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.
February 5, 2026
Women's Health
Pregnancy, breastfeeding may offer some protection against cognitive decline
Pregnancy and breastfeeding are linked to higher cognitive function later in life. Postmenopausal women who had been pregnant and who had breastfed scored higher on cognitive and memory tests than women who had never been pregnant or who had never breastfed, new research shows.February 4, 2026
Health News
Cooper Health's new mobile unit brings primary care to people with autism and other developmental disabilities
Cooper University Health's new mobile unit provides care to people with autism, cerebral palsy or Down syndrome in their homes. It aims to reduce the stress of medical visits for these people and to remove barriers to care.February 3, 2026
Prevention
Most Americans with high blood pressure have not controlled it, leaving them susceptible to heart issues
Nearly 80% of Americans with high blood pressure have not controlled it, new research shows. Often, that's despite having access to adequate health care and being within a range for medications to bring it down to a healthier level.February 3, 2026
Wellness
Playing 'pink noise' sounds, like rainfall, to fall asleep may harm REM sleep
Using 'pink noise' apps to fall asleep may disrupt REM sleep, Penn Medicine researchers say. Using earplugs was effective against blocking out background sounds without harming REM sleep, their study found.January 29, 2026
Adult Health
Nearly half of U.S. adults may have obesity by 2035, new study says
Nearly half of U.S. adults will have obesity by 2035, a new study says. Researchers found just over 19% were obese in 1990, compared to 42.5% in 2022. An estimated 46.9% of people in the U.S. will have obesity by 2035.January 29, 2026
Addiction
A 'fentanyl drought' may be a bigger factor in overdose deaths falling than increased prevention efforts
A 'fentanyl drought' may be primarily responsible for the nationwide drop in overdose deaths, a new report suggests. Increased access to Narcan and medications for opioid use disorder may have helped, but cannot fully explain the decline, the authors say.January 28, 2026
Prevention
To reduce HIV, Philly adds webpage that connects people to prevention and treatment services
To reduce HIV, Philadelphia has added a new webpage that connects people to health care providers that provide HIV testing and prevention drugs like PrEP and PEP. HIV rates were down in Philly in 2023, the last year with data available.January 28, 2026
Adult Health
Being a night owl may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease
People who consistently go to bed late at night and are active late in the day have a higher risk of stroke and heart attack than early risers, new research from the American Heart Association shows.January 28, 2026
Healthy Eating
These hearty, healthy soup recipes are great for the winter months
Need a nutritious and hearty soup recipe this winter? Try these recipes for lentil soup, borscht and pasta e fagioli.January 27, 2026
Caregiving
Taking care of grandchildren may help prevent memory decline
Taking care of grandchildren may help prevent cognitive decline, a new study says. Being involved matters more than how often grandparents provide care or the specific duties they carry out, researchers found.Just In
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