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.
December 6, 2024
Prevention
Colon cancer screenings have played a far bigger role in reducing deaths than treatment advances
Nearly 6 million deaths from colorectal, lung, breast, prostate and cervical cancer were averted between 1975 and 2020, with 80% of them being attributed to prevention methods like screenings, new research shows. The study's findings underscore the importance of cancer prevention.December 5, 2024
Prevention
A few nibbles of dark chocolate a day may help prevent type 2 diabetes
Eating about 1 ounce of dark chocolate each day is linked to a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, new research from Harvard shows. The research bolsters previous studies showing the health benefits of dark chocolate, which has been found to offer protective factors against cardiovascular disease, certain cancers and other diseases.December 5, 2024
Adult Health
When weight-loss drugs don't work, this new technology may one day help people with obesity
Gastric balloons are filled with silicone or air and placed in a person's stomach to create a sense of fullness. But people tend to regain the weight once they get used to the sensation. A new gastric balloon developed at MIT both inflates and deflates, which may help people maintain their weight loss.December 4, 2024
Children's Health
Leaded gas led to mental health issues for millions of Americans, study finds
Childhood exposure to leaded gas, which was banned in 1996, led to significant increases in various psychiatric and behavior disorders, including depression, anxiety and ADHD, new research shows. People born during the 1960s and 1970s, when leaded gas use was at its peak, were particularly affected, according to the study.December 3, 2024
Health News
An eye infection left Elton John with vision loss; here's what causes them and how to prevent them
Elton John says he has lost his eyesight following an eye infection. Most common eye infections do not lead to blindness but can become serious if left untreated. One of the biggest causes of eye infections is sleeping with contact lenses, experts say.December 3, 2024
Health Insurance
Penn Medicine, Independence Blue Cross reach agreement on new reimbursement rates
The University of Pennsylvania Health System and Independence Blue Cross have reached a new agreement on reimbursement rates that will begin in July 2025. The new deal is part of a larger contract that is still being finalized between the health system and health insurer.November 28, 2024
Fitness
Creative ways to stay active, and burn calories, during the holidays
It's easy to overeat and fall out of exercise routines during the holidays, but there are creative ways to stay physically active and quickly burn calories. Fitness experts recommend dancing around your home, taking the stairs, jumping rope, turning chores into workouts and even laughing.November 26, 2024
Health Insurance
Obesity drugs would be covered by Medicare and Medicaid under Biden administration proposal
About 7 million people enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid would gain access to weight-loss drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound and Mounjaro, which are not covered by these federal programs, under a new Biden administration proposal. But it will need to be finalized by the Trump administration.November 26, 2024
Health News
Access to donor kidneys, livers to widen as HHS approves transplants between people with HIV
The Department of Human Health Services gave final approval to allowing kidney and liver transplants among people with HIV, a move that is expected to widen the donor pool. Research shows these transplants are as safe and as effective as those using organs from people without HIV.November 26, 2024
Addiction
Vaping, even without nicotine, can have harmful cardiovascular effects
Even e-cigarettes without nicotine significantly reduce cardiovascular function, a new study from the University of Pennsylvania finds. The findings suggest vaping may be more dangerous than previously known.
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