Category: Public Health

Hurricane Maria’s Official Death Toll In Puerto Rico Now Stands At Nearly 3,000

A report, commissioned by officials in the American territory, finds initial estimates were far too low, and mortality rates in the six months after the storm were 20 percent higher than normal.

Wis. Board Will Again Cover State Workers Seeking Transgender Treatment

The Group Insurance Board reversed a decision made last year to bar coverage of transgender hormone therapy and surgery for public workers.

Earwax, Of All Things, Poses Unrecognized Risk In Long-Term Care

Up to two-thirds of residents in nursing homes may have impacted earwax, which can worsen hearing loss, falls and cognitive decline.

Parent Alert! Your Kid May Be Vaping More Than Tobacco

Educators and researchers say that as vaping becomes more common among young people, some are putting pot in their pods.

Suicide By Opioid: New Research Suggests Overdoses Should Be Classified As Self-Harm

Researchers combined the number of suicide deaths with those associated with drug overdoses in an effort to better grasp the overlap between these two public health epidemics.

The Doctors Want In: Democratic Docs Talk Health Care On The Campaign Trail

Among candidates running for Congress in upcoming elections are a smattering of left-leaning physicians who present a stark contrast to the predominantly Republican physicians currently in office.

The Doctors Want In: Democratic Docs Talk Health Care On The Campaign Trail

Among candidates running for Congress in upcoming elections are a smattering of left-leaning physicians who present a stark contrast to the predominantly Republican physicians currently in office.

Readers And Tweeters Revisit Surgery Centers, Think Twice About Single-Payer

Kaiser Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Opioids, EpiPens And Health Funding

In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Alice Ollstein of Talking Points Memo, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times and Joanne Kenen of Politico discuss Senate action on health funding and opioid legislation, the state of the individual insurance market and consternation over expiration dates on EpiPens, the self-injected allergy remedy. Also, could an otter with asthma signal a potential public health crisis?

A Late-Life Surprise: Taking Care Of Frail, Aging Parents

More and more older adults, age 60 and older, care for their elderly parents and face physical, emotional and financial stress.