This week - Floodwaters from Matthew will soon bring other public health problems. ... Should we rethink automatic insurance coverage for preventive health care? ... Caring for the first kids born with Zika as they turn one. ... An herbal supplement opioid addicts say helps them stays legal, for now ... These and more ...
When Floods Recede, Troubles Rise
It's not just drowning in floodwater that people left in Hurricane Matthew's wake have to worry about, it's the long list of public health hazards it left behind in several states: garbage, mold and dirty water. For North Carolina Health News, Catherine Clabby looks at what officials are doing to warn the public. (Photo by Ryan Johnson/City of North Charleston)
And, here's how hospitals in North Carolina are copingwith caring for people after the flood.
Funding To Stop Mosquitoes Was A Low Priority Until Zika Hit, Now Communities Are Scrambling
Stretched local budgets are nothing new, but as mosquito-borne diseases slowed in the last few years, funding to fight the bugs that carried them dried up. Now in the facing of what many consider a public health emergency, localities are scrambling to find money to control mosquitoes before Zika strikes their communities hard. For Kaiser Health News, Emily Kopp reports.
Should We Still Have Automatic Insurance Coverage For Preventive Health?
Some health care experts argue that mandating insurance coverage for preventative care is not necessarily a good thing. Why? It creates financial incentives that can corrupt the process. Alison Kodjak reports the EpiPen could be behind the push for change.
An Herb That Users Believe Helps With Opioid Withdrawal Gets A Break From The DEA
The DEA, after threatening to do so, will not make kratom a Schedule I controlled substance. Lauren Silverman for KERA reports: "In the U.S., kratom has become popular among people coping with chronic pain and others trying to wean themselves off opioids or alcohol." Instead, the DEA will open an official public comment period for people to sound off on the substance.
Quick Hits
A new study says mammograms are more likely to cause unneededtreatmentthan to save lives.
Zika's toll turns one: "A year after a spike in the number of newborns with the defect known as microcephaly, doctors and researchers have seen many of the babies develop swallowing difficulties, epileptic seizures and vision and hearing problems."
More evidence that for seniors, exercise offers huge benefits to their health.
Finally, do you have serious election anxiety? You're not alone.
