Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed
Each week, KFF Health News finds longer stories for you to enjoy. Today's selections are on therapy, eating disorders, AI, war amputees, and more.
The New York Times:
What Happens When Your Therapist Falls Ill Or Dies Unexpectedly?
Therapists are cautious about sharing personal information. When they fall ill or die unexpectedly, the shock can be shattering. (Barry, 7/24)
Business Insider:
'I Know I'm Not Taking It For The Right Reasons': The Hidden Dilemma Of Ozempic
Eating disorder centers are facing an influx of people with weight-loss prescriptions. Experts say doctors are overprescribing them, and some patients are taking them in secret. (Ellin, 7/24)
AP:
Teens Say They Are Turning To AI For Advice, Friendship And ‘To Get Out Of Thinking’
No question is too small when Kayla Chege, a high school student in Kansas, is using artificial intelligence. The 15-year-old asks ChatGPT for guidance on back-to-school shopping, makeup colors, low-calorie choices at Smoothie King, plus ideas for her Sweet 16 and her younger sister’s birthday party. ... For the past couple of years, concerns about cheating at school have dominated the conversation around kids and AI. But artificial intelligence is playing a much larger role in many of their lives. AI, teens say, has become a go-to source for personal advice, emotional support, everyday decision-making and problem-solving. (Gecker, 7/23)
The New York Times:
Science Retracts ‘Arsenic Life’ Paper 15 Years After Publication
Fifteen years ago, a group of scientists made a bold claim in Science, one of the world’s most prominent research journals: They had discovered a microorganism that could survive using chemistry different from any known life-form. On Thursday, the top editors of Science formally retracted the 2010 paper, saying it was fundamentally flawed. The journal’s editors did not accuse the paper’s authors of misconduct or fraud. Instead they said they were motivated to conclude a chapter of scientific debate that had roiled research institutions and the lives of academics who once were brought under intense scrutiny by social media and bloggers. (Scoles, 7/24)
The New York Times:
War Amputees Find New Purpose On The Golf Course
The golfer swings his club in a graceful arc and then focuses his gaze on the ball sailing 200 yards or so into the distance. He smiles, satisfied that he was able to keep his balance on his prosthetic leg as he twisted to hit his drive shot. Ukraine’s exclusive and expensive golf clubs have opened to war amputees, who play free of charge. Rehabilitation experts say that sunshine and nature can be healing for the traumatized soldiers, and that the uneven, soft surface of golf courses helps them to master their prosthetics. (Kramer, 7/25)
