More Young Women Are 'Drinking To Cope,' In A Dangerous Trend : Shots - Health News Women aren't just upping their drinking, researchers say. Increasingly they are "drinking to cope," instead of for pleasure — which accelerates the risk of alcohol use disorder and its health damage.Heard onAneri PattaniFromToggle more optionsVictoria Cooper thought her drinking habits in college were just like everyone else's. Shots at parties. Beers while bowling. Sure, she got more refills than some and missed classes while nursing hangovers, but she couldn't have a problem, she thought. "Because of what...…More Young Women Are 'Drinking To Cope,' In A Dangerous Trend : Shots - Health News Women aren't just upping their drinking, researchers say. Increasingly they are "drinking to cope," instead of for pleasure — which accelerates the risk of alcohol use disorder and its health damage.Heard onAneri PattaniFromToggle more optionsVictoria Cooper thought her drinking habits in college were just like everyone else's. Shots at parties. Beers while bowling. Sure, she got more refills than some and missed classes while nursing hangovers, but she couldn't have a problem, she thought. "Because of what...WW…

March 9, 2021KHN has never been busier ― and health coverage has never been more vital. The Behind The Byline series on and offers an insider’s view.Journalists and producers from across KHN’s newsrooms take you behind the scenes in these bite-size videos to show the ways they are following the story, connecting with sources and sorting through facts.Aneri Pattani — Reporting Road TripIn December, KHN correspondent Aneri Pattani hit the road to report from inside a nursing home that had been largely locked down for months. Such access is something many journalists had not been able to...…March 9, 2021KHN has never been busier ― and health coverage has never been more vital. The Behind The Byline series on and offers an insider’s view.Journalists and producers from across KHN’s newsrooms take you behind the scenes in these bite-size videos to show the ways they are following the story, connecting with sources and sorting through facts.Aneri Pattani — Reporting Road TripIn December, KHN correspondent Aneri Pattani hit the road to report from inside a nursing home that had been largely locked down for months. Such access is something many journalists had not been able to...WW…

This story also ran on . It can beKim Wagenaar has been preparing to bring covid-19 vaccines to western North Carolina for months.She’s signed up the community health center she operates in Asheville to receive and distribute the doses. She’s ordered a subzero freezer to store the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and transport it to rural counties. She’s also allocated her staff between covid testing sites and vaccine clinics.But those logistics make up only half the equation, said Wagenaar, CEO of Western North Carolina Community Health Services.Because the vaccines have a limited shelf life, “you...…This story also ran on . It can beKim Wagenaar has been preparing to bring covid-19 vaccines to western North Carolina for months.She’s signed up the community health center she operates in Asheville to receive and distribute the doses. She’s ordered a subzero freezer to store the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and transport it to rural counties. She’s also allocated her staff between covid testing sites and vaccine clinics.But those logistics make up only half the equation, said Wagenaar, CEO of Western North Carolina Community Health Services.Because the vaccines have a limited shelf life, “you...WW…

This story also ran on . It can beCONCORD, N.C. — It had been months since Tremellia Hobbs had an excuse to bring out the pompoms. Before the pandemic, they were a crowd favorite at movie nights and bingo tournaments that Hobbs organized as activities director at the Brian Center Health & Retirement/Cabarrus nursing home.On Jan. 14, she finally had a reason. After nearly a year of living with pandemic restrictions and a summer outbreak that killed 10 residents and infected 30 staff members, the nursing home was hosting its first covid-19 vaccine clinic.So Hobbs lifted the red and silver...…This story also ran on . It can beCONCORD, N.C. — It had been months since Tremellia Hobbs had an excuse to bring out the pompoms. Before the pandemic, they were a crowd favorite at movie nights and bingo tournaments that Hobbs organized as activities director at the Brian Center Health & Retirement/Cabarrus nursing home.On Jan. 14, she finally had a reason. After nearly a year of living with pandemic restrictions and a summer outbreak that killed 10 residents and infected 30 staff members, the nursing home was hosting its first covid-19 vaccine clinic.So Hobbs lifted the red and silver...WW…

For Those With Vaccine Worries, Patience Might Work Better Than Payment : Shots - Health News Low initial vaccine uptake among staffers in nursing homes has ignited debates about whether to penalize, persuade or simply pay them more to get the vaccine. But a little patience might work best.Aneri PattaniFromToggle more optionsIt had been months since Tremellia Hobbs had an excuse to bring out the pompoms. Before the pandemic, they were a crowd favorite during movie nights and bingo tournaments that Hobbs organized as activities director at the nursing home. It had been a difficult and sad...…For Those With Vaccine Worries, Patience Might Work Better Than Payment : Shots - Health News Low initial vaccine uptake among staffers in nursing homes has ignited debates about whether to penalize, persuade or simply pay them more to get the vaccine. But a little patience might work best.Aneri PattaniFromToggle more optionsIt had been months since Tremellia Hobbs had an excuse to bring out the pompoms. Before the pandemic, they were a crowd favorite during movie nights and bingo tournaments that Hobbs organized as activities director at the nursing home. It had been a difficult and sad...WW…

