Public Health & Prevention

A mosquito control inspector in Miami-Dade County, Fla., looks for mosquito larvae in water from a storm drain.

A Permanent Fund That Could Help Fight Zika Exists, But It's Empty

12:01pm June 03, 2016

by Alison Kodjak

Back in 1983, Congress authorized a public health emergency fund. But the pot of money was never very substantial and it hasn't been replenished. The fund now stands at $57,000.

Dr. Leana Wen, Baltimore City health commissioner, visits a newly opened Safe Streets center in the Sandtown-Winchester neighborhood in West Baltimore.

Lesson Learned For Baltimore's Health Commissioner: 'I Like A Fight'

8:41pm April 25, 2016

by NPR Staff

A year after Baltimore erupted in violence over the death of Freddie Gray, Dr. Leana Wen, the city's health commissioner, talks about progress and setbacks in dealing with issues the unrest exposed.

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Can Baltimore Provide Addiction Treatment On Demand?

5:43pm February 24, 2016

Andrea Towson, who has used heroin off and on for 30 years, is eager to get treatment. "I just want to wake up and eat breakfast and be normal, no matter what that might be," she says.

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Dr. Tom Frieden (left), director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, testifies about Zika virus with Dr. Anthony Fauci (center), director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and Dr. Ariel Pablos-Mendez, assistant a

Health & Safety

When Fear Becomes An Unintended Public Health Problem

4:19pm February 19, 2016

by Doug Levy

There's a fine line between telling people about an emerging public health threat, such as Zika virus, and scaring them out of their wits. Once alarm spreads, it can be hard to make the facts known.

Mental Health Courts Are Popular, But Are They Effective?

8:32pm December 16, 2015

by Michelle Andrews

The courts serve as an alternative for people with mental health issues when legal charges are filed. The courts steer people to help through community services rather than jail.

"The Block is like living," outreach worker Nathan Fields says. "These relationships, you've got to keep them flourishing."

Pitching Health Care In Baltimore's Red Light District

6:03pm November 10, 2015

Nathan Fields, a health outreach worker, has a knack for building trust with some of the people who distrust public officials the most.

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Poll: Most Americans Support FDA Regulation Of E-Cigarettes

4:50pm October 27, 2015

by Scott Hensley

An NPR poll found that a majority of people favor regulation of e-cigarette. Support rose with education. Nearly two-thirds of people with college or graduate degrees supported regulation.

Tablets of Lipitor and its generic equivalent, atorvastatin, are among the drugs commonly prescribed to prevent heart attacks and strokes among people at risk.

Health & Safety

Doubts Rise About Surge In Statin Prescriptions For Oldest Americans

3:16pm September 21, 2015

by Lisa Gillespie

About a third of people over the age of 79 are taking a cholesterol-lowering statin to prevent the first occurrence of a heart attack or stroke. Proof is scant that the benefits outweigh the risks.

If you're at high risk of hepatitis B infection, your insurance company should pay for testing for the virus without passing any of the cost on to you.

Health & Safety

More Preventive Health Services Approved For No-Cost Coverage

4:02pm June 05, 2015

by Michelle Andrews

The newest recommended services are hepatitis B screening for adolescents and adults at high risk for infection and low-dose aspirin for pregnant women who are at high risk for preeclampsia.

Truvada can dramatically reduce the risk of HIV infection when taken as a preventative medicine — if taken every day. Studies are underway to determine if young people are likely to take the pill consistently.

Would A Pill To Protect Teens From HIV Make Them Feel Invincible?

11:08am March 13, 2015

by Rafael Johns

Trials are underway to see how effective a pill approved for HIV prevention in adults may be for teenagers. But some worry Truvada could end up encouraging reckless sexual behavior among young people.

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