients entrusted in their care, or they’re going to pay a very steep price,” Dr. Mehmet Oz, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
“Men are men. Men can never become women. Women are women. Women can never become men,” [Deputy Health Secretary Jim O’Neill] said. He added, “At the root of the evils we face, is a hatred for nature as God designed it and for life as it was meant to be lived.”
“Allowing the government to determine which patient groups deserve care sets a dangerous precedent, and children and families will bear the consequences,” Dr. Susan Kressly, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics
“This is just the latest attempt of the Trump Administration to dehumanize and degrade our vulnerable community. To every transgender person or person who has a transgender loved one, the most important thing you need to know is that these callous proposals will not prevent you from receiving care from your doctor. Minnesota has and will continue to defend your right to receive medically necessary care. The Trump Administration does not have unilateral authority to change that,” said [Rep. Leigh Finke (DFL-St. Paul]. “These rules aren’t only cruel, they are anti-science and ignore all relevant research that shows that gender affirming care is essential. They can attack us, but they cannot erase us. Trans, two-spirit and nonbinary people young and old deserve peace, love, and access to healthcare.”
NOTE: The Oz and Kressly quotes came from The New York Times HERE: https://fluence-media.co/3XYO2u5
FRESH15: The latest season of Fresh15 includes interviews with new Minnesota House members. So far, five new members have shared their goals, background and fun facts before they take office in a historic session this January.
Rep. Kari Rehrauer
Rep. Wayne Johnson
Rep. Julie Greene
Rep. Keith Allen
Rep. Peter Johnson
Follow on your favorite podcast platform, or at www.TheDailyAgenda.com/Podcasts. (SPONSORED: Minnesota Telecom Alliance)
THE BUSINESS OF HEALTH
DAYTON: The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reports the City of Dayton is considering two proposed assisted living facilities – the city currently has none. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4joIOBP
ENVOY: Via White Bear Lake-based Envoy, VERBATIM: “Envoy Medical Inc. (NASDAQ: COCH), a hearing health company pioneering fully implanted hearing solutions, today announced that its pivotal clinical study for the investigational fully implanted Acclaim cochlear implant has achieved yet another milestone by reaching the midway point of the study’s full enrollment target.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4pSTdYU
MAYO: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “From AI-powered drug discovery to regenerative therapies and next-generation neurology tools, Mayo Clinic researchers made significant strides in 2025 toward predicting, preventing and treating some of the world’s most serious and complex diseases.” LIST: https://fluence-media.co/3XZt4v5
NEXT MONTH: Via University of Minnesota, VERBATIM: “Health care costs are now rising faster than inflation, wages, and the overall economy. Government programs are being scaled back rather than expanding to cover these costs. To make progress, we need to focus on the delivery of medical care and insist that payment be tied to the value of the services. Melinda Buntin and Liz Fowler, two of the country’s leading experts on redesigning U.S. health care to focus on value will join us for a discussion with Minnesota legislators Senator Matt Klein and Representative Danny Nadeau to identify a practical agenda for action.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/49fswYh
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
FIREFIGHTERS: From Duke University via Science Daily, VERBATIM: “Firefighter turnout gear is designed to shield first responders from extreme heat and danger, but new research suggests it may also introduce chemical exposures. A U.S. study found that brominated flame retardants are present across multiple layers of firefighter gear, including newer equipment marketed as PFAS-free. In some cases, these chemicals appeared at higher levels than the substances they were meant to replace.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3YGzWgZ
LIVER DISEASE: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “As rates of obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea increase, cases of advanced chronic liver disease and resulting liver scarring or cirrhosis also are rising. Patients often are diagnosed based on symptoms, such as gastrointestinal bleeding, fluid retention or jaundice, which happen when liver disease has progressed to a late stage. This problem led Mayo Clinic researchers to develop an artificial intelligence (AI) model that resulted in twice the number of advanced chronic liver disease diagnoses in patients without symptoms, helping physicians treat them before the disease had progressed.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Y2QWxP
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