Category: Public Health

Farmworkers Face Daunting Health Risks In California’s Wildfires

October marks not only fire season in California, but also the peak of the grape harvest. In areas not imminently threatened by the explosive Kincade Fire in Sutter County’s fabled vineyards, workers labored through heat and smoke, or faced lost wages.

Snooze You Can Use: California Legislates More Sleep For Better Health

Other states may follow California’s new law requiring later start times for middle and high school students. The new law highlights the importance of better sleep, which will once again be on people’s minds as most of America — but not all — sets the clock back an hour early next month.

As Vaping Devices Evolve, New Potential Hazards Scrutinized

The technology for vaping has changed over the years, and researchers are finding more evidence that the way vaping devices and e-liquids interact could harm consumers.

Compression Garments Can Ease Lymphedema. Covering Costs? Not So Easy.

Private insurance plans vary in coverage for compression garments, and some fall short of meeting patients’ needs. Although Medicaid programs cover some of these expenses, Medicare does not.

For Boomers Reframing Aging, Age-Proofing A Home Won’t Come Cheap

More baby boomers look forward to aging in place — in their homes, rather than in a care facility. But the costs of retrofitting a house is likely prohibitive for many Americans.

For Generation Juul, Nicotine Addiction Happens Fast And Is Hard To Shake

One in 4 high school seniors report vaping in the previous month. Teens talk about how quickly vaping became ingrained in teen culture and how hard it is to quit vaping nicotine.

Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes

Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes wades through hundreds of health care policy stories each week, so you don’t have to.

KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: Democrats Do Drugs (Prices)

House Democrats start legislative work on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s prescription drug pricing bill; health is again a featured player in the Democratic presidential candidate debate; and courts around the country hold up President Donald Trump’s health agenda. This week, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Tami Luhby of CNN, and Joanne Kenen of Politico join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists recommend their favorite health stories of the week.

‘Fear Of Falling’: How Hospitals Do Even More Harm By Keeping Patients In Bed

In what experts call an “epidemic of immobility,” older hospital patients remain stuck in bed, their movements tracked by loud and ineffective bed alarms, losing muscle mass that’s key to their health and daily functioning.

No More Tater Tots? California Schools Put Healthier Lunches To The Test

In the Golden State and elsewhere, school lunches include less meat, fewer processed foods and more fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains. One of the challenges nutrition advocates face is a new directive from the Trump administration that cuts the other way.