HealthBeat
#healthpolicyvalentines for the win
It’s Valentine’s Day, and the Twitterverse is celebrating by expressing its devotion to health care policy. If you haven’t checked out #healthpolicyvalentines, you’re missing out. Here’s a sampling: Marissa HarshmanI’m the health reporter for The Columbian newspaper in Vancouver, Wash. I started at The Columbian — my hometown newspaper — in September 2009. Reach me […]
February 14, 2017 5:46 pm
What? 40 million adults have hearing loss
A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that about 40 million U.S. adults have noise-induced hearing loss – and more than half of those do not have noisy jobs. Even those who think they’re in the clear may not be. About 24 percent of adults who say they have excellent […]
February 9, 2017 5:08 pm
Clark County data you didn’t know you needed: STDs and dating apps
Lots of people turn to the internet to find love. Turns out, lots of people also find STDs. When Clark County residents are diagnosed with certain sexually transmitted diseases, the folks at Clark County Public Health are alerted. The health department staff then gets to work investigating each case, asking the diagnosed person demographic information […]
February 7, 2017 5:04 pm
Study: Two-thirds of kids drink at least one sugary drink per day
A new study found that two-thirds of U.S. youth drink at least one sugar-sweetened beverage on any given day. And those drinks account for more than 7 percent of kids’ total daily calories, according to the study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics. The U.S. dietary guidelines recommend […]
January 26, 2017 5:02 pm
Attorney general continues push to raise smoking age
Bob Ferguson is continuing his quest to raise the legal age to purchase tobacco and vapor products from 18 to 21. The attorney general testified on House Bill 1054 during the House Health Care and Wellness Committee this week. This is the third year his proposal has been up for consideration. “Washington state has long […]
January 25, 2017 4:44 pm
Study: Delayed umbilical cord clamping reduces anemia risk
A new study found that delayed umbilical cord clamping can result in a lower prevalence of anemia in 8- and 12-month-olds. Other studies have shown that delayed umbilical cord clamping can improve iron stores in infants younger than 6 months. But the practice had not been shown to prevent iron deficiency or anemia after 6 […]
January 19, 2017 4:59 pm
Reno woman dies after superbug resists 26 antibiotics
A superbug resistant to 26 different antibiotics – even those considered the last line of defense – is to blame for the death of a Reno, Nev., woman. The woman, who was in her 70s, died in September, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention case report. The woman returned to Reno after […]
January 18, 2017 5:15 pm
Herrera Beutler urges ACA replacements, not just repeal
As Congress Republicans begin efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler is urging House Speaker Paul Ryan to offer replacements with the repeal efforts. Herrera Beutler, R-Camas, sent Ryan a letter this week, asking the Speaker to “undertake the implementation of replacement health care solutions with equal urgency and purpose” […]
January 12, 2017 5:46 pm
Washington Healthplanfinder enrollment is up
Enrollment in health plans on the state-based insurance exchange has already reached last year’s enrollment totals — and there’s still three weeks left to sign up for coverage. The exchange announced today that more than 200,000 people have selected health and dental coverage through Washington Healthplanfinder since the open enrollment period began Nov. 1. That’s […]
January 10, 2017 4:31 pm
Portland one of top cities for an active lifestyle
Portland ranked among the best cities in the country for people with an active lifestyle, according to a new study by WalletHub. The study looked at the 100 most populated U.S. cities and compared them on 30 metrics, including monthly fitness-club fee, bike score and number of physically inactive residents. Portland ranked No. 4, behind […]
January 5, 2017 4:58 pm