Latest KFF Health News Stories
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: The Future of Public Health
The covid pandemic has spotlighted the often-unseen role of public health in Americans’ daily lives. And the picture has not all been pretty. What is public health and why is it so important — and controversial? Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, explains the basics. Then, Joanne Kenen of Politico and Lauren Weber of KHN join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss what could happen next.
Temperaturas extremas aumentan los riesgos de salud de los trabajadores agrícolas
El calor es la principal causa de muerte relacionada con el clima en los Estados Unidos. Entre 1992 y 2017, el estrés por calor mató a 815 trabajadores estadounidenses y lesionó gravemente a más de 70,000, según la Oficina de Estadísticas Laborales.
As Temperatures Rise, So Do the Health Risks for California’s Farmworkers
Workers who harvest crops ranging from grapes to cauliflower in the Coachella Valley are accustomed to temperatures well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. This summer the thermometer has already hit 122, and heatstroke is becoming more common.
Wildfire Smoke Drives People in Low-Vaccinated Areas Indoors, Raising Outbreak Fears
Unvaccinated Westerners are flocking to movie theaters, malls and other indoor spaces to beat the smoke and heat. Health officials worry that may fuel covid outbreaks.
A Chilling Cure: Facing Killer Heat, ERs Use Body Bags to Save Lives
Doctors in Washington state used human body bags filled with ice and water to rapidly cool the sickest patients affected by record heat last month.
Can Biden’s Plan to Remove Urban Highways Improve the Health of American Cities?
Pollution and noise from urban highways intersect with illness for neighbors. But “green” developments that replace them can displace the very families harmed in the first place.
From Racial Justice to Dirty Air, California’s New AG Plots a Progressive Health Care Agenda
In a candid interview, California’s newly appointed attorney general, Rob Bonta, reflects on his progressive roots and says he will pursue a health care agenda centered on the principle that quality medical care is a right, not a privilege.
Lady Gaga and J.Lo Sell ‘Well’ Building Seal, But It’s a Payday, Not a PSA
A company sees the pandemic as an opportunity to push its ‘Well’ seal. It would like the indoor wellness logo to become as ubiquitous as the LEED green building halo — and make a profit, too.
As Schools Spend Millions on Air Purifiers, Experts Warn of Overblown Claims and Harm to Children
A KHN investigation found that more than 2,000 schools have spent millions of dollars for systems, lured by air purifier companies’ claims that experts say mislead or obscure the potential for harm from toxic ozone.
Bay Area Cities Go to War Over Gas Stoves in Homes and Restaurants
Environmentalists say gas appliances spew greenhouse gases and exacerbate asthma. Restaurant owners and chefs say you can’t cook food properly with electricity.
At Risk of Extinction, Black-Footed Ferrets Get Experimental COVID Vaccine
Months before federal officials authorized experimental vaccines to ward off the coronavirus in humans, scientists tried a veterinary vaccine in endangered ferrets. Drugmakers are researching similar efforts for other animals proving vulnerable to the virus, such as farmed minks, in part to guard against virus mutations that could pose new risks to people.
California Law Banning Toxic Chemicals in Cosmetics Will Transform Industry
The law will ban the manufacture and sale in California of personal care products that contain 24 toxics, including asbestos, formaldehyde and lead, and is expected to fill a gap in federal regulation as companies sell the new formulations nationwide.
As Fires and Floods Wreak Havoc on Health, New Climate Center Seeks Solutions
The climate change center at UCLA’s Fielding School of Public Health plans to study and help implement policies for slowing climate change and adapting to it.
Es difícil decir si es COVID, síntomas por inhalar humo… o la gripe que ya llega
Por los incendios en California, pacientes llegan a los centros de salud con síntomas similares a los de COVID. Y hay que seguir los protocolos.
Tough to Tell COVID From Smoke Inhalation Symptoms — And Flu Season’s Coming
Respiratory symptoms stemming from coronavirus infection and smoke inhalation are too similar to distinguish without a full workup. This is complicating the jobs of health care workers as wildfires rage up and down the West Coast.
How to Weigh Evacuation Options With Both Wildfires and COVID at Your Door
As the twin disasters of COVID-19 and fire season sweep through California, thousands of residents are weighing difficult options, pitting risk against risk as they decide where to evacuate. Amid a virulent pandemic, where can you safely relocate?
Wildfires Provide Another Reason to Mask Up
As the long U.S. fire season gets underway, it’s even more important for Western residents to have a good face mask. Unfortunately, most of the masks we’re wearing for COVID-19 aren’t great for smoke.
Los incendios forestales son otra razón para usar máscaras
El humo de más de 300 incendios forestales en California está asfixiando a mucha gente en el centro y norte del estado y expandiendo sustancias tóxicas en el aire.
Cities Brace For ‘Collision Course’ Of Heat Waves And COVID-19
Rochester, New York, and other cities have already weathered the first blasts of excessive heat, and they have done it while cooling centers and spray parks have been closed due to the pandemic.
Millions Stuck At Home With No Plumbing, Kitchen Or Space To Stay Safe
In 470,000 American homes spread across every state, washing hands to prevent COVID-19 may not be as easy as turning on a faucet. They don’t have showers or toilets or, in some cases, even water piped into their homes. Nearly a million U.S. homes don’t have complete kitchens and millions more are overcrowded, making it much tougher for people to shelter in place and avoid infection.
