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.
January 22, 2025
Adult Health
Ozempic and Wegovy are helping many Americans lose weight, but they also may have other beneficial uses
GLP-1s – weight-loss drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound and Mounjaro – also may help treat a litany of other health conditions. New research shows they may help reduce the risk of addiction, Alzheimer's disease, dementia, heart disease, psychotic disorders, seizures, and suicide ideation, among other health issues.January 22, 2025
Illness
Philly's first bird flu case is a sick goose, but threat to humans is low, officials say
A snow goose found dead in West Philadelphia on Jan. 11 has tested positive for avian flu. Bird flu is easily transmissible among wild birds and can be contracted by mammals, but the risk to people is low. The current outbreak has caused 67 human cases and one death in the U.S.January 21, 2025
Addiction
New court in Kensington will serve as a pipeline to drug treatment, Mayor Parker says
Philadelphia police now can issue people using drugs in Kensington summary citations. At the Kensington Neighborhood Wellness Court and Wellness Support Center, users who choose treatment will get a medical assessment, be fast-tracked before a judge and diverted to outside programs.January 20, 2025
Addiction
In Kensington, outreach workers give out food, clothing and toiletries from trucks, but potential restrictions loom
A City Council bill that would restrict mobile outreach services in Kensington is in response to complaints about litter and nuisance behaviors in the neighborhood, the epicenter of Philly's addiction crisis. But service providers say it would endanger an already vulnerable population of people who are unsheltered and in addiction.January 15, 2025
Adult Health
Drinking coffee only in the morning may lower your risk of heart disease
Drinking coffee only in the morning is linked to a lower risk of heart disease and premature death, new research suggests. People who drank coffee throughout the day did not see a lower risk. Afternoon coffee drinking may disrupt sleep patterns and lead to inflammation associated with heart disease, but more research is needed.January 14, 2025
Women's Health
Black mothers in Philly remain far more likely to have unexpected complications during delivery, report says
Philly's severe maternal morbidity rate, which measures unexpected complications that arise during deliver and lead to health problems for mothers and babies, 'increased dramatically' between 2016 and 2022, a new city report finds. Black mothers are twice as likely as white mothers to experience severe maternal morbidities.January 9, 2025
Health News
Outreach groups mobilize support for Philly's homeless population amid cold spell
Outreach groups have joined forces to help Philadelphia's homeless population during the recent cold spell. The city has opened warming centers and arranged for extra shelter beds. But people face a variety of barriers to accessing these emergency shelters, harm reduction workers say.January 8, 2025
Health Insurance
A record number of Americans have bought health plans for 2025 through the ACA; there's still time to do so
A record number of Americans have purchased health plans for through the Affordable Care Act this open enrollment period, the Biden administration said. The deadline to purchase plans on the federal marketplace is Jan. 15. Some state marketplaces have later deadlines, including New Jersey, which has a Jan. 31 deadline.January 8, 2025
Adult Health
Patients get quick access to medical test results online – but understanding them is often difficult
People now have online access to all medical test results as soon as they are finalized. But deciphering reports that come through patient portals can be confusing and sometimes anxiety provoking, a University of Michigan study finds. But using patient-centered language improves understanding.January 8, 2025
Addiction
Philly to offer year-long housing to 336 people in addiction recovery at Holmesburg facility
Philadelphia is set to open a new recovery facility, the Riverview Wellness Village, in Holmesburg. It offers year-round housing at six cottages along the Delaware River to people coming out of short-term addiction treatment. It will begin accepting residents next month and has space for 336 people.Just In
- Women's pain often lasts longer than men's — that's not just a perception
- Wrexham AFC, the soccer club co-owned by Rob Mac, returns to Philly region this summer
- Quinta Brunson to receive GLAAD award for being ally to the LGBTQ+ community
- As Navy Yard's first apartments open, planners see a new neighborhood coming to life
- VJ Edgecombe out for Sixers-Jazz Wednesday, to be reevaluated before Saturday's game
- Philly college hoops round up: Villanova men faltering as March arrives
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