chronic illness

From left to right: Long COVID patients Linda Rosenthal, Julia Landis and Shelby Hedgecock continue to suffer from severe symptoms.

Health & Safety

As pandemic emergencies end, some patients with long COVID feel 'swept under the rug'

12:08pm April 19, 2023

by Jackie Fortier

Millions of Americans suffer from long COVID, which can have debilitating physical effects, including fatigue and difficulty breathing. Yet many patients feel abandoned, as federal aid winds down.

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"Long COVID is characterized by a wide variety of symptoms that persist long after the initial infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus," says Meghan O'Rourke, author of The Invisible Kingdom.

Health & Safety

How long COVID sheds light on other mysterious (and lonely) chronic illnesses

6:33pm February 28, 2022

by Terry Gross

Writer Meghan O'Rourke says long COVID-19 and other chronic illnesses put a heavy burden on patients, who have to "testify to the reality of their own illness." Her new book is The Invisible Kingdom.

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People walk along a main street in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn on Thursday in New York City.

Are You A COVID Long Hauler? Send Us Your Questions About Living With Chronic Illness

5:00am July 27, 2021

by Mallory Yu

COVID-19 symptoms can linger for months after recovery, commonly known as 'post-COVID syndrome.' NPR's Consider This podcast would like to hear your questions about living with long COVID.

Matching patients with social workers, housing and medical support doesn't actually reduce costly hospital readmissions, a study finds. Still, some say it can transform lives.

Health & Safety

Reduce Health Costs By Nurturing The Sickest? A Much-Touted Idea Disappoints

5:00pm January 08, 2020

Matching the sickest patients with social workers and medical support doesn't reduce costly hospital readmissions, a study finds. Still, some believe greater social investment could make a difference.

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Loneliness is on the rise in the U.S., particularly among younger people, such as members of Generation Z, born between the mid-1990s and the early 2000s, and millennials, just a little bit older.

Health & Safety

Americans Are A Lonely Lot, And Young People Bear The Heaviest Burden

12:58pm May 01, 2018

by Rhitu Chatterjee

A nationwide survey by health insurer Cigna finds that loneliness is widespread in America. Millennials and people in Generation Z tend to feel lonelier than retirees.

If you are suddenly unable to work for an extended period because of illness, injury or accident, long-term-disability insurance can save the day.

Why A Long-Term-Disability Policy Is More Important Than Pet Insurance

12:57pm October 11, 2017

by Michelle Andrews

Though not as trendy as pet insurance, a long-term-disability policy is pretty cheap and can save your bacon if you have an accident, get cancer or otherwise can't work for a few months or years.

Brian Vastag suffers from myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, or ME/CFS for short. He is part of an NIH study of the disease, which is commonly called chronic fatigue syndrome.

NIH Study Aims To Unravel The Illness Known As 'Chronic Fatigue Syndrome'

5:40pm May 01, 2017

by Miriam E. Tucker

Researchers do not know what causes people with the condition now known as ME/CFS to suffer debilitating exhaustion and other symptoms that make many everyday activities all but impossible.

Human Interest

Resilience Project: Helping Chronically Ill Patients Pay For Treatment One Pair Of Socks At A Time

10:57pm December 23, 2016

by Bethany Chafin

A new business in Winston-Salem is helping people with chronic illness pay for their treatment.

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Cover detail from Stories from the Shadows, by James O'Connell.

House Calls To The Homeless: A Doctor Treats Boston's Most Isolated Patients

11:39am September 30, 2015

James O'Connell refers to himself as a "street doctor." Since 1985, he has cared for homeless patients, sometimes making visits on park benches or in alleys. His memoir is Stories from the Shadows.

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