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"content": "\u003cp>As the dust settles from \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results\">Election Day\u003c/a>, you may be in search of ways to take a break and find some quiet or solitude — even just for an hour or two.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>(Previously, experts advised those experiencing anxiety before the election to \u003ca href=\"https://www.thecut.com/article/election-anxiety-stress-therapist-tips.html\">unplug from the news\u003c/a> as much as they can, exercise and get enough sleep — but these tips may be proving difficult for many right now.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before the election, we rounded up these 12 Bay Area hikes that local outdoor experts, nature enthusiasts and KQED staff recommended as particularly peaceful or soothing in anxious times, mindful of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1984534/why-nature-is-great-for-your-mental-health\">the documented benefits of being outside for mental health\u003c/a>. And we hope these ideas might be of use to you at this moment.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/parks/claremont-canyon\">Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve, Oakland\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Recommended by: Xiomara Batin, Community Engagement and Marketing Manager at GirlVentures, a nonprofit based in Oakland that focuses on outdoor education for girls and gender-expansive youth[aside postID=news_12011916 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/GettyImages-1353656914-1020x680.jpg']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of Batin’s favorite things about this protected area of the East Bay Regional Park System is that she can “get a wonderful workout along with stunning views of the Bay Area.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said she also feels safe on this trail as a solo female hiker: “I have space to be alone and consistently see people on the trail, so I feel very comfortable.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandparks.org/leona-heights-park/\">Leona Heights Park, Oakland\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Recommended by: José González, the founder of Latino Outdoors, which aims to inspire, connect and engage Latino communities in nature\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>González recommends this 2.3-mile out-and-back trail in Oakland because of its “dynamic diversity of habitats in such a short hike.”. The trail starts in an urban neighborhood, “but that disappears pretty quickly, and you are immediately immersed in nature,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The view up at the top is fantastic, and such a classic ridgeline view of the Bay Area.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1995036\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1200px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1995036\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Tennessee-Beach-Elizabeth-Aldenderfer-ParksConservancy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Tennessee-Beach-Elizabeth-Aldenderfer-ParksConservancy.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Tennessee-Beach-Elizabeth-Aldenderfer-ParksConservancy-800x400.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Tennessee-Beach-Elizabeth-Aldenderfer-ParksConservancy-1020x510.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Tennessee-Beach-Elizabeth-Aldenderfer-ParksConservancy-160x80.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Tennessee-Beach-Elizabeth-Aldenderfer-ParksConservancy-768x384.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tennessee Beach \u003ccite>(Elizabeth Aldenderfer/Parks Conservancy)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/goga/planyourvisit/tennessee_valley.htm\">Tennessee Valley Beach, Marin Headlands\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Recommended by: Deandre Latour, the founder of Melanated Adventures, which aims to create a safe space for Black people and people of color looking for a hiking community in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This short in-and-out hike with a cliffside bunker “traverses through a valley that opens up into a beach,” said Latour.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The bunker makes for a great place to escape if it’s a windy day,” he said — and “the beach makes for a great place to decompress and calm oneself with the continuous sounds of the waves.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.parksconservancy.org/trails/lonely-trail\">Lonely Trail, Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Recommended by: Divya Konda, the founder of Weekend Wanderers Inc., a social media space recommending different hikes around the Bay Area\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Konda chose this trail for a fall hike as it is “often veiled in lingering fog, making them even more beautiful in the mornings.”.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This particular trail is usually quiet and uncrowded, making it one of my favorite spots to connect with nature and unwind,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1995037\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1200px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1995037\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Kirke-Wrench-NPS.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Kirke-Wrench-NPS.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Kirke-Wrench-NPS-800x400.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Kirke-Wrench-NPS-1020x510.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Kirke-Wrench-NPS-160x80.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Kirke-Wrench-NPS-768x384.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Coastal trail in Marin \u003ccite>(Kirke Wrench/NPS)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/miwok-coastal-trail-loop\">Miwok and Coastal Trail Loop, Golden Gate National Recreation Area\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Recommended by: Preethi Chandrasekhar, content creator and founder of Outdoorsy South Asians.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chandrasekhar chose this coastal hike because it’s “so soothing and beautiful.”. Being out in nature helps her stay calm and mitigate emotions like anxiety, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Such emotions tend to arise during times like elections,” said Chandrasekhar, “and a great way to help with that is to get outside, and there’s nothing like the sight and sounds of the ocean to help us relax.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/places/point-reyes-kehoe-beach.htm\">Kehoe Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Recommended by: Syren Nagakyrie, founder and director of Disabled Hikers, a disabled-led organization celebrating people’s experience in the outdoors while advocating for justice, access and inclusion in the outdoors\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This 0.5-mile trail to the beach is generally flat, with compacted gravel, said Nagakyrie, and “once you get on the beach, you feel like you are in a secluded cove.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The beach is my favorite place to unwind; smelling the salt air, listening to the waves, or gazing out at the horizon always helps me relax,” they said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For more recommendations for accessible trails in the area, Nagakyrie recommends their \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://url.us.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/pMYSCn5zDjC3JvLvUZsnFJ9xtT?domain=disabledhikers.com\">Disabled Hiker’s Guide to Northern California\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, which was published earlier this month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1995038\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1995038\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Kehoe-Beach-A-Kopshever-NPS.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Kehoe-Beach-A-Kopshever-NPS.jpg 1600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Kehoe-Beach-A-Kopshever-NPS-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Kehoe-Beach-A-Kopshever-NPS-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Kehoe-Beach-A-Kopshever-NPS-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Kehoe-Beach-A-Kopshever-NPS-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Kehoe-Beach-A-Kopshever-NPS-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kehoe Beach \u003ccite>(A Kopshever/NPS)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/parks/miller-knox\">Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline, Richmond\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Recommended by: Brian Watt, KQED’s morning news anchor\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watt recommends taking this trail before sunset, which is also a great time to take some stunning photos.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We need a place to go to remind ourselves of how lucky we are to live where we do,” said Watt. “It’s reassuring in uncertain times.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.smcgov.org/parks/devils-slide-trail\">Devil’s Slide, Pacifica\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Recommended by: Olivia Allen-Price, host of KQED’s award-winning Bay Curious podcast\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Allen-Price recommends this accessible coastal trail as being suitable for the fall, when “the risk of fog is lower than in the spring and summer,” she said. “So your chances of seeing those big ocean views are much higher.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As someone who hikes often with little kids and grandparents, I love how accessible this trail is,” said Allen-Price. “When I’m feeling anxious or overwhelmed, I like to step back and try to see things from a bigger perspective.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In the context of time — millennia! — and space — infinite! — whatever human problems ail us seem a little bit smaller.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1995039\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1995039 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Copy-of-KQED-side-by-side-featured-image.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Copy-of-KQED-side-by-side-featured-image.png 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Copy-of-KQED-side-by-side-featured-image-800x533.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Copy-of-KQED-side-by-side-featured-image-1020x680.png 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Copy-of-KQED-side-by-side-featured-image-160x107.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Copy-of-KQED-side-by-side-featured-image-768x512.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Copy-of-KQED-side-by-side-featured-image-1536x1024.png 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Copy-of-KQED-side-by-side-featured-image-1920x1280.png 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lands End Trail \u003ccite>(Bianca Taylor/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfstairways.com/stairways/harry-street/\">Harry Street Stairs, through Glen Canyon to Twin Peaks, San Francisco\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Recommended by Ezra David Romero, KQED’s climate reporter\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Romero recommends a more urban trail beginning at Harry Street Stairs in San Francisco. (\u003ca href=\"https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Harry+street+stairs,+89-11+Harry+St,+San+Francisco,+CA+94131/Amatista+Ln,+San+Francisco,+CA+94131/Onique+Ln,+San+Francisco,+CA+94131/Glen+Canyon+Park,+Chenery+St,+San+Francisco,+CA/Twin+Peaks,+San+Francisco,+CA/@37.74542,-122.4484936,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m37!4m36!1m10!1m1!1s0x808f7f4ac10196e3:0x41b2f4421723836a!2m2!1d-122.4312253!2d37.7400743!3m4!1m2!1d-122.429883!2d37.7391408!3s0x808f7e65e0ae3b87:0x403a3b1abb0db297!1m5!1m1!1s0x808f7e667ebef083:0xf3c623dcbc254bdd!2m2!1d-122.4293204!2d37.7383235!1m5!1m1!1s0x808f7e70f00c59c5:0xdc242c4cab5c1b81!2m2!1d-122.4388602!2d37.7393113!1m5!1m1!1s0x808f7e76764229f5:0x8f353da71333a1f3!2m2!1d-122.4431851!2d37.7415588!1m5!1m1!1s0x808f7e08425fbda7:0x2d9e2665b504b657!2m2!1d-122.4476845!2d37.7544066!3e2?entry=tts&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTAyNy4wKgBIAVAD\">Here’s a map of the 2.8-mile path.\u003c/a>)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“From Harry Street Stairs, you walk to the Colleen Way stairs and then into Glen Canyon for a hike of your choosing!” he said. “I like to walk through Glen Canyon and then pop out at the Safeway in Diamond Heights and walk back to my car.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/places/000/lands-end-trailhead.htm\">Lands End Trail, Golden Gate National Recreation Area\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Recommended by: Bianca Taylor, KQED News producer and host of The Latest podcast\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Taylor recommends this trail in San Francisco this time of year because it’s typically less foggy on the coast. Throughout the entire walk, “you’re treated to panoramic views of the Bay: you can see the Marin headlands, Point Bonita lighthouse, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the SF skyline,” she said\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a reminder to me of why I love living in this city. It’s a really nice detox from sitting at a desk and reading the news.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1995040\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1995040\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/IMG_7908-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/IMG_7908-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/IMG_7908-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/IMG_7908-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/IMG_7908-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/IMG_7908-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/IMG_7908-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/IMG_7908-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/IMG_7908-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">View from Mission Peak trail \u003ccite>(Sarah Mohamad/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/hike-to-mount-wittenberg-from-bear-valley.htm\">Mt. Wittenberg from Bear Valley\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Recommended by: Danielle Venton, KQED’s science reporter\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Venton said she plans to climb Mt. Wittenberg from Bear Valley trailhead, “taking the ridge to the ocean and walking back through Divide Meadow in Point Reyes,” to take the edge off her own Election Day stress.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is a fairly long, challenging hike, passing through a variety of vegetation types: bay trees, conifers, areas burned with wildfire now growing back and coastal prairie,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s perfect for quieting your mind and being absorbed in your surroundings and the work your body is doing. Plus, you get beautiful views of the Pt. Reyes peninsula.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/parks/mission-peak\">Mission Peak Regional Preserve, Fremont\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Recommended by: me, Sarah Mohamad, science engagement producer/reporter\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This 6-mile out-and-back hike that begins at the Stanford staging parking lot is my go-to hike and is a favorite of mine in the fall and winter because of the cooler, less daunting weather. The trail is mostly uphill, with about a 2,000-foot elevation gain before the summit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once you get to the peak, take your victory photo with the infamous pole — known to some as the “Peeker Pole” — which is located at about 200 feet from Mission Peak’s 2,500-foot summit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Parking is limited, but there’s plenty of street parking about 5 minutes down the road.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published on Nov. 1. KQED’s Carly Severn contributed reporting.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "As the dust settles from Election Day, you may be in search of ways to take a break and find some quiet or solitude — even just for an hour or two.",
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"title": "12 Peaceful Bay Area Hikes and Nature Spots For This Week | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>As the dust settles from \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/elections/results\">Election Day\u003c/a>, you may be in search of ways to take a break and find some quiet or solitude — even just for an hour or two.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>(Previously, experts advised those experiencing anxiety before the election to \u003ca href=\"https://www.thecut.com/article/election-anxiety-stress-therapist-tips.html\">unplug from the news\u003c/a> as much as they can, exercise and get enough sleep — but these tips may be proving difficult for many right now.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before the election, we rounded up these 12 Bay Area hikes that local outdoor experts, nature enthusiasts and KQED staff recommended as particularly peaceful or soothing in anxious times, mindful of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1984534/why-nature-is-great-for-your-mental-health\">the documented benefits of being outside for mental health\u003c/a>. And we hope these ideas might be of use to you at this moment.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/parks/claremont-canyon\">Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve, Oakland\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Recommended by: Xiomara Batin, Community Engagement and Marketing Manager at GirlVentures, a nonprofit based in Oakland that focuses on outdoor education for girls and gender-expansive youth\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of Batin’s favorite things about this protected area of the East Bay Regional Park System is that she can “get a wonderful workout along with stunning views of the Bay Area.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said she also feels safe on this trail as a solo female hiker: “I have space to be alone and consistently see people on the trail, so I feel very comfortable.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklandparks.org/leona-heights-park/\">Leona Heights Park, Oakland\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Recommended by: José González, the founder of Latino Outdoors, which aims to inspire, connect and engage Latino communities in nature\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>González recommends this 2.3-mile out-and-back trail in Oakland because of its “dynamic diversity of habitats in such a short hike.”. The trail starts in an urban neighborhood, “but that disappears pretty quickly, and you are immediately immersed in nature,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The view up at the top is fantastic, and such a classic ridgeline view of the Bay Area.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1995036\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1200px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1995036\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Tennessee-Beach-Elizabeth-Aldenderfer-ParksConservancy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Tennessee-Beach-Elizabeth-Aldenderfer-ParksConservancy.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Tennessee-Beach-Elizabeth-Aldenderfer-ParksConservancy-800x400.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Tennessee-Beach-Elizabeth-Aldenderfer-ParksConservancy-1020x510.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Tennessee-Beach-Elizabeth-Aldenderfer-ParksConservancy-160x80.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Tennessee-Beach-Elizabeth-Aldenderfer-ParksConservancy-768x384.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tennessee Beach \u003ccite>(Elizabeth Aldenderfer/Parks Conservancy)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/goga/planyourvisit/tennessee_valley.htm\">Tennessee Valley Beach, Marin Headlands\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Recommended by: Deandre Latour, the founder of Melanated Adventures, which aims to create a safe space for Black people and people of color looking for a hiking community in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This short in-and-out hike with a cliffside bunker “traverses through a valley that opens up into a beach,” said Latour.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The bunker makes for a great place to escape if it’s a windy day,” he said — and “the beach makes for a great place to decompress and calm oneself with the continuous sounds of the waves.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.parksconservancy.org/trails/lonely-trail\">Lonely Trail, Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Recommended by: Divya Konda, the founder of Weekend Wanderers Inc., a social media space recommending different hikes around the Bay Area\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Konda chose this trail for a fall hike as it is “often veiled in lingering fog, making them even more beautiful in the mornings.”.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This particular trail is usually quiet and uncrowded, making it one of my favorite spots to connect with nature and unwind,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1995037\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1200px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1995037\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Kirke-Wrench-NPS.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Kirke-Wrench-NPS.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Kirke-Wrench-NPS-800x400.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Kirke-Wrench-NPS-1020x510.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Kirke-Wrench-NPS-160x80.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Kirke-Wrench-NPS-768x384.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Coastal trail in Marin \u003ccite>(Kirke Wrench/NPS)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/miwok-coastal-trail-loop\">Miwok and Coastal Trail Loop, Golden Gate National Recreation Area\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Recommended by: Preethi Chandrasekhar, content creator and founder of Outdoorsy South Asians.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chandrasekhar chose this coastal hike because it’s “so soothing and beautiful.”. Being out in nature helps her stay calm and mitigate emotions like anxiety, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Such emotions tend to arise during times like elections,” said Chandrasekhar, “and a great way to help with that is to get outside, and there’s nothing like the sight and sounds of the ocean to help us relax.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/places/point-reyes-kehoe-beach.htm\">Kehoe Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Recommended by: Syren Nagakyrie, founder and director of Disabled Hikers, a disabled-led organization celebrating people’s experience in the outdoors while advocating for justice, access and inclusion in the outdoors\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This 0.5-mile trail to the beach is generally flat, with compacted gravel, said Nagakyrie, and “once you get on the beach, you feel like you are in a secluded cove.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The beach is my favorite place to unwind; smelling the salt air, listening to the waves, or gazing out at the horizon always helps me relax,” they said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For more recommendations for accessible trails in the area, Nagakyrie recommends their \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://url.us.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/pMYSCn5zDjC3JvLvUZsnFJ9xtT?domain=disabledhikers.com\">Disabled Hiker’s Guide to Northern California\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, which was published earlier this month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1995038\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1995038\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Kehoe-Beach-A-Kopshever-NPS.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Kehoe-Beach-A-Kopshever-NPS.jpg 1600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Kehoe-Beach-A-Kopshever-NPS-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Kehoe-Beach-A-Kopshever-NPS-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Kehoe-Beach-A-Kopshever-NPS-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Kehoe-Beach-A-Kopshever-NPS-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Kehoe-Beach-A-Kopshever-NPS-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kehoe Beach \u003ccite>(A Kopshever/NPS)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/parks/miller-knox\">Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline, Richmond\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Recommended by: Brian Watt, KQED’s morning news anchor\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watt recommends taking this trail before sunset, which is also a great time to take some stunning photos.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We need a place to go to remind ourselves of how lucky we are to live where we do,” said Watt. “It’s reassuring in uncertain times.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.smcgov.org/parks/devils-slide-trail\">Devil’s Slide, Pacifica\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Recommended by: Olivia Allen-Price, host of KQED’s award-winning Bay Curious podcast\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Allen-Price recommends this accessible coastal trail as being suitable for the fall, when “the risk of fog is lower than in the spring and summer,” she said. “So your chances of seeing those big ocean views are much higher.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As someone who hikes often with little kids and grandparents, I love how accessible this trail is,” said Allen-Price. “When I’m feeling anxious or overwhelmed, I like to step back and try to see things from a bigger perspective.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In the context of time — millennia! — and space — infinite! — whatever human problems ail us seem a little bit smaller.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1995039\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1995039 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Copy-of-KQED-side-by-side-featured-image.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Copy-of-KQED-side-by-side-featured-image.png 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Copy-of-KQED-side-by-side-featured-image-800x533.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Copy-of-KQED-side-by-side-featured-image-1020x680.png 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Copy-of-KQED-side-by-side-featured-image-160x107.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Copy-of-KQED-side-by-side-featured-image-768x512.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Copy-of-KQED-side-by-side-featured-image-1536x1024.png 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/Copy-of-KQED-side-by-side-featured-image-1920x1280.png 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lands End Trail \u003ccite>(Bianca Taylor/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfstairways.com/stairways/harry-street/\">Harry Street Stairs, through Glen Canyon to Twin Peaks, San Francisco\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Recommended by Ezra David Romero, KQED’s climate reporter\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Romero recommends a more urban trail beginning at Harry Street Stairs in San Francisco. (\u003ca href=\"https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Harry+street+stairs,+89-11+Harry+St,+San+Francisco,+CA+94131/Amatista+Ln,+San+Francisco,+CA+94131/Onique+Ln,+San+Francisco,+CA+94131/Glen+Canyon+Park,+Chenery+St,+San+Francisco,+CA/Twin+Peaks,+San+Francisco,+CA/@37.74542,-122.4484936,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m37!4m36!1m10!1m1!1s0x808f7f4ac10196e3:0x41b2f4421723836a!2m2!1d-122.4312253!2d37.7400743!3m4!1m2!1d-122.429883!2d37.7391408!3s0x808f7e65e0ae3b87:0x403a3b1abb0db297!1m5!1m1!1s0x808f7e667ebef083:0xf3c623dcbc254bdd!2m2!1d-122.4293204!2d37.7383235!1m5!1m1!1s0x808f7e70f00c59c5:0xdc242c4cab5c1b81!2m2!1d-122.4388602!2d37.7393113!1m5!1m1!1s0x808f7e76764229f5:0x8f353da71333a1f3!2m2!1d-122.4431851!2d37.7415588!1m5!1m1!1s0x808f7e08425fbda7:0x2d9e2665b504b657!2m2!1d-122.4476845!2d37.7544066!3e2?entry=tts&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTAyNy4wKgBIAVAD\">Here’s a map of the 2.8-mile path.\u003c/a>)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“From Harry Street Stairs, you walk to the Colleen Way stairs and then into Glen Canyon for a hike of your choosing!” he said. “I like to walk through Glen Canyon and then pop out at the Safeway in Diamond Heights and walk back to my car.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/places/000/lands-end-trailhead.htm\">Lands End Trail, Golden Gate National Recreation Area\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Recommended by: Bianca Taylor, KQED News producer and host of The Latest podcast\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Taylor recommends this trail in San Francisco this time of year because it’s typically less foggy on the coast. Throughout the entire walk, “you’re treated to panoramic views of the Bay: you can see the Marin headlands, Point Bonita lighthouse, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the SF skyline,” she said\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a reminder to me of why I love living in this city. It’s a really nice detox from sitting at a desk and reading the news.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1995040\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1995040\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/IMG_7908-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/IMG_7908-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/IMG_7908-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/IMG_7908-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/IMG_7908-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/IMG_7908-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/IMG_7908-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/IMG_7908-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/IMG_7908-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">View from Mission Peak trail \u003ccite>(Sarah Mohamad/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/hike-to-mount-wittenberg-from-bear-valley.htm\">Mt. Wittenberg from Bear Valley\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Recommended by: Danielle Venton, KQED’s science reporter\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Venton said she plans to climb Mt. Wittenberg from Bear Valley trailhead, “taking the ridge to the ocean and walking back through Divide Meadow in Point Reyes,” to take the edge off her own Election Day stress.