Some Ky. counties using settlement money to make new opioid-withdrawal treatment available to a small number of residents

The device uses low-intensity electrical pulses to reduce withdrawal symptoms. (WDRB photo, from NET Recovery Corp.) By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News Three Kentucky counties are making a new treatment to reduce opioid-withdrawal symptoms available free to a few of their residents, using money...

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Louisville Circuit Judge Brian Edwards rejects Jewish women's religious challenge to Kentucky's near-total ban on abortions

By Sarah Ladd Kentucky Lantern Jefferson Circuit Judge Brian Edwards has ruled against a lawsuit by three Jewish women challenging Kentucky’s abortion ban on religious grounds. Circuit Judge Brian Edwards In a nine-page opinion issued Friday night, Edwards said the women do not have standing and that their concerns...

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988 roll-out uneven, but Ky. appears to be doing 'pretty well;' last of 14 regional mental-health centers nearing certification for calls

By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News Even though the roll-out of the three-digit national suicide hotline remains a work in progress across the nation, Kentucky's roll-out over the past two years has gone "pretty well." So says Steve Shannon, executive director of the Kentucky Association of Regional Programs for mental...

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Ben Chandler to retire as head of Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky; board names COO Allison Adams to succeed him

Ben Chandler and Allison Adams Ben Chandler, president and CEO of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky for the last eight years, announced Thursday that he would retire at year's end and be succeeded by Allison Adams, the philanthropy's chief operating officer. “After a very thorough process, it was clear to...

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Supreme Court allows government efforts against controversial social-media posts, saying plaintiffs lack standing to sue

U.S. Supreme Court (Photo by Andrew Harnik, Getty Images) By Mark Sherman Associated Press The Supreme Court on Wednesday sided with the Biden administration in a dispute with Republican-led states over how far the federal government can go to combat controversial social media posts on topics including Covid-19 and...

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Rural Tennessee hospitals near Kentucky border remain closed as the Volunteer State keeps spurning expansion of Medicaid

Jellico Medical Center is defunct. (KFF News photo by Taylor Sisk) By Taylor Sisk KFF Health NewsJELLICO, Tenn. — In March 2021, this town of about 2,000 on the Kentucky border in the shadow of Pine Mountain lost its hospital. It's in Campbell County, which ranks 90th of Tennessee’s 95 counties in health outcomes and...

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Health department director says she has work to do, to educate Attorney General Coleman about syringe exchanges

Dr. Crystal Miller with state Health Commissioner Stack Kentucky Health News The director of a district health department with a syringe exchange has voiced disappointment to her local newspaper over Attorney General Russell Coleman's opposition to the exchanges. Dr. Crystal Miller, director of the Wedco Health District,...

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Cervical-cancer screening declined in pandemic, UK study finds

A Pap test (Photo by Rabizo, iStock/Getty Images Plus) By Elizabeth Chapin University of Kentucky New research at the University of Kentucky reveals concerning declines in cervical cancer screening rates among women in the U.S. during the Covid-19 pandemic, especially in rural areas. The study, led by UK Markey Cancer...

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U.S. Supreme Court agrees to hear case challenging laws like Kentucky's that ban gender-affirming health care for minors

Photo illustration by Shutterstock Creative By Mark Sherman Associated Press The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday jumped into the fight over transgender rights, agreeing to hear an appeal from the Biden administration seeking to block bans on gender-affirming care like the one in Kentucky. The justices’ action comes...

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When it's hot, drink more water; here are ways to get that done

Photo illustration from CDC Kentucky Health News Staying hydrated is essential to maintaining health, especially during summer months. Aside from preventing dehydration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that water helps your body maintain normal temperature, facilitate joint movement and protection,...

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FDA OKs menthol e-cigs made by company Altria recently bought, endorsing its smoking-cessation claims; health advocates object

By Matthew ParroneAssociated Press The Food and Drug Administration on Friday authorized the first menthol-flavored electronic cigarettes for adult smokers, acknowledging that vaping flavors can reduce the harms of traditional tobacco smoking. Njoy menthol product The FDA said it authorized four menthol e-cigarettes...

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Community event at church addresses health needs in Frankfort

A variety of health-focused vendors set up tables in the parking lot of First Baptist Church Frankfort on June 14 to share information and host activities with attendees. (UK photo by Lindsay Travis) By Lindsay TravisUniversity of Kentucky Coretta Scott King said, “The greatness of a community is most accurately measured...

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Huge grant fails to reduce ODs by 40%; does show a 9% drop over four states, saving an estimated 483 lives, but few in Ky.

The National Institues of Health’sNational Institute on Drug Abuse and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration funded the study through the NIH HEAL Initiative. By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News A four-state, $350 million research grant that included Kentucky fell...

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