In a region where many suffer from chronic conditions that require long-term medical care, cultural awareness can help provide a a firm foundation for doctor-patient relationships.
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Health
‘Life-changing Support’: In Rural North Carolina, a Program for Treatment of Substance Use Disorder Through Pregnancy and Beyond Offers Care and Counters Stigma
Project CARA works to get people into care and support them — with a goal of better outcomes for both the babies and their parents.
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These Appalachian Lawmakers are Working to Protect Black Mothers in the Region and Beyond
When the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention introduced its Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System in 1987, the number of pregnancy-related deaths per 100,000 live births in the U.S. was 7.2. In 2017, that number stood at 17.3. The CDC acknowledges that the reasons for the increase in documented pregnancy-related deaths […]
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Has COVID-19 Led to an Increase in Substance Use Disorders?
For a decade, West Virginia has struggled with a rising tide of drug addiction. Has it gotten worse during the coronavirus pandemic, when many Americans have had to keep their distance from friends and family? That’s what Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., said during an interview with the Washington Examiner on Aug. 19. […]
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As Vaping Rates Escalate in Appalachia, Is Banning These Products the Answer?
Angela Dearinger is justifiably worried about the prevalence of tobacco use in her state and region. Dearinger is Kentucky’s public health commissioner, and one in four adults in central Appalachia reports being a smoker. The national rate is 16.3 percent. In a study released this past spring, researchers from East […]
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Air Pollution Continues to Decline, Smog Remains a Problem
A new report released this week by the American Lung Association finds fine particle, or soot, pollution continues to improve across West Virginia, but smog pollution remains a challenge. The American Lung Association’s 20th annual “State of the Air” report analyzed air quality data collected by federal, state and local […]
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