Your Health

According to a growing body of research, going to the doctor late in the day may mean you get lower-quality care.

Good Medical Care Can Suffer Late In The Day

11:16pm February 29, 2020

by Mara Gordon

Many of us feel increasingly stressed and short on time as the day wears on. But does that make for worse medical care? Studies suggest preventive maintenance suffers with late appointments.

President Trump speaks at the White House about the U.S. response to the spread of the novel coronavirus.

President Trump Confirms 1st U.S. Coronavirus Death; U.S. Heightens Travel Warnings

5:54pm February 29, 2020

by Meg Anderson

A man in his 50s has died, according to Washington state health officials. It's the first death from COVID-19 in the U.S. The president defended the administration's response.

Handwashing 101: A Guide To Proper Washing (And Drying)

6:47pm February 28, 2020

by Madeline K. Sofia

Coronavirus fears have health professionals talking once again about the importance of washing your hands. Here's a primer on the proper technique — and some of the science — of cleaning up.

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A woman wears a mask in New York out of concern for the newly emerged coronavirus. However, experts say that the commonly worn surgical masks aren't very effective protection.

Health Officials Warn Americans To Plan For The Spread Of Coronavirus In U.S.

8:37pm February 25, 2020

by Rob Stein

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging Americans to prepare for the possibility of more aggressive measures to stop the new coronavirus in the United States.

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A drug implant was prescribed for an active 8-year-old girl diagnosed with central precocious puberty. The price of one option was thousands of dollars less than the other.

Health & Safety

Hormone Blocker Sticker Shock: Kids Drug Costs 8 Times More Than One For Adults

5:11am February 24, 2020

by Sydney Lupkin

Two nearly identical drug implants have very different prices. The one for kids has a list price of $37,300. For adults, it's $4,400. A dad fought for his daughter to be able to get the cheaper drug.

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A growing field of science shows that friendship is vital to our health.

Survival Of The Friendliest: How Our Close Friendships Help Us Thrive

7:01am February 22, 2020

by Elena Renken

In her new book, Lydia Denworth makes the case for the vital necessity of friendship, tracing its effects on your genes, on your brain and even on animals like sheep and fish.

Health & Safety

Life Kit: Living With Postpartum Depression

5:27pm February 15, 2020

by Rhitu Chatterjee

About 1 in 7 women go through pregnancy and postpartum feeling depressed. NPR's Life Kit team has tips on how to recognize the symptoms and where to look for help.

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A masked Yoda and Pikachu guard a table with signs notifying evacuees of times for daily temperature checks.

Health & Safety

Halfway Through U.S. Quarantines, Two Women Describe 'Surreal,' Lonely Waits

3:09pm February 14, 2020

by Rob Stein

A New Orleans law professor and a New Jersey financial analyst are waiting for their stints in the first federal quarantine in a half-century to end. Here's glimpse of their daily lives.

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Health & Safety

Real Orgasms And Transcendent Pleasure: How Women Are Reigniting Desire

11:14am February 14, 2020

by Malaka Gharib

Katherine Rowland, author of The Pleasure Gap: American Women and the Unfinished Sexual Revolution, says it's time for women to start having better sex.

Your body needs trace amounts of zinc for cell division and other basic biology. Nobody's sure how it works to shorten colds.

Taking Zinc Can Shorten Your Cold. Thank A 91-Year-Old Scientist For The Discovery

9:30pm February 10, 2020

by Allison Aubrey

Dr. Ananda Prasad first turned up zinc's benefits to human growth back in the 1960s. Years later, his study and others found that the right dose of zinc can cut a cold's duration by days.