Health & Safety

Simeon Peterson, known as "Mr. Pete," in 2009. Patients at Carville leprosarium often used bicycles to get from building to building, which were connected by covered passageways.

Confined By Leprosy, But Open To The World: Remembering 'Ambassador' Mr. Pete

4:05pm December 28, 2017

by Pam Fessler

Simeon Peterson lived 83 of his 89 years in institutions because of a misguided belief that leprosy was highly contagious. Many would consider it a tragic life, but he did not.

Health & Safety

Want To Help Someone In A Poor Village? Give Them A Bus Ticket Out

3:50pm December 28, 2017

by Nurith Aizenman

Most aid to people in poor places tries to improve conditions where they live. But a growing body of research suggests that there may be a far more effective strategy.

A fear of needles may keep some people away from receiving important vaccines.

Health & Safety

Fear Of Needles May Chip Away At Vaccination Rates

1:17pm December 28, 2017

by Tara Haelle

Public health officials worry about the number of parents who aren't getting children vaccinated. A study suggests that getting multiple shots while in preschool contributes to vaccine fear.

The White House Wants To Overhaul Entitlements

8:15am December 28, 2017

Overhauling entitlements could mean cuts to Medicaid, which serves more than 70 million Americans. Noel King talks to Caroline Pearson of Avalare Health about the potential impact of cuts.

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North Carolina Researchers Reinvent The Toilet

5:00am December 28, 2017

by Eddie Garcia

Imagine a bathroom that isn't connected to an outside plumbing system. Where would everything go?

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Throughout the U.S., minors are generally required to have permission from a parent or legal guardian before they can receive most medical treatment. However, each state has established a number of exceptions.

Why Some Teen Moms Can't Get The Pain Relief They Choose In Childbirth

6:55pm December 27, 2017

by Esther Honig

In more than a dozen U.S. states, laws prohibit pregnant teens from getting epidural anesthesia during labor, or even some kinds of prenatal treatment, without a parent's consent.

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James Okina, founder of the nonprofit Street Priests, poses with street kids in Calabar, Nigeria.

Health & Safety

How A Typical Teen Did Something Not So Typical To Help Street Kids

2:38pm December 27, 2017

by Linus Unah

James Okina of Calabar, Nigeria, was on his way to a soccer match when a chance encounter with a homeless kid changed both of their lives.

In the wake of the "Me Too" movement, more victims of sexual harassment and assault continue to come forward.

In The Wake Of #MeToo, More Victims Seek Help For Repressed Trauma

12:14pm December 27, 2017

by Sarah McCammon

Some local rape crisis centers and national hotlines that help victims of sexual harassment and assault are reporting a flood of calls at what is usually a slower time of year.

Young bodies may more easily rebound from long bouts of sitting, with just an hour at the gym. But research suggests physical recovery from binge TV-watching gets harder in our 50s and as we get older.

Home For The Holidays? Get Off The Couch!

8:59am December 27, 2017

by Patti Neighmond

If you sit too much during middle age — at work and at home — your ability to exercise or even walk in late decades is at risk, research hints. And, of course, your risk of heart disease climbs, too.

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Terry Lilly, then 36, of Charleston, W.Va., almost a year ago when he was first interviewed by NPR's Sarah McCammon.

After Drug Treatment, Men In Recovery Work To Live A 'Normal Life'

11:05pm December 26, 2017

by Sarah McCammon

For NPR's "Kitchen Table" series exploring issues from the 2016 presidential campaign, we revisit Huntington, W. Va., and follow up with three men in recovery from opioid addiction.

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