Latest Kaiser Health News Stories

California prohíbe pesticida vinculado a problemas de desarrollo
Varios estudios han relacionado la exposición prenatal al clorpirifos con bajo peso al nacer, reducción del coeficiente intelectual, trastorno por déficit de atención y síntomas del autismo en niños.

Booker’s Argument For Environmental Justice Stays Within The Lines
He didn’t overstate the relationship between hazardous waste sites and birth defects and autism.

Estados debaten prohibir popular pesticida que afectaría el desarrollo infantil
Varios estudios han relacionado la exposición prenatal al clorpirifos con disminución de peso al nacer, bajo coeficiente intelectual, déficit de atención y otros problemas de desarrollo en niños.

States Weigh Banning A Widely Used Pesticide Even Though EPA Won’t
The pesticide chlorpyrifos has been linked to developmental problems in children. Some state and federal lawmakers want the chemical banned, but federal regulators are fighting to keep it on the market.

Heavy Rains, End Of Drought Could Help Keep West Nile Virus Subdued — For Now
Scientists say drought can spur transmission of the disease and that wetter winters since 2015 have helped reduce the number of infections in California. In the long term, however, climate change could mean more drought — and more infections.

Crece la preocupación por posible vínculo entre popular herbicida y el cáncer
El glifosato es el herbicida más utilizado en los Estados Unidos, y probablemente en todo el mundo. Se usa en casi cada acre de maíz, algodón y soya cultivados en el país. La marca más popular es Roundup.

Popular Weed Killer’s Alleged Link To Cancer Spreads Concern
The main ingredient in numerous popular herbicides has been implicated by two juries in the cancers of frequent users, but major public health agencies disagree over whether it is a carcinogen. Can you use it safely in your garden? Here are some answers to questions you may have about the weed killer glyphosate.

Readers And Tweeters Demand Action On Gun Violence, Mental Health Care Options
Kaiser Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.

Smoke-Filled Snapshot: California Wildfire Generates Dangerous Air Quality For Millions
Smoke from the deadly and destructive Camp Fire has caused air quality readings to spike into “hazardous” and “unhealthy” levels for millions of people far outside of the burn zones. Is smoky air the new normal for California?

Mala calidad del aire y datos inadecuados son una combinación poco saludable
Los residentes del Valle respiran el aire más sucio de la nación, y las familias saben que deben tener máscaras en sus autos e inhaladores al alcance de la mano.

Bad Air And Inadequate Data Prove An Unhealthy Mix
San Joaquin Valley residents breathe some of the dirtiest air in the country, but it can be a challenge for them to find accurate and timely information on the air quality in their neighborhoods. This summer, nonprofit organizations began distributing 20 small air monitors to hard-hit families, and next year, the state is expected to install monitoring systems in some communities.

Incendios forestales afectan el doble a californianos de bajos recursos
Ya viven en vecindarios a pocas millas de fábricas y carreteras. Los incendios solo han agravado los problemas de salud de esta población vulnerable.

Low-Income Californians Feel Twice The Burn From Wildfires
People living near highways and agricultural and industrial zones get hit with a “double whammy” when smoke blows into their neighborhoods, where the air is often polluted already.

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Opioids, EpiPens And Health Funding
In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Alice Ollstein of Talking Points Memo, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times and Joanne Kenen of Politico discuss Senate action on health funding and opioid legislation, the state of the individual insurance market and consternation over expiration dates on EpiPens, the self-injected allergy remedy. Also, could an otter with asthma signal a potential public health crisis?

Los más frágiles en Puerto Rico enfrentan el final de la ayuda por el huracán
Como Ausberto Maldonado, miles en la isla que sufren condiciones crónicas, y casi no tienen alimentos y medicinas, sienten que la crisis económica es tanto o más amenazante que el huracán María.

Time’s Running Out: The Frail In Puerto Rico Face End Of Hurricane Relief Programs
Some of the safety-net programs set up after Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico are being disbanded.

When Wildfire Smoke Invades, Who Should Pay To Clean Indoor Air?
Public health agencies are set up to regulate easily controlled sources of air pollution. Wildfire smoke presents a different set of expensive challenges.

Following The Fire: Montana Scientists Seize Chance To Scrutinize Smoke Exposure
The health effects of extended smoke exposure are largely unknown because it’s difficult to conduct studies. But last summer’s wildfire season has handed scientists a unique opportunity for research.

La “máquina Gesundheit” recolecta virus para enfrentar a la feroz gripe
En la Universidad de Maryland, en College Park, estudiantes participan de un estudio que investiga cómo se disemina el virus de la gripe y otros gérmenes peligrosos.

The ‘Gesundheit Machine’ Collects Campus Cooties In Race Against A Fierce Flu
Environmental health professor Don Milton is studying how the flu — and other dangerous infections — are spread. The close quarters of dorm rooms and cafeterias at the University of Maryland provide him with a steady supply of research subjects.