Insights

You learn a lot when you spend months reporting on a given issue or community, as our fellows can attest. Whether you’re embarking on a big new story or seeking to go deeper on a given issue, it pays to learn from those who’ve already put in the shoe leather and crunched the data. In these essays and columns, our community of journalists steps back from the notebooks and tape to reflect on key lessons, highlight urgent themes, and offer sage advice on the essential health stories of the day. 

Author(s)
By Diana Hembree

Help wanted. Pay not so great. Excellent chance of injury. You’ll never see an ad like this in the classifieds, but it’s a good description for many jobs. Get tips for reporting on occupational health.</p>

Author(s)
By Ruxandra Guidi

<p>Just two hours east from my home in urban San Diego, the Anza-Borrego mountains give way to open skies and desert, followed by miles upon miles of bright green crop land. The semi-rural Imperial County is home to almost 200,000 people, most of them Latino, spread out over 4,000 square miles into small but tight-knit communities. Life here is strikingly different from the bustle of the coastal cities; one of the reasons why I love reporting in this part of Southern California.</p>

Author(s)
By Martha Ramirez

<p>Many of us might not think twice when making an appointment to see our doctor for whatever is ailing us, but millions of Americans don't have that luxury.&nbsp;Last year's census revealed that close to 50 million of&nbsp;Americans are uninsured, according to a recent Kaiser Health News article. While in 2008, Medscape News used census data to report a hike in the number of Americans living without health insurance for six straight years.&nbsp;</p>

Author(s)
By Elizabeth Varin

<p>Theoretically, Imperial Valley should be one of the healthiest areas of the nation if you look at food production. With a more than $1 billion agriculture industry growing almost anything under the sun, including artichokes, bamboo shoots, citrus, hay, leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, and more than 100 other types of crops, residents should have a nearly unlimited supply of fresh fruit, vegetables and meat, leading to a health community.</p>

Author(s)
By Trangdai Glassey-Tranguyen

<p>Trauma and loss, even experienced via narratives, are powerful and can return with new effects in the most unexpected moments. They have direct impact on the lives and mental health of the people who lived them. Employing oral history and community participation, I aim to bring awareness about mental health issues connected to traumatic experiences of Vietnamese Americans.</p>

Author(s)
By Suzanne Gordon

<p>Atul Gawande, surgeon and staff writer for The New Yorker, is one of the most prominent voices speaking about patient safety in the United States.&nbsp;But in his latest <em>New Yorker</em> contribution, "Personal Best: Should everyone have a coach?," the "everyone" in question here is, not surprisingly, just the physician.</p>