Category: Disparities

As Covid Grabbed the World’s Attention, Texas’ Efforts to Control TB Slipped

Responding to covid has taken so much attention and energy that some public health workers believe it pushed tuberculosis off people’s radar.

As Opioids Mixed With Animal Tranquilizers Arrive in Kensington, So Do Alarming Health Challenges

The veterinary tranquilizer xylazine, the choice du jour of local drug dealers to cut fentanyl, leads to necrotic ulcers and leaves street medics and physicians confused about how best to deal with this wave of the opioid crisis.

It Takes a Village: Foster Program Is a New Model of Care for Indigenous Children

A foster care program on the Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota is attracting attention from officials elsewhere as they search for ways to reduce trauma inflicted on Indigenous families, who’ve faced generations of high rates of family separation.

As Pandemic-Era Medicaid Provisions Lapse, Millions Approach a Coverage Cliff

States are trying to reach millions of Medicaid enrollees to make sure those still eligible remain covered and help others find new health insurance.

Unmet Needs: Critics Cite Failures in Health Care for Vulnerable Foster Children

More states are moving to specialized managed-care contracts solely to handle medical and behavioral services for foster kids. But child advocates, foster parents, and even state officials say these and other care arrangements are shortchanging foster kids’ health needs.

Transgender People in Rural America Struggle to Find Doctors Willing or Able to Provide Care

Many health professionals in rural areas don’t know how to provide gender-affirming care, leaving transgender patients with few options.

Bleeding and in Pain, a Pregnant Woman in Louisiana Couldn’t Get Answers

How one Louisiana woman experiencing a miscarriage sought care amid a climate of fear and confusion among doctors fueled by that state’s restrictive abortion law.

Lost Sleep and Jangled Nerves: The Rising Onslaught of Noise Harms Mind and Body

Noise pollution is a growing problem that isn’t confined to the ears: It can cause harm throughout the body. California is taking baby steps to address the increasing din from traffic and illegally modified cars, but public health experts urge lawmakers to act more boldly.

From Her View in Knoxville, the Health System Is ‘Not Designed for Poor People’

Monica Reed was the first in her family to own a home and has lived “a frugal kind of life.” Cancer treatment left her with almost $10,000 in debt, pushing her to the edge financially.

More States to Consider Extending Postpartum Medicaid Coverage Beyond Two Months

Fifteen states haven’t moved to extend Medicaid coverage for new moms beyond the minimum of 60 days after birth. But at least four of those holdout states — Montana, Wyoming, Missouri, and Mississippi — are expected to consider proposals to extend coverage in their upcoming legislative sessions.