Matthew Campbell
Appearances
Health Chatter
100th Episode Special
Yeah, of course. So When I think about this, I think about how new our early episodes were, how new I was to podcasting and kind of what that meant. We were still trying to figure out the technology side of things. We were trying to figure out, you know, kind of where to post, what to post, how to post, all of the different things.
Health Chatter
100th Episode Special
But it seems like we've got our rhythm down a little bit on that and we've kind of figured it out. One of the things that I've really enjoyed over the past couple of years with Help Chatter is just the amount, of topics we get to kind of touch on.
Health Chatter
100th Episode Special
I feel like in public health sometimes, or at least for me in grad school, I was kind of siloed into like specific topics or certain kind of areas or, you know, where you work, that kind of, and then you get to know that really, really well, but you kind of lose sight of the bigger picture of how all these topics kind of come together and how everyone's doing their own part in their little section of public health to, you know, to reach the greater good.
Health Chatter
100th Episode Special
And so I kind of think, health chatter. And what I really like about our podcast is it kind of brings these topics together in a way that we get to kind of put the whole puzzle together. How does each individual topic fit into the larger public health arena and overarching wellbeing? And so when I think about kind of moving on into the future, I want to continue to do that.
Health Chatter
100th Episode Special
I kind of like kind of what Sheridan was saying about how looking at nationally and globally, instead of just like here in Minneapolis or the state, because I think some of these topics obviously transcend. I also am kind of excited for all the different topics that we could touch on, because there are so many things that we've yet to get to. But I'm just excited to continue to grow.
Health Chatter
100th Episode Special
I kind of mirroring what Maddie said, I didn't know if I would stick around after graduating. But Health Chatter has been such a great place. I love the people. I love working with you all and posting the episodes. And here we are two years later and for many years to come.
Health Chatter
Stroke
chatting away hi everyone it's matthew from behind the scenes and i wanted to let everyone know that we have a new website up and running helpchatterpodcast.com you can go on there you can interact with us you can communicate with us send us a message you can comment on each episode you can rate us and it's just another way for everyone to communicate with
Health Chatter
Stroke
Stan and Clarence and all of us at the Health Chatter team. So definitely check it out. Again, that's healthchatterpodcast.com.
Health Chatter
Tobacco Cessation
You know, Matthew, Matthew there. Yeah, I'm here. I put it in the chat here, but I was just thinking if you had any insight kind of with as how do you expect or what do you think or what are you seeing or hearing about tobacco and nicotine use in relation to more and more states legalizing cannabis-based products?
Health Chatter
Tobacco Cessation
And do you think the cannabis industry is going to kind of be in direct competition with the tobacco nicotine industry? Is that going to be the next big public health problem we deal with? Or, you know, because we don't, a lot of, you know, a lot of that data still is out on long-term health effects. So I just didn't know if you had any insight to that.
Health Chatter
The Politics of Health Care
Hi, everyone. It's Matthew from Behind the Scenes. And I wanted to let everyone know that we have a new website up and running, HelpChatterPodcast.com. You can go on there. You can interact with us. You can communicate with us, send us a message. You can comment on each episode. You can rate us.
Health Chatter
The Politics of Health Care
And it's just another way for everyone to communicate with Stan and Clarence and all of us at the Help Chatter team. So definitely check it out. Again, that's HelpChatterPodcast.com.
Health Chatter
Mental Health - Clinical by Population & Age
Hi, everyone. It's Matthew from Behind the Scenes. And I wanted to let everyone know that we have a new website up and running, HelpChatterPodcast.com. You can go on there. You can interact with us. You can communicate with us, send us a message. You can comment on each episode. You can rate us.
Health Chatter
Mental Health - Clinical by Population & Age
And it's just another way for everyone to communicate with Stan and Clarence and all of us at the Help Chatter team. So definitely check it out. Again, that's HelpChatterPodcast.com.
