Alex Smith, KCUR

Author's posts

More Black Americans Are Buying Guns. Is It Driving Up Black Suicide Rates?

Gun buying among African Americans has soared in recent years. So have suicide rates among young Black men. Suicide prevention and gun safety efforts need to address race and cultural differences, Black gun owners say.

As Climate Worsens, Environmentalists Grapple With the Mental Toll of Activism

After her son’s death by suicide, a mother promotes mental health for environmentalists. It’s part of a larger push to address the burnout and psychological stress that can affect activists.

In Missouri and Other States, Flawed Data Makes It Hard to Track Vaccine Equity

Racial and ethnic categories for vaccination data vary widely from one state to another, complicating efforts to distribute shots where they are needed most. In Missouri, some red flags in the data surfaced, making health officials question its usefulness.

Rural Areas Send Their Sickest Patients to Cities, Straining Hospitals

Critically ill rural patients are often sent to city hospitals for high-level treatment, and as their numbers grow, some urban hospitals are buckling under the added strain. Meanwhile, mask-wearing and other pandemic prevention measures remain spotty in rural counties.

Missouri Voters Approve Medicaid Expansion Despite GOP Resistance

Missouri is the sixth state to use a ballot initiative to extend Medicaid eligibility. Most of the remaining states that have not expanded Medicaid are Republican-leaning states in the South.

Trump Administration’s Sudden Shift on COVID Data Leaves States in the Lurch

Missouri Hospital Association says the switch of data collection from the CDC to a new HHS contractor is “a major disruption.” In Kansas, the move likely will delay hospitalization data.

Drinking Surged During The Pandemic. Do You Know The Signs Of Addiction?

Experts say a bit of extra drinking isn’t a problem for many people, but they recommend watching out for specific behaviors that signal addiction.

In Reversal, Kansas Will Count All Positive COVID Cases, Even Asymptomatic Ones

Following a KCUR report, Kansas officials said the state’s public reporting of pandemic trends will count all tests that come back positive for the new coronavirus, even when the patient has no symptoms.

Pediatricians Stand By Meds For ADHD, But Some Say Therapy Should Come First

The American Academy of Pediatrics is out with new guidelines on ADHD that some hoped would boost the role of behavioral interventions before medications. But the AAP stuck by its recommendation that children 6 and older should be given medicine combined with therapy after diagnosis.

In Tiny Doses, An Addiction Medication Moonlights As Treatment For Chronic Pain

Naltrexone, commonly used for opioid and alcohol use disorders, may also help patients with chronic pain — when prescribed in microdoses. But few doctors or patients seem to know about it.