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is a fairly long, challenging hike, passing through a variety of vegetation types: bay trees, conifers, areas burned with wildfire now growing back and coastal prairie,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s perfect for quieting your mind and being absorbed in your surroundings and the work your body is doing. Plus, you get beautiful views of the Pt. Reyes peninsula.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ebparks.org/parks/mission-peak\">Mission Peak Regional Preserve, Fremont\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Recommended by: me, Sarah Mohamad, science engagement producer/reporter\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This 6-mile out-and-back hike that begins at the Stanford staging parking lot is my go-to hike and is a favorite of mine in the fall and winter because of the cooler, less daunting weather. The trail is mostly uphill, with about a 2,000-foot elevation gain before the summit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once you get to the peak, take your victory photo with the infamous pole — known to some as the “Peeker Pole” — which is located at about 200 feet from Mission Peak’s 2,500-foot summit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Parking is limited, but there’s plenty of street parking about 5 minutes down the road.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published on Nov. 1. KQED’s Carly Severn contributed reporting.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>As children fill pillowcases and plastic pumpkins with brightly-hued Halloween candies, one concern is often overlooked: \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1974271/artificial-food-coloring-triggers-hyperactivity-in-some-kids-california-report-finds\">artificial food dyes\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those vibrant blues, greens and reds, while eye-catching, may contribute to behavioral changes, especially in children sensitive to synthetic coloring, according to a comprehensive \u003ca href=\"https://oehha.ca.gov/media/downloads/risk-assessment/report/healthefftsassess041621.pdf\">California scientific review\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jamie Newman, from the Riverside County city of Temecula, discovered this firsthand when her son, Jakari, exhibited increasingly severe outbursts and hyperactive behavior as a toddler.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jakari raged in his room. In fits of anger, he tipped over furniture and tore pictures down from walls.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After numerous consultations with experts and exhaustive testing, Newman had few answers. She was desperate for a solution. One evening, a colleague at the hospital where she works recommended a \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQzOHAwCfXs\">TEDx Talk\u003c/a> by a mother whose child was sensitive to artificial dyes. It was a revelation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1995048\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1995048 size-medium\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/image_50461441-800x1067.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"1067\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/image_50461441-800x1067.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/image_50461441-1020x1360.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/image_50461441-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/image_50461441-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/image_50461441-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/image_50461441-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/image_50461441-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jakari Newman dresses up as the Incredible Hulk for Halloween. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Jamie Newman)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Newman, skeptical but hopeful, began examining Jakari’s diet. She found artificial colors in everything from his marshmallows to the bubblegum-flavored mouthwash he used twice a day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Within two weeks of eliminating food dyes from Jakari’s diet, his tantrums stopped. “We thought, my goodness, is this real?” Newman remembers.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What does science say?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved nine colors for use in processed food and other products like sunscreen, cough syrup and pills, a recent state \u003ca href=\"https://oehha.ca.gov/risk-assessment/report/health-effects-assessment-potential-neurobehavioral-effects-synthetic-food\">assessment\u003c/a> of research conducted on products with synthetic food dyes found they may increase or contribute to hyperactivity in kids.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The FDA-approved synthetic additives are made from petroleum and are contained in at least 90% of candies, fruit-flavored snacks and drink mixes marketed to kids, and\u003ca href=\"https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0009922816651621\"> 40% of all children’s food products\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scientists at the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment reviewed 27 human clinical trials, as well as animal and cell studies, to shed light on how food dyes affect human health. They concluded that levels of the artificial food coloring determined to be safe by the FDA are too high for children.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It is an excellent, basically landmark summary of the literature,” said Joel Nigg, psychologist and ADHD researcher at Oregon Health & Science University, who published a comprehensive 2015 \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4321798/\">review\u003c/a> of human studies available and whose work is cited in California’s health hazard assessment. “It’s the first time a comprehensive review of human, animal and lab studies is all put together.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Policy changes\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In response to the growing evidence, California recently passed a \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB2316\">law\u003c/a> banning several synthetic dyes from foods offered at public schools. It goes into effect on Dec. 31, 2027.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a slam dunk that some kids are being harmed by these toxic chemicals,” said Scott Faber, senior vice president for government affairs for the Environmental Working Group, a national environmental health organization. “It makes them less prepared to learn. And that is not only terrible for those kids, it makes everything harder for all the other kids in that classroom and the teachers.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=science_1995002 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/005_KQED_SanFrancisco_HalloweenDecorations_10302020_qed-1020x680.jpg']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The National Confectioners Association, which represents the candy industry, said in a statement that “activists are dismantling our national food safety system in an emotionally-driven campaign that lacks scientific backing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, in Europe, food manufacturers must add a label on foods with artificial coloring warning they “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children,” which was spurred by research from professor Jim Stevenson at the University of Southampton.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Stevenson’s studies, which found a measurable but modest effect of artificial dyes on behavior, draw parallels to the societal benefits of removing lead from gasoline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When you took lead out of petrol, the improvement in IQ scores was about the same magnitude as the change we see in children’s behavior when you alter the dyes in their diet,” Stevenson said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most European companies avoid the label by switching to natural dyes like beet juice and spirulina extract. A few U.S. companies have followed suit. Kraft now uses turmeric and paprika to turn its macaroni and cheese sauce bright yellow.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jamie Newman takes advantage of natural options. She plans to swap out Jakari’s treats tonight with a bucket of dye-free candy so he doesn’t miss out on the fun. His favorite is Sweet Tarts Ropes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I can’t even explain the relief I feel that we figured out what was wrong,” Newman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After numerous consultations with experts and exhaustive testing, Newman had few answers. She was desperate for a solution. One evening, a colleague at the hospital where she works recommended a \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQzOHAwCfXs\">TEDx Talk\u003c/a> by a mother whose child was sensitive to artificial dyes. It was a revelation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1995048\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1995048 size-medium\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/image_50461441-800x1067.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"1067\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/image_50461441-800x1067.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/image_50461441-1020x1360.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/image_50461441-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/image_50461441-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/image_50461441-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/image_50461441-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/image_50461441-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jakari Newman dresses up as the Incredible Hulk for Halloween. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Jamie Newman)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Newman, skeptical but hopeful, began examining Jakari’s diet. She found artificial colors in everything from his marshmallows to the bubblegum-flavored mouthwash he used twice a day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Within two weeks of eliminating food dyes from Jakari’s diet, his tantrums stopped. “We thought, my goodness, is this real?” Newman remembers.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What does science say?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved nine colors for use in processed food and other products like sunscreen, cough syrup and pills, a recent state \u003ca href=\"https://oehha.ca.gov/risk-assessment/report/health-effects-assessment-potential-neurobehavioral-effects-synthetic-food\">assessment\u003c/a> of research conducted on products with synthetic food dyes found they may increase or contribute to hyperactivity in kids.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The FDA-approved synthetic additives are made from petroleum and are contained in at least 90% of candies, fruit-flavored snacks and drink mixes marketed to kids, and\u003ca href=\"https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0009922816651621\"> 40% of all children’s food products\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scientists at the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment reviewed 27 human clinical trials, as well as animal and cell studies, to shed light on how food dyes affect human health. They concluded that levels of the artificial food coloring determined to be safe by the FDA are too high for children.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It is an excellent, basically landmark summary of the literature,” said Joel Nigg, psychologist and ADHD researcher at Oregon Health & Science University, who published a comprehensive 2015 \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4321798/\">review\u003c/a> of human studies available and whose work is cited in California’s health hazard assessment. “It’s the first time a comprehensive review of human, animal and lab studies is all put together.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Policy changes\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In response to the growing evidence, California recently passed a \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB2316\">law\u003c/a> banning several synthetic dyes from foods offered at public schools. It goes into effect on Dec. 31, 2027.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a slam dunk that some kids are being harmed by these toxic chemicals,” said Scott Faber, senior vice president for government affairs for the Environmental Working Group, a national environmental health organization. “It makes them less prepared to learn. And that is not only terrible for those kids, it makes everything harder for all the other kids in that classroom and the teachers.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The National Confectioners Association, which represents the candy industry, said in a statement that “activists are dismantling our national food safety system in an emotionally-driven campaign that lacks scientific backing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, in Europe, food manufacturers must add a label on foods with artificial coloring warning they “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children,” which was spurred by research from professor Jim Stevenson at the University of Southampton.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Stevenson’s studies, which found a measurable but modest effect of artificial dyes on behavior, draw parallels to the societal benefits of removing lead from gasoline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When you took lead out of petrol, the improvement in IQ scores was about the same magnitude as the change we see in children’s behavior when you alter the dyes in their diet,” Stevenson said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most European companies avoid the label by switching to natural dyes like beet juice and spirulina extract. A few U.S. companies have followed suit. Kraft now uses turmeric and paprika to turn its macaroni and cheese sauce bright yellow.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jamie Newman takes advantage of natural options. She plans to swap out Jakari’s treats tonight with a bucket of dye-free candy so he doesn’t miss out on the fun. His favorite is Sweet Tarts Ropes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I can’t even explain the relief I feel that we figured out what was wrong,” Newman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>[dl_subscribe]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Chances are you’ve got one of these bloodsuckers lurking nearby. Mosquitoes, ticks, lice, kissing bugs and tsetse flies are all looking to grab a bite … of you. See \u003cem>exactly \u003c/em>how they do it and what you can do to stop them.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>TRANSCRIPT\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Watch out … you might not always see these five tiny creatures coming for you, but chances are you’ve got one lurking nearby ready to suck your blood.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We show you how they do it and how you can get rid of them. Enjoy!\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How Mosquitoes Use Six Needles to Suck Your Blood\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This is the deadliest animal in the world.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mosquitoes kill hundreds of thousands of people each year … the most vulnerable people: children, pregnant women.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>No other bite kills more humans … or makes more of us sick.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So what makes a mosquito’s bite so effective?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For starters, they’re motivated. Only females bite us. They need blood to make eggs … and a pool of water for their babies to hatch in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even a piece of trash can hold enough.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At first glance, it looks simple — this mosquito digging her proboscis into us.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the tools she’s using here are sophisticated.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>First, a protective sheath retracts – see it bending back?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you look at a mosquito’s head under a microscope, you can see what that sheath protects. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And inside there are six needles!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Two of them have tiny teeth. She uses those to saw through the skin. They’re so sharp you can barely feel her pushing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These other two needles hold the tissues apart while she works.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From under the skin, you can see her probing, looking for a blood vessel.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Receptors on the tip of one of her other needles pick up on chemicals that our blood vessels exude naturally and guide her to it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then she uses this same needle like a straw.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As her gut fills up, she separates water from the blood and squeezes it out. See that drop? \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That frees up space to stuff herself with more nutritious red blood cells.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With another needle, she spits chemicals into us. They get our blood flowing more easily and give us itchy welts afterwards.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And sometimes, before she pries herself away, she leaves a parting gift in her saliva: a virus or a parasite that can sicken or kill us.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s nothing in it for her. The viruses and parasites are just hitching a ride. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But this is what makes mortal enemies out of us and mosquitoes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They take our blood. Sometimes we take theirs. But often, not soon enough.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On to our next miniature vampire. Let’s see how ticks dig into you with a mouth full of hooks, and the best way to pry them loose.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How Ticks Dig In With a Mouth Full of Hooks\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The hills are alive … with silent, waiting ticks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Their bites can transmit bacteria that cause Lyme disease, and other things that can make us very sick.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Protected by these palps is a menacing mouth covered in hooks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>First she has to find a host. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She can sense animals like us by the carbon dioxide we give off.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She reaches out with her front legs. Scientists call this questing. It will use that claw to latch onto something … like your sleeve. Now you see her, now you don’t.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once aboard, she searches out a nice spot to bite into … for blood.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She lives three years, but in that time she only eats three meals. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A tick needs enough blood to grow from larva to nymph, nymph to adult, and then for females to lay their eggs. Gross.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Let’s check out a nymph, a young tick. It’s tiny, smaller than a freckle.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To grow into an adult, it needs one blood meal, a big one. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The front of its body is all mouth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It digs into us using two sets of hooks. The hooks wriggle into the skin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They pull our flesh out of the way and push in this mouthpart: the hypostome.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those hooks anchor the tick to us for the long haul, like mini-harpoons. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the speedy mosquito digs in, sucks our blood and splits, all within seconds, a tick nymph stays on for days. Three days, if we don’t find it before then.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Compounds in their saliva help blood pool under the surface of our skin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The nymph sips it through its mouthparts, like drinking from a straw.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When a tick is full – and I mean completely full – it falls off wherever it may be. Maybe onto your bed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s if you don’t nab it first. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You might have heard that you should twist or burn the tick. Not true. Grab the tick close to your skin and just pull straight out. That’s how you win the fight against those tenacious hooks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If that didn’t make your skin crawl, this will definitely make your scalp itch. It’s time to find out how lice turn your hair into their personal jungle gym.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How Lice Turn Your Hair Into Their Jungle Gym\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>It can start as an itch. Maybe a tickle on your scalp.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s head lice. Tiny and tenacious.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thanks to millions of years of evolution, these suckers are not easy to get rid of.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You might end up in a salon, but not the kind for haircuts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Young lice are so small they’re almost impossible to see with the naked eye.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our scalp is their buffet. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They feed on our blood. You can see it inside this adult louse. It’s that brownish stuff that’s moving.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The secret to their success?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Their claws – called tarsal claws – and this little part, called a spine. A pair on each of its six legs. They’ve evolved to fit perfectly around a human hair.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They make lice into speedy little acrobats, using our hair like a tightrope.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They can’t jump or fly, but they get around. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Say two kids – one blond, one brunette – touch heads. The louse just scoots right over.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s been one long game of hopscotch, from human head to human head.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And it has to be us. Our head lice can’t live on other animals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In fact, other primates have their own species of lice, adapted to their unique hair.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Birds have lice that hide in their feathers. Ooh. Cozy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And we all want them gone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Common insecticides won’t kill our head lice anymore. They’ve become resistant to them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even their eggs have serious staying power, glued to individual strands of hair.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But lice do have a weakness. They can’t survive away from our moist, warm scalp. Head lice cannot even live on other hairy parts of our body.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So if you – or a professional – painstakingly comb them out, they’ll starve, and die within hours.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>OK, it’s not fun. But it’s just a temporary encounter with a tiny hitchhiker that is biologically destined just for you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These beauties are kissing bugs, but you wouldn’t want to kiss one – because pretty quickly they swell into a balloon full of your blood.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How a Kissing Bug Becomes a Balloon Full of Your Blood\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This kissing bug isn’t going to give you a loving peck when it sticks you with that tucked-away proboscis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It could actually make you really sick, even kill you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It makes its move at night, while you’re sleeping. It likes your warm body.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kissing bugs get their name because they often bite near the lips or eyes, but they’ll dig in anywhere you’ve left uncovered.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A little anesthetic guarantees you won’t wake up while they feed on you for 10,\u003cbr>\n20, even 30 minutes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Every kissing bug needs several huge meals during the year or two it lives.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As it gulps, its exoskeleton stretches like a balloon, to fit up to 12 times its weight in blood.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This pliability is called plasticization.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>How it started. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>How it’s going.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All that hot liquid could stress an insect’s body and stunt its growth. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So the kissing bug cools it down – inside its head.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Your warm blood flows in. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The cool insect blood, called hemolymph, absorbs the heat and releases it through the top of the bug’s long head.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In this infrared video, you can see the blood cool down by more than 10 degrees Fahrenheit before it reaches the bug’s abdomen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So the bug is safe. You, on the other hand, are not.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It injects saliva as it sucks your blood. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s a scientist squeezing some out. The saliva has proteins that can give people a deadly allergic reaction called anaphylaxis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And it gets much, much worse. OK. This is super gross.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After eating – sometimes while it’s eating – the bug poops.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And that poop – and urine – might contain the parasite that causes Chagas disease.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If the bug’s victim rubs these feces and urine into the bite wound or their eyes, the parasite can infect them. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Years later, as many as one third of the people who got the parasite develop heart disease that can kill them, sometimes suddenly. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pregnant women can even pass the parasite onto their babies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Few contract the parasite in the U.S., even though kissing bugs live here.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in Latin America, millions of people have become infected. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There, kissing bugs are known by many different names: chinche besucona …\u003cbr>\nchinche … pito … vinchuca … barbeiro.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In rural areas, these kissing bug species live in people’s homes, in the cracks of the walls. And in animal coops.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Spraying has helped bring down infections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But hundreds of thousands of people have left their home countries for the U.S., not knowing the bug gave them the parasite. A simple blood test can find it and medications can often kill it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the American Southwest, the bugs live in the nests of wild animals, like this pack rat den in Arizona, where biologists Anita and Chuck Kristensen collect them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chuck Kristensen (off camera): Kissing bug, kissing bug!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chuck Kristensen (off camera): Genuine kissing bug.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the most part, they feed on the pack rats.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in late spring and summer, the bugs sometimes travel from these nests into someone’s home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So sealing off your house, with screens on your windows – and even vents –, is one way to keep out these stealthy bloodsuckers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When they feed on your blood, tsetse flies can spread disease. But their motherly instincts are surprisingly familiar to us.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A Tsetse Fly Births One Enormous Milk-Fed Baby\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>We mammals like to think we’re pretty special, right? We don’t lay eggs. We feed our babies milk. Well, this very pregnant fly is about to prove us wrong.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yep, this tsetse fly is in labor. And that emerging bundle of joy is her larva.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While other insects can lay hundreds of eggs, she grows one baby at a time inside her, just like us.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Congratulations!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scientists think tsetse flies started growing their young like this long ago to guard them from parasites.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For that same reason, the larva doesn’t stick around. It burrows into the dirt for protection.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s already gotten all the nutrition it needs from its mom’s milk. That’s right, this fly makes milk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s a drop of it under the microscope. It’s made up of protein and fat, a lot like breast milk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The fly doesn’t exactly breastfeed, though. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Inside its mom, the larva got milk through these tubes … which it drank with this pair of straw-like mouthparts on its head.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A female tsetse fly needs a lot of fuel, because over her 10-day pregnancy she produces her own body weight in milk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And that fuel comes from us. Tsetses feed exclusively on blood … from humans and other animals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s bad news because where the flies live in Africa they spread a debilitating disease called sleeping sickness in humans and nagana in livestock.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tsetses make cattle so sick that they can’t be raised efficiently in a region of Africa the size of the United States.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Geoff Attardo (off-camera): All right. Coming back to the first trap we set.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>People are trying to control them with things like baited traps.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Geoff Attardo (off-camera): It looks like it has a lot of tsetse flies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Man (off-camera): Tsetse.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Geoff Attardo (off-camera): Holy cow! That’s a lot of flies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Man (off-camera): Tsetse flies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They’re effective, but more defenses are needed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s where Geoff Attardo, at the University of California, Davis, hopes to help. He’s trying to stop tsetse flies from making babies in the first place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A female only mates once in her life, enough to make the 10 or so babies she’ll have. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The male makes sure she doesn’t mate again by delivering a substance that makes her lose interest in sex. Scientists are trying to figure out what it is. If they could bottle it and spray it, female tsetse flies may never get busy at all. No more tsetse offspring to worry about.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After spending about a month below ground in a hard shell, the fly emerges as an adult and unfurls its wings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like us, tsetse flies ensure the next generation by investing a lot in a few offspring, instead of investing very little in a lot of them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They grow up so fast, don’t they?\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "Mosquitoes, ticks, lice, kissing bugs and tsetse flies are all looking to grab a bite ... of you. See exactly how they do it, and what you can do to stop them in this special episode of Deep Look. ",