Health Chatter
Health Insurance
Well, you know, that really can depend. So as we've kind of talked about, you know, I've kind of went through different employment scenarios over the last year. So my focus on health insurance has kind of changed. So when I, I'm I my new insurance just started in January and I got to pick my plan and all of those things. And when I was going through those options, I mean, I'm relatively young.
Health Chatter
Health Insurance
So I wanted to pick the cheapest option or one of the cheaper options for me. I didn't pick the cheapest, but, you know, I kind of did that risk assessment and kind of had, you know, like, what do I need? What do I don't need? But at the end of the day, you're kind of limited to, you know, these kind of three plans.
Health Chatter
Health Insurance
Fortunately, through my employer, those are all like within my budget and very reasonable. But back up a little bit. for the month of December and for kind of like thinking about November, I, when I wasn't in times of that, I wasn't employed or didn't have health insurance. I kind of had to make that risk assessment of, do I want to try to get private insurance? Do I want to use Cobra?
Health Chatter
Health Insurance
Do I want to do all these things? And then all of a sudden health insurance was not affordable. I mean, it, I mean, I was looking even through Minnesota, you know, the Minnesota marketplace, Minsure or whatever it was, it, I mean, $400 a month for a deductible that was $6,000. Right. And that was just... Insane. Insane. I mean, just what's the point of even having insurance at that point?
Health Chatter
Health Insurance
And then, I mean, the argument could be made, like, if I was, you know, to have some crisis come up, it would at least cover something. But you had to kind of weigh that cost and risk. And so... I would say it's that constant balance of what's attainable, what am I eligible for, what is affordable, and kind of balancing all that out.
Health Chatter
Health Insurance
And it is really hard and complex because you can't predict the future. So it's definitely shifted based on what the options are. And of course, coming from a public health background, I'm a little biased in that I want, you know, I want great health insurance and I want to be able to go to the doctor as much as possible.
Health Chatter
Health Insurance
And I want to, and my utilization rate is probably going to be a little bit higher than someone who maybe is not in public health or doesn't care about it as much, but I can definitely see that it shifted. And I'm definitely seeing the cracks in employer sponsored health insurance because it really makes it challenging and difficult to kind of especially earlier in a career.
Health Chatter
Health Insurance
And for people, for younger people like me, it seems, we're moving companies a lot more now. And we're, and like, there's a lot more individual contributors or you're not like technically fully employed or you're a 10, nine, whatever it's called when you're, you know, you're consultant or whatever the case may be. What options then do you have? And
Health Chatter
Health Insurance
That's made it really challenging, I think, over the last year for me.
Health Chatter
Health Insurance
Well, so that was the case, wasn't it? I didn't know what I was going to do, but I knew that I couldn't afford the insurance rate and I couldn't afford insurance. So, I mean, this sounds terrible, but there was this running joke that I had that it's like when it was icy out and there's some steps that I have. And I would always say, I can't fall down the steps today. Yeah.
Health Chatter
Health Insurance
Because I knew if I fell down those steps, I could have a financial, I could be financially ruined for, I mean, years. Yeah.
Health Chatter
Health Insurance
Well, that was another joke I had. I was like, if I go to the emergency room, my name is John Doe. I do not have a name. I don't exist. Right. You don't have a card. I don't have a card. I don't have an ID. I have nothing on me. Treat my broken leg and.
Health Chatter
Health Insurance
Get me out the door. And, but again, I think that's kind of where like the public health side of me kicked in. It's like, I understood that like that could potentially ruin me financially for a very long time. And so, you know, I get it.
Health Chatter
Health Insurance
Yeah. I was just going to say that, like, I want to provide a little bit of context. I kind of, when I made that decision, I knew that I would have health insurance again in a month. So it's like there was only a small window, but for so many people, that's not the case. And it's like, you have to think about that.
