Summary 1:  What’s Race Got to Do With It? 

It seems counterintuitive that a common disorder like depression is still in the grasp of racism. Since its initial debut in 1987, Prozac has been the main cash earner for the antidepressant industry. As of now, 1 in 10 Americans are prescribed antidepressants, resulting in over 30 million Americans being treated with some form of antidepressant. 

Even with this statistic, there is still a disparity in antidepressant prescription. Though it is uncertain what factors truly influence antidepressant prescription, author Azzen Ghorayshi suggests this disparity may be caused by factors such as insurance status and race. 

Scientists from the University of Michigan found interest in this discrepancy and decided to analyze physicians prescribing patterns with patients  diagnosed with major depression. With a patient pool of over 120 million, examiners found that white patients and patients with private insurance were far more likely to be prescribed antidepressants.  It was also found that for those minority patients and patients on Medicare or Medicaid that were prescribed antidepressants were about 60% less likely to be prescribed new generation antidepressants like Prozac. Another study done by Washington State University found that antidepressant treatment rates were also affected by the same influences. I found that 4 percent of minority patients diagnosed with major depression were prescribed antidepressants whereas white patients with seemingly the same diagnosis were prescribed antidepressants at a higher percentage of 11. 

Summary 2: Why Keeping Little Girls Squeaky Clean Could Make Them Sick

It seems counterintuitive that exposing your children to dirt and germs would help build a strong immune system, but shockingly recent studies are proving this is true. It is a common practice to keep your children nice and clean during playtime, especially our little girls. Though intentions mean well this practice may be doing more harm than good. In our society the standard of cleanliness is much higher for young girls than for young boys, Oregon State University  researcher Sharyn Clough believes this discrepancy explains why women develop certain illnesses at a higher rate.  One of these Illnesses is asthma. The Center of Disease Control and Prevention reports men have lower rates of asthma at 7.1% compared to women with a rate of 8.5%. This same tread is seen with many autoimmune disorders. 

Summary 3: Is Extreme Parenting Effective

It seems counterintuitive that extreme parenting, as advocated in Amy Chua’s essay “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior,” could be effective. Chua, a Yale Law School professor, argues for tough love in raising successful children, implementing stringent measures like prohibiting sleepovers, playdates, school plays, TV or computer games, and even dictating extracurricular activities. These extreme tactics, while aiming for success, may be perceived as too controlling by most parents. Some commentators suggest that such an approach stems from a perhaps naïve belief in absolute parental control. The critical question arises: What are the effects of such a demanding parenting style? Does strict control lead to success, or could it be counterproductive?