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"title": "5 of the Worst Tiny Bloodsuckers That Have Ever Bitten Us | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Chances are you’ve got one of these bloodsuckers lurking nearby. Mosquitoes, ticks, lice, kissing bugs and tsetse flies are all looking to grab a bite … of you. See \u003cem>exactly \u003c/em>how they do it and what you can do to stop them.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>TRANSCRIPT\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Watch out … you might not always see these five tiny creatures coming for you, but chances are you’ve got one lurking nearby ready to suck your blood.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We show you how they do it and how you can get rid of them. Enjoy!\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How Mosquitoes Use Six Needles to Suck Your Blood\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This is the deadliest animal in the world.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mosquitoes kill hundreds of thousands of people each year … the most vulnerable people: children, pregnant women.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>No other bite kills more humans … or makes more of us sick.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So what makes a mosquito’s bite so effective?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For starters, they’re motivated. Only females bite us. They need blood to make eggs … and a pool of water for their babies to hatch in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even a piece of trash can hold enough.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At first glance, it looks simple — this mosquito digging her proboscis into us.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the tools she’s using here are sophisticated.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>First, a protective sheath retracts – see it bending back?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you look at a mosquito’s head under a microscope, you can see what that sheath protects. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And inside there are six needles!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Two of them have tiny teeth. She uses those to saw through the skin. They’re so sharp you can barely feel her pushing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These other two needles hold the tissues apart while she works.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From under the skin, you can see her probing, looking for a blood vessel.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Receptors on the tip of one of her other needles pick up on chemicals that our blood vessels exude naturally and guide her to it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then she uses this same needle like a straw.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As her gut fills up, she separates water from the blood and squeezes it out. See that drop? \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That frees up space to stuff herself with more nutritious red blood cells.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With another needle, she spits chemicals into us. They get our blood flowing more easily and give us itchy welts afterwards.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And sometimes, before she pries herself away, she leaves a parting gift in her saliva: a virus or a parasite that can sicken or kill us.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s nothing in it for her. The viruses and parasites are just hitching a ride. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But this is what makes mortal enemies out of us and mosquitoes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They take our blood. Sometimes we take theirs. But often, not soon enough.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On to our next miniature vampire. Let’s see how ticks dig into you with a mouth full of hooks, and the best way to pry them loose.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How Ticks Dig In With a Mouth Full of Hooks\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The hills are alive … with silent, waiting ticks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Their bites can transmit bacteria that cause Lyme disease, and other things that can make us very sick.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Protected by these palps is a menacing mouth covered in hooks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>First she has to find a host. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She can sense animals like us by the carbon dioxide we give off.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She reaches out with her front legs. Scientists call this questing. It will use that claw to latch onto something … like your sleeve. Now you see her, now you don’t.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once aboard, she searches out a nice spot to bite into … for blood.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She lives three years, but in that time she only eats three meals. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A tick needs enough blood to grow from larva to nymph, nymph to adult, and then for females to lay their eggs. Gross.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Let’s check out a nymph, a young tick. It’s tiny, smaller than a freckle.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To grow into an adult, it needs one blood meal, a big one. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The front of its body is all mouth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It digs into us using two sets of hooks. The hooks wriggle into the skin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They pull our flesh out of the way and push in this mouthpart: the hypostome.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those hooks anchor the tick to us for the long haul, like mini-harpoons. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the speedy mosquito digs in, sucks our blood and splits, all within seconds, a tick nymph stays on for days. Three days, if we don’t find it before then.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Compounds in their saliva help blood pool under the surface of our skin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The nymph sips it through its mouthparts, like drinking from a straw.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When a tick is full – and I mean completely full – it falls off wherever it may be. Maybe onto your bed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s if you don’t nab it first. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You might have heard that you should twist or burn the tick. Not true. Grab the tick close to your skin and just pull straight out. That’s how you win the fight against those tenacious hooks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If that didn’t make your skin crawl, this will definitely make your scalp itch. It’s time to find out how lice turn your hair into their personal jungle gym.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How Lice Turn Your Hair Into Their Jungle Gym\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>It can start as an itch. Maybe a tickle on your scalp.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s head lice. Tiny and tenacious.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thanks to millions of years of evolution, these suckers are not easy to get rid of.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You might end up in a salon, but not the kind for haircuts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Young lice are so small they’re almost impossible to see with the naked eye.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our scalp is their buffet. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They feed on our blood. You can see it inside this adult louse. It’s that brownish stuff that’s moving.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The secret to their success?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Their claws – called tarsal claws – and this little part, called a spine. A pair on each of its six legs. They’ve evolved to fit perfectly around a human hair.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They make lice into speedy little acrobats, using our hair like a tightrope.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They can’t jump or fly, but they get around. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Say two kids – one blond, one brunette – touch heads. The louse just scoots right over.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s been one long game of hopscotch, from human head to human head.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And it has to be us. Our head lice can’t live on other animals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In fact, other primates have their own species of lice, adapted to their unique hair.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Birds have lice that hide in their feathers. Ooh. Cozy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And we all want them gone.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Common insecticides won’t kill our head lice anymore. They’ve become resistant to them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even their eggs have serious staying power, glued to individual strands of hair.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But lice do have a weakness. They can’t survive away from our moist, warm scalp. Head lice cannot even live on other hairy parts of our body.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So if you – or a professional – painstakingly comb them out, they’ll starve, and die within hours.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>OK, it’s not fun. But it’s just a temporary encounter with a tiny hitchhiker that is biologically destined just for you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These beauties are kissing bugs, but you wouldn’t want to kiss one – because pretty quickly they swell into a balloon full of your blood.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How a Kissing Bug Becomes a Balloon Full of Your Blood\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>This kissing bug isn’t going to give you a loving peck when it sticks you with that tucked-away proboscis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It could actually make you really sick, even kill you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It makes its move at night, while you’re sleeping. It likes your warm body.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kissing bugs get their name because they often bite near the lips or eyes, but they’ll dig in anywhere you’ve left uncovered.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A little anesthetic guarantees you won’t wake up while they feed on you for 10,\u003cbr>\n20, even 30 minutes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Every kissing bug needs several huge meals during the year or two it lives.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As it gulps, its exoskeleton stretches like a balloon, to fit up to 12 times its weight in blood.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This pliability is called plasticization.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>How it started. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>How it’s going.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All that hot liquid could stress an insect’s body and stunt its growth. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So the kissing bug cools it down – inside its head.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Your warm blood flows in. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The cool insect blood, called hemolymph, absorbs the heat and releases it through the top of the bug’s long head.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In this infrared video, you can see the blood cool down by more than 10 degrees Fahrenheit before it reaches the bug’s abdomen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So the bug is safe. You, on the other hand, are not.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It injects saliva as it sucks your blood. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s a scientist squeezing some out. The saliva has proteins that can give people a deadly allergic reaction called anaphylaxis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And it gets much, much worse. OK. This is super gross.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After eating – sometimes while it’s eating – the bug poops.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And that poop – and urine – might contain the parasite that causes Chagas disease.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If the bug’s victim rubs these feces and urine into the bite wound or their eyes, the parasite can infect them. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Years later, as many as one third of the people who got the parasite develop heart disease that can kill them, sometimes suddenly. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pregnant women can even pass the parasite onto their babies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Few contract the parasite in the U.S., even though kissing bugs live here.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in Latin America, millions of people have become infected. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There, kissing bugs are known by many different names: chinche besucona …\u003cbr>\nchinche … pito … vinchuca … barbeiro.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In rural areas, these kissing bug species live in people’s homes, in the cracks of the walls. And in animal coops.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Spraying has helped bring down infections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But hundreds of thousands of people have left their home countries for the U.S., not knowing the bug gave them the parasite. A simple blood test can find it and medications can often kill it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the American Southwest, the bugs live in the nests of wild animals, like this pack rat den in Arizona, where biologists Anita and Chuck Kristensen collect them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chuck Kristensen (off camera): Kissing bug, kissing bug!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chuck Kristensen (off camera): Genuine kissing bug.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the most part, they feed on the pack rats.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in late spring and summer, the bugs sometimes travel from these nests into someone’s home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So sealing off your house, with screens on your windows – and even vents –, is one way to keep out these stealthy bloodsuckers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When they feed on your blood, tsetse flies can spread disease. But their motherly instincts are surprisingly familiar to us.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>A Tsetse Fly Births One Enormous Milk-Fed Baby\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>We mammals like to think we’re pretty special, right? We don’t lay eggs. We feed our babies milk. Well, this very pregnant fly is about to prove us wrong.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yep, this tsetse fly is in labor. And that emerging bundle of joy is her larva.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While other insects can lay hundreds of eggs, she grows one baby at a time inside her, just like us.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Congratulations!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scientists think tsetse flies started growing their young like this long ago to guard them from parasites.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For that same reason, the larva doesn’t stick around. It burrows into the dirt for protection.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s already gotten all the nutrition it needs from its mom’s milk. That’s right, this fly makes milk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s a drop of it under the microscope. It’s made up of protein and fat, a lot like breast milk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The fly doesn’t exactly breastfeed, though. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Inside its mom, the larva got milk through these tubes … which it drank with this pair of straw-like mouthparts on its head.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A female tsetse fly needs a lot of fuel, because over her 10-day pregnancy she produces her own body weight in milk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And that fuel comes from us. Tsetses feed exclusively on blood … from humans and other animals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s bad news because where the flies live in Africa they spread a debilitating disease called sleeping sickness in humans and nagana in livestock.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tsetses make cattle so sick that they can’t be raised efficiently in a region of Africa the size of the United States.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Geoff Attardo (off-camera): All right. Coming back to the first trap we set.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>People are trying to control them with things like baited traps.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Geoff Attardo (off-camera): It looks like it has a lot of tsetse flies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Man (off-camera): Tsetse.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Geoff Attardo (off-camera): Holy cow! That’s a lot of flies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Man (off-camera): Tsetse flies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They’re effective, but more defenses are needed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s where Geoff Attardo, at the University of California, Davis, hopes to help. He’s trying to stop tsetse flies from making babies in the first place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A female only mates once in her life, enough to make the 10 or so babies she’ll have. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The male makes sure she doesn’t mate again by delivering a substance that makes her lose interest in sex. Scientists are trying to figure out what it is. If they could bottle it and spray it, female tsetse flies may never get busy at all. No more tsetse offspring to worry about.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After spending about a month below ground in a hard shell, the fly emerges as an adult and unfurls its wings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like us, tsetse flies ensure the next generation by investing a lot in a few offspring, instead of investing very little in a lot of them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They grow up so fast, don’t they?\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB3129\">bill\u003c/a> before Gov. Gavin Newsom aims to increase oversight of what proponents call an alarming growth of private equity investments in the state’s health care industry. The tally is \u003ca href=\"https://www.chcf.org/publication/private-equity-in-health-care-prevalence-impact-and-policy-options-for-california-and-the-u-s/#:~:text=View%20the%20Report&text=At%20its%20most%20recent%20peak,and%20%2420%20billion%20in%20California.\">$20 billion\u003c/a> a year in California alone and $83 billion nationally.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While these savvy business leaders promise operational efficiency and management expertise, critics said the need for rapid returns — typically within three to seven years — could lead to aggressive cost-cutting measures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Investors often decrease staffing ratios, increase prices, and buy up multiple health care entities in the same region or specialty to use that market power to hike prices,” said Dr. Christopher Cai, a physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School researcher.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The proposed legislation empowers the state’s attorney general to review and veto deals garnered by private equity firms that are deemed bad for consumers and patients. It covers transactions involving public hospitals, health systems, physician groups, and long-term care facilities operating in California. An amendment removed private hospitals and dermatology clinics.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This will promote fair competition while rooting out practices that harm both competition and patients,” Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a \u003ca href=\"https://a02.asmdc.org/press-releases/20240904-ab-3129-advances-governors-desk\">statement\u003c/a> supporting the bill.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A key provision aims to prevent investors from meddling in health care decisions, ensuring physicians and medical professionals retain autonomy over patient care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, private equity firms would have the right to challenge the state’s decisions in court if they believe regulatory actions are unjustified.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Consumer advocates, labor unions, and the California Medical Association call the measure crucial to patient care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, it faces fierce opposition from industry and business groups who worry that the oversight will deter critical funding streams.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The American Investment Council argues that further regulation could discourage investment in health care and limit innovation and access to capital. The California Hospital Association also \u003ca href=\"https://calhospital.org/file/ab-3129-floor-alert-final/\">opposes it\u003c/a>, warning that the bill could create additional hurdles for much-needed investments in the state’s health care infrastructure, especially as hospitals face staffing shortages and capacity constraints.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Venture-backed digital health companies \u003ca href=\"https://secondopinion.media/p/proposed-bill-california-big-impact-digital-health\">worry\u003c/a> that companies will struggle to gain traction under the new regulation.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Why is legislation needed?\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Private equity investment in health care nationally increased from $5 billion annually in 2000 to \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9125965/\">$100 billion\u003c/a> in 2018.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Health care is a very durable industry,” Cai said. “It’s viewed as a stable investment, with ample opportunities to consolidate fragmented outpatient clinics and hospitals.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Physician practices are particularly appealing targets, with the number of transactions increasing \u003ca href=\"https://www.antitrustinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/AAI-UCB-EG_Private-Equity-I-Physician-Practice-Report_FINAL.pdf\">sixfold over the past decade\u003c/a>, frequently resulting in notable hikes in patient costs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The market appeal is clear: more efficient management can streamline costs, and with an aging population of baby boomers, demand for health care services is expected to soar. “Because of these factors, private equity’s presence in health care has more than tripled in the last decade or so,” Cai added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This influx of capital has stirred alarm among policymakers and patient advocates, who argue that profit-driven investors prioritize financial returns over patient care. Private equity firms ultimately need to make returns and protect their companies against potential risks — for them, it can’t just be about mission.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Who is reviewing these transactions to ensure they serve the public interest?” asked Assemblymember Jim Wood (D-Healdsburg), the bill’s sponsor in a recent \u003ca href=\"https://a02.asmdc.org/press-releases/20240904-ab-3129-advances-governors-desk\">press release\u003c/a>. “No one is, because all of these transactions are happening under the radar.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Studies reveal alarming outcomes\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>The impact of private equity ownership is particularly pronounced in long-term care settings. One \u003ca href=\"https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3790212\">study\u003c/a> found that mortality rates in nursing homes rose by a jaw dropping 11% after private equity firms took over. Patient mobility decreased, and the use of antipsychotic medications may have increased.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We rarely see increases like that after any kind of change,” Cai noted. “That study was an earthquake for the industry.” In response, Federal health officials required nursing homes to \u003ca href=\"https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/nursing-home-ownership-hhs-final-rule-transparency-private-equity/699955/\">reveal\u003c/a> if they’re owned by private equity firms. Starting in 2026 the facilities must increase staff to ensure each \u003ca href=\"https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/nursing-home-staffing-federal-mandates-biden-cms/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--aF0L9k-7aTn7-HUCjZWHF7dvG6LChr9jOdKbDevxyn1zu7r7w78ct6-MFhF9CqPTqcAAq5rUIsnYqO7Rc0JMFyflVYg&_hsmi=303915441&utm_content=303915441&utm_source=hs_email\">patient receives more attention. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A separate \u003ca href=\"https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2813379\">study\u003c/a>, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found a 25% increase in adverse events—such as falls and surgical infections—after hospitals were bought by private equity firms. A \u003ca href=\"https://www.bmj.com/content/382/bmj-2023-075244\">systematic review\u003c/a> of available research shows that private equity ownership does not typically benefit patients and, in extreme cases, may lead to the closure of facilities, particularly in rural or underserved areas where profit margins are slim.