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.
August 16, 2024
Mental Health
ASMR is still an internet sensation, and studies suggest it may help with anxiety
ASMR, a 'flow-like' mental state that some people say they experience when listening to sounds like whispering, paper crinkling or fingers tapping, has been linked to reduced anxiety and stress. More research on its health benefits are needed, but after nearly two decades, it's clear the trend isn't going away.August 15, 2024
Health Insurance
For the first time, Medicare negotiates prices on 10 drugs that treat diabetes, heart failure and other conditions
Medicare released its first set of negotiated drug prices on Thursday. The new sticker prices on 10 prescriptions medications used for diabetes, heart failure and other health conditions, would have saved the program $6 billion if they were in effect in 2023. They take effect Jan. 1, 2026.August 14, 2024
Children's Health
'Slapped cheek' disease is on the rise. Here's how the seasonal illness spreads and is treated
Parvovirus B19 infections, also known as 'slapped cheek' or fifth disease, are on the rise, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns. The respiratory illness is usually mild, and can cause a facial rash in children. But it can be dangerous for pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems.August 13, 2024
Women's Health
Most pregnant women do not drink enough water, study finds
About two-thirds of pregnant women in the United States do not drink the recommended 8 to 12 cups of water per day, a new Penn State University study finds. Most women are unaware of the recommendations, too. Dehydration can lead to serious health conditions, including premature labor and low birth weight.August 13, 2024
Mental Health
FDA's denial of using ecstasy in PTSD treatment means push for therapy may move to states, advocate says
The Food and Drug Administration denied approval of a therapy using MDMA – also known as ecstasy and molly – to treat post-traumatic stress disorder. The decision means momentum for the use of psychedelics in behavioral health may now come from the state level, an expert said.August 2, 2024
Prevention
How to select an effective bug spray – with or without DEET
Choosing a safe and effective insect repellent can be challenging due to the many products on the market. The EPA considers products with DEET safe, if used according to instructions. But there are effective alternatives, including bug sprays containing picaridin and PMD.August 1, 2024
Healthy Eating
Eating processed red meat linked to higher risk for Alzheimer's disease
People who ate 1/4 servings or more of processed red meat daily had a 14% higher risk of dementia than those who ate less than 1/10 of a serving every day, new research found. But swapping out one daily serving of processed red meat for one serving of nuts and legumes was linked to a 20% lower risk of developing dementia.August 1, 2024
Parenting
This Philly parenting program teaches dads how to be better engaged in their children's lives
Focus on Fathers, a Philadelphia parenting program, helps dads develop and maintain positive, healthy involvement in their children's lives. It's part of a larger movement to promote men's emotional development and reduce domestic violence and absentee fatherhood.July 31, 2024
Illness
Boar's Head recalls more meat products amid listeria outbreak
Boar's Head has expanded its recall of meat products connected to a listeria outbreak that has hospitalized 33 people in 13 states. Two people have died. The expanded recall includes 71 products with 'sell by' dates ranging from July 29 to Oct. 17.July 30, 2024
Health Stories
After seeing a high-speed, 3-car crash in Vermont, a Temple Hospital resident rushed to aid the people injured
Kiley Nygren, an emergency medicine resident at Temple University Hospital, triaged and cared for 14 people involved in a high-speed crash in Vermont on June 23, 2024. Nygren, and her fiance, Josh Koch, a resident at Einstein Medical Center, witnessed the crash while driving home from a wedding. They provided aid until first responders arrived. Twelve people survived.Just In
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