Health
Breast Cancer: One Disease, Three Stories
Gertrude Nakigudde is an accountant in Kampala, Uganda. I’m a freelance reporter and journalism instructor in Seattle. Angelina Jolie is, well, Angelina Jolie. We’ve all had mastectomies, and we’ve all nursed parents through their final days with breast cancer [...]
Angelina Jolie’s Mastectomy and the Fight Against Breast Cancer in the Arab World
Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie has undergone a double mastectomy to reduce her chances of getting breast cancer. Saudi Arabian doctor Samia Al-Amoudi became one of the first Saudi women to go public about her breast cancer, and has been trying to reduce the stigma of breast cancer across the Arab world ever since.
Chopping Chicken in Missouri: Immigrants–Not Locals–Still Fill the Processing Lines
Butchering chicken and meat. It’s dangerous, low-paying factory work–and it leans heavily on immigrant workers, sometimes illegally. Just like farm work, immigration reform could change this industry dramatically, from granting workers legal status to offering temporary work visas. At the same time, some immigrants are deciding to move on from such tough work. Anna Boiko-Weyrauch reports from Missouri.
Israeli Doctor Paved the Way for Emergency Response in Boston
When doctors and medical staff at Boston hospitals found themselves facing the horrific aftermath of the bombings on marathon day, they were well-prepared. That is thanks in part to lessons shared by emergency medical personnel in Israel. The World’s Matthew Bell reports, they’ve been re-writing the book on “terror medicine.”
Measles Epidemic in Britain Follows Years of Vaccine Refusals
A few years ago, parents in the UK were alarmed by stories of possible adverse side-effects from the MMR vaccination. Vaccination rates plummeted. Now a measles epidemic has sickened hundreds.
China’s Bird Flu Credibility Gap
The Chinese government is reacting to the new outbreak of bird flu with some refreshing transparency. But The World’s Mary Kay Magistad in Beijing tells anchor Marco Werman that some Chinese who have questioned official statistics have landed in jail.
Tweets and Germs: Monitoring Infectious Diseases Online
Several scientific groups are tracking the global spread of infectious diseases by monitoring Twitter, web searches, and other content online. The World’s Rhitu Chatterjee looks at the promise and challenges of disease surveillance via the internet.
Faces of Elephantiasis: In Nigeria, Patients Remain After the Disease is Gone
Philip Graitcer used to work in Africa as an epidemiologist for the CDC. Recently he returned to Africa as a journalist and met people living with elephantiasis, a disease that has been targeted for eradication. He shares his thoughts on the patients who remain even when a disease is gone.
Manila’s New Taxi Trikes: Greener, but Not Green Enough?
Manila’s notoriously loud and dirty taxi-trikes are going green. But not everyone’s getting on board.
20,000 Birds Slaughtered in Shanghai to Prevent Spread of Avian Flu
Anchor Marco Werman talks with China correspondent Mary Kay Magistad about the latest in China on the reported cases of the H7N9 or bird flu virus in Shanghai.
Cause for Concern Beyond China? Laurie Garrett on the H7N9 Flu
Anchor Marco Werman talks with global health analyst Laurie Garrett about concerns that the new flu emerging in China could become a global problem. She says in its early days, the new flu has all the hallmarks of a pandemic, but that that doesn’t mean it will become one.
Treating Disabled Syrians
Hundreds of thousands have been injured in Syria’s civil war. Many are now disabled, their limbs torn off or their spines paralyzed by rocket attacks. The BBC’s Caroline Hawley went to northern Jordan to meet some of the injured Syrians who have made the journey across the border for treatment.
Latino Neighborhoods: Improving Health Through Ethnic Pride?
Latino Americans, especially those who live in Latino neighborhoods, often outlive members of other ethnic groups of the same, or higher, socioeconomic status. Audrey Quinn explains this health phenomenon sometimes called the “barrio advantage.”
Yoga Now Standard Treatment for Vets with PTSD
Yoga’s not the first thing that springs to mind when thinking about treatment for PTSD in veterans. But from the VA a to the Pentagon, yoga classes are becoming not just commonplace, but in some rehabilitation programs mandatory.
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