[aside postID=\"news_11999996,news_12000706\" label=\"Related Stories\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to a 2021 \u003ca href=\"https://www.antitrustinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/AAI-UCB-EG_Private-Equity-I-Physician-Practice-Report_FINAL.pdf\">report\u003c/a> from UC Berkeley, the financial pressures created by private equity ownership can push physicians to meet patient quotas, prioritize more lucrative procedures, or cut back on less profitable services. Over time, this can erode the quality of care patients receive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Our health care system is crumbling,” said Dr. Renee Hsia, a UCSF professor of emergency medicine. “As we have more mergers and acquisitions, we have more involvement of private capital, venture capital, and private equity. There is very good evidence showing how this is not serving our population because there’s redundancy of care. There’s too many services in areas where you don’t need it, and not enough in other areas. That misallocation of care is deteriorating our ability to provide care for anyone.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The ultimate effect of the legislation—whether it will successfully curb private equity’s influence in health care or simply add new challenges to an already strained system—remains to be seen. But as the debate unfolds, it highlights growing unease about the role of financial firms in shaping the future of health care in California.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB3129\">bill\u003c/a> before Gov. Gavin Newsom aims to increase oversight of what proponents call an alarming growth of private equity investments in the state’s health care industry. The tally is \u003ca href=\"https://www.chcf.org/publication/private-equity-in-health-care-prevalence-impact-and-policy-options-for-california-and-the-u-s/#:~:text=View%20the%20Report&text=At%20its%20most%20recent%20peak,and%20%2420%20billion%20in%20California.\">$20 billion\u003c/a> a year in California alone and $83 billion nationally.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While these savvy business leaders promise operational efficiency and management expertise, critics said the need for rapid returns — typically within three to seven years — could lead to aggressive cost-cutting measures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Investors often decrease staffing ratios, increase prices, and buy up multiple health care entities in the same region or specialty to use that market power to hike prices,” said Dr. Christopher Cai, a physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School researcher.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The proposed legislation empowers the state’s attorney general to review and veto deals garnered by private equity firms that are deemed bad for consumers and patients. It covers transactions involving public hospitals, health systems, physician groups, and long-term care facilities operating in California. An amendment removed private hospitals and dermatology clinics.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This will promote fair competition while rooting out practices that harm both competition and patients,” Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a \u003ca href=\"https://a02.asmdc.org/press-releases/20240904-ab-3129-advances-governors-desk\">statement\u003c/a> supporting the bill.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A key provision aims to prevent investors from meddling in health care decisions, ensuring physicians and medical professionals retain autonomy over patient care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, private equity firms would have the right to challenge the state’s decisions in court if they believe regulatory actions are unjustified.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Consumer advocates, labor unions, and the California Medical Association call the measure crucial to patient care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, it faces fierce opposition from industry and business groups who worry that the oversight will deter critical funding streams.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The American Investment Council argues that further regulation could discourage investment in health care and limit innovation and access to capital. The California Hospital Association also \u003ca href=\"https://calhospital.org/file/ab-3129-floor-alert-final/\">opposes it\u003c/a>, warning that the bill could create additional hurdles for much-needed investments in the state’s health care infrastructure, especially as hospitals face staffing shortages and capacity constraints.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Venture-backed digital health companies \u003ca href=\"https://secondopinion.media/p/proposed-bill-california-big-impact-digital-health\">worry\u003c/a> that companies will struggle to gain traction under the new regulation.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Why is legislation needed?\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Private equity investment in health care nationally increased from $5 billion annually in 2000 to \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9125965/\">$100 billion\u003c/a> in 2018.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Health care is a very durable industry,” Cai said. “It’s viewed as a stable investment, with ample opportunities to consolidate fragmented outpatient clinics and hospitals.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Physician practices are particularly appealing targets, with the number of transactions increasing \u003ca href=\"https://www.antitrustinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/AAI-UCB-EG_Private-Equity-I-Physician-Practice-Report_FINAL.pdf\">sixfold over the past decade\u003c/a>, frequently resulting in notable hikes in patient costs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The market appeal is clear: more efficient management can streamline costs, and with an aging population of baby boomers, demand for health care services is expected to soar. “Because of these factors, private equity’s presence in health care has more than tripled in the last decade or so,” Cai added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This influx of capital has stirred alarm among policymakers and patient advocates, who argue that profit-driven investors prioritize financial returns over patient care. Private equity firms ultimately need to make returns and protect their companies against potential risks — for them, it can’t just be about mission.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Who is reviewing these transactions to ensure they serve the public interest?” asked Assemblymember Jim Wood (D-Healdsburg), the bill’s sponsor in a recent \u003ca href=\"https://a02.asmdc.org/press-releases/20240904-ab-3129-advances-governors-desk\">press release\u003c/a>. “No one is, because all of these transactions are happening under the radar.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Studies reveal alarming outcomes\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>The impact of private equity ownership is particularly pronounced in long-term care settings. One \u003ca href=\"https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3790212\">study\u003c/a> found that mortality rates in nursing homes rose by a jaw dropping 11% after private equity firms took over. Patient mobility decreased, and the use of antipsychotic medications may have increased.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We rarely see increases like that after any kind of change,” Cai noted. “That study was an earthquake for the industry.” In response, Federal health officials required nursing homes to \u003ca href=\"https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/nursing-home-ownership-hhs-final-rule-transparency-private-equity/699955/\">reveal\u003c/a> if they’re owned by private equity firms. Starting in 2026 the facilities must increase staff to ensure each \u003ca href=\"https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/nursing-home-staffing-federal-mandates-biden-cms/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--aF0L9k-7aTn7-HUCjZWHF7dvG6LChr9jOdKbDevxyn1zu7r7w78ct6-MFhF9CqPTqcAAq5rUIsnYqO7Rc0JMFyflVYg&_hsmi=303915441&utm_content=303915441&utm_source=hs_email\">patient receives more attention. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A separate \u003ca href=\"https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2813379\">study\u003c/a>, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found a 25% increase in adverse events—such as falls and surgical infections—after hospitals were bought by private equity firms. A \u003ca href=\"https://www.bmj.com/content/382/bmj-2023-075244\">systematic review\u003c/a> of available research shows that private equity ownership does not typically benefit patients and, in extreme cases, may lead to the closure of facilities, particularly in rural or underserved areas where profit margins are slim.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to a 2021 \u003ca href=\"https://www.antitrustinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/AAI-UCB-EG_Private-Equity-I-Physician-Practice-Report_FINAL.pdf\">report\u003c/a> from UC Berkeley, the financial pressures created by private equity ownership can push physicians to meet patient quotas, prioritize more lucrative procedures, or cut back on less profitable services. Over time, this can erode the quality of care patients receive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Our health care system is crumbling,” said Dr. Renee Hsia, a UCSF professor of emergency medicine. “As we have more mergers and acquisitions, we have more involvement of private capital, venture capital, and private equity. There is very good evidence showing how this is not serving our population because there’s redundancy of care. There’s too many services in areas where you don’t need it, and not enough in other areas. That misallocation of care is deteriorating our ability to provide care for anyone.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The ultimate effect of the legislation—whether it will successfully curb private equity’s influence in health care or simply add new challenges to an already strained system—remains to be seen. But as the debate unfolds, it highlights growing unease about the role of financial firms in shaping the future of health care in California.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>Californians are breathing nearly two-thirds less \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/pollution\">pollution\u003c/a> from vehicles than they were in the year 2000, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://url.us.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/rIm_C4x9gPs9mj1RFOfYC4zZO3?domain=science.org\">study\u003c/a> published Wednesday in the journal Science Advances — a tremendous decline showcasing that state policies focused on reducing vehicle emissions are working.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, the research also shows disparities are widening between the communities most exposed to harmful pollutants and those most protected from them, a concerning gap policymakers and regulators must still address.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across the state, Californians are breathing in an average of 65% less fine particulate matter from vehicles, according to the research, which looked at data from the years 2000 to 2019. Also called PM2.5, this pollution consists of tiny particles that are small enough to enter the bloodstream and lead to premature \u003ca href=\"https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2022GH000711\">death\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hispanic and Black Californians are the two demographic groups most exposed to PM2.5 from vehicles, largely because they are \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11879641/trucks-are-banned-on-oaklands-i-580-these-sixth-graders-wondered-why\">more likely to live closer to highways and major roads, often due to historic practices like redlining\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the study found these two groups have seen the most significant drops in overall exposure to the pollutants, that is due to the fact that they started in worse-off positions than other groups. The research shows that the gap between Hispanic and Black Californians and their white counterparts is widening.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Between 2000 and 2019, the relative gap in vehicle-related PM2.5 exposure between Hispanic and white Californians grew from 30% to 35%, with Hispanic residents being the group most exposed and white residents the least. Both groups experienced significant overall declines in exposure to pollution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=news_12003847 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/HeatPumpGetty1-1020x680.jpg']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you reduce vehicle emissions across the board for everybody everywhere, everybody benefits,” said Josh Apte, associate professor of environmental engineering and environmental health sciences at UC Berkeley and one of the study’s authors. That’s how the U.S. and California have improved air quality for the past 50-60 years, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“But if there are groups that are disparately exposed when everybody benefits, that disparity never goes away. So targeting emissions reductions in those places that tend to be overburdened is the name of the game to solve the problem,” Apte said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The California Air Resources Board has, more recently, woven such policies into its core mission — targeting cleaning up \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/resources/fact-sheets/advanced-clean-fleets-regulation-detailed-drayage-truck-requirements#:~:text=Zero%2DEmission%20Drayage%20Truck%20Requirements,with%20full%20implementation%20by%202035.\">drayage trucks\u003c/a>, which move freight in and out of ports, and \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/clean-cars-4-all\">programs\u003c/a> that help lower-income Californians trade in highly polluting vehicles for electric ones.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Some of the policies that the Air Resources Board is pursuing now are very well placed to close those gaps in disparity,” Apte said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recently adopted CARB \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/advanced-clean-fleets\">regulations\u003c/a>, like those intended to reduce emissions from large truck fleets, will significantly benefit communities that live close to ports, rail yards and industrial warehouses, said Joshua Cunningham, who leads regulatory programs for light-duty vehicles at CARB and was not involved in the study.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Two state laws, passed in \u003ca href=\"https://oehha.ca.gov/calenviroscreen/sb535\">2012\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/capp\">2017\u003c/a>, have also prioritized targeting benefits to communities geographically exposed to unequal amounts of pollution. The first invests proceeds from California’s cap-and-trade emissions credits program in disadvantaged communities that face environmental, socioeconomic and public health challenges. The other created the Community Air Protection Program to prioritize highly polluted communities for air pollution monitoring and emissions reductions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Libby Koolik, lead study author and a Ph.D. candidate at UC Berkeley in the environmental engineering program, was surprised by the role that passenger vehicles play in contributing to major pollution in downtown communities, as a lot of attention is normally on large, polluting vehicles like big rigs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The takeaway from that is not that heavy-duty vehicles aren’t important, but really that both of these fleets need to be targeted,” Koolik said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And that, one step further, it’s important that we look at each community and figure out what their individual composition of fleet mixtures is so we can find the interventions that work best for that community.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Emissions from other sectors in California, like refineries, are known to unequally burden communities of color and communities already exposed to high pollution from vehicles. This study did not include those sources of pollution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The study was co-authored by researchers at UC Berkeley, the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment and the University of Washington.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Californians are breathing nearly two-thirds less \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/pollution\">pollution\u003c/a> from vehicles than they were in the year 2000, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://url.us.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/rIm_C4x9gPs9mj1RFOfYC4zZO3?domain=science.org\">study\u003c/a> published Wednesday in the journal Science Advances — a tremendous decline showcasing that state policies focused on reducing vehicle emissions are working.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, the research also shows disparities are widening between the communities most exposed to harmful pollutants and those most protected from them, a concerning gap policymakers and regulators must still address.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Across the state, Californians are breathing in an average of 65% less fine particulate matter from vehicles, according to the research, which looked at data from the years 2000 to 2019. Also called PM2.5, this pollution consists of tiny particles that are small enough to enter the bloodstream and lead to premature \u003ca href=\"https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2022GH000711\">death\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hispanic and Black Californians are the two demographic groups most exposed to PM2.5 from vehicles, largely because they are \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11879641/trucks-are-banned-on-oaklands-i-580-these-sixth-graders-wondered-why\">more likely to live closer to highways and major roads, often due to historic practices like redlining\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the study found these two groups have seen the most significant drops in overall exposure to the pollutants, that is due to the fact that they started in worse-off positions than other groups. The research shows that the gap between Hispanic and Black Californians and their white counterparts is widening.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Between 2000 and 2019, the relative gap in vehicle-related PM2.5 exposure between Hispanic and white Californians grew from 30% to 35%, with Hispanic residents being the group most exposed and white residents the least. Both groups experienced significant overall declines in exposure to pollution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you reduce vehicle emissions across the board for everybody everywhere, everybody benefits,” said Josh Apte, associate professor of environmental engineering and environmental health sciences at UC Berkeley and one of the study’s authors. That’s how the U.S. and California have improved air quality for the past 50-60 years, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“But if there are groups that are disparately exposed when everybody benefits, that disparity never goes away. So targeting emissions reductions in those places that tend to be overburdened is the name of the game to solve the problem,” Apte said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The California Air Resources Board has, more recently, woven such policies into its core mission — targeting cleaning up \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/resources/fact-sheets/advanced-clean-fleets-regulation-detailed-drayage-truck-requirements#:~:text=Zero%2DEmission%20Drayage%20Truck%20Requirements,with%20full%20implementation%20by%202035.\">drayage trucks\u003c/a>, which move freight in and out of ports, and \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/clean-cars-4-all\">programs\u003c/a> that help lower-income Californians trade in highly polluting vehicles for electric ones.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Some of the policies that the Air Resources Board is pursuing now are very well placed to close those gaps in disparity,” Apte said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recently adopted CARB \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/advanced-clean-fleets\">regulations\u003c/a>, like those intended to reduce emissions from large truck fleets, will significantly benefit communities that live close to ports, rail yards and industrial warehouses, said Joshua Cunningham, who leads regulatory programs for light-duty vehicles at CARB and was not involved in the study.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Two state laws, passed in \u003ca href=\"https://oehha.ca.gov/calenviroscreen/sb535\">2012\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/capp\">2017\u003c/a>, have also prioritized targeting benefits to communities geographically exposed to unequal amounts of pollution. The first invests proceeds from California’s cap-and-trade emissions credits program in disadvantaged communities that face environmental, socioeconomic and public health challenges. The other created the Community Air Protection Program to prioritize highly polluted communities for air pollution monitoring and emissions reductions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Libby Koolik, lead study author and a Ph.D. candidate at UC Berkeley in the environmental engineering program, was surprised by the role that passenger vehicles play in contributing to major pollution in downtown communities, as a lot of attention is normally on large, polluting vehicles like big rigs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The takeaway from that is not that heavy-duty vehicles aren’t important, but really that both of these fleets need to be targeted,” Koolik said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And that, one step further, it’s important that we look at each community and figure out what their individual composition of fleet mixtures is so we can find the interventions that work best for that community.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Emissions from other sectors in California, like refineries, are known to unequally burden communities of color and communities already exposed to high pollution from vehicles. This study did not include those sources of pollution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The study was co-authored by researchers at UC Berkeley, the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment and the University of Washington.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "How an Invasive Fungus That Kills Bats Can Lead to More Infant Deaths",
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"content": "\u003cp>Scientists have linked declining bat populations to an uptick in child mortality, research that underscores a cause-and-effect relationship between wildlife and human health that could have potentially serious consequences for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a>’s numerous agricultural communities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The cascading effects start with \u003ca href=\"https://www.science.org/content/article/white-nose-syndrome-has-almost-completely-wiped-out-some-north-american-bat-colonies\">white-nose syndrome\u003c/a>, a disease caused by an invasive fungus that can devastate bat populations. With fewer predators like bats, insect populations grow, which prompts farmers to use more pesticides to keep them at bay. \u003ca href=\"https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adg0344\">Research published Friday in the journal Science\u003c/a> shows that in counties where this took place, infant mortality rose by 8%.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Study authors link that increase in child deaths to the uptick in insecticide use, which can be harmful to \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK582900/\">developing fetuses\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-12/documents/pest-impact-hsstaff.pdf\">infants\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The fungus at the heart of the study, called Pseudogymnoascus destructans, was first detected in California in 2019.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Now that the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome has been detected in California, I think there is room for concern that similar patterns of substitution towards insecticides will happen and lead to off-farm exposure,” said Eyal Frank, lead author of the study and assistant professor at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fortunately, the state has not seen a single case of the disease in bats (the fungus that causes it is not known to hurt people or common house pets).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=news_12002977 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/09/BakersfieldClockTowerGetty1-1020x680.jpg']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Winifred Frick, chief scientist at Bat Conservation International and adjunct professor in ecology and evolutionary biology at UC Santa Cruz, is not sure why California has so far been spared, but she noted that the disease kills during bats’ winter hibernation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s some optimism that maybe because we have milder winters in California, we might see less mortality, but it’s basically too soon to tell,” Frick said. “We need to do everything we can to protect our bat populations. Especially given how important bats are to agriculture.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many scientists and researchers are working to reduce contact between the fungus and bats to prevent an outbreak of white-nose disease in California and nationally. This can be done, for example, by asking tourists to step onto a mat that can kill any fungal spores on their shoes before exploring popular cave sites where bats hibernate in the winter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other researchers are working to develop a vaccine to prevent bats from developing the disease.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Frick said the new research linking child mortality and bat population decline also underscores the connection between healthy biodiversity and healthy humans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People think that conservation is this sort of altruistic exercise of trying to protect wildlife for wildlife’s sake, but [this research] really shows that we’re all connected, and protecting bats also protects our agricultural production and ourselves,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>White-nose disease has killed more than 6 million bats in North America since it was first discovered in New York in 2006. The hardest-hit areas have been Pennsylvania, New York and elsewhere in the Northeast.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Scientists have linked declining bat populations to an uptick in child mortality, research that underscores a cause-and-effect relationship between wildlife and human health that could have potentially serious consequences for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/california\">California\u003c/a>’s numerous agricultural communities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The cascading effects start with \u003ca href=\"https://www.science.org/content/article/white-nose-syndrome-has-almost-completely-wiped-out-some-north-american-bat-colonies\">white-nose syndrome\u003c/a>, a disease caused by an invasive fungus that can devastate bat populations. With fewer predators like bats, insect populations grow, which prompts farmers to use more pesticides to keep them at bay. \u003ca href=\"https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adg0344\">Research published Friday in the journal Science\u003c/a> shows that in counties where this took place, infant mortality rose by 8%.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Study authors link that increase in child deaths to the uptick in insecticide use, which can be harmful to \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK582900/\">developing fetuses\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-12/documents/pest-impact-hsstaff.pdf\">infants\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The fungus at the heart of the study, called Pseudogymnoascus destructans, was first detected in California in 2019.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Now that the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome has been detected in California, I think there is room for concern that similar patterns of substitution towards insecticides will happen and lead to off-farm exposure,” said Eyal Frank, lead author of the study and assistant professor at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fortunately, the state has not seen a single case of the disease in bats (the fungus that causes it is not known to hurt people or common house pets).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Winifred Frick, chief scientist at Bat Conservation International and adjunct professor in ecology and evolutionary biology at UC Santa Cruz, is not sure why California has so far been spared, but she noted that the disease kills during bats’ winter hibernation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s some optimism that maybe because we have milder winters in California, we might see less mortality, but it’s basically too soon to tell,” Frick said. “We need to do everything we can to protect our bat populations. Especially given how important bats are to agriculture.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many scientists and researchers are working to reduce contact between the fungus and bats to prevent an outbreak of white-nose disease in California and nationally. This can be done, for example, by asking tourists to step onto a mat that can kill any fungal spores on their shoes before exploring popular cave sites where bats hibernate in the winter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other researchers are working to develop a vaccine to prevent bats from developing the disease.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Frick said the new research linking child mortality and bat population decline also underscores the connection between healthy biodiversity and healthy humans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People think that conservation is this sort of altruistic exercise of trying to protect wildlife for wildlife’s sake, but [this research] really shows that we’re all connected, and protecting bats also protects our agricultural production and ourselves,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>White-nose disease has killed more than 6 million bats in North America since it was first discovered in New York in 2006. The hardest-hit areas have been Pennsylvania, New York and elsewhere in the Northeast.