Warning: Your health may be at great risk.
We are being inundated with news these days coming out of Washington as the Trump administration—spearheaded by Elon Musk and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—begins its purge of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
On top of that, many of the most highly regarded research universities in the U.S. are at risk of losing federal grants and contracts tied to NIH and National Science Foundation programs. There’s been significant media attention on the billions of dollars in federally funded research at Ivy League schools, but keep an eye on how schools in our region—University of Albany, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and University of Binghamton—might be affected. Together, they receive nearly $25 million.
Many Americans believe the Trump administration has exceeded its authority in the rush to dismantle federal agencies. In a February Washington Post-Ipsos poll, 92% of Democrats, 20% of Republicans, and 61% of independents said the president has gone too far.
As we witness the erosion of highly regarded institutions, we also face declines in the health of many Americans, including those living in The Overlook Region (TOR). A new report last month from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation does not paint a pretty picture.
The bad news shows declines in U.S. life expectancy, pointing to key reasons such as low birth weight, limited access to doctors, poor air and water quality, lower vaccination rates, and more.
Conclusion: U.S. life expectancy declined by 2.4 years, while New York State, along with Ulster and Greene counties, showed about a one-year decline.
Other data in the study presents significant warning signs for TOR residents. Lack of access to medical professionals is concerning and worse than U.S. ratios. In Greene County, there was only one primary care doctor for every 3,460 residents. In Ulster, the ratio was 1,680:1. For dentists, the Greene County ratio was 2,830:1 and in Ulster, 1,470:1. Access to a mental health provider was also limited: 960:1 in Greene and 240:1 in Ulster.
The report also examined flu vaccinations and mammogram screenings for Medicare-eligible residents. In Greene, only 45% were vaccinated and 39% had mammograms. In Ulster, the rates were 52% and 43%, respectively.
Regarding water quality, the report found health-related violations in the drinking water of both counties but did not provide details. On air quality, both Greene and Ulster had higher levels of fine particulate matter and ozone that ranked them worse than New York as a state, but slightly better than the nation.
These numbers are unsettling, especially given federal retrenchment. As the Trump administration and HHS Secretary Kennedy promote the slogan “Make America Healthy Again,” some agenda items are appealing, such as removing artificial dyes from food and cutting sugary sodas. However, cutting HIV research, reducing mine safety standards, and curtailing family health programs will put more lives at risk.
David Sandman, a West Shokan resident and CEO of the New York Health Foundation, urged the Trump administration to restore more than $1 billion in USDA funding, which supports school meal programs and local food purchasing. He highlighted the Saugerties Central School District, which uses $22,000 in USDA funds to buy fresh, local foods, and the Onteora Central School District, which sources at least 30% of its food from New York State farms to qualify for enhanced state reimbursement. “If the federal support disappears, the whole thing could tumble like dominoes,” Sandman said.
“It’s not always easy to make healthy diet choices. Grocery stores teem with processed foods packed with sugar, salt, fat, and chemical additives. Food is getting more expensive. I could sign on to a slogan about making America healthy, but I won’t support policies that take us in the opposite direction,” Sandman said. “Literally and figuratively starving people and farmers is wrong. These cuts must be reversed, and local food systems must be strengthened.”
A nationwide protest is planned for Saturday, April 5th, called “Hands Off” in response to what organizers see as a coordinated effort by wealthy elites to undermine public services and democracy. Locally, the Hudson Valley event will be held Saturday at Academy Green Park, 238 Clinton Ave., Kingston, starting at 11 a.m.
Scott Widmeyer is co-founder of The Overlook. Reach him at scott@theoverlooknews.com.