Health Chatter
Health Insurance
Like I knew that I could potentially be strapped with a lot of medical debt if I need it. I mean, if something was to happen, but also for that month, you know, how am I going to afford my bills? How am I going to afford my car payment? How am I going to afford my groceries? How am I going to afford all of the other essentials that are just as important? And you kind of have to balance that.
Health Chatter
Health Insurance
So I mean, I'm a, a big proponent of some sort of non-employer sponsored health insurance system that allows us to move. And I think, especially nowadays, the job environment is so different that the benefits, and even if you do get a new job, you know, there's often a waiting period of at least a month before anything kicks in.
Health Chatter
Health Insurance
So if you are moving jobs every other, you know, every year, every other year, the benefits you had last year are no longer good this year are no longer good in six months. I mean, it's,
Health Chatter
Health Literacy
Hi, everyone. It's Matthew from Behind the Scenes. And I wanted to let everyone know that we have a new website up and running, HelpChatterPodcast.com. You can go on there. You can interact with us. You can communicate with us, send us a message. You can comment on each episode. You can rate us.
Health Chatter
Health Literacy
And it's just another way for everyone to communicate with Stan and Clarence and all of us at the Help Chatter team. So definitely check it out. Again, that's HelpChatterPodcast.com.
Health Chatter
Vaccinations Update
Yeah, of course. So Sheridan, I don't know if we've talked about this before, but I actually lost my father from COVID in early, it was January of 2021. So maybe a month or so before the wide release of the vaccine for those early stage folks. And, um, very similar to your experience. The last memories I have with my father were dropping him off at the hospital that morning.
Health Chatter
Vaccinations Update
Um, and he never, he never walked out. He never returned. I wasn't allowed to visit. I wasn't allowed to see him. My father died alone in a hospital room surrounded by medical staff, but we were not allowed to visit. Um, he was in the hospital for over a month on the ICU and there were some comorbidities, but the point still stands.
Health Chatter
Vaccinations Update
At that time, in those early stages of COVID, there wasn't a solution. There wasn't easy prevention. The only option was to mask up. And unfortunately, my dad worked in a industry that he was one of those mandatory employees or essential workers. That's what they were called, essential workers. And so he went to work every day. And this was in South Carolina. He wore his mask.
Health Chatter
Vaccinations Update
He did all the things. But something that's kind of struck with me over the years was unlike other diseases and other things going on in the world, COVID felt different in the level of politicalization that surrounded it. And it became almost, I mean, I don't know if everyone remembers, but during that time, it was like wearing a mask was a political statement.
Health Chatter
Vaccinations Update
Getting vaccinated was a political statement. And in a state like South Carolina, that is heavily leaned toward one direction or the other, you saw these areas where COVID was higher in conjunction with that political ideology or political statement.
Health Chatter
Vaccinations Update
And so I just question if we hadn't had such a widespread politicalization or division over COVID, mask mandates, vaccinations, the hoax, all of these things, Would my father still be here? I mean, we can always play that what if, but it's like from a public health standpoint, and I know not everyone is in public health, but there are things in place.
Health Chatter
Vaccinations Update
There are tools we can use that are proven to prevent health. And in a time of crisis, us as public health professionals were not relied on. It quickly became, you're no longer the expert. We do not care what you think. we're gonna do something completely different. It doesn't matter. And I've experienced firsthand, Sheridan's experienced firsthand.
Health Chatter
Vaccinations Update
So many other people have experienced firsthand the detriment effects of when public health doesn't do its job well, when our government leaders don't do their job well. And now we're left here four years later asking, okay, how do we move on with our life? What do we do now? And so you have that grief, but kind of like Sheridan says, My father died begging for a vaccine or treatment and a cure.
Health Chatter
Vaccinations Update
It would be a slap in the face to him for me not to be vaccinated. For me, not every time they recommend I'm going to get the shot. But what I want to say is I still to this day have family members that have deeply rooted political ideology that have yet, that were very close with my father and will not get a vaccine. even though they watch the detrimental effects.
