The Gainesville Sun Editorial Board
Life expectancy shouldn’t be determined by someone’s ZIP code. But where a person lives often dictates whether they have access to health care, which can make the difference in whether conditions get treated before they become life-threatening.
Residents of the 32609 and 32641 ZIP codes are much more likely to have an avoidable hospitalization than people living in other parts of Alachua County. The two ZIP codes also have the county’s highest rates for emergency room visits for dental and mental health issues, according to the 2020 Alachua County Community Health Assessment.
The two ZIP codes cover much of east Gainesville, including neighborhoods east of Waldo Road that lack urgent care centers or free-standing clinics other than the Alachua County Health Department. A survey of more than 1,000 residents of the area found that residents faced problems getting health care caused by high costs, a lack of insurance, transportation issues an
The Gainesville Sun Editorial Board
The Gator Nation received good news Tuesday when Keyontae Johnson’s parents reported that the University of Florida men’s basketball player had been upgraded to stable condition.
Johnson, 21, collapsed during UF’s game Saturday against Florida State University. He was unresponsive before being taken to a hospital in Tallahassee, and was later brought by helicopter to UF Health Shands hospital in Gainesville.
There were conflicting reports about his subsequent condition, with Johnson’s grandfather telling USA TODAY Sports that he had been placed in a medically induced coma at one point. Whatever the case, Johnson’s parents reported Tuesday that he was speaking with family members and doctors, and was even able to FaceTime his teammates.
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