内容摘要：efforts to contain an epidemic in a tight-knit, religious community in West Texas have run counter to established public health strategies deployed to end past epidemics.

efforts to contain an epidemic in a tight-knit, religious community in West Texas have run counter to established public health strategies deployed to end past epidemics.

in under six months’ time.Kennedy’s followers — a contingent of health-conscious moms, Republicans loyal to President Donald Trump and others — have celebrated his “Make America Healthy Again” initiatives. But scientists and public health experts have expressed dismay over some of Kennedy’s statements about Americans’ diets,

. Here’s a look at some of those claims Kennedy has made, with additional context and facts.KENNEDY, at a news conference Wednesday: Studies show that autism rates in the U.S. were “1 in 10,000 when I was a kid” compared to a recent U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study that found it to be 1 in 31. He says that is evidence of an autism epidemic in the U.S. and that, “we know it’s an environmental exposure. It has to be.”THE FACTS: It’s true that in the 20th century, only 1 in 10,000 children were diagnosed with autism —- the diagnosis was rare and given only to kids with severe problems communicating or socializing and those with unusual, repetitive behaviors. But the term became shorthand for a group of milder, related conditions known as ″autism spectrum disorders,” and the number of kids labeled as having some form of autism began to balloon.

The term “epidemic” is widely used to describe surges in different health problems — like autism, obesity and gun violence, to name a few. But strictly speaking, “epidemic” is defined as a fast-spreading outbreak of disease, and there’s not good evidence that autism meets that definition.Health officials have largely attributed growing autism numbers to better recognition of cases, through wide screening and better diagnosis. Last week, the CDC said

There are no blood or biologic tests for autism; it is diagnosed by making judgments about a child’s behavior. Research has looked at a variety of other possible explanations, including genetics, the age of the father, the weight of the mother and chemicals in the environment.

Prior to his rise to health secretary, Kennedy joined anti-vaccine advocates in claiming childhood vaccines are responsible for autism, but studies by the CDC and others have ruled that out. A fraudulent single study that claimed a link between the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine was later retracted by the journal that published it.Across the nation, programs at all levels of government — federal, state and local — have the same goals to reduce maternal mortality and erase the race gap. None has all the answers, but many are making headway in their communities and paving the way for other places.

Jackson’s project is one of more than 100 funded through Healthy Start, which gave out $105 million nationally in grants this year. Officials call Healthy Start an essential part of the Biden administration’sOther approaches to the crisis include California halving its maternal mortality rate through an organization that shares the best ways to treat common causes of maternal death and New York City expanding access to midwives and doulas two years ago. Several states passed laws this year aiming to improve maternal health, including

in Massachusetts. And last week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced more than $568 million in funding to improve maternal health through efforts such as home visiting services and better identifying and preventing pregnancy-related deaths.Locally and nationally, “we need to really identify the birthing people who are at potentially the greatest risk,” New York City health commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan said, “and then wrap our arms around them throughout their pregnancies.”