STAT readers on Census data, nutrition education, and a better approach to epinephrine

STAT now publishes selected Letters to the Editor received in response to First Opinion essays to encourage robust, good-faith discussion about difficult issues. Submit a Letter to the Editor here, or find the submission form at the end of any First Opinion essay.

“There’s a public health crisis lurking in our data: the Census option ‘some other race,’” by Juan Carlos Gonzalez Jr.

I read with great interest Juan Carlos Gonzalez’s recent opinion article urging researchers to disaggregate racial and ethnic categories. I agree that disaggregation is likely to improve our ability to analyze health disparities data in useful ways. I believe that we could similarly gain useful insight if we disaggregate disability categories. Although we have ample evidence that profound health disparities exist for people with disabilities, to close these disparities we need to understand which disabilities affect which health conditions and through what mechanisms. Disaggregating disability categories could allow us to analyze existing data in useful ways.
— Ann Williams

“People with food insecurity deserve better nutrition education,” by Anika Nayak, Nisha Patel, and Disha Narang

Nutritional education is vital for an individual’s mental and medical health. This article makes several good points that can’t be ignored. In order for a diet to work, the food/beverages has to be appealing to hold one’s interests and at the same time provide nutritional benefits of maintaining good health and weigh management.
— Sharon Chambers

“There’s a less intimidating alternative to EpiPens for dangerous allergic reactions. Why won’t the FDA approve it?” by Eleanor Garrow-Holding

It would appear that once again the FDA has failed the medical professionals and the public in general if this product has equal efficacy to autoinject epinephrine products. The cost difference alone should prompt the FDA to closely to consider the product. The fear of needles is unfortunately too common. This fear limits the use by parents and the older patients as well. I won’t even get into EpiPen lacerations that occur because the patient or the administrator of the device jumping or flinching during the administration of the autoinjector.

— James O’Donnell, retired pediatric emergency physician