After nearly a decade of almost year-over-year increases in overdose deaths, the tide may finally be turning in Philadelphia. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced in May 2024…
Tag: local
Bird flu flares up again in Michigan poultry – an infectious disease expert explains the risk to humans, chickens, cows and other animals
After a relatively quiet fall, there’s been another spike in cases of bird flu in Michigan. When state officials announced on Dec. 16, 2024, that bird flu had been found…
Wildfire smoke’s health risks can linger in homes that escape burning − as Colorado’s Marshall Fire survivors discovered
On Dec. 30, 2021, a wind-driven wildfire raced through two communities just outside Boulder, Colorado. In the span of about eight hours, more than 1,000 homes and businesses burned. The…
Wildfire smoke’s health risks can linger long-term in homes that escape burning
Three years ago, on Dec. 30, 2021, a wind-driven wildfire raced through two communities just outside Boulder, Colorado. In the span of about eight hours, more than 1,000 homes and…
Dozens of cyclists and pedestrians are killed each year in Philly − an injury epidemiologist explains how to better protect bike lanes, slow drivers down and reduce collisions
Over 60 pedestrians and cyclists have been killed each year in Philadelphia in recent years. Compared with other big cities, Philadelphia’s death rate for both pedestrians and cyclists is higher…
10 states had abortion measures on the ballot – where they passed, where they failed, and what it all means
Voters in 10 states decided on measures relating to abortion on Nov. 5, 2024, many of which sought to expand access to abortion or expressly recognize a right to abortion…
Philly hospitals test new strategy for ‘tranq dope’ withdrawal – and it keeps patients from walking out before their treatment is done
Unimaginable pain and restlessness. Vomiting so frequent and forceful that it can perforate the esophagus. Blood pressure and heart rate so high that they damage the heart. Sweating that drenches…
Air pollution inside Philly’s subway is much worse than on the streets
The air quality in the City Hall subway station in downtown Philadelphia is much worse than on the sidewalks directly above the station. That is a key finding of our…
Philly residents with opioid addiction get medication from the ‘bupe bus’ − creating a path for treatment
A mobile team offering medication treatment to people with opioid use disorder showed promise in getting patients in Philadelphia to return for follow-up visits, according to a peer-reviewed study I…
Hispanic women are less likely to get PrEP treatment − new intervention could change that
In the U.S., Hispanic women have been disproportionately affected by the HIV epidemic in recent years. Yet they’ve been less likely to take advantage of PrEP, a medication that significantly…