The popularity of hookah lounges, cigar bars, and recreational marijuana may be contributing to higher rates of lung cancer among Black men living in Fulton County, according to recent research outlined by the county’s board of health. Panelists at the Fulton County Board of Health’s “State of Healthcare for African Americans” town hall said on […]
Health
Posted inHealth, Partner Content
Georgia Leads in HIV Cases. Will Trump’s Policies Block a Lifesaving Drug?
This story was originally published by Healthbeat. Sign up for their public health newsletters at healthbeat.org/newsletters. Latonia Wilkins knows she needs to be on PrEP due to her non-monogamous lifestyle. But the 52-year-old Atlanta mother has faced repeated challenges getting the lifesaving drug that can prevent new HIV infections. Years ago, Wilkins was dating a […]
Posted inFood Access
More Atlantans Are Going Hungry, and It Could Get Worse Next Year.
Vanessa Bowman reached her financial breaking point last year when her car broke down and she had to cut back on her family’s food budget to afford another one. The 62-year-old disabled grandmother and her sister, Elsie, were two of more than 800 people from across the region who visited a weekly food giveaway recently, […]
Posted inHealth, Partner Content, State Politics
Georgia’s Work Requirement Slows Processing of Applications for Medicaid, Food Stamps
This story was originally published by KFF Health News. Deegant Adhvaryu completed his parents’ applications for Medicaid and food benefits in June. Then the waiting and frustration began. In July, his parents, Haresh and Nina Adhvaryu, received a letter saying their applications would be delayed, he said. In August, the Adhvaryus started calling a Georgia […]
Posted inHealth, Partner Content
Atlanta Sees Spike in Virus Threatening Kids With Sickle Cell Disease
This story was originally published by Healthbeat Atlanta. Amid doctors’ calls for protective measures against influenza and COVID-19 this winter, some new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports highlight the need for Atlanta clinicians and residents to pay attention to another respiratory virus on the rise. Three research articles published Thursday in the CDC’s […]
Posted inFood Access, Health, Partner Content
DeKalb Residents Say They Need Better Access to Health Care, Healthy Food
This story was originally published by Healthbeat. Sign up for their public health newsletters at healthbeat.org/newsletters. DeKalb County residents want more options for physical activity and healthy food and better access to health care providers, according to the latest Community Health Needs Assessment. DeKalb Public Health CEO Dr. Sandra Valenciano presented the findings at a […]
Posted inFood Access, Money, Wealth Gap
This Free Grocery Store Is Trying to Address Atlanta’s Food Access Problems
This story was originally published on March 2, 2023, and has been updated. Bankhead resident Jeff Jackson says accessing fresh groceries in his neighborhood has become more difficult over the years. Jackson recalls multiple grocery stores closing in the past decade. It’s why the Grocery Spot, the free grocery store where he volunteers and gets […]
Posted inHealth, Transportation
Patients Are Relying on Lyft, Uber to Travel Far Distances to Medical Care
This article was published by KFF Health News. When Lyft driver Tramaine Carr transports seniors and sick patients to hospitals in Atlanta, she feels like both a friend and a social worker. “When the ride is an hour or an hour and a half of mostly freeway driving, people tend to tell you what they’re […]
Posted inClimate, Criminal Justice, Education, LGBTQ, Politics & Policy, Reproductive Health
The Dawn of a New Trump Era Begins. What It Means for Black Atlantans in 2025.
The dread many Black people in Atlanta feel about Donald Trump’s triumph in the 2024 presidential election isn’t misplaced: He organized his reelection campaign against Vice President Kamala Harris around revenge — around how he and his allies can inflict the greatest amount of suffering on vulnerable groups and on those he considers enemies. Making […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Mental Health
New Atlanta Diversion Center Offers a Different Vision of Public Safety
Atlanta and Fulton County officials on Monday took a major step toward reducing local arrests with the launch of a facility intended to serve people experiencing behavioral and mental health issues. The Center for Diversion and Services is a rehabilitative hub open around the clock, seven days a week, where law-enforcement officers and community response […]