Health Chatter
Vaccinations Update
So when we talk about this risk management, I don't think it's enough anymore to like, oh, no, we know what can happen. And people are still willing to take on that risk, it seems, for some reason. And that's all I really have to say.
Health Chatter
Vaccinations Update
Yeah, I'll jump in here. Yeah, go ahead. One of the things that I just kind of want to say is I would encourage people to listen to your leaders. Listen to your scientists. Listen to your experts. Listen to the folks who do this day in, day out, and have the knowledge. I think too often we get caught up in what is on our social media pages or what is quickly in the news headlines.
Health Chatter
Vaccinations Update
But I think it's really important to remember that there are people like us, like others who have dedicated their life to studying this and dedicated to being an expert on vaccines and health information and disease prevention. And so I think in these times we need to really remember we've planned for this and we've prepared for this. Now let's rely on it. Let's not reinvent it. Let's not.
Health Chatter
Vaccinations Update
And I think anyone, while I encourage folks to research it and engage with that, if anyone is attacking these systems and infrastructure that we have in place, let's maybe evaluate the motivation behind that and make decisions accordingly.
Health Chatter
Mental Health - Where We Stand
Hi, everyone. It's Matthew from Behind the Scenes. And I wanted to let everyone know that we have a new website up and running, healthchatterpodcast.com. You can go on there. You can interact with us. You can communicate with us, send us a message. You can comment on each episode. You can rate us.
Health Chatter
Mental Health - Where We Stand
And it's just another way for everyone to communicate with Stan and Clarence and all of us at the Health Chatter team. So definitely check it out. Again, that's healthchatterpodcast.com.
Health Chatter
Stroke - A Patient Story
Hi, everyone. It's Matthew from Behind the Scenes. And I wanted to let everyone know that we have a new website up and running, HelpChatterPodcast.com. You can go on there. You can interact with us. You can communicate with us, send us a message. You can comment on each episode. You can rate us.
Health Chatter
Stroke - A Patient Story
And it's just another way for everyone to communicate with Stan and Clarence and all of us at the Help Chatter team. So definitely check it out. Again, that's HelpChatterPodcast.com.
Health Chatter
Stereotypes & Labels
Yeah, I just think sometimes a pro of labels is you can find like-minded folks. You can share identities. You can share perspectives. things that you know about each other, but also you can, you know, share the hardships that you face because of those labels or identities.
Health Chatter
Stereotypes & Labels
And so oftentimes when we think of like labels, especially in the LGBTQ plus community, you know, I think of like people who have been, you know, kicked out of their families or they can't find that support in that way. It's, you can rely on your label. You can rely on your community without, other folks that have that same label to support and uplift. And I think that can be really empowering.
Health Chatter
Stereotypes & Labels
And I, yeah, so I think you can find a community if you don't, if you can't always find it elsewhere. And so I think those are kind of one of the more of the pro sides of labels, but on the converse, what that does is it creates that label stereotype in a sense. It's like, ah, well, look at those folks. They all dress the same. They all look the same. They all talk the same.
Health Chatter
Stereotypes & Labels
They all act the same, et cetera. And then that is then negatively used harmfully. So, I mean, I'm not sure that this situation is isolated just to healthcare. I think this speaks to like a larger systemic problem that we have in society of the idea of other. Someone always has to be the other. And labels are a way to identify the other, I think. Yeah, go ahead, Clarence.
Health Chatter
Stereotypes & Labels
Yeah, I think pronouns, everyone has pronouns. And I don't think that is, something to be controversial, even though sometimes it can be, everyone wants to be identified in some way, shape or form. And I think the email thing is simply a way of saying, Hey, these are my pronouns, regardless of what my name is, this is how I would like to be addressed.
