Steph Whiteside

As the coronavirus pandemic continues, some of the biggest outbreaks have been concentrated in urban areas, like New York City and Chicago. But rural America isn’t immune to the virus—and many areas are already dealing with a scarcity of health care.

Ferrell Hospital, in the Southern Illinois town of Eldorado, is bracing for coronavirus. Dr. Joseph Jackson, a physician at Ferrell, says the virus is sure to spread to rural areas like the ones his hospital serves.

Most people think of heart disease as something that only happens in old age. That’s not always the case. But younger people may not recognize symptoms of a cardiac emergency because they don’t think it could happen to them.

Alzheimer's disease affects more than five million Americans, but the disease is still a mystery to scientists and doctors. There’s no cure. But some patients and caregivers hope to change that by joining clinical trials for new drugs. 

At the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Dr. Tom Ala is part of a clinical trial for a drug that holds promise in slowing Alzheimer’s. It's a nationwide trial involving hundreds of patients.

Sending a child to overnight camp can be nerve-wracking for any parent. It’s even scarier if they have a child with a chronic illness. But a camp in Illinois offers a safe option for kids who have Type 1 diabetes.

Bill Sullivan's new book, "Please To Meet Me," explores the way genes and environment shape our lives. Sullivan, a professor at the Indiana University School of Medicine, talked with Side Effects' Stephanie Whiteside about the book and what he found out while researching it.

As the school year begins, parents are checking off things they need to do, including making sure their children get required vaccines.

But some parents are opting out, and last year that led to the worst measles outbreak the U.S. has seen in more than two decades. Now, doctors and nurses are working to get more children vaccinated. 

As officials look for ways to stem the opioid epidemic, a lot of effort has been put into limiting narcotic prescriptions. But new research suggests underlying social issues -- like incarceration and poverty -- are linked to overdose deaths. 

Since February, patients in Illinois have been able to swap their opioid prescriptions for marijuana. And many are doing just that.