The Narrative Matters section of Health Affairs publishes personal essays (literary nonfiction) based on firsthand encounters that have a health policy aspect. These "policy narratives" take a story (or anecdote) and grow it beyond one person to include a big-picture view of the subject. The purpose of the Narrative Matters section is to put a human face on the health policy discussions in the other parts of Health Affairs.

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To see a Narrative Matters essay, click its [PDF] or [Full Text] link.

November 2007

	Dad’s Legacy After writing a Narrative Matters essay about his dad's downward spiral into old age, disability, and dementia, a physician deals with the reactions to the piece including what his father has to say. Jerald Winakur, November 1, 2007 [ Full Text ] [ PDF ] [Reprints & Permissions]

September 2007

	Down In New Orleans A young doctor returns home to do what he can in a still devastated landscape. Benjamin Springgate, September 1, 2007 [ Full Text ] [ PDF ] [Reprints & Permissions]

	Breakfast At Midnight Adults with cognitive disabilities should be able to have jobs to lead useful lives and we know what's needed to make it happen. Judy Karasik, September 1, 2007 [ Full Text ] [ PDF ] [Reprints & Permissions]

July 2007

	Awakening To Global Health It's been lonely in the tropical medicine trenches, but more and more Americans are discussing and growing passionate about the need to improve global health. Claire Panosian Dunavan, July 1, 2007 [ Full Text ] [ PDF ] [Reprints & Permissions]

	Elevators, Falafel, And Thalassemia Born in Egypt and now living in the United States, a young public health student returning to Cairo for a summer internship learns some surprising lessons. Aisha Saad, July 1, 2007 [ Full Text ] [ PDF ] [Reprints & Permissions]

May 2007

	Thy Will Be Done Think your living will takes care of everything? Maybe not. Victoria Sweet, May 1, 2007 [ Full Text ] [ PDF ] [Reprints & Permissions]

	GOMER The truth is in the definition. David Muller, May 1, 2007 [ Full Text ] [ PDF ] [Reprints & Permissions]

	Listening To Anna It takes clear guidelines and discussion to know what a dying person wants. Margaret K. Nelson, May 1, 2007 [ Full Text ] [ PDF ] [Reprints & Permissions]

March 2007

	The Edge Of The Known World A physician serving poor children with chronic diseases makes full use of his psychopharmacology arsenal while knowing that something else would be much better therapy. John D. Lantos, March 1, 2007 [ Full Text ] [ PDF ] [Reprints & Permissions]

	When Paper Is The Enemy If her asthmatic, troubled junior high patient isn't literate, how can a pediatrician possibly help him acquire health literacy? Perri Klass, March 1, 2007 [ Full Text ] [ PDF ] [Reprints & Permissions]

January 2007

	Heart Of The Uninsured When a young heart patient ages out of Medicaid then dies because she can't afford her medication her physician takes up the cause of the uninsured. Arthur Garson Jr., January 1, 2007 [ Full Text ] [ PDF ] [Reprints & Permissions]

	Good For Harvest, Bad For Planting When a kidney transplant is strangely slow to happen, a young physician ponders why and reaches a decision. Vanessa Grubbs, January 1, 2007 [ Full Text ] [ PDF ] [Reprints & Permissions]