Health crises can occur at any time and without warning. They can be triggered by disease outbreaks, environmental disasters, or humanitarian emergencies. They can also result from untreated mental illnesses, substance use disorders, or traumas. When these health crises occur, it is important for communities to be prepared with a strategy for responding.
It should not be surprising that many people feel unprepared to handle the complexities of this crisis and may find themselves feeling helpless or overwhelmed. The COVID-19 pandemic has been mishandled, resulting in detrimental future consequences for public health both through neglect of non-COVID-19 patients and through enforced economic shutdowns that will have long-lasting repercussions on individuals and communities. Moreover, the epidemic has exacerbated distrust of both medical and political authorities as well as an information deluge on the global media that is often misleading or even inaccurate.
In addition, the recent KFF polling shows that four in ten adults say they struggle to afford health care costs. This is especially true for disproportionate shares of Black and Hispanic adults, women, and those with lower incomes. Moreover, a large number of Americans report having debt due to medical or dental expenses.