Press Quotes and Selected Articles about UNNATURAL CAUSES

Numerous blogs and newspaper articles have mentioned the UNNATURAL CAUSES broadcast and touched upon the issues raised by the documentary. Below are some excerpts and highlights, including some op-ed pieces penned by the filmmakers.

 

"Riveting... Explores why your bank account, race and zip code are more powerful predictors of healthiness than your medical coverage, habits and genes."
  - USA Today

"Provides dramatic evidence that we need new prescriptions. Unless we make provisions for all Americans to lead healthier lives, the chronic disease epidemic will continue to grow, as will the strains on our already over-burdened health care system.... An invaluable and long-awaited addition."
  - Dr. David Satcher, former U.S. Surgeon General

 “Inequality is killing us…Behavior, diet and environment aren't always part of the answer. The stress of living in a win-or-lose society is....That health message may be a hard sell, but I hope people will at least listen. So eat your spinach at dinner — and then tune in to the series.”
  - Seattle Times

“The filmmakers offer plenty of background…but the film’s power comes not from experts or statistics but stories of real people.... They powerfully reinforce the fact that where you live can predict not just how well you live but also how long. More than 120 organizations have begun to use this film as a teaching curriculum.  Once you check out the series, you’ll see why.”
- Newsweek

“This is really disturbing stuff.... Presents a lot of startling information, and hopefully it will get a lot of people asking themselves some serious questions.”
– Matt Lauer, The Today Show

“Instructive, informative, depressing and occasionally infuriating.”
- New York Daily News

“Tears back the veil to show the socio-economic and racial inequities in health as well as the public policies that underpin them. Should be required viewing.”
- Andy Stern, President, SEIU 

“A quietly withering attack on...the cult of the individual that fractures any sense of community, the fetishistic worship of the so-called free market that increases the distance between the poor and the tax-averse rich.... Makes clear that only political will can provide a remedy.”
- Los Angeles Times

"A real-life CSI-type dissection that shows us how things work and don't work in a way we are probably not aware."
- Louisville Courier

"Unnatural Causes is an eye-opening series everyone should watch and discuss. It reveals the links between living conditions, public policy, and health [and is] a powerful and long-awaited resource for all of us working toward health equity."
- Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino

"Ranks among the best of public broadcasting for tackling an intellectually tough but vital issue in a clear, expository and engaging fashion."
- In These Times

"A Tale of Two Factory Shutdowns," Detroit Free Press, April 18, 2008
In this opinion piece, James Rutenbeck, producer of the episode "Not Just a Paycheck," compares the health consequences of involuntary layoffs in Greenville, Michigan, and Vastervik, Sweden.

"Inequality Kills," In These Times, April 16, 2008
Senior editor David Moberg reviews the series, spotlighting key issues and saying that the series "ranks among the best of public broadcasting for tackling an intellectually tough but vital issue in a clear, expository and engaging fashion."

"Documentary: Racism Harms Your Health," Tell Me More (NPR), April 16, 2008
Radio host Michel Martin sits down with series creator/executive producer Larry Adelman and co-executive producer Llew Smith to ask why people of color suffer disproportionately from health problems.

"Health Disparities," Forum with Michael Krasny, March 26, 2008
This hour-long radio program features Larry Adelman and several key advisors to the series in discussion about how socioeconomic circumstances affect life expectancy and other health outcomes.

"Is Inequality Making Us Sick?" by Larry Adelman, AFL-CIO Point of View, March 2008
In this guest column, Larry Adelman describes how unequal social conditions affect health outcomes and suggests policy changes that can make a difference.