Health & Safety

The Brutal Business Of Heroin Brings Wave Of Overdoses In Pa.

6:42pm February 02, 2014

According to state and local authorities, 22 people in Western Pennsylvania have died of heroin overdose in less than two weeks. The wave of deaths is due to the appearance of an especially potent batch of heroin, mixed with the painkiller Fentanyl. NPR's Arun Rath speaks with Dr. Neil Capretto, medical director of the Gateway Rehabilitation Center in Pittsburgh.

Queue Listen Now

Sean Morey, then with the Arizona Cardinals, celebrates after blocking a punt against the Seattle Seahawks in 2007. Morey, who suffers from post-concussion syndrome, retired from the NFL in 2010 on the advice of doctors.

Sidelined By Brain Injury, Ex-NFL Player Copes With 'Desperation'

7:51pm January 31, 2014

by Melissa Block

During his 10-year career, Sean Morey absorbed countless hits, more than a few of which resulted in concussions. "Every time I hit somebody it was like getting tasered," he says. Now, he suffers from lingering conditions, like debilitating headaches, and is an advocate for players' health.

Queue Listen Now

More Republicans Push For Fixing, Not Repealing, Obamacare

7:51pm January 31, 2014

by Eric Whitney

Some conservatives say the health care law is here to stay. They're urging Republicans to shift their focus from repealing it to changing parts they don't like. The Tea Party wing calls that capitulation. And it's pushing primary challengers against Republicans they say are soft on repeal.

Queue Listen Now

Health & Safety

Hooping It Up for Super Bowl XLVIII

10:06am January 31, 2014

One Triad woman puts a new spin on Super Bowl fun.

How Industrial Chemical Regulation Failed West Virginia

7:55pm January 29, 2014

For Charleston Gazette reporter Ken Ward, the recent chemical spill — and sometimes confusing information authorities have provided about the risks to citizens — reflect long-standing regulatory failures in the state. He says West Virginia has "basically ignored" recommendations for stricter oversight.

Queue Listen Now

As Vermont expands addiction treatment services, it is also coming to grips with one of the most difficult and emotional aspects of the problem: pregnant women addicted to opiates.

In Vermont, A Network Of Help For Opiate-Addicted Mothers

10:44am January 29, 2014

by Steve Zind

Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin attracted national attention this month when he devoted his entire annual State of the State speech to heroin addiction in Vermont. As the state expands addiction treatment services, it's also trying to come to grips with one of the most difficult and emotional aspects of the problem: pregnant women addicted to opiates.

Queue Listen Now

The Healthy, Not The Young, May Determine Health Law's Fate

12:37pm January 27, 2014

by Julie Rovner

Much has been made of the need for young, healthy people to sign up if the Affordable Care Act is going to work. But it may be that the key word here is not young, but healthy. Insurance companies get paid more for older people, regardless of their health.

Queue Listen Now

West Virginians Confused About Water Safety, Despite State's All Clear

7:53pm January 25, 2014

West Virginia is still assessing the impact of a major chemical spill on Jan. 9 into the Elk River, which left 300,000 people without safe drinking water for days. Guest host Kelly McEvers speaks with Ken Ward Jr., a reporter for the Charleston Gazette, about the spill, and public reaction to conflicting messages from health officials.

Queue Listen Now

You tried burping. You tried bouncing. You tried swaddling. Now what?

Can Probiotics Help Soothe Colicky Babies?

3:53pm January 21, 2014

by Rob Stein

As many as 15 percent of babies have colic, which can cause bouts of inconsolable crying. Researchers are testing probiotics to see if these good bacteria can help. But they don't know how the supplements work, or how they may affect children's health long term.

Queue Listen Now

A customer buys produce at the Euclid Market in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of East Los Angeles in December. The market was reopened in 2013 as part of a project to promote healthy eating among the city's Hispanic population.

Diabetes, Cost Of Care Top Health Concerns For U.S. Latinos

12:57pm January 21, 2014

by Patti Neighmond

A poll by NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health finds that nearly 1 in 5 Latinos say diabetes is the major health concern for themselves and their family. In East Los Angeles, where obesity and diabetes are common, community activists are committed to turning the problem around.

Queue Listen Now