Page 6 - Healthcare News May/June 2022

OPINION
An Ominous PAr o j e c t i o n
rea businesses already battling an intense workforce crisis received an ad- ditional dose of sobering news recently when MassINC released a report indi- cating that the Bay State could lose as much as 10% of its college-educated
workforce by the end of the decade, a drop of roughly 129,000 people.
The projected decline stems from a number of factors, said the think tank, includ-
Know When I t ’ s T i m e f o r a
ing a huge wave of retiring baby boomers, falling numbers of school-aged children in the state, and declining immigration. To sum it all up, there are fewer people going to college — certainly not enough to offset the number of boomers who are retiring — and fewer people coming into the state — from other countries and from other states, with the latter the result of the exploding cost of living in Massachusetts.
This confluence of factors leads to MassINC’s dire projections, which, if they come to be, will make an already narrow pipeline of qualified talent for jobs in a technology- focused region even smaller, threatening the health and vitality of many sectors.
“Getting more people into and then through college is only part of the equation. As the cost of living in Massachusetts continues its upward movement, more college graduates will gravitate elsewhere. More housing, especially affordable housing, is one answer to this problem.”
There is not much anyone can do at this point about the birth rates that will lead to this projected talent drain, but there are some steps that can be taken to perhaps lessen the blow, starting with efforts to help more people attain a college degree.
This work starts with easing more people into college, especially through early-college programs in high schools, a step that the state Department of Elementary and Second- ary Education has said is effective in increasing both college enrollment and completion rates, especially for low-income students and students of color.
Getting more people into and then through college is only part of the equation. As the cost of living in Massachusetts continues its upward movement, more college graduates will gravitate elsewhere. More housing, especially affordable housing, is one answer to this problem.
Indeed, a recent report on the state of U.S. housing released late last month by Har- vard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies reveals that, to afford a typical house in Greater Boston, one will need to earn more than $180,000. The numbers for this region are roughly half — $96,000 for Pittsfield, $83,500 for Greenfield, and $87,412 for Springfield.
With those statistics in mind, the need for high-speed rail becomes even more evident. They show the importance of enabling someone who wants to work in Boston, Cam- bridge, or Worcester to live in the 413.
The new report from MassINC is certainly sobering. As anyone in business can
tell you, a college education is increasingly necessary to succeed in today’s high-tech economy. This state, and this region, needs more people with degrees, not 129,000 fewer of them.
The task at hand is to bring more people into college and then through it, and to then make it possible for more people with degrees to afford to live here. Nothing about this assignment is easy, but the stakes are high, and something needs to be done. v
ocial media platforms have become an essential part of life for the estimated 3 billion people around the world who log on daily. They keep us connected with family and friends,
SDigital Detox By ALANE BURGESS
provide access to all types of information and the opportunity to build professional contacts to name a few of their popular usages.
Their presence in our lives is something that has been celebrated annually on World Social Media Day, June 30, since 2010. This represents a time period during which social media platforms have expanded in use across the globe as well as in this country. Accord- ing to the Pew Research Center, such platforms are now used by seven in 10 Americans. In 2005, only 5% of Americans did, a figure that grew to 50% by 2011, and stands today at 72% of the public, according to the center’s research.
The use of social media can have a downside as well, as other surveys of users have reported.
Ongoing studies across the globe indicate that these platforms impact some users negatively, lowering self-esteem, disrupting sleep patterns, and raising issues of addictive behavior in their compulsive use.
It’s no secret that people bully and harass others online or that how one sees oneself can take a hit when viewing what others post — or boast — online about how they look or what they have.
We are all vulnerable to disappointment that can put us at risk for mental health concerns when it comes to social media and expecta- tions. Are we seeking validation for our feelings and comments, supportive comparisons for our lifestyle and new friends? Are we us- ing it as a substitute for in-person engagement or even professional behavioral health counseling?
What I suggest to my clients is to consider how much time they spend daily on social media platforms and how it impacts their mood. Studies suggest links between increased symptoms of general anxiety and depression among users of multiple social media plat- forms.
I also stress that visiting social media is not a fix for loneliness, but an indication it is time for more focus on off-line activities for the benefit of our emotional wellness and physical health.
The Pew Research Center data shows YouTube and Facebook as the most widely-used online platforms with Americans across age, educational and income levels, with Instagram, Pinterest and Linkedin also popular.
Visiting and posting on them and others can be both fun and helpful as part of our daily or weekly routines. It is, however, as we celebrate this World Social Media Day June 30, important to be aware of their role and impact in our lives and to know when it is time for a digital detox. It is good to step away from such interaction for a day or two to know that we can and, if not, evaluate why. u
Alane Burgess is the Clinic Director of the Mental Health Association’s BestLife Emotional Health & Wellness Center in Springfield; Aburgess@mhainc.org.
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