We know that kids who grow up with a lot of adversity are far more likely to suffer poor health and early death as adults. But how well do we understand the means by which early trauma is translated into health problems decades later? Researchers are still teasing apart the mechanisms at work.
When freelance reporter Kit Stolz began reporting on the obesity disparity between two towns in Ventura County, he found officials in one town happy to talk while those in the other where hard to get on the line. In this post, he shares some of his missteps and lessons learned along the way.
Researchers found that California diabetics who live in low-income neighborhoods are up to 10 times more likely to lose a toe, foot or leg than patients who live in affluent areas. Early diagnosis and proper treatment can prevent many of these amputations, researchers said.
Up to a million undocumented immigrants in California are expected to remain uninsured after the ACA is fully implemented in 2019. One California community is trying to meet some of the unmet health needs by partnering with community health centers and hosting a physician’s assistant once a week.
Awareness of just how damaging toxic stress and childhood adversity can be for a child's health and life prospects is growing. While leading experts call for bold new treatments, what approaches are already showing promise in reversing the effects on young bodies and minds?
Akron, Ohio's Accountable Care Community has brought together a coalition of partners to reduce the number of residents suffering from chronic disease and treatment costs. Similarly, nonprofit hospitals elsewhere can do much more to improve the health of entire communities.
We all love firing up our cellphones to write a text or a tweet, or maybe to engage in a quick game of Candy Crush. But could we turn to the tiny glowing screens to get healthier, too?
For the 47 million Americans dependent on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the bad news keeps on coming. Cuts in November might be followed by billions more as Congress considers legislation.
My series for Voice of OC on immigrants' health decline as they live in the U.S began with a study that got my attention. It showed that life expectancy rates in the Orange County were higher for Latinos than whites. I was surprised for a couple reasons.
The U.S. locks up more individuals per capita than any other country in the world. We have 2.2 million people behind bars – up 500% from 30 years ago. This situation raises important questions for policy makers, and it’s a rich area for journalistic exploration.
