This article is reprinted with permission from Rural Health Quarterly When Laurie* moved to rural western Colorado, she thought she had found a tranquil oasis to rest and die. Then 32, she was sober and living with HIV, but her health was waning and the mid-1990s HIV medications were taking a toll on her body. “I moved…
One in 100 babies are born with congenital heart disease. And it can be deadly. Critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) that goes untreated causes half of the infant deaths in this country related to birth defects. The scary thing is that infants show no symptoms at birth. Fortunately, CCHD can be diagnosed, either in the…
Georgia has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the country. Of preventable infant deaths, most are sleep-related, the GBI says. “The biggest problem is not only not sleeping on their back, but also bed-sharing,” said Dr. Gary Freed, longtime director of the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta apnea center. “We are losing babies who…
At 54, Lorenzo Hardy finally feels like a productive member of society. He usually wears a three-piece suit — fedora and all, fluently discusses civil disobedience theory, and estimates that he has read more than 2,000 books. He is also a twice-convicted felon, three years out of prison after a 20-year sentence. Hardy served two…
In July 1976, a severe outbreak of a type of pneumonia occurred at a convention of the American Legion in Philadelphia. It eventually infected scores of people, and at least 29 of them died. The incident caught the attention of the nation. A mysterious illness is always scary, but this one had a kind of…
Human papillomavirus is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. It’s so common that the CDC estimates most people will contract it at some point in their lives, and recommends all 11- and 12-year-olds get vaccinated. The most dangerous strains can cause cervical and other cancers. But HPV vaccination rates are on the rise,…
Most Georgians know the irritating sensation of not being able to breathe through their noses during cold or pollen season. It may be caused by chronic sinusitis or sinus infection, and most cases of both types clear up on their own. Sinus infections occur when cavities around the nose are inflamed, making breathing difficult. Though…
Car crashes are a leading cause of spine and brain injuries among teenagers, like many of those now recovering at Shepherd Center, the Atlanta rehabilitation hospital. Emma Harrington, director of injury prevention and education at Shepherd, found herself wondering, “Why and how are people ending up here — and what can we do about it?”…
A report released Tuesday ranks Georgia 42nd in overall child well-being for the second year in a row. The annual Kids Count report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation compared state data from 2010 to 2015 based on four factors: children’s economic well-being, education, health, and family and community. Georgia improved in rank with regard to the…
Surgeon and bestselling author Atul Gawande writes that he never learned about mortality in medical school. He learned to examine, prescribe and operate, but not how to help patients die well. It wasn’t until he was a practicing surgeon that he confronted the idea of a “good” death — a death consistent with a life…