Ni’aisha Banks’ sixth pregnancy came after she already had four children. Her very first pregnancy resulted in a stillborn baby, so she was excited about bringing a fifth child into the world. Then, Banks started to feel concerned about her health. “I was severely ill, and had to find other people to help watch my […]
Health
Posted inHealth
Need Help Finding a Black Doctor in Metro Atlanta? Read This.
There is no shortage of reasons why Black people in America have a distrust for the medical field. The racial disparities are glaring. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Black and Hispanic patients receive worse care on 40% of the department’s measures, including pain treatment. Because of those disparities, it might […]
Posted inHealth, Reproductive Health
What Overturning Roe v. Wade Would Mean for Black Georgians
The road to an abortion ban would be cleared for the GOP-controlled Georgia assembly if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, state lawmakers say — creating hurdles that would severely affect Black Georgians who are already among the most isolated from quality maternal health care. A leaked draft opinion from the Supreme Court […]
Posted inHealth, Health Equity
‘This Doesn’t Make Sense’: Black Residents Southwest of the City Left Without an ER
When Stacey Hopkins moved from Atlanta to East Point in March 2021, the 59-year-old didn’t think she would be without a neighborhood hospital. Earlier this month, Wellstar announced that Atlanta Medical Center South would transition into a 24-hour urgent care facility starting May 6. The reason, Wellstar said, is there wasn’t enough business. The closure […]
Posted inHealth, Reproductive Health
What Are the Biggest Issues For Black Maternal Health in GA? An Expert Explains.
The art of birthing, as she calls it, is one that never grows old for Rose Horton. Six years ago, Horton, a registered nurse from New York City, found herself at Emory Decatur Hospital when it was then known as DeKalb Medical Center. Horton said that she realized working in the Atlanta area would mean […]
Posted inCOVID-19, Health
How the New CDC Mask Guidance Affects You
Since the start of the pandemic, Black residents in metro Atlanta have been hit especially hard. Despite a drop in cases statewide, Black patients make up 40% of hospitalizations while representing one-third of the population in the state. Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shifted the focus of its guidance for mask wearing, […]
Posted inHealth, Reproductive Health
What Abortion Access Looks Like for Black Women in Atlanta
Last December, in a pivotal moment in the nation’s ongoing fight for reproductive rights, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The case centers on Mississippi’s 15-week abortion ban and could overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court case that legalized abortion. The case is pending until […]
Posted inHealth, State Politics
Georgia’s General Assembly Is Talking Health. Here’s What’s at Stake for Black Residents.
The Georgia General Assembly is taking up a number of bills that would have a significant impact on residents’ mental, physical and reproductive health. One seeks to reform the state’s mental health care system by making it more affordable. Republican lawmakers are also trying to curb access to abortion pills in direct response to the […]
Posted inCOVID-19, Health
How This Decatur Nurse Brings Rapid Covid Tests to Black Communities
Paula Richardson was concerned. The ICU nurse at Emory Medical Center saw first-hand the disparities in access to COVID-19 testing, and worried that new variants would further impact Black and low-income residents. So, in February 2021, she took matters into her own hands. First, she started working out of the only space she had available: her […]
Posted inCOVID-19, Health
How to Find Free at-Home COVID-19 Tests in Atlanta
Attempting to stay up-to-date with the latest COVID-19 news and recommendations sometimes lead you down a path that seems to involve more questions than answers. While the omicron peak may have recently passed, experts warn that now is not the time to ease up on the recommended safety protocols. Still, with the prices of recommended […]