Health Equity & Social Justice

In California’s Central Valley and rural north, more than a dozen hospitals have closed since the early 2000s. The closures often limit care options and inflict economic misery — some communities never recover.

A new analysis of national data reveals for the first time just a slew of disparities between the mental and physical health of children placed in foster care and otherwise similar kids.

In Los Angeles, reporter Peiwen Jing finds that the public health system could be doing far more to reach out to Chinese immigrants about health care coverage and access to care.

Luis Nolasco, 25, did not know what the psychological consequences would be when he came from Mexico with his family, illegally, at the age of nine. Then, in his late teens, he noticed he began to feel sad and pessimistic.

Medical school debts can make loan repayment programs a win-win for both docs and underserved patients. But some basic fixes could make such programs far more effective.

For unaccompanied minors, seeking out health care is fraught will challenges and fear. Reporter Lucy Guanuna tells the stories of young mothers and children, and their unmet health needs.

New statistics show just how quickly rates of babies born with neonatal abstinence syndrome have risen over the past six years, particularly in largely rural states such as Kentucky. Here's why that's so worrying.

“I call it present traumatic stress disorder. When you have post-traumatic stress disorder it means the trauma has ended. With our people it is a perpetual trauma that is inflicted on almost a daily basis,” one lifelong resident of Bakersfield says.

Diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes when she was 11 years-old, Carolina takes three types of insulin and four other medications every day. Diabetes experts say the family's situation is fairly common.

After living there for over a decade, I know San Francisco is uniquely situated when it comes to HIV and AIDS. But I wondered, How are other counties in California fairing in their prevention efforts?