Mental Health

Latest KFF Health News Stories

Women Now Drink as Much as Men — And Are Prone to Sickness Sooner

KFF Health News Original

Young women have closed the gender gap for excessive drinking. And that was before the pandemic. The trend is particularly troubling because women are at greater risk for blackouts, liver disease, cardiovascular diseases and certain cancers linked to alcohol use.

Tips for Older Adults to Regain Their Game After Being Cooped Up for More Than a Year

KFF Health News Original

Experts offer advice on how seniors struggling with physical, emotional and cognitive challenges following a year of being cooped up can address issues such as muscle weakness, poor nutrition, disrupted sleep, anxiety and social isolation.

No-Cancel Culture: How Telehealth Is Making It Easier to Keep That Therapy Session

KFF Health News Original

No-shows for behavioral health appointments have been a long-standing problem, with up to 60% skipped. Now telehealth, fueled by the pandemic, makes it easier for people dealing with depression and other mental health issues to make it to their appointments at a time when such care is in high demand. But teletherapy creates other challenges.

Seed Money: Black Entrepreneurs Hope Pandemic Gardening Boom Will Grow Healthier Eating

KFF Health News Original

Rapper DJ Cavem Moetavation is pushing beats and beets. A vegan, he’s selling seeds to encourage more people to eat healthier by growing their own food. His efforts are part of a national movement of Black-owned seed companies that merges pandemic-inspired gardening with efforts to expand healthier food options.

Racism Derails Black Men’s Health, Even as Education Levels Rise

KFF Health News Original

Researchers who study health among various racial and ethnic groups, as well as the social factors that influence health outcomes, say the findings suggest that the power of discrimination to harm Black men’s health may be more resistant than previously understood.

Covid Fears Keep Many Latino Kids out of Classrooms

KFF Health News Original

Latinos got hit disproportionately hard by covid-19. When faced with the choice of sending their kids back to school or keeping them in online classes, many Latino parents say their kids are safer at home.

El miedo a covid mantiene a muchos niños latinos fuera de las aulas

KFF Health News Original

En California, los latinos constituyen el 39% de la población del estado, pero representan el 47% de las muertes por covid, según el Departamento de Salud Pública estatal. A nivel nacional, su riesgo de morir por covid es 2,3 veces mayor que el de los blancos no hispanos.

The Making of Reluctant Activists: A Police Shooting in a Hospital Forces One Family to Rethink American Justice

KFF Health News Original

In 2015, Houston police officers stepped into Alan Pean’s hospital room, closed the door and shot him through the chest. Nearly six years later, his survival has brought the Pean family a wrenching legacy and conflicted sense of purpose.

Mental Health Services Wane as Insurers Appear to Skirt Parity Rules During Pandemic

KFF Health News Original

A report from the Government Accountability Office paints a picture of an already strained behavioral health system struggling after the pandemic struck to meet the treatment needs of millions of Americans with conditions like alcohol use disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: 100 Days of Health Policy

KFF Health News Original

It’s 100 days into Joe Biden’s presidency and a surprisingly large number of health policies have been announced. But health is notably absent from the administration’s $1.8 trillion spending plan for American families, making it unclear how much more will get done this year. Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention loosens its mask-wearing recommendations for those who have been vaccinated, but the new rules are confusing. Joanne Kenen of Politico, Mary Ellen McIntire of CQ Roll Call and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Plus, Rovner interviews KHN’s Julie Appleby, who reported the latest KHN-NPR “Bill of the Month” episode.

‘Red Flag’ Gun Laws Get Another Look After Indiana, Colorado Shootings

KFF Health News Original

It’s unclear whether “red flag” laws — which allow the seizure of guns from a person deemed dangerous — help prevent mass shootings or should have been applied to the suspects in recent shootings in Boulder, Colorado, and Indianapolis.

The Shock and Reality of Catching Covid After Being Vaccinated

KFF Health News Original

At least 5,800 people have fallen ill or tested positive for covid two weeks or more after being fully vaccinated, according to the CDC. “I now tell everyone, including my colleagues, not to let their guard down.”

Airports Step Up Mental Health Assistance as Passenger Anxiety Soars

KFF Health News Original

As more people return to air travel, tension is mounting in airports nationwide. Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson is among those that have responded to the pandemic-related stress and fear among passengers and employees by offering services such as meditation, chaplains and other help in their terminals.