Latest KFF Health News Stories
An Underused Strategy For Surge In STDs: Treat Patients’ Partners Without A Doctor Visit
For over a decade, federal health officials have recommended the practice, known as expedited partner therapy. It is allowed in most states, but many doctors don’t do it — either because of legal or ethical concerns, or because they are unaware of it.
Deadly Shootings Are Rising In U.S. After Steady Declines
A new report by federal researchers finds that homicides involving guns are up both nationally and in major cities after a decade of decline.
Enfermedad similar a la polio desconcierta a médicos y aterra a padres
Afecta principalmente a niños pequeños y causa parálisis. Los Centros para el Control y Prevención de Enfermedades investigan casos en 22 estados.
Mysterious Polio-Like Illness Baffles Medical Experts While Frightening Parents
Federal health officials are investigating 127 cases of the disease, called acute flaccid myelitis, or AFM.
Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes
Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes wades through hundreds of health articles from the week so you don’t have to.
Suicide By Opioid: New Research Suggests Overdoses Should Be Classified As Self-Harm
Researchers combined the number of suicide deaths with those associated with drug overdoses in an effort to better grasp the overlap between these two public health epidemics.
Religious Conservatives’ Ties To Trump Officials Pay Off In AIDS Policies, Funding
Shepherd Smith, a strong supporter of abstinence-only sex education for AIDS, has been close to the new director of the CDC for decades. This connection is just one example of the “new in crowd” surrounding the Trump administration, where politics and religion mix.
Clinicians Who Learn Of A Patient’s Opioid Death Modestly Cut Back On Prescriptions
A study published Thursday shows that doctors, dentists and other medical providers cut overall opioid dosages by nearly 10 percent after receiving notification of a death from a medical examiner and information on safe prescribing.
Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes
KHN’s newsletter editor, Brianna Labuskes, wades through hundreds of health articles from the week so you don’t have to.
Bubble Pop? Brownie Batter? Vapes’ Added Flavors Fuel E-Cig Debate
Vaping is becoming increasingly popular in the United States, especially among young people. This fact is triggering an unexpected divide within the public health community and complicating efforts to regulate the industry.
Telemedicine Opening Doors To Specialty Care For Inmates
Getting prisoners to a medical facility can be difficult, so corrections officials are increasingly setting up telemedicine programs for specialized needs, such as psychiatric, cancer and cardiac care.
Telemedicina abre las puertas para que presos reciban atención de especialistas
Expertos aseguran que la salud de los reclusos mejora al ser atendidos por especialistas a través de videoconferencias, con la asistencia del médico del centro penitenciario.
New Medicare Perk For Diabetes Prevention Stumbles At Rollout
On April 1, Medicare launched a major initiative — a diabetes prevention program for seniors and people with serious disabilities— that is available in only a few cities.
‘Nightmare Bacteria’ Stalk U.S. Hospitals
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found antibiotic-resistant bacteria whose spread has “outpaced” efforts to contain them.
Omissions On Death Certificates Lead To Undercounting Of Opioid Overdoses
Standards for how to investigate and report on overdoses vary widely across states and counties. As a result, opioid overdose deaths often go overlooked in the data reported to the federal government.
Research Misconduct Allegations Shadow New CDC Head
Critics say the Trump administration failed to properly vet Dr. Robert Redfield as they attribute a pattern of “ethically and morally questionable behavior” to him.
Adults Skipping Vaccines May Miss Out On Effective New Shingles Shot
Federal health officials recommend that adults get a number of vaccinations, including protections against shingles, the flu, pneumonia, tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis. But immunization rates are generally low.
Adultos saltean vacunas y no se benefician de la nueva contra el herpes zóster
A diferencia del calendario de vacunas infantil, que los padres respetan en más de un 90%, los adultos se saltean vacunas, que previenen una amplia gama de enfermedades.
Crowded Shelters And The Vicious Flu Brew Perfect Storm For The Homeless
Although homeless shelters provide lifesaving protection from the winter’s cold, they also act as incubators for diseases like influenza.
Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ The Long Wait Ends For Short-Term Plan Rules
In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Stephanie Armour of The Wall Street Journal and Julie Appleby of Kaiser Health News discuss the Trump administration’s proposed regulation that would allow the expansion of short-term health insurance policies that do not comply with all the requirements of the Affordable Care Act. The panelists also talk about federal funding (or not) of public health research around guns.