health care

'Unbroken Brain' Explains Why 'Tough' Treatment Doesn't Help Drug Addicts

5:24pm July 07, 2016

"We have this idea that if we are just cruel enough and mean enough ... to people with addiction, that they will suddenly wake up and stop, and that is not the case," journalist Maia Szalavitz says.

Queue Listen Now

"Honey, I think we need to talk about drinking."

Health & Safety

How Parents Can Help Their Underage Kids Resist Alcohol

5:49pm July 06, 2016

by Aimee Cunningham

To discourage teenage alcohol use, parents can engage their kids in discussion, set some rules and let their children know they care.

In states that made medical marijuana legal, prescriptions for a range of drugs covered by Medicare dropped.

After Medical Marijuana Legalized, Medicare Prescriptions Drop For Many Drugs

5:09pm July 06, 2016

by Shefali Luthra

Researchers found that in states with medical marijuana laws on the books, the number of prescriptions dropped for drugs to treat anxiety, depression, nausea, pain, seizures and sleep disorders.

As many as 70,000 more people could get access to office-based treatment for opioid use now that the administration has raised the cap on the number of patients each doctor is allowed to treat.

Obama Administration Eases Restrictions On Doctors Who Treat Opioid Addiction

12:47pm July 06, 2016

by Alison Kodjak

The government is raising the limit on the number of patients a doctor can treat for opioid addiction using the drug buprenorphine to 275 from 100. The move expands office-based treatment options.

VA Panel Report To Suggest More Private Care Choices For Veterans

7:58am July 06, 2016

by Quil Lawrence

The debate over how to overhaul the $10 billion Veterans Choice program is the latest skirmish between those who would like to privatize the VA and supporters of government health care.

Queue Listen Now

Health & Safety

What Puts The Waddle In The Walk Of Moms-To-Be?

4:17pm July 05, 2016

by Carolyn Beans

There is no fighting the pregnant waddle, but there's still more to learn. Researchers are studying how the altered gait affects women's lives.

Time to switch from the parents' health plan to something else.

Young Adults Can Face A Confusing Path To Health Insurance

1:35pm July 05, 2016

by Michelle Andrews

The administration is focused on getting more young adults into marketplace coverage, but these people often have trouble making the change from family plans or Medicaid coverage.

Women go through a lot in the delivery of a healthy baby. But in most cases, doctors say, an episiotomy needn't be part of the experience.

Episiotomies Still Common During Childbirth Despite Advice To Do Fewer

8:00am July 04, 2016

by Jocelyn Wiener

Overall rates of the surgical snip have declined nationally in the past decade. But, despite advice, some hospitals and certain doctors still routinely cut the vagina to ease a baby's birth.

Mary Mullens, age 93, in her room at Edgewood Summit Retirement Community in Charleston, W.Va. Mullens is a patient of Dr. Todd Goldberg, one of only 36 geriatricians in the state.

Few Young Doctors Are Training To Care For U.S. Elderly

5:02pm July 03, 2016

by Kara Lofton

Only about half of geriatric fellowships for medical residents in the U.S. are filled each year. Some students blame overwhelming medical school debt, which grows with every extra year of training.

Community members enjoy a picnic on Gould Farm in Monterey, Mass., in the 1920s. Work on the farm remains a key part of the therapeutic process.

Community-Based Care Can Reduce The Stigma Of Mental Illness

7:00am July 02, 2016

by Jackie Goldstein

People with mental illness are often feared and stigmatized. Psychologist Jackie Goldstein says that having patients live in the community reduces fear and makes it more likely they'll get treatment.