Aug 02 Amid shortage of psychiatric beds, mentally ill face long waits for treatment By Michael Ollove, Stateline Across the country, a critical shortage of state psychiatric beds is forcing mentally ill patients with severe symptoms to be held in emergency rooms, hospitals and jails while they wait for a bed, sometimes for weeks. Continue reading
Aug 02 Doctors unprepared for treating drug addiction, some health experts say By Natalie Jacewicz, Kaiser Health News Americans are overdosing at epidemic rates on opioids such as heroin and prescribed painkillers, and the nation’s doctors are inadequately prepared to help, according to some public health experts. They say the shortfall begins in medical school. Continue reading
Aug 02 Gun violence and mental health laws, 50 years after Texas tower sniper By Lauren Silverman, KERA For decades, people have struggled to figure out why Charles Whitman stuck his rifle over the edge of the clock tower at the University of Texas at Austin and started shooting. Continue reading
Aug 01 Watch 3:43 News Wrap: Maryland town in shambles after flash flood that killed two By PBS News Hour In our news wrap Monday, a flash flood in Maryland killed two people on Saturday night. The flood was triggered by a cloud burst of more than 6 inches of rain. Also, officials now say there are 14 cases of… Continue watching
Aug 01 Long-term care is an immediate problem -- for the government By Anna Gorman and Barbara Feder Ostrov, Kaiser Health News Experts estimate that about half of all people turning 65 today will need daily help as they age, either at home or in nursing homes. Such long-term care will cost an average of about $91,000 for men and double that… Continue reading
Aug 01 14 Zika cases linked to Miami mosquitoes; CDC cites possible insecticide resistance By Nsikan Akpan Florida Gov. Rick Scott has called on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to activate their Emergency Response Team, after the state's health officials identified 10 additional cases of Zika virus infection that appear tied to local mosquitoes. Continue reading
Aug 01 Opioid dependence leads to 'tsunami' of medical services, study finds By Julie Appleby, Kaiser Health News In one of the first looks at privately insured patients with opioid problems, researchers paint a grim picture: Medical services for people with opioid dependence diagnoses skyrocketed more than 3,000 percent between 2007 and 2014. Continue reading
Jul 30 Watch 4:04 CDC confirms first local transmission of Zika in Florida By PBS News Hour Health officials have confirmed the first transmissions of the Zika virus by mosquitoes on the U.S. mainland. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said this week that four people have been infected in the Miami area, but no Zika-carrying… Continue watching
Jul 30 Majority of Americans misuse prescription drugs By Ed Silverman, STAT Many Americans appear to be misusing their prescription drugs in ways that put their health at risk, notably combining dangerous combinations of medicines, according to a report released this week. Continue reading
Jul 30 Court decision leaves undocumented immigrants' health care in limbo By Ana B. Ibarra, Kaiser Health News For undocumented immigrants, finding affordable health care has been an ongoing battle. Continue reading