-
Measles and respiratory virus vaccines: Expert answers to common questions
This webinar, co-sponsored by the Expert Vaccine Analysis Team (EVAT) and the Association of Health Care Journalists (AHCJ), provided an overview of respiratory virus vaccines, the ongoing measles outbreak, and how to address false information and present facts in engaging, matter-of-fact, accessible ways. The panelists were: Jesse Goodman (Georgetown University and the Expert Vaccine Analysis…
-
How is Iraq like West Virginia? Mortality data tell a story
A new analysis published in The Milbank Quarterly shows just how unusual the U.S. mortality experience is compared with other wealthy nations. The analysis found that life expectancy in West Virginia and Mississippi looked less like that of other U.S. states than that of countries including Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bulgaria and Iraq. At about 71 years,…
-
Mapping Police Violence: A valuable tool for reporters
Minneapolis Police officers in riot gear and gas masks stand outside the department’s 3rd Precinct station in Minneapolis on May 27, 2020, during protests following the killing of George Floyd. Photo: Chad Davis Reporting on police violence isn’t as straightforward as it is with community violence. One complication is that police departments generally don’t report…
-
HPV vaccine: What the latest evidence shows and how to report on it
An estimated 50,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with a cancer caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) every year. Nearly half of these (46%) are cervical cancer, almost all of which is caused by HPV, while the others are anal, head and neck (oropharyngeal), vulvar, vaginal, and penile cancers. There is now, however,…
-
Buyer beware: The risks of using AI for Medicare enrollment advice
Starting Oct. 15, millions of older adults will evaluate their traditional Medicare, Medicare Advantage and Part D drug plans. Many may move to new plans during Medicare’s annual open enrollment period, which runs through Dec. 7, as we reported in part one. Making those decisions may be harder this year because of changes in plan…
-
How to cover vaping’s promise without losing sight of its risks
For years, I’ve reported on the health consequences of vaping, especially its growing popularity among adolescents and the alarming rise in youth nicotine addiction. I’ve interviewed pediatricians struggling to help teenagers quit, covered outbreaks of vaping-related lung injuries, and written about the marketing tactics that made flavored e-cigarettes so appealing to young people. At the…
-
AI data centers impact public health. Here’s how to report the story
Google Data Center, Council Bluffs, Iowa. Photo: Chad Davis The U.S. houses the most data centers by far compared to any other country — with more than 5,000 centers running, and many more under construction or planned within the next few years to power the artificial intelligence boom. Panelists at an Association of Health Care…
Got any book recommendations?