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>Dr. Mark Ghaly is stepping down as head of California Health and Human Services Agency, Gov. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/gavin-newsom\">Gavin Newsom\u003c/a>’s office announced in a showy press release on Friday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ghaly \u003ca href=\"https://www.politico.com/news/2024/09/06/california-mark-ghaly-steps-down-00177599\">told \u003c/a>\u003cem>Politico\u003c/em> he’s leaving his position to spend more time with his family.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think we’ve dug a new foundation, we’ve rebarred, we’ve done all the reinforcements so that it’s stable in times of uncertainty to really see California thrive,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom tapped Kim Johnson, who leads the state’s Department of Social Services, to replace him. She awaits senate confirmation, and the baton will likely pass to her on Oct. 1.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ghaly, a trained pediatrician, was appointed in March 2019. He played a pivotal role in California’s response to the pandemic, helping craft some of the country’s most aggressive containment measures on masking, business and school closures and vaccination efforts, which Newsom’s office argues saved lives.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I am grateful to Secretary Ghaly for his steadfast leadership and partnership during one of the greatest public health crises of our lifetime,” said Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, who served as California’s Surgeon General, in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2024/09/06/calhhs-secretary-dr-ghaly-to-depart-cdss-director-johnson-appointed-new-secretary/\">statement\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state’s strict approach to the pandemic was also loudly criticized by parents desperate to send their children back to school and businesses that lost revenue during the rolling lockdowns. Gov. Newsom beat back a GOP-led recall election in 2021, which was, in essence, a referendum on the state’s leadership during the crisis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=news_12001036 hero='https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2019/06/Shell-Oil-Refinery-Martinez-1020x680.jpg']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Beyond the pandemic, Ghaly helped lead the transformation of Medi-Cal through the CalAIM program, seeking to provide more comprehensive services to low-income Californians.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He also aimed to make the state more accessible and supportive for older adults and introduced reforms to California’s behavioral health services like the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative and the CARE program, which seeks to address the mental health needs of vulnerable populations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He has been a driving force for transformative changes to make healthcare more affordable and accessible,” Newsom said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2024/09/06/calhhs-secretary-dr-ghaly-to-depart-cdss-director-johnson-appointed-new-secretary/\">statement\u003c/a>. “And has overseen the state’s overhaul of our behavioral health system to better reach those most in need.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before leading the state’s social service agency, Johnson worked in numerous positions advocating for vulnerable communities, including as the deputy director of the Family Engagement and Empowerment Division, branch chief of CalWORKs and Child Care, and branch chief of Refugee Programs and Child Care. She graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Social Welfare.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Kim has been an indispensable partner in delivering foundational services that millions of Californians rely on,” Newsom said. “I’m confident that under her leadership, we’ll continue advancing the health and well-being of all Californians.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The leadership transition comes as California faces mounting challenges in healthcare affordability, mental health, and the ongoing struggle to address homelessness — issues that have become central to the state’s political discourse.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Dr. Mark Ghaly is stepping down as head of California Health and Human Services Agency, Gov. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/gavin-newsom\">Gavin Newsom\u003c/a>’s office announced in a showy press release on Friday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ghaly \u003ca href=\"https://www.politico.com/news/2024/09/06/california-mark-ghaly-steps-down-00177599\">told \u003c/a>\u003cem>Politico\u003c/em> he’s leaving his position to spend more time with his family.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think we’ve dug a new foundation, we’ve rebarred, we’ve done all the reinforcements so that it’s stable in times of uncertainty to really see California thrive,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newsom tapped Kim Johnson, who leads the state’s Department of Social Services, to replace him. She awaits senate confirmation, and the baton will likely pass to her on Oct. 1.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ghaly, a trained pediatrician, was appointed in March 2019. He played a pivotal role in California’s response to the pandemic, helping craft some of the country’s most aggressive containment measures on masking, business and school closures and vaccination efforts, which Newsom’s office argues saved lives.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I am grateful to Secretary Ghaly for his steadfast leadership and partnership during one of the greatest public health crises of our lifetime,” said Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, who served as California’s Surgeon General, in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2024/09/06/calhhs-secretary-dr-ghaly-to-depart-cdss-director-johnson-appointed-new-secretary/\">statement\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The state’s strict approach to the pandemic was also loudly criticized by parents desperate to send their children back to school and businesses that lost revenue during the rolling lockdowns. Gov. Newsom beat back a GOP-led recall election in 2021, which was, in essence, a referendum on the state’s leadership during the crisis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Beyond the pandemic, Ghaly helped lead the transformation of Medi-Cal through the CalAIM program, seeking to provide more comprehensive services to low-income Californians.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He also aimed to make the state more accessible and supportive for older adults and introduced reforms to California’s behavioral health services like the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative and the CARE program, which seeks to address the mental health needs of vulnerable populations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He has been a driving force for transformative changes to make healthcare more affordable and accessible,” Newsom said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2024/09/06/calhhs-secretary-dr-ghaly-to-depart-cdss-director-johnson-appointed-new-secretary/\">statement\u003c/a>. “And has overseen the state’s overhaul of our behavioral health system to better reach those most in need.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before leading the state’s social service agency, Johnson worked in numerous positions advocating for vulnerable communities, including as the deputy director of the Family Engagement and Empowerment Division, branch chief of CalWORKs and Child Care, and branch chief of Refugee Programs and Child Care. She graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Social Welfare.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Kim has been an indispensable partner in delivering foundational services that millions of Californians rely on,” Newsom said. “I’m confident that under her leadership, we’ll continue advancing the health and well-being of all Californians.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The leadership transition comes as California faces mounting challenges in healthcare affordability, mental health, and the ongoing struggle to address homelessness — issues that have become central to the state’s political discourse.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>When a loved one starts to forget things, starts repeating stories, or is physically ailing, it’s heartbreaking. The country collectively watched an example of this as President Joe Biden’s voice weakened over the past few years; he lost his train of thought during a high-stakes debate and then pulled out of the campaign.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One of the things that makes it stressful is that people wait to have hard conversations until they are sort of imminent, and decline is happening,” said Louise Aronson, a geriatrician and professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101906590/when-elderly-loved-ones-need-extra-help\">in a recent episode of KQED Forum\u003c/a>. “And so the person who is declining is feeling more threatened. If you begin sooner, then they’re more part of the process, and they feel a sense of control.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These difficult conversations — even in private settings — remain surprisingly rare. However, geriatricians point to numerous tools and resources that can make the transition easier.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Making an optimal plan for elderhood\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>“The most helpful way to approach the conversation is to think about the tension between the two parties,” said Dr. Katherine Ward, a geriatrician with Stanford Senior Care. “The child is most concerned about safety in the older adult’s environment, and the older adult is most concerned about their independence. And so if you look at that tug of war, you can discuss the benefits and risks of both.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both parties may avoid the conversation altogether because they find the decline depressing. If a senior refuses to talk about the future, Aronson suggested expressing concern. A child can say something like, “I love you, and I am worried. I see that you didn’t pay your bills last month. Or, I see that your shirt is on backwards. Can we talk about getting some help?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Or either party may make false assumptions. Seniors may assume they will move in with their children when the time comes, but younger generations may not have the time or resources to be an adequate caretaker. Cultural expectations can exacerbate these differences.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If or when making a care plan is difficult within a family, Aronson recommended a mediator or intermediary with cultural and linguistic fluency aligned with the senior.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Staying at home\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Many seniors may prefer to live independently for as long as possible. \u003ca href=\"https://www.medicarefaq.com/faqs/home-safety-assessment-for-the-elderly/\">Medicare covers the cost of a “home safety evaluation,”\u003c/a> where an occupational therapist visits and then suggests modifications for a home like grab bars, ramps and increased lighting. \u003ca href=\"https://preferhome.com/senior-resources/common-senior-concerns/free-services-for-seniors/\">Preferred Care at Home provides this service\u003c/a> for free. And, \u003ca href=\"https://www.ioaging.org/activities-wellness/home-safety-evaluations-critical-checklist-keep-loved-ones-safe/\">online DIY resources offer checklists\u003c/a> to assess the safety of a home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Government assistance may be a critical resource for older adults. In California, the \u003ca href=\"https://aging.ca.gov/Programs_and_Services/Home_and_Community_Services/\">Home & Community Services program\u003c/a> includes caregiver assistance, adult day health care, and legal support. However, there is not a centralized access point for these programs and applications can be confusing. \u003ca href=\"https://canhr.org/hcbs-quick-guide/\">The California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform\u003c/a> offers a quick guide to help people get started.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For families separated by distance, \u003ca href=\"https://www.aginglifecare.org/\">a geriatric care manager\u003c/a>, usually a licensed nurse or social worker who charges by the hour, can help make a care plan and find services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1993983\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1993983\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240822-ELDERLYSUPPORT-15-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240822-ELDERLYSUPPORT-15-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240822-ELDERLYSUPPORT-15-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240822-ELDERLYSUPPORT-15-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240822-ELDERLYSUPPORT-15-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240822-ELDERLYSUPPORT-15-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240822-ELDERLYSUPPORT-15-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240822-ELDERLYSUPPORT-15-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dr. Louise Aronson, a geriatrician and founder of the optimizing aging practice at the UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Health, speaks with a patient at the hospital in San Francisco on Aug. 22, 2024. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.healthinaging.org/health-aging-foundation\">The Health in Aging Foundation\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://eldercare.acl.gov/Public/Index.aspx\">Eldercare Locator\u003c/a> can help families access a network of healthcare professionals specializing in geriatrics, or help connect families to in-home help, transportation options and offer guidance on financing care. \u003ca href=\"https://www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/\">Meals on Wheels\u003c/a> is a tool to ensure access to nutritious meals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If it is time to hand over one’s driver’s license, Aronson said, you can make it easier by thinking about what role driving played in that person’s life. “Maybe it was getting out of the house. Maybe it was alone time. Maybe it was time to go explore. Are there other ways of getting those same pleasures?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All along the way, Aronson said, an elder should lead the conversation by sharing their preferences, hopes and priorities.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>When is time to consider a residential care facility?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Families will have to weigh independence versus the benefits of social contact, because studies show that \u003ca>isolation and loneliness is bad for your health\u003c/a>. Living in a community can be protective against developing cognitive impairment or dementia.[aside postID=\"news_11996924,news_11970744,news_11998218\" label=\"Related Stories\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If a family member begins to show serious signs of mental or physical decline, it may be time to relocate an elder to a residential care facility like an assisted living facility or a nursing home.\u003cbr>\nSome red flags signaling it’s time for a safer place to call home:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Unsteady walking up and down stairs\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Frequent falls\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Struggling to calculate the tip at a restaurant\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>A serious financial mistake\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Losing track of daily medications\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>If you can afford it, an assisted living facility is likely the first option. There are lots of \u003ca href=\"https://canhr.org/overview-of-assisted-living-residential-care-facilities-for-the-elderly-rcfes/\">online resources to help people find and vet complexes\u003c/a>. Unfortunately, facilities vary greatly in both quality and cost.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Historically, Medi-Cal [the state’s insurance for people on a limited income or disability] does not pay for assisted living outside of a really small and very income-limited assisted living waiver program,” Maura Gibney said. “So then we’re talking about private pay, and the average cost of an assisted living facility in California is $5,000 a month and up. We regularly talk to people who are paying $7-10,000 a month for an assisted living facility.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What about a nursing home?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If frequent falls lead to visits to the emergency room, it may be time to consider long-term care in a nursing home. But, Gibney says this is a last resort, “At this point in California, it’s really difficult to find a ‘good nursing home.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If possible, she recommends visiting homes ahead of time. “Trust your gut. Does it smell? Are residents freely moving around? Or is everyone in bed? Are they dressed? Does the facility feel clean? Do the staff greet you when you come through?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All medical experts stressed that making a plan for elderhood varies within each family, but the earlier you can start the conversation with a loved one, the more likely an elder will live out their final years in a dignified and comfortable environment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This may not be popular, but I’d say every one of us should probably start thinking about our final chapter in our 60s,” Aronson said.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"headline": "How to Approach Difficult Conversations About Aging with Loved Ones",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>When a loved one starts to forget things, starts repeating stories, or is physically ailing, it’s heartbreaking. The country collectively watched an example of this as President Joe Biden’s voice weakened over the past few years; he lost his train of thought during a high-stakes debate and then pulled out of the campaign.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One of the things that makes it stressful is that people wait to have hard conversations until they are sort of imminent, and decline is happening,” said Louise Aronson, a geriatrician and professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101906590/when-elderly-loved-ones-need-extra-help\">in a recent episode of KQED Forum\u003c/a>. “And so the person who is declining is feeling more threatened. If you begin sooner, then they’re more part of the process, and they feel a sense of control.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These difficult conversations — even in private settings — remain surprisingly rare. However, geriatricians point to numerous tools and resources that can make the transition easier.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Making an optimal plan for elderhood\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>“The most helpful way to approach the conversation is to think about the tension between the two parties,” said Dr. Katherine Ward, a geriatrician with Stanford Senior Care. “The child is most concerned about safety in the older adult’s environment, and the older adult is most concerned about their independence. And so if you look at that tug of war, you can discuss the benefits and risks of both.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both parties may avoid the conversation altogether because they find the decline depressing. If a senior refuses to talk about the future, Aronson suggested expressing concern. A child can say something like, “I love you, and I am worried. I see that you didn’t pay your bills last month. Or, I see that your shirt is on backwards. Can we talk about getting some help?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Or either party may make false assumptions. Seniors may assume they will move in with their children when the time comes, but younger generations may not have the time or resources to be an adequate caretaker. Cultural expectations can exacerbate these differences.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If or when making a care plan is difficult within a family, Aronson recommended a mediator or intermediary with cultural and linguistic fluency aligned with the senior.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Staying at home\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Many seniors may prefer to live independently for as long as possible. \u003ca href=\"https://www.medicarefaq.com/faqs/home-safety-assessment-for-the-elderly/\">Medicare covers the cost of a “home safety evaluation,”\u003c/a> where an occupational therapist visits and then suggests modifications for a home like grab bars, ramps and increased lighting. \u003ca href=\"https://preferhome.com/senior-resources/common-senior-concerns/free-services-for-seniors/\">Preferred Care at Home provides this service\u003c/a> for free. And, \u003ca href=\"https://www.ioaging.org/activities-wellness/home-safety-evaluations-critical-checklist-keep-loved-ones-safe/\">online DIY resources offer checklists\u003c/a> to assess the safety of a home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Government assistance may be a critical resource for older adults. In California, the \u003ca href=\"https://aging.ca.gov/Programs_and_Services/Home_and_Community_Services/\">Home & Community Services program\u003c/a> includes caregiver assistance, adult day health care, and legal support. However, there is not a centralized access point for these programs and applications can be confusing. \u003ca href=\"https://canhr.org/hcbs-quick-guide/\">The California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform\u003c/a> offers a quick guide to help people get started.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For families separated by distance, \u003ca href=\"https://www.aginglifecare.org/\">a geriatric care manager\u003c/a>, usually a licensed nurse or social worker who charges by the hour, can help make a care plan and find services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1993983\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1993983\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240822-ELDERLYSUPPORT-15-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240822-ELDERLYSUPPORT-15-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240822-ELDERLYSUPPORT-15-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240822-ELDERLYSUPPORT-15-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240822-ELDERLYSUPPORT-15-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240822-ELDERLYSUPPORT-15-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240822-ELDERLYSUPPORT-15-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240822-ELDERLYSUPPORT-15-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dr. Louise Aronson, a geriatrician and founder of the optimizing aging practice at the UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Health, speaks with a patient at the hospital in San Francisco on Aug. 22, 2024. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.healthinaging.org/health-aging-foundation\">The Health in Aging Foundation\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://eldercare.acl.gov/Public/Index.aspx\">Eldercare Locator\u003c/a> can help families access a network of healthcare professionals specializing in geriatrics, or help connect families to in-home help, transportation options and offer guidance on financing care. \u003ca href=\"https://www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/\">Meals on Wheels\u003c/a> is a tool to ensure access to nutritious meals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If it is time to hand over one’s driver’s license, Aronson said, you can make it easier by thinking about what role driving played in that person’s life. “Maybe it was getting out of the house. Maybe it was alone time. Maybe it was time to go explore. Are there other ways of getting those same pleasures?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All along the way, Aronson said, an elder should lead the conversation by sharing their preferences, hopes and priorities.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>When is time to consider a residential care facility?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Families will have to weigh independence versus the benefits of social contact, because studies show that \u003ca>isolation and loneliness is bad for your health\u003c/a>. Living in a community can be protective against developing cognitive impairment or dementia.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If a family member begins to show serious signs of mental or physical decline, it may be time to relocate an elder to a residential care facility like an assisted living facility or a nursing home.\u003cbr>\nSome red flags signaling it’s time for a safer place to call home:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Unsteady walking up and down stairs\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Frequent falls\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Struggling to calculate the tip at a restaurant\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>A serious financial mistake\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Losing track of daily medications\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>If you can afford it, an assisted living facility is likely the first option. There are lots of \u003ca href=\"https://canhr.org/overview-of-assisted-living-residential-care-facilities-for-the-elderly-rcfes/\">online resources to help people find and vet complexes\u003c/a>. Unfortunately, facilities vary greatly in both quality and cost.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Historically, Medi-Cal [the state’s insurance for people on a limited income or disability] does not pay for assisted living outside of a really small and very income-limited assisted living waiver program,” Maura Gibney said. “So then we’re talking about private pay, and the average cost of an assisted living facility in California is $5,000 a month and up. We regularly talk to people who are paying $7-10,000 a month for an assisted living facility.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What about a nursing home?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If frequent falls lead to visits to the emergency room, it may be time to consider long-term care in a nursing home. But, Gibney says this is a last resort, “At this point in California, it’s really difficult to find a ‘good nursing home.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If possible, she recommends visiting homes ahead of time. “Trust your gut. Does it smell? Are residents freely moving around? Or is everyone in bed? Are they dressed? Does the facility feel clean? Do the staff greet you when you come through?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All medical experts stressed that making a plan for elderhood varies within each family, but the earlier you can start the conversation with a loved one, the more likely an elder will live out their final years in a dignified and comfortable environment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This may not be popular, but I’d say every one of us should probably start thinking about our final chapter in our 60s,” Aronson said.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "dignity-where-there-was-little-to-be-found-inside-the-fight-for-california-needle-exchange-programs",
"title": "'Dignity Where There Was Little to Be Found': Inside the Fight for California Needle Exchange Programs",
