Public Health Archives - Page 44 of 185

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: The Invisible Pandemic

Covid cases are again climbing, but you wouldn’t know it from the behavior of public health and elected officials, much less the general public, all of whom seem to want to put the pandemic in the rearview mirror. Meanwhile, the fallout over the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion on abortion continues even as the Senate fails — again — to muster the votes to write abortion rights into law. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists suggest their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too.

May 12, 2022

A health worker prepares to give a senior man a shot.

COVID-19

Why Won’t More Older Americans Get Their Covid Booster?

Approximately 1 in 3 Americans 65 and older who completed their initial vaccination round still have not received a first booster shot. The numbers dismay researchers, who say the lag has cost tens of thousands of lives.

By Liz Szabo

May 12, 2022

COVID-19

Is Paxlovid, the Covid Pill, Reaching Those Who Most Need It? The Government Won’t Say

Many public health workers are unable to see how many doses of Pfizer’s antiviral treatment are shipped to their communities and cannot tell whether vulnerable residents are filling prescriptions as often as their wealthier neighbors.

By Hannah Recht

May 12, 2022

Ripple Effects of Abortion Restrictions Confuse Care for Miscarriages

In Texas, where anyone can face a hefty fine of at least $10,000 if they abet an abortion, medical professionals on the front lines face tough quandaries when treating patients who have a miscarriage, a scenario that could soon play out around the country if abortion restrictions tighten.

By Charlotte Huff

May 11, 2022

Rural California Hatches Plan for Engineered Mosquitoes to Battle Stealthy Predator

Tulare County officials hope the region will soon be a testing ground for a new generation of technology in a centuries-old war: Human vs. Mosquito.

By Anna Maria Barry-Jester

May 10, 2022

Sweeping, Limited, or No Powers at All? What’s at Stake in the Mask Mandate Appeal

Dictionaries, public comments, and even an old court case that involved underwear pricing could play a role as the government appeals a ruling that sharply limits federal authority during pandemics.

By Julie Appleby

May 6, 2022

A 3D rendering shows three models of the coronavirus tinted pink, yellow and orange on a white background.

COVID-19

A Guide to Help You Keep Up With the Omicron Subvariants

How different are the seemingly endless stream of emerging omicron subvariants from one another and how protected are we?

By Louis Jacobson, PolitiFact

May 6, 2022

Podcast

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Leaked Abortion Opinion Rocks Washington’s World

The unprecedented early leak of a Supreme Court draft opinion that would overturn the landmark abortion-rights ruling Roe v. Wade has heated the national abortion debate to boiling. Meanwhile, the FDA, after years of consideration, moves to ban menthol flavors in cigarettes and cigars. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, Shefali Luthra of the 19th, and Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Plus, Rovner interviews KHN’s Paula Andalo, who wrote the latest KHN-NPR “Bill of the Month” episode about a family whose medical debt drove them to seek care south of the border.

May 5, 2022

As Overdoses Soar, More States Decriminalize Fentanyl Testing Strips

Georgia may soon join a growing list of states decriminalizing the use of fentanyl testing strips. Bans of the strips — on the books in about half of states, experts say — stem from laws criminalizing drug paraphernalia adopted decades ago. But the testing devices are now recommended to help prevent overdose deaths.

By Andy Miller

May 5, 2022

Sex Education Update in Texas Still Lacking, Say Some Students and Educators

The last time Texas updated its sex education curriculum was in the '90s. Students will now learn about contraception and STIs — but not gender or consent. And parents must opt in to the classes for their children.

By Elena Rivera, KERA

May 5, 2022

A sign outside of a hosp ital reads, "Franciscan Health Hammond." The hospital is seen in the background behind trees.

Postcard From Indiana

Downsized City Sees Its Health Care Downsized as Hospital Awaits Demolition

A 124-year-old hospital in a midsize Rust Belt city in Indiana will soon be torn down, despite protests from residents and city officials decrying the loss of local health services. The Catholic hospital system said it is downsizing the 226-bed hospital because of a lack of demand for inpatient care, as the organization has been building new hospitals in wealthier suburbs.

By Giles Bruce

May 2, 2022

California Opens Medicaid to Older Unauthorized Immigrants

Starting May 1, low-income unauthorized immigrants over age 49 became eligible for full Medicaid health coverage, a significant milestone in California’s effort to expand coverage.

By Bernard J. Wolfson

May 2, 2022

Podcast

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: More Covid Complications for Congress

Congress is back in session, but covid diagnoses for Vice President Kamala Harris and two Democratic senators have temporarily left the Senate without a working majority to approve continued covid funding. Meanwhile, opponents of the Affordable Care Act have filed yet another lawsuit challenging a portion of the law, and we say goodbye to the late Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, who left a long legacy of health laws. Rachel Cohrs of STAT News, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, and Rebecca Adams of KHN join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.

April 28, 2022

Navigating Aging

Advance Care Planning for Guns: Owners Can Help Ensure Safe Use and Transfer of Weapons

Colorado researchers publish a tool to help gun owners and family members plan ahead for safe firearm use and transfers in the event of disability or death.

By Judith Graham

April 27, 2022

Tech Titans Want the Richest Californians to Pay for Pandemic Preparedness

A measure likely to be on California’s November ballot would tax the state’s wealthiest residents to rebuild crumbling public health infrastructure and try to head off another pandemic. But are inflation-weary Californians willing to vote for new taxes?

By Angela Hart

April 26, 2022

A healthcare worker walks up to a car in a drive-through covid testing site.

Despite Losing Federal Money, California Is Still Testing Uninsured Residents for Covid — For Now

Federal funding that paid for covid testing, treatment, and vaccines for uninsured people has run out. While some states struggle to make up the difference, California is relying on other state and local programs to continue free testing.

By Rachel Bluth

April 25, 2022

A surgical mask on the floor as many people walk past it.

COVID-19

Judge’s Ruling on the CDC Mask Mandate Highlights the Limits of the Agency’s Power

A recent court decision that overturns one of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s few pandemic rules — masks required on public transportation — spotlights how little power remains in federal hands to enforce public health protections.

By Sam Whitehead and Julie Appleby

April 21, 2022

COVID-19

Better Ventilation Can Prevent Covid Spread. But Are Companies Paying Attention?

The research is clear that improving indoor air quality is an essential tool in stemming the spread of covid and a host of other diseases. But companies have to be willing to invest.

By Liz Szabo

April 19, 2022

A young person's hand is seen with an IV inserted, resting on a hospital bed. A doctor's hand holds the child's hand.

As Eating Disorders Spike During Pandemic, Rural Treatment Options Lag

More people have visited emergency departments for eating disorders during the pandemic. Those living in rural areas have limited pathways to treatment.

By Carly Graf

April 19, 2022