Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
High Cancer Rates In Iowa Due Mostly To Known Risk Factors, Report Shows
Iowa Public Radio: Researchers Share Initial Findings On Iowa’s High Cancer Rates
More than 75% of excess cancer cases for the top five cancers in Iowa can be explained by certain demographic and behavioral factors, according to the most recent finding from a state-funded report that seeks to better understand the state's high cancer rates. (Krebs, 9/30)
Other news from Iowa —
Iowa Public Radio: Local Health Officials Worry Funding Cuts Could Affect Services As Iowa HHS Shifts To Regionalized Oversight Model
Iowa Health and Human Services (HHS) announced plans to transition the state’s public health system into a regional model by 2028. The move will shift the oversight of funds for each county to a lead entity in each region. The plan is meant to improve coordination across counties and create more consistent services across the state. Iowa HHS said it wants Iowans to be able to access essential services easily, regardless of where they live. (Curran, 9/30)
More health news from across the U.S. —
New Hampshire Public Radio: Federal Housing Aid Stalls For Low-Income, HIV-Positive Granite Staters
Housing for low-income Granite Staters with HIV and AIDS is at risk after funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development expired Wednesday with no explanation from the government. (Harris, 9/30)
NC Local: Parental Leave Increases For Public NC Workers
The Public Workforce Modernization Act, which goes into effect Oct. 1, is the largest overhaul of North Carolina’s state human resources system in more than 60 years, according to the North Carolina Office of State Human Resources (OSHR). (Hinchcliffe, 10/1)
The Washington Post: What To Know As New Laws Take Effect Oct. 1 In D.C., Maryland And Virginia
Reduced paid family leave: Paid family leave for District residents is set to reduce from a maximum of 12 weeks to six weeks, and the maximum paid medical leave will decrease from 12 weeks to 10. The weekly maximum benefit for paid leave also drops from $1,190 to $1,100. The maximum parental leave remains unchanged at 12 weeks. (Bowman, 10/1)
Stat: Easy Answers On How To Regulate 7-OH Kratom Prove To Be Elusive
Kratom leaf products, often used to ease chronic pain, anxiety, or withdrawal from opioids, have been sold in the U.S. for decades, largely skirting any regulatory restrictions despite a known risk for physical dependence. But increasingly, Americans are turning to newer, more potent products made with a semi-synthetic kratom derivative, 7-hydroxymitragynine, or 7-OH. (Gaffney, 9/30)
In environmental health news —
The New York Times: When Data Centers Cluster Together, How Dirty Are They? One County Wants Answers.
An unusual study aims to estimate the pollution and health costs from a cluster of proposed data centers, instead of considering each one separately. (Glabicki, 10/1)
The Guardian: ‘It’s Just Cruel’: US Households Hit By Surge In Electricity Shutoffs Amid Record Hot Summer
A record hot summer collided unhappily with rising energy costs for households across the US that struggled to the point where many were disconnected from their electricity supply, even as dangerous heat baked their communities. In July, the hottest month ever recorded in the US, 173,598 households were shut off from their electric supply by utilities across 10 states, figures provided to the Guardian show. This snapshot of American life points to a worsening problem, with the rate of electricity disconnections surging 28% compared to July 2024. (Milman, 9/29)
The New York Times: Tennessee Valley Authority Gets Approval To Build Small Nuclear Reactor
The nation’s largest federally owned utility received permission on Tuesday to build a new type of small nuclear reactor in Tennessee, in the latest sign of growing momentum for U.S. nuclear power. The Tennessee Valley Authority was granted a construction permit by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a small reactor at its Clinch River site, west of Knoxville. It’s only the second time that U.S. regulators have given approval to build a next-generation commercial reactor. The first was in March for a project in Wyoming backed by Bill Gates. (Plumer, 9/29)
