A laundromat in Smith River became a crucial entry point for reporting on undocumented farmworkers' health care access in California's rural north.
Health Equity & Social Justice
Also this week: A sharp contrast on health equity in the presidential election, and California will now report Indigenous Latino health data.
Black men are twice as likely to be diagnosed and die from prostate cancer compared to white men, a fact that hits close to home for columnist James Causey.
A report shows California's Medi-Cal dental program still struggles, with fewer kids seeing dentists. Disparities in heart health, OB-GYN training, and telehealth access also persist across groups.
The closure of El Centro's maternity ward strains Imperial County's lone hospital, forcing many to seek care far away, highlighting rural healthcare challenges and urgent need for more resources.
Good mining jobs with good benefits can counterintuitively hurt access to care.
Shorter lifespans, elevated levels of asthma, high blood pressure, heart and lung disease found in Black neighborhoods along highways.
Farmworkers face health risks from pesticide exposure. Weak regulations and fear of retaliation leave many unprotected, as employers prioritize profits over worker safety.
"Learning to use sensitivity and trauma-informed approaches with my subjects became paramount," writers reporter Robert Hansen.
In the last six years, five maternity units have closed down across rural Virginia, impacting access to prenatal care. However, with the closures have come new models of care.