When Allison Scott came out as a trans woman in 2013, she told not only family and friends, but also her primary care physician.She didn’t need his help with hormone therapy. She had another doctor for that. But she wanted to share the information with her doctor of more than 10 years in case it affected other aspects of her health.She was shocked when he told her he would no longer treat her.“It was humiliating,” said Scott, now director of policy and programs for the Campaign for Southern Equality, an LGBTQ advocacy organization based in North Carolina. “It’s not because the provider...…When Allison Scott came out as a trans woman in 2013, she told not only family and friends, but also her primary care physician.She didn’t need his help with hormone therapy. She had another doctor for that. But she wanted to share the information with her doctor of more than 10 years in case it affected other aspects of her health.She was shocked when he told her he would no longer treat her.“It was humiliating,” said Scott, now director of policy and programs for the Campaign for Southern Equality, an LGBTQ advocacy organization based in North Carolina. “It’s not because the provider...WW…

This story also ran on . It can beThe nurses at Mission Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina, declared on March 6 — by filing the official paperwork — that they were ready to vote on the prospect of joining a national union. At the time, they were motivated by the desire for more nurses and support staff, and to have a voice in hospital decisions.A week later, as the covid-19 pandemic bore down on the state, the effort was put on hold, and everyone scrambled to respond to the coronavirus. But the nurses’ long-standing concerns only became heightened during the crisis, and new issues they’d...…This story also ran on . It can beThe nurses at Mission Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina, declared on March 6 — by filing the official paperwork — that they were ready to vote on the prospect of joining a national union. At the time, they were motivated by the desire for more nurses and support staff, and to have a voice in hospital decisions.A week later, as the covid-19 pandemic bore down on the state, the effort was put on hold, and everyone scrambled to respond to the coronavirus. But the nurses’ long-standing concerns only became heightened during the crisis, and new issues they’d...WW…

Pandemic Strain Pushes Some Health Care Workers Toward Unions : Shots - Health News Many front-line health workers who have faced a perpetual lack of PPE and inconsistent safety measures believe the government and their employers have failed to protect them from COVID-19.Aneri PattaniFromIn September, after six months of exhausting work battling the pandemic, nurses at Mission Hospital in Asheville, N.C., voted to unionize. The vote passed with 70%, a high margin of victory in a historically anti-union state, according to academic experts who study labor movements. The nurses had originally...…Pandemic Strain Pushes Some Health Care Workers Toward Unions : Shots - Health News Many front-line health workers who have faced a perpetual lack of PPE and inconsistent safety measures believe the government and their employers have failed to protect them from COVID-19.Aneri PattaniFromIn September, after six months of exhausting work battling the pandemic, nurses at Mission Hospital in Asheville, N.C., voted to unionize. The vote passed with 70%, a high margin of victory in a historically anti-union state, according to academic experts who study labor movements. The nurses had originally...WW…

This story also ran on .Wilma Mayfield used to visit a senior center in Durham, North Carolina, four days a week and attend Lincoln Memorial Baptist Church on Sundays, a ritual she’s maintained for nearly half a century. But over the past 10 months, she’s seen only the inside of her home, the grocery store and the pharmacy. Most of her days are spent worrying about COVID-19 and watching TV.It’s isolating, but she doesn’t talk about it much.When Mayfield’s church invited a psychologist to give a virtual presentation on mental health during the pandemic, she decided to tune in.The hourlong...…This story also ran on .Wilma Mayfield used to visit a senior center in Durham, North Carolina, four days a week and attend Lincoln Memorial Baptist Church on Sundays, a ritual she’s maintained for nearly half a century. But over the past 10 months, she’s seen only the inside of her home, the grocery store and the pharmacy. Most of her days are spent worrying about COVID-19 and watching TV.It’s isolating, but she doesn’t talk about it much.When Mayfield’s church invited a psychologist to give a virtual presentation on mental health during the pandemic, she decided to tune in.The hourlong...WW…

As Walter Veal cared for residents at the Ludeman Developmental Center in suburban Chicago, he saw the potential future of his grandson, who has autism.This story also ran on . It can beSo he took it on himself not just to bathe and feed the residents, which was part of the job, but also to cut their hair, run to the store to buy their favorite body wash and barbecue for them on holidays.“They were his second family,” said his wife, Carlene Veal.Even after COVID-19 struck in mid-March and cases began spreading through the government-run facility, which serves nearly 350 adults with...…As Walter Veal cared for residents at the Ludeman Developmental Center in suburban Chicago, he saw the potential future of his grandson, who has autism.This story also ran on . It can beSo he took it on himself not just to bathe and feed the residents, which was part of the job, but also to cut their hair, run to the store to buy their favorite body wash and barbecue for them on holidays.“They were his second family,” said his wife, Carlene Veal.Even after COVID-19 struck in mid-March and cases began spreading through the government-run facility, which serves nearly 350 adults with...WW…