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"content": "\u003cp>About a decade ago, Toni Rodriguez opened up to family members for the first time about using drugs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rodriguez, who primarily uses the pronoun “they,” was in their 20s and living in Santa Cruz at the time, and was in a bad place and hoping for support.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But instead, Rodriguez said family members reacted with personal attacks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It really damaged the foundations of my relationship with almost every single family member,” Rodriguez said. “I don’t know what I was expecting, and it really is the stigma around IV drug use. There is nothing more despicable in most people’s eyes.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rodriguez felt unsupported and forced to move out, they said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rodriguez continued to use opioids over the following years. Having trouble finding clean syringes, they would reuse needles, which can cause skin infections and lead to abscesses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then, in 2020, while hanging around a homeless encampment, Rodriguez learned about the Harm Reduction Coalition of Santa Cruz County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1993860\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-29-BL-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1993860\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-29-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Someone displaying drug-related harm-reduction items.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-29-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-29-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-29-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-29-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-29-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-29-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-29-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Members of the Harm Reduction Coalition of Santa Cruz County display harm reduction items, on July 30, 2024. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The coalition offered services without judgment or pity, Rodriguez said and delivered syringes meant to reduce the risks of infectious diseases.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It really was game changing,” Rodriguez said. “It was dignity where there was little to be found.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Recipe for disaster’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>But last year, that all changed. A judge ordered the program to stop distributing needles following a lawsuit brought by members of a neighborhood group and other concerned residents. The judge ruled that the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) had \u003ca href=\"https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/ca-court-of-appeal/114866098.html\">not adequately consulted with law enforcement\u003c/a> when it approved of the needle distribution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a recipe for disaster. And it does nothing to curb drug use. It just makes it even more dangerous,” Rodriguez said of the ruling.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Santa Cruz County was home to one of the nation’s first syringe exchange programs – commonly known as a needle exchange – which was \u003ca href=\"https://www.hrcofscc.org/historyinsantacruz\">founded in the late 1980s during the AIDS crisis\u003c/a>. However, the county is also one of several in California to see opposition to harm reduction programs in recent years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many needle exchanges, like the one here, are fighting to operate amid backlash spurred by fears that such programs will lead to more public drug use and an uptick in used needles and other drug paraphernalia strewn on the streets. This is also playing out in historically conservative bastions like Orange County, \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2023-07-31/orange-county-needle-exchange-program-overdose-hiv\">which remains one of the largest counties in the country without such a program\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1993861\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-35-BL-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1993861\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-35-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Three people stand on railroad tracks.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-35-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-35-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-35-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-35-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-35-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-35-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-35-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Anna Koplos-Villanueva (left), Denise Elerick and Jerry Guerrero, who help run the Harm Reduction Coalition of Santa Cruz County, in Santa Cruz on July 30, 2024, nearby to where they previously distributed clean syringes before a judge ordered them to stop earlier this year. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Can you imagine a child stepping on a needle in the sand at the playground?” Santa Ana Mayor Valerie Amezcua told KQED. “Is the answer to give [people] needles so that they can continue to live on the street and use freely? In my eyes, no.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://mcclibraryfunctions.azurewebsites.us/api/ordinanceDownload/15095/1258788/pdf\">Last year\u003c/a>, El Dorado County passed an ordinance to ban needle exchange programs, an action that prompted CDPH to \u003ca href=\"https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article286978630.html\">file a lawsuit in March\u003c/a>, arguing that the ban is preempted by state law. The judge, in that case, ordered a preliminary injunction on the ban.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Harm reduction advocates in Santa Cruz and Santa Ana are still hoping CDHP approves their applications to distribute clean needles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And while the agency told KQED it supports these programs, some local officials and residents contend they know what’s best for their communities.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Changing views\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Harm reduction advocates argue needle exchange programs save lives and are urgently needed amid the fentanyl overdose crisis. California’s opioid-related deaths spiked roughly 127% between 2019 and 2022, \u003ca href=\"https://skylab.cdph.ca.gov/ODdash/?tab=Home\">according to CDPH\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Needle exchange programs were born as part of an underground effort by activists and volunteers during the height of the AIDS epidemic to protect the health of people who used drugs. What started out as an \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfaf.org/resource-library/needle-exchange-in-san-francisco/\">act of civil disobedience\u003c/a> gained wider acceptance over the years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside label=\"More on addiction treatment\" postID=\"news_11997957,news_11911092,news_11891403\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In December 2015, \u003ca href=\"https://www.vox.com/2016/1/6/10723800/congress-needle-exchange-ban\">Congress effectively lifted\u003c/a> the ban on federal funding for the programs. Since then, the number of counties in California with at least one needle exchange program increased markedly, and these programs now operate in about 60% of counties in the state, according to state health officials.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A CDPH spokesperson said in a statement to KQED that harm reduction programs reduce infectious disease transmission, prevent fatal overdoses, and link people to other crucial services. The agency added that research shows that these sites do not attract more drug users to certain neighborhoods and actually reduce the amount of syringe litter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But skepticism about the programs remains strong.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health surveyed roughly 1,000 adults across the country and \u003ca href=\"https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2018/public-support-for-needle-exchange-programs-safe-injection-sites-remains-low-in-US\">found \u003c/a>that just 39% supported legalizing needle exchange programs in their communities. Those who had very negative views of people who use drugs were most more likely to be opposed to the programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Denise Elerick, the founder of the Harm Reduction Coalition of Santa Cruz County, said needle exchange programs should be approved based on public health evidence, not popular opinion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s not a football game,” Elerick said. “It’s the same tape, the same script that’s been repeated from Atlanta to Connecticut to everywhere, all over: ‘Those people found a syringe near my child, we have to close it down and stop it.’ That’s it in a nutshell.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1993854\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-07-BL-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1993854\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A man with long hair and a plaid shirt poses in a park.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-07-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-07-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-07-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-07-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-07-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-07-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-07-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Brad Angell, a member of the Grant Park Neighborhood Association Advocates, in Grant Park in Santa Cruz on July 30, 2024. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Brad Angell was among a group of residents who formed the Grant Park Neighborhood Association Advocates and sued the Santa Cruz needle exchange. A former Santa Cruz police chief and others were also plaintiffs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He said he is not opposed to all needle exchanges but was appalled and shocked by the number of needles discarded at Grant Park, located in a residential neighborhood.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The community avoided the park because drug use and discarded needles were so common, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Angell also said the program did not consult with the community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They act like renegades without any rules,” Angell said. “It’s shocking they were ever allowed to operate in the first place.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Resistance in Santa Ana\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In Santa Ana, where city leaders staunchly oppose such programs, another nonprofit harm reduction group has applied for state authorization to distribute clean needles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At a city council meeting in February, then-interim city manager Tom Hatch shared images of discarded syringes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This needle was found inside of our city library, on one of the bookshelves, where any member of the public or young person could have come in contact with that needle and caused some harm,” Hatch said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Amezcua, the mayor, said residents do not want a needle exchange program in their city. Santa Ana City Council members \u003ca href=\"https://www.santa-ana.org/city-council-opposes-needle-distribution/\">passed a resolution in April\u003c/a> voicing unanimous opposition to the proposed program.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Go to Irvine, go to Orange, go wherever you want, but don’t come here to Santa Ana because we don’t want it here,” Amezcua said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Carol Newark, the executive director of the Harm Reduction Institute, the group pushing for authorization to distribute needles in Santa Ana, watched the meeting online the next day. She said felt sickened by the images displayed, and what seemed to be a lack of understanding about why the needles were there in the first place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1993855\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-08-BL-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1993855\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-08-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-08-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-08-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-08-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-08-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-08-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-08-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-08-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lisa Bates (left), her dog Tacho, Peter Glynn, and Brad Angell, members of the Grant Park Neighborhood Association Advocates, walk through Grant Park in Santa Cruz on July 30, 2024. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I weirdly get the vibe that they’re trying to say [our group is] coming in to purposefully leave [the syringe litter] there. Like, we want to come in and destroy their city,” Newark said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She contends her group’s latest effort to launch a needle exchange is different from the previous operation, which was run by a group called the Orange County Needle Exchange Program.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newark’s group has laid out their plan to address residents’ concerns. If approved, they will collect syringes from participants five days a week, conduct “litter sweeps” throughout the city, and operate a hotline for residents, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If the state does not approve the latest application to be authorized, Newark said she is not sure she has it in her to apply again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The backlash has traumatized me more than anything else I’ve experienced,” Newark said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Syringe exchanges in California are fighting to stay alive amid growing opposition spurred by fears that such programs will lead to more public drug use and disorder.",
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"title": "'Dignity Where There Was Little to Be Found': Inside the Fight for California Needle Exchange Programs | KQED",
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"headline": "'Dignity Where There Was Little to Be Found': Inside the Fight for California Needle Exchange Programs",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>About a decade ago, Toni Rodriguez opened up to family members for the first time about using drugs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rodriguez, who primarily uses the pronoun “they,” was in their 20s and living in Santa Cruz at the time, and was in a bad place and hoping for support.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But instead, Rodriguez said family members reacted with personal attacks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It really damaged the foundations of my relationship with almost every single family member,” Rodriguez said. “I don’t know what I was expecting, and it really is the stigma around IV drug use. There is nothing more despicable in most people’s eyes.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rodriguez felt unsupported and forced to move out, they said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rodriguez continued to use opioids over the following years. Having trouble finding clean syringes, they would reuse needles, which can cause skin infections and lead to abscesses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then, in 2020, while hanging around a homeless encampment, Rodriguez learned about the Harm Reduction Coalition of Santa Cruz County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1993860\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-29-BL-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1993860\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-29-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Someone displaying drug-related harm-reduction items.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-29-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-29-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-29-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-29-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-29-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-29-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-29-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Members of the Harm Reduction Coalition of Santa Cruz County display harm reduction items, on July 30, 2024. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The coalition offered services without judgment or pity, Rodriguez said and delivered syringes meant to reduce the risks of infectious diseases.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It really was game changing,” Rodriguez said. “It was dignity where there was little to be found.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Recipe for disaster’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>But last year, that all changed. A judge ordered the program to stop distributing needles following a lawsuit brought by members of a neighborhood group and other concerned residents. The judge ruled that the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) had \u003ca href=\"https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/ca-court-of-appeal/114866098.html\">not adequately consulted with law enforcement\u003c/a> when it approved of the needle distribution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a recipe for disaster. And it does nothing to curb drug use. It just makes it even more dangerous,” Rodriguez said of the ruling.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Santa Cruz County was home to one of the nation’s first syringe exchange programs – commonly known as a needle exchange – which was \u003ca href=\"https://www.hrcofscc.org/historyinsantacruz\">founded in the late 1980s during the AIDS crisis\u003c/a>. However, the county is also one of several in California to see opposition to harm reduction programs in recent years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many needle exchanges, like the one here, are fighting to operate amid backlash spurred by fears that such programs will lead to more public drug use and an uptick in used needles and other drug paraphernalia strewn on the streets. This is also playing out in historically conservative bastions like Orange County, \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2023-07-31/orange-county-needle-exchange-program-overdose-hiv\">which remains one of the largest counties in the country without such a program\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1993861\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-35-BL-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1993861\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-35-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"Three people stand on railroad tracks.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-35-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-35-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-35-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-35-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-35-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-35-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-35-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Anna Koplos-Villanueva (left), Denise Elerick and Jerry Guerrero, who help run the Harm Reduction Coalition of Santa Cruz County, in Santa Cruz on July 30, 2024, nearby to where they previously distributed clean syringes before a judge ordered them to stop earlier this year. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Can you imagine a child stepping on a needle in the sand at the playground?” Santa Ana Mayor Valerie Amezcua told KQED. “Is the answer to give [people] needles so that they can continue to live on the street and use freely? In my eyes, no.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://mcclibraryfunctions.azurewebsites.us/api/ordinanceDownload/15095/1258788/pdf\">Last year\u003c/a>, El Dorado County passed an ordinance to ban needle exchange programs, an action that prompted CDPH to \u003ca href=\"https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article286978630.html\">file a lawsuit in March\u003c/a>, arguing that the ban is preempted by state law. The judge, in that case, ordered a preliminary injunction on the ban.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Harm reduction advocates in Santa Cruz and Santa Ana are still hoping CDHP approves their applications to distribute clean needles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And while the agency told KQED it supports these programs, some local officials and residents contend they know what’s best for their communities.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Changing views\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Harm reduction advocates argue needle exchange programs save lives and are urgently needed amid the fentanyl overdose crisis. California’s opioid-related deaths spiked roughly 127% between 2019 and 2022, \u003ca href=\"https://skylab.cdph.ca.gov/ODdash/?tab=Home\">according to CDPH\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Needle exchange programs were born as part of an underground effort by activists and volunteers during the height of the AIDS epidemic to protect the health of people who used drugs. What started out as an \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfaf.org/resource-library/needle-exchange-in-san-francisco/\">act of civil disobedience\u003c/a> gained wider acceptance over the years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In December 2015, \u003ca href=\"https://www.vox.com/2016/1/6/10723800/congress-needle-exchange-ban\">Congress effectively lifted\u003c/a> the ban on federal funding for the programs. Since then, the number of counties in California with at least one needle exchange program increased markedly, and these programs now operate in about 60% of counties in the state, according to state health officials.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A CDPH spokesperson said in a statement to KQED that harm reduction programs reduce infectious disease transmission, prevent fatal overdoses, and link people to other crucial services. The agency added that research shows that these sites do not attract more drug users to certain neighborhoods and actually reduce the amount of syringe litter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But skepticism about the programs remains strong.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health surveyed roughly 1,000 adults across the country and \u003ca href=\"https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2018/public-support-for-needle-exchange-programs-safe-injection-sites-remains-low-in-US\">found \u003c/a>that just 39% supported legalizing needle exchange programs in their communities. Those who had very negative views of people who use drugs were most more likely to be opposed to the programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Denise Elerick, the founder of the Harm Reduction Coalition of Santa Cruz County, said needle exchange programs should be approved based on public health evidence, not popular opinion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s not a football game,” Elerick said. “It’s the same tape, the same script that’s been repeated from Atlanta to Connecticut to everywhere, all over: ‘Those people found a syringe near my child, we have to close it down and stop it.’ That’s it in a nutshell.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1993854\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-07-BL-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1993854\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A man with long hair and a plaid shirt poses in a park.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-07-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-07-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-07-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-07-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-07-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-07-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-07-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Brad Angell, a member of the Grant Park Neighborhood Association Advocates, in Grant Park in Santa Cruz on July 30, 2024. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Brad Angell was among a group of residents who formed the Grant Park Neighborhood Association Advocates and sued the Santa Cruz needle exchange. A former Santa Cruz police chief and others were also plaintiffs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He said he is not opposed to all needle exchanges but was appalled and shocked by the number of needles discarded at Grant Park, located in a residential neighborhood.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The community avoided the park because drug use and discarded needles were so common, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Angell also said the program did not consult with the community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They act like renegades without any rules,” Angell said. “It’s shocking they were ever allowed to operate in the first place.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Resistance in Santa Ana\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In Santa Ana, where city leaders staunchly oppose such programs, another nonprofit harm reduction group has applied for state authorization to distribute clean needles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At a city council meeting in February, then-interim city manager Tom Hatch shared images of discarded syringes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This needle was found inside of our city library, on one of the bookshelves, where any member of the public or young person could have come in contact with that needle and caused some harm,” Hatch said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Amezcua, the mayor, said residents do not want a needle exchange program in their city. Santa Ana City Council members \u003ca href=\"https://www.santa-ana.org/city-council-opposes-needle-distribution/\">passed a resolution in April\u003c/a> voicing unanimous opposition to the proposed program.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Go to Irvine, go to Orange, go wherever you want, but don’t come here to Santa Ana because we don’t want it here,” Amezcua said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Carol Newark, the executive director of the Harm Reduction Institute, the group pushing for authorization to distribute needles in Santa Ana, watched the meeting online the next day. She said felt sickened by the images displayed, and what seemed to be a lack of understanding about why the needles were there in the first place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1993855\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-08-BL-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1993855\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-08-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-08-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-08-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-08-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-08-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-08-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-08-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/08/240730-SYRINGEEXCHANGE-08-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lisa Bates (left), her dog Tacho, Peter Glynn, and Brad Angell, members of the Grant Park Neighborhood Association Advocates, walk through Grant Park in Santa Cruz on July 30, 2024. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I weirdly get the vibe that they’re trying to say [our group is] coming in to purposefully leave [the syringe litter] there. Like, we want to come in and destroy their city,” Newark said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She contends her group’s latest effort to launch a needle exchange is different from the previous operation, which was run by a group called the Orange County Needle Exchange Program.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Newark’s group has laid out their plan to address residents’ concerns. If approved, they will collect syringes from participants five days a week, conduct “litter sweeps” throughout the city, and operate a hotline for residents, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If the state does not approve the latest application to be authorized, Newark said she is not sure she has it in her to apply again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The backlash has traumatized me more than anything else I’ve experienced,” Newark said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "systemic-neglect-how-staffing-shortages-in-nursing-homes-leave-patients-trapped-in-hospitals",
