Latest California Healthline Stories
Docs Worry There’s ‘Nowhere To Send’ New And Expectant Moms With Depression
California’s legislature will soon take up a bill that would require doctors to screen pregnant women and new mothers for mental health problems. Many doctors oppose the idea, and laws elsewhere haven’t increased the number of moms treated.
With Some Republican Support, Virginia Edges Closer To Medicaid Expansion
More than a dozen Republicans in the Virginia House of Delegates voted to expand Medicaid, and at least one state senator may be leaning in favor of expansion. It will be the hot topic as legislators are called back to Richmond to hash out a budget in the special session starting April 11.
Jury’s In: Opioids Are Not Better Than Other Medicines For Chronic Pain
A new study followed patients with severe chronic pain for a year and found that opioids relieved pain and increased function no better than common drugs like acetaminophen and lidocaine. But the opioids carry the risk of more serious side effects, including addiction and death.
While Talk About Opioids Continues In DC, Addiction Treatment Is In Peril In States
The Trump administration has talked about prioritizing the opioid crisis, but states have seen little in the way of new resources. And, in some states, getting into treatment is becoming even harder.
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.
KHN On NPR: The Uniquely American Problem Of High Prescription Drug Costs
Kaiser Health News Editor-in-Chief Elisabeth Rosenthal discussed drug costs with Scott Simon, the host of NPR’s Weekend Edition on Saturday, Feb. 10. This is a transcript of that conversation.
Nurse Calls Cops After New Mom Seeks Help For Depression. Right Call?
A package of mental health bills in California aims to ensure that all new moms are screened for postpartum depression and that more support is available for those who struggle with the malady.
Listen: Why Don’t You Hear More About Sickle Cell Disease?
Sickle cell disease receives far less attention from the medical establishment and the press than other illnesses that affect far fewer people.
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.
My Grandmother Was Italian. Why Aren’t My Genes Italian?
Popular DNA ancestry tests don’t always find what people expect. That is because of how DNA rearranges itself when egg meets sperm — and the quirks of genetic databases.