The health needs of working women should be part of the conversation all year long and be an integral part of every company culture. Employers can achieve this by making a more intentional effort to identify benefit providers that focus specifically on women's needs, and by communicating consistently with female staff members about support and services available to them.

An Allianz Life survey report shows that Americans are increasingly finding poverty in retirement to be a more serious worry than death and dying, and Generation X members are the most likely to feel this way. Many respondents said professional advice and financial prudence can help them feel more confident.

Outdoor exercise can become more difficult for allergy sufferers as the weather warms, but a few key pointers can lessen the discomfort and improve performance. Working out at cooler and less pollen-heavy times of day, taking allergy medications at appropriate intervals, staying aware of current air quality, wearing protective gear, and keeping the body and clothes clean can help.

A study has found that climate change-related fluctuations in the weather may lead to increased stroke deaths, and extreme changes in temperature can increase stroke risk. The findings were published in the journal Neurology.

AHIP, together with the National Association of Accountable Care Organizations and the American Medical Association, released a playbook outlining voluntary best practices for implementing value-based care payment models designed to improve patient outcomes and lower health care costs. The best practices were divided into seven domains: patient attribution, benchmarking, risk adjustment, quality performance impact on payment, levels of financial risk, payment timing and accuracy, and incentivizing for value-based care practice participant performance.

A study published in the journal Critical Care Medicine found that two-thirds of severe COVID-19 survivors face persistent physical, psychiatric and cognitive issues one year post-illness. "The long-lasting impairments we observed are common to survivors of any prolonged critical illness, and not specific to COVID, and are best addressed through multidisciplinary rehabilitation," lead researcher Anil Makam said.

A day camp hosted by the Autism Society of Central Virginia earlier this month provided a safe space for students to connect with nature and participate in a range of hands-on activities including tree identification, making s'mores and zip lining. The camp gave students a safe place to explore the outdoors, says Autism Society's Kaitlyn Kammerman, and adapted activities that ensure everyone gets to play.

Teachers can use grounding strategies, behavior modeling and open communication to help students address sensitive topics without triggering anxiety or trauma, says Heather Martin, an English teacher in the Denver suburb of Aurora. Martin, who survived the 1999 Columbine school shooting as a 12th-grader, says her trauma informs her approach to classroom dynamics and she prioritizes creating a safe and supportive environment for the emotional well-being of students.

2024 will be huge for our industry. With the elections approaching, it's time to gear up for a period of action and change. Register today for AHIP 2024, where you'll engage with leaders who are deeply invested in such arenas as equity, mental health, innovative technologies, accessibility, and transparency. Save big with early registration discounts.

Health equity means ensuring every American achieves their best health, regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, or location. And it's the driving force behind the work of LaShawn McIver, MD, MPH, AHIP's senior vice president and chief health equity officer. In the latest episode of AHIP's The Next Big Thing in Health, we discover how together we can create better systems of care for everyone. Watch now.

Join us on Tuesday, May 14 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET for "The State of the Health Care Industry in 2024" as Advisory Board discusses the competitive forces that really matter for payers, providers, life sciences organizations, health technology companies and other stakeholders. We'll cut through the noise and narrow in on what you need to know to stay ahead.