Courtenay Harris Bond

courtenay harris bond

Courtenay Harris Bond is the staff writer covering health for PhillyVoice. She enjoys writing about behavioral health, maternal health and inequities in the healthcare system, as well as human rights and criminal justice. A veteran daily newspaper reporter, Courtenay has also written for national outlets, including KFF Health News, Undark Magazine and Filter. She was a 2018 Rosalynn Carter Fellow for Mental Health Journalism and has master's degrees from Columbia Journalism School and the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education.

courtenay@phillyvoice.com

July 10, 2025

Men's Health

Prostate cancer is unlikely to kill men if it's low risk and treated according to best practices, study finds

People with low-risk prostate cancer treated according National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines are more likely to die of other causes, new research shows.

July 9, 2025

Wellness

Vacations offer more than a good time — they boost mental and physical health, too

Vacations are important for maintaining and improving mental and physical health, research shows. Even a staycation can help reduce stress, improve a sense of well-being and lower the risk of heart disease. But about half of people with paid time off don't use it all.

July 8, 2025

Fitness

Hate to exercise? Try matching your workouts with your personality

People are more apt to get the recommended amount of physical activity if they identify the type of exercise and the intensity level that best fits their personality types, according to a study published Monday in Frontiers of Psychology.

July 7, 2025

Mental Health

The more love people express, the more loved they feel

The more people express love, the more love they feel in return, according to a new study from Penn State University. With practice, people can get better at giving and receiving love, the researchers found.

July 4, 2025

Addiction

Non-alcoholic drinks offer a refreshing twist for people trying to avoid booze, but they also can trigger relapse

Non-alcoholic beverages offer alternatives to people who want to avoid alcohol. But they may trigger relapse for people with alcohol use disorder, and they shouldn't be confused as health drinks. Many contain empty calories with no nutritional value, and some have unregulated additives, like ashwagandha.

July 3, 2025

Illness

Piled up trash is more than just gross — it's also a public health risk

The piles of trash that are building in Philadelphia — a byproduct of a city workers strike — are not just gross. They're also health risks. Rodents attracted to garbage can spread disease, and breathing gases emitted by rotting plant and animal products can cause respiratory ailments.

July 3, 2025

Health News

Trump's domestic policy bill to cut SNAP benefits to 42,000 Philadelphia residents

The passage of President Donald Trump's domestic policy bill means more than 40,000 Philadelphia residents could lose their SNAP benefits. The number of people facing food insecurity has risen since pandemic era relief programs ended and food prices have been spiking.

July 3, 2025

Health News

A couple that tried to get pregnant for 18 years finally conceived with the help of a new AI procedure

An artificial intelligence procedure developed by Columbia University helped a couple conceive after 18 years of trying to get pregnant. The AI program is able to detect viable sperm in the semen of men with azoospermia, a rare type of infertility.

July 2, 2025

Adult Health

Don't judge a person's personality based on their tattoos. Research shows you'll likely be wrong

People cannot accurately judge a person's personality based on the content of any tattoos, new research shows. But there is one exception. People with quirky tattoos often are accurately judged as being more open-minded.

July 2, 2025

Adult Health

The teeth of many celebrities are bright white and perfectly aligned thanks to veneers

Many celebrities have white, bright, straight teeth in large part thanks to veneers. They are made from porcelain or tooth-colored composite resin and bonded to the front surface of teeth to hide imperfections, including discoloration, chips and gaps. They can cost up to $2,500 per tooth.

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