Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

This Week In Public Health: How The Young Cope With Cancer; Nurses Step In To Aid Opioid Crisis

This week - Zach's response to his cancer diagnosis: video games, then the real fight began ... Want to wash away nasty bacterial critters? Antibacterial soap isn't the answer, the FDA says ... People are afraid of wheat, at least that's what increasingly gluten-free diets are telling me, even if gluten allergies aren't on the rise ... These and more ...

For Young Adults, Cancer Disrupts Life and Raises Lasting Questions Zach's answer to his cancer diagnosois was to kill virtual people virtually for 8 hours. But what came after was surgery, chemo and a fight to get his life back to normal. For Side Effects and KBIA, Rebecca Smith writes that young people that fall somewhere between pediatric and adult oncologyoften face derailment to their life's goals.

Fewer Willing Doctors, Nurses Step In To Help People Battle Opioid Addiction Doctors are not showing much willingness to sign up for new public health programs nationwide that help people kick their opioid addictions, and nurses are picking up the slack. Stateline's Christine Vestal reports registered nurses in Boston are taking the lead in giving people addicted to opioids a chance at restarting their lives by providing labor-intensive office visits and other care to fight the crisis.

Insurance For Your Insurance: Gaps Plans Aim To Cure High-Deductible Plan Jitters What do you do when your health insurance plan, aimed at making your health coverage affordable and giving you peace of mind, is anything but comforting? Why, you buy another plan that shields you from the other plan's high deductibles. And more people are using them, writes Bram Sable-Smith for Side Effects.

FDA Says No More Antibacterial Soap Think you're doing good killing all those little bacteria on your hands by using antibacterial soap? The FDA says 19 chemicals in many such cleaners are leaving us more at risk for weird hormone cycles and muscle weakness. NPR's Alison Kodjaklooks at what products have a year to change or get removed from shelves.

Quick Hits

Long the realm of deep-fried everythings, sports arenas are increasing their gluten-free offerings, but there's no evidence that we are more allergic to gluten than we've ever been. So why are gluten-free diets skyrocketing?

Is the Medicaid expansion adding to the rural health care gap?

 

What's a "safe" food additive? The FDA lets companies determine it, and that's a problem, this food safety advocate says.

Finally, Marketplace takes a deep dive into how we, as a society,are criminalizing disability, and what it means for people trying to securely live their lives and raise families.