Health Chatter
Stereotypes & Labels
And I just think it's common courtesy now just to go ahead and include them just for the simple fact of it. One doesn't create an other for folks who may not feel comfortable sharing their pronouns or, uh, their pronouns, maybe, uh,
Health Chatter
Stereotypes & Labels
don't quite align with their appearance in a way that might traditionally, one might traditionally think, which isn't a problem, but just to say that like, it's something so simple that we all can do just to create a more inclusive environment. And I think that's like how I approach like a lot of my work. It's not about like necessarily what, I'm not here to debate someone else's existence.
Health Chatter
Stereotypes & Labels
I'm here to create an inclusive environment for other folks. And so if I can do something as simple as like including my pronouns, to let other folks know how I'd like to be identified, but also say, Hey, this is a welcoming space to also share your pronouns. Then go for it. I'm just go for it.
Health Chatter
Stereotypes & Labels
Last thoughts, Matthew. I just kind of want to propose a quick question. We've talked a lot about how impactful and powerful labels can be and how negative they can be in other scenarios. But I think the reality, unfortunately, is kind of like Barry mentioned, we're focusing a lot on people's differences lately. And so I'm questioning like in a world that is so divisive, where do we go from here?
Health Chatter
Stereotypes & Labels
How do we navigate? What do we do? How do we Because sometimes it can often feel challenging to work with other folks or when everyone is so divisive.
Health Chatter
Stereotypes & Labels
Yeah, of course. I think when we start talking about labels, we can self-identify those or people can impose those. And each come with their own set of connotations. And we all bring our own set of ideas and stereotypes to those. And so... several years back now when I was first looking for healthcare, I was freshly 18. I was trying to do the right thing, go see a physician.
Health Chatter
Stereotypes & Labels
I was looking, I was interested in getting on PrEP, which I'm sure most people in the public health arena are aware of. And so I went to my physician, this is in South Carolina. It was my hometown. And I was immediately ostracized almost for even asking about it. My physician didn't really know what it was. They had never really prescribed it.
Health Chatter
Stereotypes & Labels
And then all of a sudden I was labeled as less than other, and I had a behavioral problem that needed to be fixed rather than providing me with the healthcare that I was looking for. And so I think those labels and how people perceive labels can really shape the healthcare that is then provided. And I like to think that physicians are above casting stones or stigma or all of those things.
Health Chatter
Stereotypes & Labels
But I think too often that's not quite the case or it's completely dependent on geographic region or like political ideology or religion that is just as impactful on the way people approach their work as maybe kind of like more training that we know of in public health. And so I want to compare that with an example here.
Health Chatter
Stereotypes & Labels
I moved to Minnesota and here in Minneapolis, I got connected with several physicians, a physician group that specializes in LGBTQ plus health. And all of a sudden the label of being gay or LGBTQ plus and being a part of the community was no longer detrimental to my healthcare, but rather had quite the opposite effect. It was prioritized. It was, here's what,
Health Chatter
Stereotypes & Labels
know maybe you should be doing here's recommendations based on what we know about the community and things of that nature and it was really had quite the opposite effect so i just wanted to compare those two experiences while can be vastly different based on who is interpreting the label that we may be self-imposed but yeah thanks for sharing that um
Health Chatter
Governmental Interest in Mental Health and Well-Being
Hi, everyone. It's Matthew from Behind the Scenes. And I wanted to let everyone know that we have a new website up and running, HelpChatterPodcast.com. You can go on there. You can interact with us. You can communicate with us, send us a message. You can comment on each episode. You can rate us.
Health Chatter
Governmental Interest in Mental Health and Well-Being
And it's just another way for everyone to communicate with Stan and Clarence and all of us at the Help Chatter team. So definitely check it out. Again, that's HelpChatterPodcast.com.
Health Chatter
Health and Politics
Yes, house calls. When I grew up, that Dr. Burke, he lived on the corner. I mean, he had the nicest house on my block. A little black bag. And he'd come in. I just remember getting my penicillin shot in the butt when I got sick. It's interesting.
Health Chatter
Health and Politics
I mean, not just Minneapolis, but even looking across the river to St. Paul, you know, I mean, or even Wisconsin.