In some rural areas, births have dropped by three-quarters since the late 1950s, and hospitals are shuttering labor and delivery units, leaving mothers little access to care when they need it.
public health
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Need free pads or tampons? In Tampa, you can visit a ‘period pantry’
Tampa Period Pantry has set up 10 locations to help fight ‘period poverty.’ It’s attracting more attention after Gov. DeSantis vetoed funds for free menstrual products in Florida schools.
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Stimulant users caught up in fatal ‘fourth wave’ of opioid epidemic
Hundreds of Americans continue to die every day from overdoses. More of those deaths now involve stimulants like cocaine and meth mixed with fentanyl. Men of color have been hit particularly hard.
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Debate flares over how quickly to replace many lead service lines
The EPA is trying to crack down on lead pipes that bring water into homes. But a looming deadline — and the election — will determine if it follows a Biden plan to replace pipes or a Trump plan.
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These bigger-than-life portraits turn gun death statistics into indelible stories
A volunteer curator in Philadelphia puts on art exhibits to raise awareness of lives lost to gun violence.
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Nursing homes falling farther behind on vaccinating patients for COVID
COVID-19 continues to menace nursing homes across the US, but a new report reveals just four out of 10 nursing home residents have gotten their updated COVID shot since last fall.
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How ob-gyns are handling more requests for sterilization after ‘Roe’ was overturned
Tubal ligations doubled in the 16 months following the Dobbs decision. Vasectomies also increased, but men still get sterilized much less often than women.
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Med schools face a new obstacle in the push to train more Black doctors
Schools like the University of Mississippi School of Medicine are trying to recruit more Black students. But they face a swell of Republican opposition to diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
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When little kids don’t have stable housing, it can affect their health later
Researchers following a group of American children for decades found that even short periods of housing instability increased the chances of poor mental and physical health years later.
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Supreme Court overturns opioid settlement with Purdue Pharma that shielded Sacklers
Relatives of overdose victims felt uncertainty and frustration after the Supreme Court overturned a controversial settlement with Purdue. It could delay funds for communities battling addiction.