"title": "Systemic Neglect: How Staffing Shortages In Nursing Homes Leave Patients Trapped in Hospitals",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published on March 20, 2024.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a warm September morning in 2020, David Alter was cleaning up his kitchen in Berkeley. He saw his wife, Lisa, move towards him out of the corner of his eye. He turned to dry his hands on a towel, and then he heard a loud noise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’ll never forget that sound,” he said. “It was like the sound of a baseball getting hit. She did nothing to brace her fall. Her head smacked directly on the linoleum floor.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His wife lay still as blood pooled around her body, and Alter sprinted to the bathroom to scavenge for bandages. He wrapped Lisa’s head in gauze and then carried her to the car before speeding to the emergency department at Kaiser Permanente’s Richmond Medical Center, where he said a doctor diagnosed Lisa with a brain bleed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote size=\"medium\" align=\"right\" citation=\"Kristof Stremikis, director of market analysis and insight, California Health Care Foundation\"]‘We definitely know that across California more patients are spending longer times in the hospital.’[/pullquote]Lisa has Huntington’s disease, a genetic disorder that causes nerve cells to break down over time, ravaging the brain and body. The condition is marked by involuntary jerking and writhing movements. It impairs one’s gait, posture and balance. Eventually, Lisa could not walk, talk or think.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alter had failed for an entire year to find a nursing home for his wife, as she was no longer safe at home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It got to the point that we were going to the ER weekly,” Alter said. “If the fall was late at night, we wouldn’t go right away because we were too exhausted. I would patch her up. I would use suture strips or even sometimes Krazy Glue to close cuts.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1991935\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240209-AVOIDABLEBEDDAYS-KSM-1-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1991935 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240209-AVOIDABLEBEDDAYS-KSM-1-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A man wearing glasses and a dark shirt sits next to a woman lying down in a bed.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240209-AVOIDABLEBEDDAYS-KSM-1-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240209-AVOIDABLEBEDDAYS-KSM-1-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240209-AVOIDABLEBEDDAYS-KSM-1-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240209-AVOIDABLEBEDDAYS-KSM-1-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240209-AVOIDABLEBEDDAYS-KSM-1-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240209-AVOIDABLEBEDDAYS-KSM-1-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240209-AVOIDABLEBEDDAYS-KSM-1-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">David Alter sits next to his wife, Lisa Alter, in Walnut Creek on Feb. 9, 2024. \u003ccite>(Kathryn Styer Martínez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>He had called hundreds of skilled nursing facilities across California. He penned personal letters to facility directors illustrated with color photos of their family, describing his wife as “a vibrant woman, wife, elementary school teacher and mother.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He received denial after denial. There was not a single facility that would accept a complex patient who would likely need many years of specialized, very expensive care. Lisa received her Huntington’s disease diagnosis when she was 45 years old. From the onset of symptoms, people with the condition have a life expectancy of 10 to 25 years. Lisa’s needs will likely increase over time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alter turned to social workers with the Huntington’s Disease Society for help. They advised him to leave his wife in the hospital the next time she landed in the emergency department. “That’s the last resort if the caregiver isn’t safe to take their loved one home,” said Jessica Marsolek, the society’s associate director of community services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1991923\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-09-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1991923\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-09-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A hallway of a medical center with people walking through.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-09-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-09-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-09-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-09-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-09-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-09-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-09-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Kaiser Permanente Richmond Medical Center on March 19, 2024. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Hospitals are much more equipped to connect and successfully transfer patients to nursing homes. “I don’t know anybody that’s gotten into a nursing home any other way,” said Maura Gibney, executive director for California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform. She regularly advises families to leave their loved ones in the hospital. “That’s the only way.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Four days after Lisa’s fall, she was ready for discharge from Kaiser’s emergency department in Richmond, but Alter made the decision not to pick her up. She wouldn’t leave the hospital for several months.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Part of a growing trend\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Patients spend more and more time in the hospital, even people who — like Lisa Alter — are medically stable and ready for a lower level of care at a facility like a nursing home or a psychiatric treatment center. Increasingly, they languish for weeks, months and even years, which delays their recovery, and that, in turn, delays care for patients who need urgent care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We can’t accept some patients trying to transfer in from smaller hospitals,” said Dr. Valerie Norton, emergency medicine physician at Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego. “Because we don’t have room for them. Or there might be somebody down in the emergency department that’s waiting to be admitted into the hospital. And we have to wait until somebody else gets discharged before we can move them upstairs. If you’re lying in a bed in the emergency department, that’s just a hard gurney with a broken hip, and you’re waiting 16 hours for a bed to open up somewhere, that’s pretty tough.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1991924\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-10-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1991924\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-10-KQED.jpg\" alt='The side of a building that says \"Kaiser Permanente.\"' width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-10-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-10-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-10-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-10-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-10-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-10-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-10-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Kaiser Permanente Richmond Medical Center on March 19, 2024. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In 2022, the average length of stay inside hospitals across the country \u003ca href=\"https://www.aha.org/issue-brief/2022-12-05-patients-and-providers-faced-increasing-delays-timely-discharges\">increased by 19.2%\u003c/a> compared to the year before, according to an issue brief prepared by the American Hospital Association. In California, 4,500 patients are stranded inside hospitals every day, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://calhospital.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Impact-of-Inadequate-Networks-CHA-Analysis-FINAL.pdf\">report from the California Hospital Association, \u003c/a>which attributes the problem of discharge delays to insurance companies openly disregarding “the clinical guidance of doctors and nurses” and “delaying or denying the care” that patients need.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We definitely know that across California, more patients are spending longer times in the hospital,” said Kristof Stremikis, who directs the California Health Care Foundation’s market analysis and insight team.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s both very complicated and incredibly simple,” Stremikis said. “It’s rising demand with problems in the supply. There’s more patients that need to be discharged. They tend to be sicker. They tend to have more complex conditions. And then on the supply side, there’s just fewer and fewer places to send them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=\"science_1991739,news_11976372,news_11968579\" label=\"Related Stories\"]As the country’s demographics trend older, more and more patients require care at nursing homes, but those facilities are plagued by dire staffing shortages, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.ahcancal.org/News-and-Communications/Press-Releases/Pages/Historic-Staffing-Shortages-Continue-To-Force-Nursing-Homes-To-Limit-New-Admissions,-Creating-Bottlenecks-at-Hospitals-and-.aspx\">American Health Care Association\u003c/a>. A lack of workers downstream means patients like Lisa Alter get stuck upstream inside the hospital’s emergency department.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We don’t have anywhere safe to send them,” Norton said. “They would qualify to be at a lower level of care like a skilled nursing facility or an assisted living facility. But because of their multiple medical problems or their psychiatric condition, there’s not a place that’s willing to take them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The number of days patients are stuck at Scripps has tripled in recent years, she said, and costs the health care system $56 million a year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s just insane how long these patients stay in the hospital,” Norton said. “And we’re not getting paid for that. We’re just eating that cost. And they should be in a nursing home somewhere.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The problem was exacerbated by the pandemic, which accelerated feelings of anguish and other persistent mental health issues in health care workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nearly half of health care workers across the U.S. reported often feeling burned out in 2022, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/health-worker-mental-health/index.html\">federal survey from the Centers for Disease Control\u003c/a>. About the same amount said they intended to look for a new job.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’ve had a long, long, long-term problem,” said Craig Cornett, CEO of the California Association of Health Facilities. “Every other part of the health care sector has recovered its staff to its pre-COVID days. We are the only part of the health care continuum that is still below where we were before COVID.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote size=\"medium\" align=\"right\" citation=\"David Alter, software engineer\"]‘You shouldn’t have to leave someone in the hospital and force them to take care of it.’[/pullquote]California is spending $26 million to \u003ca href=\"https://yourcnastory.org/\">recruit\u003c/a> more health care workers to help fill this gap, with the hope of attracting 5,500 certified nursing assistants by 2027. State lawmakers are considering \u003ca href=\"https://legiscan.com/CA/text/SB895/id/2868455\">SB 895\u003c/a>, a new bill that would allow select community college districts to offer nursing degrees, lowering the bar for entry and making it easier for workers to enter the health care industry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But, Cornett said, the workforce challenge is huge, and it is not going away.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The breaking point\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Alter always thought he’d grow old alongside his wife. But he could no longer parent his two children, hold a full-time job as a software engineer, and care for Lisa around the clock.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1991920\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1330px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-12-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1991920\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-12-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A man, woman, and two children wearing tie die t shirts stands outside a home.\" width=\"1330\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-12-KQED.jpg 1330w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-12-KQED-800x1203.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-12-KQED-1020x1534.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-12-KQED-160x241.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-12-KQED-768x1155.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-12-KQED-1021x1536.jpg 1021w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1330px) 100vw, 1330px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A family photo of Lisa (left) and David Alter and their children Zachary and Maya in front of their home in Berkeley in 2010, the year before Lisa was diagnosed with Huntington’s disease. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of David Alter)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>When he learned that his wife was ready to be discharged from the emergency department at Kaiser Richmond, he steadied himself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I remember talking to them, and I said: ‘I’m not gonna pick her up. I’m not going to take her home.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alter said the hospital’s discharge team struggled to find a nursing home for Lisa, too. His wife Lisa would spend over four months at Kaiser, a time period that Alter described as “excruciating” for him. He was so worried that the hospital would force him to take his wife home that he held off from visiting her in the hospital initially.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s incredibly emotional to walk away,” Alter said. “And Kaiser’s calling you. And they’re like, ‘Why aren’t you picking her up?’ It’s really, really stressful. And it gets worse every day she’s there.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kaiser Permanente declined an interview for this story. In an emailed statement, the organization said it strives to find the right care for patients as quickly as possible. “While the vast majority of placements occur in a timely fashion, there are some circumstances, including the need for highly specialized care and patient or family preferences, that can present challenges,” the statement said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Patient discrimination\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On top of staffing issues, facilities have a financial incentive to choose patients who can pay the highest price. “It’s unfortunate, but it is true,” Stremikis said. “Medi-Cal rates are way lower than private payers. It’s just another example of the inequalities within our system.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Medi-Cal is the state’s insurance program, which covers Alter’s wife. It’s supposed to pay for her to receive specialized care at a round-the-clock facility, but that has not been his experience. “There’s nowhere I can place her,” Alter said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1991922\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-06-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1991922\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-06-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A person holds an image of a man, woman and young child.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-06-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-06-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-06-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-06-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-06-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-06-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-06-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">David Alter holds a photo of himself, his wife Lisa, and their son Zachary at his home in Berkeley on March 18, 2024. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Eventually, after more than four months, Kaiser Permanente did find housing for Lisa in Walnut Creek. The home provides food and supervision but not specialized nurses or regular doctor visits. Alter said she’s not at the right facility, but he doesn’t know what to do. He hired consultants and lawyers and wrote his legislators, all to no avail.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Three years after Alter left his wife in the hospital as a hail mary play to get her the care she needs, that’s still not happening. “You’re just defeated,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, his wife declines. “She’s 70 or 80 pounds,” Alter said. “She’s so tiny. She’s skin and bones.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He also worries she could injure herself again, land back in the hospital, and then get stuck in the cycle all over again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You shouldn’t have to leave someone in the hospital and force them to take care of it,” Alter said. “That’s not the right solution. As a society, we’re not set up in a way to care for people properly.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "One woman with Huntington's disease was left in limbo at Kaiser’s emergency department in Richmond for more than 4 months as she waited for space in a nursing home. ",
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"title": "Systemic Neglect: How Staffing Shortages In Nursing Homes Leave Patients Trapped in Hospitals | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published on March 20, 2024.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a warm September morning in 2020, David Alter was cleaning up his kitchen in Berkeley. He saw his wife, Lisa, move towards him out of the corner of his eye. He turned to dry his hands on a towel, and then he heard a loud noise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’ll never forget that sound,” he said. “It was like the sound of a baseball getting hit. She did nothing to brace her fall. Her head smacked directly on the linoleum floor.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His wife lay still as blood pooled around her body, and Alter sprinted to the bathroom to scavenge for bandages. He wrapped Lisa’s head in gauze and then carried her to the car before speeding to the emergency department at Kaiser Permanente’s Richmond Medical Center, where he said a doctor diagnosed Lisa with a brain bleed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "‘We definitely know that across California more patients are spending longer times in the hospital.’",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Lisa has Huntington’s disease, a genetic disorder that causes nerve cells to break down over time, ravaging the brain and body. The condition is marked by involuntary jerking and writhing movements. It impairs one’s gait, posture and balance. Eventually, Lisa could not walk, talk or think.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alter had failed for an entire year to find a nursing home for his wife, as she was no longer safe at home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It got to the point that we were going to the ER weekly,” Alter said. “If the fall was late at night, we wouldn’t go right away because we were too exhausted. I would patch her up. I would use suture strips or even sometimes Krazy Glue to close cuts.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1991935\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240209-AVOIDABLEBEDDAYS-KSM-1-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1991935 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240209-AVOIDABLEBEDDAYS-KSM-1-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A man wearing glasses and a dark shirt sits next to a woman lying down in a bed.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240209-AVOIDABLEBEDDAYS-KSM-1-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240209-AVOIDABLEBEDDAYS-KSM-1-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240209-AVOIDABLEBEDDAYS-KSM-1-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240209-AVOIDABLEBEDDAYS-KSM-1-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240209-AVOIDABLEBEDDAYS-KSM-1-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240209-AVOIDABLEBEDDAYS-KSM-1-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240209-AVOIDABLEBEDDAYS-KSM-1-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">David Alter sits next to his wife, Lisa Alter, in Walnut Creek on Feb. 9, 2024. \u003ccite>(Kathryn Styer Martínez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>He had called hundreds of skilled nursing facilities across California. He penned personal letters to facility directors illustrated with color photos of their family, describing his wife as “a vibrant woman, wife, elementary school teacher and mother.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He received denial after denial. There was not a single facility that would accept a complex patient who would likely need many years of specialized, very expensive care. Lisa received her Huntington’s disease diagnosis when she was 45 years old. From the onset of symptoms, people with the condition have a life expectancy of 10 to 25 years. Lisa’s needs will likely increase over time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alter turned to social workers with the Huntington’s Disease Society for help. They advised him to leave his wife in the hospital the next time she landed in the emergency department. “That’s the last resort if the caregiver isn’t safe to take their loved one home,” said Jessica Marsolek, the society’s associate director of community services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1991923\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-09-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1991923\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-09-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A hallway of a medical center with people walking through.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-09-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-09-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-09-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-09-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-09-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-09-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-09-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Kaiser Permanente Richmond Medical Center on March 19, 2024. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Hospitals are much more equipped to connect and successfully transfer patients to nursing homes. “I don’t know anybody that’s gotten into a nursing home any other way,” said Maura Gibney, executive director for California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform. She regularly advises families to leave their loved ones in the hospital. “That’s the only way.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Four days after Lisa’s fall, she was ready for discharge from Kaiser’s emergency department in Richmond, but Alter made the decision not to pick her up. She wouldn’t leave the hospital for several months.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Part of a growing trend\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Patients spend more and more time in the hospital, even people who — like Lisa Alter — are medically stable and ready for a lower level of care at a facility like a nursing home or a psychiatric treatment center. Increasingly, they languish for weeks, months and even years, which delays their recovery, and that, in turn, delays care for patients who need urgent care.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We can’t accept some patients trying to transfer in from smaller hospitals,” said Dr. Valerie Norton, emergency medicine physician at Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego. “Because we don’t have room for them. Or there might be somebody down in the emergency department that’s waiting to be admitted into the hospital. And we have to wait until somebody else gets discharged before we can move them upstairs. If you’re lying in a bed in the emergency department, that’s just a hard gurney with a broken hip, and you’re waiting 16 hours for a bed to open up somewhere, that’s pretty tough.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1991924\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-10-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1991924\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-10-KQED.jpg\" alt='The side of a building that says \"Kaiser Permanente.\"' width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-10-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-10-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-10-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-10-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-10-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-10-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-10-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Kaiser Permanente Richmond Medical Center on March 19, 2024. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In 2022, the average length of stay inside hospitals across the country \u003ca href=\"https://www.aha.org/issue-brief/2022-12-05-patients-and-providers-faced-increasing-delays-timely-discharges\">increased by 19.2%\u003c/a> compared to the year before, according to an issue brief prepared by the American Hospital Association. In California, 4,500 patients are stranded inside hospitals every day, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://calhospital.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Impact-of-Inadequate-Networks-CHA-Analysis-FINAL.pdf\">report from the California Hospital Association, \u003c/a>which attributes the problem of discharge delays to insurance companies openly disregarding “the clinical guidance of doctors and nurses” and “delaying or denying the care” that patients need.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We definitely know that across California, more patients are spending longer times in the hospital,” said Kristof Stremikis, who directs the California Health Care Foundation’s market analysis and insight team.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s both very complicated and incredibly simple,” Stremikis said. “It’s rising demand with problems in the supply. There’s more patients that need to be discharged. They tend to be sicker. They tend to have more complex conditions. And then on the supply side, there’s just fewer and fewer places to send them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>As the country’s demographics trend older, more and more patients require care at nursing homes, but those facilities are plagued by dire staffing shortages, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.ahcancal.org/News-and-Communications/Press-Releases/Pages/Historic-Staffing-Shortages-Continue-To-Force-Nursing-Homes-To-Limit-New-Admissions,-Creating-Bottlenecks-at-Hospitals-and-.aspx\">American Health Care Association\u003c/a>. A lack of workers downstream means patients like Lisa Alter get stuck upstream inside the hospital’s emergency department.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We don’t have anywhere safe to send them,” Norton said. “They would qualify to be at a lower level of care like a skilled nursing facility or an assisted living facility. But because of their multiple medical problems or their psychiatric condition, there’s not a place that’s willing to take them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The number of days patients are stuck at Scripps has tripled in recent years, she said, and costs the health care system $56 million a year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s just insane how long these patients stay in the hospital,” Norton said. “And we’re not getting paid for that. We’re just eating that cost. And they should be in a nursing home somewhere.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The problem was exacerbated by the pandemic, which accelerated feelings of anguish and other persistent mental health issues in health care workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nearly half of health care workers across the U.S. reported often feeling burned out in 2022, according to a \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/health-worker-mental-health/index.html\">federal survey from the Centers for Disease Control\u003c/a>. About the same amount said they intended to look for a new job.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’ve had a long, long, long-term problem,” said Craig Cornett, CEO of the California Association of Health Facilities. “Every other part of the health care sector has recovered its staff to its pre-COVID days. We are the only part of the health care continuum that is still below where we were before COVID.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>California is spending $26 million to \u003ca href=\"https://yourcnastory.org/\">recruit\u003c/a> more health care workers to help fill this gap, with the hope of attracting 5,500 certified nursing assistants by 2027. State lawmakers are considering \u003ca href=\"https://legiscan.com/CA/text/SB895/id/2868455\">SB 895\u003c/a>, a new bill that would allow select community college districts to offer nursing degrees, lowering the bar for entry and making it easier for workers to enter the health care industry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But, Cornett said, the workforce challenge is huge, and it is not going away.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The breaking point\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Alter always thought he’d grow old alongside his wife. But he could no longer parent his two children, hold a full-time job as a software engineer, and care for Lisa around the clock.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1991920\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1330px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-12-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1991920\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-12-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A man, woman, and two children wearing tie die t shirts stands outside a home.\" width=\"1330\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-12-KQED.jpg 1330w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-12-KQED-800x1203.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-12-KQED-1020x1534.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-12-KQED-160x241.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-12-KQED-768x1155.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-12-KQED-1021x1536.jpg 1021w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1330px) 100vw, 1330px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A family photo of Lisa (left) and David Alter and their children Zachary and Maya in front of their home in Berkeley in 2010, the year before Lisa was diagnosed with Huntington’s disease. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of David Alter)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>When he learned that his wife was ready to be discharged from the emergency department at Kaiser Richmond, he steadied himself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I remember talking to them, and I said: ‘I’m not gonna pick her up. I’m not going to take her home.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alter said the hospital’s discharge team struggled to find a nursing home for Lisa, too. His wife Lisa would spend over four months at Kaiser, a time period that Alter described as “excruciating” for him. He was so worried that the hospital would force him to take his wife home that he held off from visiting her in the hospital initially.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s incredibly emotional to walk away,” Alter said. “And Kaiser’s calling you. And they’re like, ‘Why aren’t you picking her up?’ It’s really, really stressful. And it gets worse every day she’s there.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kaiser Permanente declined an interview for this story. In an emailed statement, the organization said it strives to find the right care for patients as quickly as possible. “While the vast majority of placements occur in a timely fashion, there are some circumstances, including the need for highly specialized care and patient or family preferences, that can present challenges,” the statement said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Patient discrimination\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On top of staffing issues, facilities have a financial incentive to choose patients who can pay the highest price. “It’s unfortunate, but it is true,” Stremikis said. “Medi-Cal rates are way lower than private payers. It’s just another example of the inequalities within our system.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Medi-Cal is the state’s insurance program, which covers Alter’s wife. It’s supposed to pay for her to receive specialized care at a round-the-clock facility, but that has not been his experience. “There’s nowhere I can place her,” Alter said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1991922\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-06-KQED.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1991922\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-06-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"A person holds an image of a man, woman and young child.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-06-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-06-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-06-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-06-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-06-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-06-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/03/240318-AVOIDABLE-BED-DAYS-MD-06-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">David Alter holds a photo of himself, his wife Lisa, and their son Zachary at his home in Berkeley on March 18, 2024. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Eventually, after more than four months, Kaiser Permanente did find housing for Lisa in Walnut Creek. The home provides food and supervision but not specialized nurses or regular doctor visits. Alter said she’s not at the right facility, but he doesn’t know what to do. He hired consultants and lawyers and wrote his legislators, all to no avail.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Three years after Alter left his wife in the hospital as a hail mary play to get her the care she needs, that’s still not happening. “You’re just defeated,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, his wife declines. “She’s 70 or 80 pounds,” Alter said. “She’s so tiny. She’s skin and bones.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He also worries she could injure herself again, land back in the hospital, and then get stuck in the cycle all over again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You shouldn’t have to leave someone in the hospital and force them to take care of it,” Alter said. “That’s not the right solution. As a society, we’re not set up in a way to care for people properly.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "UC Berkeley Study Finds Toxic Metals in Popular Tampon Brands. Here's What Experts Advise",
