Health & Safety

The Changing Politics Of Health Care

2:30pm February 27, 2013

After vocal GOP opposition to President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, three prominent Republican governors recently signed-on to one key element of the law. NPR Political Junkie Ken Rudin and NPR health policy correspondent Julie Rovner explain on the shifting politics of health care.

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How The Food Industry Manipulates Taste Buds With 'Salt Sugar Fat'

12:46pm February 27, 2013

by Nell Boeschenstein

From food scientists who study the human palate to maximize consumer bliss, to marketing campaigns that target teens to hook them for life on a brand, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Michael Moss' new book goes inside the world of processed, packaged goods.

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A new poll explores what happens in American households during the hours between school and bedtime.

Health & Safety

How 'Crunch Time' Between School And Sleep Shapes Kids' Health

11:30am February 27, 2013

A new poll explores how crucial everyday decisions are made in American households about food and exercise.

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Younger Women Have Rising Rate Of Advanced Breast Cancer, Study Says

8:19am February 27, 2013

by Richard Knox

Only about 800 women younger than 40 get the kind of breast cancer that has spread to bones or other organs by the time it's diagnosed. But that number tripled in a generation, and scientists are left wondering what's the cause.

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For some kids who grow up in poverty, the bond developed with Mom is especially important in dealing with stress.

To Spot Kids Who Will Overcome Poverty, Look At Babies

6:25am February 27, 2013

by Alix Spiegel

Researchers say that the heartbeats and breathing of babies may help identify the kids most likely to struggle with poverty later on. Biology matters, the scientists say, but so does baby's relationship with Mom.

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Koop Turned Surgeon General's Office Into Mighty Education Platform

1:34pm February 26, 2013

by Joseph Shapiro

Former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop died Monday. He was 96. As surgeon general, Koop turned an office with little power into a mighty platform to educate Americans about AIDS prevention and the dangers of smoking.

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Governors' D.C. Summit Dominated By Medicaid And The Sequester

7:31pm February 25, 2013

by Julie Rovner

Since the governors last met in July, some have shifted their views on the federal health care law. A few Republicans have even changed their minds about the potential benefits of the president's plan to expand Medicaid.

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Increased Humidity From Climate Change Could Make It Harder To Tolerate Summers

7:23pm February 25, 2013

by Richard Harris

It's not just the heat — it's the humidity. Health experts actually apply that principle to workers, soldiers and sportsmen who toil outside and in places that lack air conditioning. A study in Nature Climate Change says that global warming will noticeably reduce the amount of time people can spend working and playing safely outside.

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Pediatricians Urged To Treat Ear Infections More Cautiously

6:40pm February 25, 2013

by Rob Stein

The new guidelines for treating childhood ear infections are intended to reduce unnecessary antibiotics use. They say doctors should look at the eardrum to make sure a child really has an ear infection, instead of relying on symptoms. And if the child doesn't have severe symptoms, see if the ear gets better on its own.

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Health & Safety

Community Event Examines Mental Health Issues in the Triad

4:38pm February 25, 2013

by Keri Brown

Approximately 54 million people in the US suffer with mental illness. The number one reason for hospital admissions nationwide is psychiatric disorder, according to the

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