Insights

<p>From tainted water to failing septic tanks, some Californians live in communities without the most basic infrastructure and services. How do these conditions affect their public health?</p>

37 years ago, at the very tail of the civil rights movement, my community health center (CHC) was established in Oakland to fill an unmet and urgent need. A growing population of immigrants were settling in downtown Oakland and had few choices for health care. Community surveys conducted by local leaders confirmed that residents received significantly less health care than the rest of the population largely due to a shortage of providers and limited English proficiency. And so a group of volunteers and students opened a make shift clinic with a volunteer doctor and an optometrist available for two days a week. As demand grew this little clinic expanded hours and added staff one at a time. Almost four decades later, the clinic has grown to 40+ doctors seeing 20,000 patients who speak any of 10 different languages.

<p>I've been a health reporter for a number of years and, in the past few have focused increasingly on issues of cost and quality. I am still amazed at how opaque these issues are and how reluctant the medical community is to talk about them. Often, when I ask about quality I'm met with incredulity. How dare I question the medical care provided?</p>

<p>Why are Hispanic teens in Connecticut having more babies despite a national drop in teen pregnancy rates? Magaly Olivero is launching a reporting project with the Connecticut Health Investigative Team to find out.</p><p><!--StartFragment--> <!--StartFragment--></p>

<p>When investigative health journalist Marshall Allen told me that my anti-FOIA stance seemed counterproductive, I listened. Here's his compelling argument.</p>

<p>Journalist Kate Long's home state faces staggering health problems, prompting her project to explore West Virginia’s rising tide of chronic disease and obesity and the considerable efforts by its residents to reverse it.</p>

<p>Ridiculously fattening foods, the perils of testing for Alzheimer's and the link between flying and patient safety, plus more from our Daily Briefing.</p>

<p>Michelle Obama kicks off a new $200 million loan fund to bring more fresh and nutritious food to the California communities that need it most.</p>

<p>This week, we highlight a Healthcare Research Writer-Editor vacancy at Thomson Reuters. Also featured are a variety of print and online opportunities on the East Coast. In addition, find the most updated information on upcoming grants, fellowships and educational opportunities.</p>

<p>Eighteen years ago (1993) the government of Puerto Rico performed a major operation on its public health system. Mainly, it gave people in economic need the opportunity to access private health services, with public funding. National Health Journalism Fellow&nbsp;Marga Parés will report on the initiative in its newest iteration for her reporting project.</p>