Health

Health
Back-to-school shots: Pediatrician answers health care questions as federal guidance shifts
What should kids and families do to start the school year off healthy? M Health Fairview Pediatrician Dr. Lara Al-Ejeilat joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer on Morning Edition Friday with answers.
Ultra-processed food consumption is down a bit, but still more than 50 percent of U.S. diet
Americans get about 55 percent of our calories from tasty, cheap — and unhealthy — manufactured foods, the latest data from CDC says. For kids, the percentage is even higher.
Trump cuts threaten access to birth control for millions of women
Birth control is routine for many Americans and polls show it's popular across party lines. Now, the Trump administration is withholding funds that provide contraception for low income people.
'We did not want to take this guy’: Abuse rates higher at nursing homes with more mental illness
Nursing homes are designed to care for patients with physical infirmities. But nationwide, 1 in 5 residents has been diagnosed with a serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia or psychosis — conditions few of the facilities are equipped to handle. A new data analysis from APM Research Lab shows that can lead to higher levels of abuse, putting both residents and staff at risk.
Public health experts dismayed by RFK Jr.'s defunding of mRNA vaccine research
The Trump administration cancelled about $500 million for research into mRNA vaccines. The move slows progress in using the technology to prevent a future pandemic or treat disease, experts say.
Nihilistic online networks groom minors to commit harm. Her son was one of them
When Dana’s son was hospitalized last year, it led her to a path of discovery about predatory online networks that groom children into harming themselves and others. Their reach is global and growing.
Rethinking ADHD and how to treat it
About 10 percent of U.S. children have an ADHD diagnosis. MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks with a journalist and a pediatrician about how research is changing our understanding of the disorder — and how to treat it.  
Study says ChatGPT giving teens dangerous advice on drugs, alcohol and suicide
New research from a watchdog group reveals ChatGPT can provide harmful advice to teens. The Associated Press reviewed interactions where the chatbot gave detailed plans for drug use, eating disorders, and even suicide notes.