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"content": "\u003cp>Researchers have found toxic metals — including arsenic and lead — in over a dozen popular brands of tampons, raising questions about a menstrual hygiene product used by millions of Americans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Their \u003ca href=\"https://publichealth.berkeley.edu/news-media/research-highlights/first-study-to-measure-toxic-metals-in-tampons-shows-arsenic-and-lead\">study\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412024004355#s0050\">published last week\u003c/a> in the scientific journal \u003cem>Environment International\u003c/em>, adds to a growing body of research about chemicals found in tampons but is believed to be the first to specifically measure metals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23424-heavy-metal-poisoning-toxicity\">negative health effects\u003c/a> of heavy metals are well-documented and wide-ranging, including damaging the cardiovascular, nervous and endocrine systems; damaging the liver, kidneys and brain; increasing the risk of dementia and cancer and harming maternal health and fetal development.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Despite this large potential for public health concern, very little research has been done to measure chemicals in tampons,” lead author Jenni Shearston, a postdoctoral scholar at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health, \u003ca href=\"https://publichealth.berkeley.edu/news-media/research-highlights/first-study-to-measure-toxic-metals-in-tampons-shows-arsenic-and-lead\">said in a statement\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Shearston led a team of scientists from Columbia University and Michigan State University in examining 30 tampons from across 14 brands and 18 product lines, which they did not name in the study.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The sampling includes products of various absorbencies, listed as “top sellers” by a major online retailer and purchased both online and at stores in New York City, London and Athens between September 2022 and March 2023.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Researchers detected “measurable concentrations” of all 16 metals they were looking for in the tampons, as well as “elevated mean concentrations” of toxic metals including lead, arsenic and cadmium.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The study says there are several ways metals could get into tampons. Raw materials like cotton and rayon could be contaminated by water, air or soil during production, while metals may in some cases be added intentionally in the manufacturing process either for odor control, pigment or as an antibacterial agent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The exact amount of metals varied among the tampons, based on which region they were purchased from, whether they were made of organic or non-organic material and on store- versus name-brands, according to the study.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Lead concentrations were higher in non-organic tampons while arsenic was higher in organic tampons,” it added. “No category had consistently lower concentrations of all or most metals.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Researchers say the study marks an important first step in confirming the presence of toxic metals in tampons, which are used by an estimated 52% to 86% of menstruating people in the U.S.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But it doesn’t give them enough information to definitively link the metals to negative health effects.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They say more studies are needed to determine to what extent such metals might “leach out of tampons” and into peoples’ bodies. They’re calling not only for more research, but also for stronger regulations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I really hope that manufacturers are required to test their products for metals, especially for toxic metals,” Shearston said. “It would be exciting to see the public call for this, or to ask for better labeling on tampons and other menstrual products.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies tampons as medical devices and regulates their safety. However, there is no requirement to test tampons for chemical contaminants, and the FDA only recommends that tampons not contain pesticide residue or dioxin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>FDA spokesperson Amanda Hils told NPR that “all studies have limitations,” pointing to the outstanding questions about whether metals are released from tampons and into the bloodstream. Nevertheless, she said the agency is reviewing the research.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We plan to evaluate the study closely, and take any action warranted to safeguard the health of consumers who use these products,” Hils added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>NPR has reached out to the industry Center for Baby and Adult Hygiene Products (BAHP) and its U.K. counterpart, the Absorbent Hygiene Product Manufacturers Association, for comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The BAHP defended the safety of its member companies’ menstrual products in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.bahp.com/bahp-statement-on-the-safety-of-menstrual-products/\">2022 statement\u003c/a>, acknowledging news coverage on the presence of chemicals and saying “if present, these are not intentionally added by the manufacturers.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Some of these impurities are present in the environment or naturally present at much higher levels in common fruits and vegetables or even made by the human body,” it said, adding that its members use “rigorous criteria for quality and hygiene.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The bigger question: How harmful are these metals?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Several experts told NPR that they were not surprised by the researchers’ findings, since other studies over the years have detected potentially harmful \u003ca href=\"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412020303494\">chemicals in tampons\u003c/a> and other menstrual products, \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2023/01/19/1150023002/thinx-period-underwear-lawsuit-settlement\">including period underwear\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Catherine Roberts, a health and science journalist at \u003cem>Consumer Reports\u003c/em> who has written about tampons, says it’s more surprising that the question wasn’t investigated sooner.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s in the most sensitive part of people’s bodies. It’s so close to us,” she says. “We use so many [tampons] over a lifetime. It’s just wild to me that this is so both so little researched and so little regulated.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>People who menstruate may use more than 7,400 tampons over the course of their reproductive years, the study authors calculated, with each tampon staying in the vagina for several hours at a time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dr. Nathaniel DeNicola, an OB-GYN who served as the environmental health expert for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, says the more pressing question is not whether there are chemicals in tampons, but “when does it convert to a dangerous amount?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some of the metals found in the tampons — including copper, calcium, iron and zinc — are not only considered safe, but recommended for patients by many doctors, he notes. They would not be damaging in low amounts, but a cumulative amount could have a lasting effect on a person’s endocrine functions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trace amounts of arsenic, for example, are sometimes found in food and not considered to be toxic, but high amounts could be fatal. In contrast, as the study notes, “there is no safe exposure level” to lead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s not clear from the study whether people are getting harmful amounts of each metal from tampons, DeNicola says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When you start to look at the kind of chemicals that are found in our human system, the reality is that in modern life, we’re kind of swimming in them,” he adds. “And it’s not to say that it’s nothing we should worry about. I mean, I don’t think most people hear that and think, ‘Oh, good, I’ve got more plastic in me.’ But we do have to recognize that small amounts of these chemicals are ubiquitous.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What to do if you’re worried\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>To Roberts, one of the main takeaways from the study is that the “organic label was clearly not a guarantee that these products would not have heavy metals.” So what are concerned shoppers supposed to do?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ideally, she says, regulators would mandate heavy-metal testing for tampons to take some of the pressure off consumers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Until then, she says, there are some measures that tampon users can take to try to reduce their exposure to chemicals in general.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those include choosing products that don’t contain plastic (including polyester and polypropylene) and avoiding those with fragrances and colorants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Something that people who look at this tend to say is that you want to look for period product labels that have fewer and simpler ingredients,” Roberts adds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>DeNicola recommends relying on a combination of “third-party testing and some personal due diligence.” He says there are apps shoppers can use to scan product barcodes and see what chemicals they contain, which could be useful for personal care and feminine hygiene products.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In some cases, people might want to consider alternatives to tampons, such as pads or menstrual cups. The reusable cups have \u003ca href=\"https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/menstrual-cups-vs-tampons-things-you-might-not-know-about-the-cup\">become increasingly popular\u003c/a> in recent years, especially given their lower environmental impact compared to tampons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some of the downsides of tampons were evident well before this study.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>DeNicola notes that plastic from tampons is one of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/how-tampons-pads-became-unsustainable-story-of-plastic\">biggest sources of waste\u003c/a> worldwide (and that some brands are more eco-friendly than others). Roberts points out that even if they didn’t contain chemicals, tampons would still pose a risk of toxic shock syndrome, a rare but potentially life-threatening illness (wearers can \u003ca href=\"https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15437-toxic-shock-syndrome\">reduce their risk\u003c/a> by changing their tampons frequently).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But DeNicola stresses that this study doesn’t have him running to tell his patients not to use tampons at all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I don’t think we’ve established that risk yet,” he says. “I think it’s more of a reality check for the consumers and the public at large, that most products that you’re using do not go through rigorous testing for safety, and most products do have chemicals in there somewhere.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Researchers have found toxic metals — including arsenic and lead — in over a dozen popular brands of tampons, raising questions about a menstrual hygiene product used by millions of Americans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Their \u003ca href=\"https://publichealth.berkeley.edu/news-media/research-highlights/first-study-to-measure-toxic-metals-in-tampons-shows-arsenic-and-lead\">study\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412024004355#s0050\">published last week\u003c/a> in the scientific journal \u003cem>Environment International\u003c/em>, adds to a growing body of research about chemicals found in tampons but is believed to be the first to specifically measure metals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23424-heavy-metal-poisoning-toxicity\">negative health effects\u003c/a> of heavy metals are well-documented and wide-ranging, including damaging the cardiovascular, nervous and endocrine systems; damaging the liver, kidneys and brain; increasing the risk of dementia and cancer and harming maternal health and fetal development.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Despite this large potential for public health concern, very little research has been done to measure chemicals in tampons,” lead author Jenni Shearston, a postdoctoral scholar at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health, \u003ca href=\"https://publichealth.berkeley.edu/news-media/research-highlights/first-study-to-measure-toxic-metals-in-tampons-shows-arsenic-and-lead\">said in a statement\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Shearston led a team of scientists from Columbia University and Michigan State University in examining 30 tampons from across 14 brands and 18 product lines, which they did not name in the study.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The sampling includes products of various absorbencies, listed as “top sellers” by a major online retailer and purchased both online and at stores in New York City, London and Athens between September 2022 and March 2023.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Researchers detected “measurable concentrations” of all 16 metals they were looking for in the tampons, as well as “elevated mean concentrations” of toxic metals including lead, arsenic and cadmium.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The study says there are several ways metals could get into tampons. Raw materials like cotton and rayon could be contaminated by water, air or soil during production, while metals may in some cases be added intentionally in the manufacturing process either for odor control, pigment or as an antibacterial agent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The exact amount of metals varied among the tampons, based on which region they were purchased from, whether they were made of organic or non-organic material and on store- versus name-brands, according to the study.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Lead concentrations were higher in non-organic tampons while arsenic was higher in organic tampons,” it added. “No category had consistently lower concentrations of all or most metals.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Researchers say the study marks an important first step in confirming the presence of toxic metals in tampons, which are used by an estimated 52% to 86% of menstruating people in the U.S.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But it doesn’t give them enough information to definitively link the metals to negative health effects.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They say more studies are needed to determine to what extent such metals might “leach out of tampons” and into peoples’ bodies. They’re calling not only for more research, but also for stronger regulations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I really hope that manufacturers are required to test their products for metals, especially for toxic metals,” Shearston said. “It would be exciting to see the public call for this, or to ask for better labeling on tampons and other menstrual products.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies tampons as medical devices and regulates their safety. However, there is no requirement to test tampons for chemical contaminants, and the FDA only recommends that tampons not contain pesticide residue or dioxin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>FDA spokesperson Amanda Hils told NPR that “all studies have limitations,” pointing to the outstanding questions about whether metals are released from tampons and into the bloodstream. Nevertheless, she said the agency is reviewing the research.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We plan to evaluate the study closely, and take any action warranted to safeguard the health of consumers who use these products,” Hils added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>NPR has reached out to the industry Center for Baby and Adult Hygiene Products (BAHP) and its U.K. counterpart, the Absorbent Hygiene Product Manufacturers Association, for comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The BAHP defended the safety of its member companies’ menstrual products in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.bahp.com/bahp-statement-on-the-safety-of-menstrual-products/\">2022 statement\u003c/a>, acknowledging news coverage on the presence of chemicals and saying “if present, these are not intentionally added by the manufacturers.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Some of these impurities are present in the environment or naturally present at much higher levels in common fruits and vegetables or even made by the human body,” it said, adding that its members use “rigorous criteria for quality and hygiene.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The bigger question: How harmful are these metals?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Several experts told NPR that they were not surprised by the researchers’ findings, since other studies over the years have detected potentially harmful \u003ca href=\"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412020303494\">chemicals in tampons\u003c/a> and other menstrual products, \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2023/01/19/1150023002/thinx-period-underwear-lawsuit-settlement\">including period underwear\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Catherine Roberts, a health and science journalist at \u003cem>Consumer Reports\u003c/em> who has written about tampons, says it’s more surprising that the question wasn’t investigated sooner.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s in the most sensitive part of people’s bodies. It’s so close to us,” she says. “We use so many [tampons] over a lifetime. It’s just wild to me that this is so both so little researched and so little regulated.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>People who menstruate may use more than 7,400 tampons over the course of their reproductive years, the study authors calculated, with each tampon staying in the vagina for several hours at a time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dr. Nathaniel DeNicola, an OB-GYN who served as the environmental health expert for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, says the more pressing question is not whether there are chemicals in tampons, but “when does it convert to a dangerous amount?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some of the metals found in the tampons — including copper, calcium, iron and zinc — are not only considered safe, but recommended for patients by many doctors, he notes. They would not be damaging in low amounts, but a cumulative amount could have a lasting effect on a person’s endocrine functions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trace amounts of arsenic, for example, are sometimes found in food and not considered to be toxic, but high amounts could be fatal. In contrast, as the study notes, “there is no safe exposure level” to lead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s not clear from the study whether people are getting harmful amounts of each metal from tampons, DeNicola says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When you start to look at the kind of chemicals that are found in our human system, the reality is that in modern life, we’re kind of swimming in them,” he adds. “And it’s not to say that it’s nothing we should worry about. I mean, I don’t think most people hear that and think, ‘Oh, good, I’ve got more plastic in me.’ But we do have to recognize that small amounts of these chemicals are ubiquitous.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What to do if you’re worried\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>To Roberts, one of the main takeaways from the study is that the “organic label was clearly not a guarantee that these products would not have heavy metals.” So what are concerned shoppers supposed to do?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ideally, she says, regulators would mandate heavy-metal testing for tampons to take some of the pressure off consumers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Until then, she says, there are some measures that tampon users can take to try to reduce their exposure to chemicals in general.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those include choosing products that don’t contain plastic (including polyester and polypropylene) and avoiding those with fragrances and colorants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Something that people who look at this tend to say is that you want to look for period product labels that have fewer and simpler ingredients,” Roberts adds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>DeNicola recommends relying on a combination of “third-party testing and some personal due diligence.” He says there are apps shoppers can use to scan product barcodes and see what chemicals they contain, which could be useful for personal care and feminine hygiene products.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In some cases, people might want to consider alternatives to tampons, such as pads or menstrual cups. The reusable cups have \u003ca href=\"https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/menstrual-cups-vs-tampons-things-you-might-not-know-about-the-cup\">become increasingly popular\u003c/a> in recent years, especially given their lower environmental impact compared to tampons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some of the downsides of tampons were evident well before this study.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>DeNicola notes that plastic from tampons is one of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/how-tampons-pads-became-unsustainable-story-of-plastic\">biggest sources of waste\u003c/a> worldwide (and that some brands are more eco-friendly than others). Roberts points out that even if they didn’t contain chemicals, tampons would still pose a risk of toxic shock syndrome, a rare but potentially life-threatening illness (wearers can \u003ca href=\"https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15437-toxic-shock-syndrome\">reduce their risk\u003c/a> by changing their tampons frequently).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But DeNicola stresses that this study doesn’t have him running to tell his patients not to use tampons at all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I don’t think we’ve established that risk yet,” he says. “I think it’s more of a reality check for the consumers and the public at large, that most products that you’re using do not go through rigorous testing for safety, and most products do have chemicals in there somewhere.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>In the midst of California’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1993048/california-considers-slew-of-bills-to-tackle-skyrocketing-fentanyl-overdoses\">fentanyl crisis\u003c/a>, it’s hard to believe an herbal substance that mimics an opioid is readily available at convenience stores and smoke shops. It’s even sold to kids at \u003ca href=\"https://www.courthousenews.com/7-eleven-must-face-liability-claims-for-selling-drink-containing-kratom/\">7-Eleven\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I can’t believe this is legal,” thought Nick Telman after he felt the effects of kratom set in on a walk in Los Angeles in 2018. “It hit me like dope. Just bliss. I was hooked.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Telman started tossing back about 10 grams of the green bitter brew three times a day, a habit that set him back $750–$900 a month. He assumed it was relatively safe because it’s marketed as a botanical, but kratom interacts with brain receptors that respond to opioids and stimulants. Critics argue it exposes about \u003ca href=\"https://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797(21)00162-8/abstract\">2 million\u003c/a> annual users to the risks of \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38788532/\">addiction, abuse and dependence\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Right now, there are no rules on kratom at all,” said Assemblymember Matt Haney (D-San Francisco), the sponsor of a new \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB2365\">bill\u003c/a> that would set the strongest restrictions on kratom in the country. “You can sell it at any store. You don’t have to label it. It is the Wild West. And that is dangerous for Californians.”\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: line-through\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kratom is derived from the leaf of a tree common in tropical regions of Southeast Asia. It can be chewed, brewed, and crushed into dusty green powder. In the U.S., it is sold as a pill, capsule, or extract. Companies claim it can relieve pain, depression, and anxiety. \u003ca href=\"https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10826084.2019.1645178\">Research\u003c/a> shows a small dose can give you a boost of energy, while a large one can put you to sleep.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After two years of consistent use, Telman started to feel tired all the time, and his heart “felt weird, like it wasn’t beating right,” which is a concern backed by \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4275233/\">evidence\u003c/a> that includes incidents of cardiac arrest. Heart disease is rampant in Telman’s family, and he said a voice in his head nagged, “Tick tock, Nick.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He enrolled in a recovery program, but “quitting was a nightmare.” Withdrawal symptoms can include cold sweats, insomnia, pain, fever, diarrhea, tension and anger. “I wanted to die for like five days,” Telman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Proposed regulation\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>A proposed measure would require manufacturers to register kratom products with the state, provide labels with recommended doses, warn consumers that addiction is possible, and restrict sales to anyone under 21. Plus, it would limit the amount of 7-Hydroxymitragynine, which is one the more potent alkaloids in kratom that \u003ca href=\"https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6508b3f79033221c2aa1ea17/t/660ee85ffbb877565188acc8/1712253024164/Statement+on+the+science+of+kratom+products_FINAL.pdf\">researchers suggest\u003c/a> can potentially lead to worse outcomes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We urgently need to limit the type of products that can be sold and make sure that people know what they’re getting,” Haney said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Assembly passed the measure, and it is currently before the state Senate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Food and Drug Administration and Drug Enforcement Administration warn that kratom can lead to physical and psychological dependency. The FDA \u003ca href=\"https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-issues-warnings-companies-selling-illegal-unapproved-kratom-drug-products-marketed-opioid\">advises against its use\u003c/a>, and the DEA nearly banned it in 2016 before advocates and politicians pushed back and the agency halted those plans. Nowadays, kratom sits on the DEA’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.dea.gov/factsheets/kratom\">“drugs of concern” list\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some industry groups are calling on officials to rein in unscrupulous players.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The proposed California bill allows consumers to walk into the kratom journey with their eyes wide open, and they know exactly what it is that they’re doing,” said Matthew Lowe, executive director of the Global Kratom Coalition. “The measure walks a thin line between allowing access and appropriately regulating a substance that the FDA is not currently regulating.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The American Kratom Association also supports more oversight but calls the California measure an overreach. “The bill is well-intentioned,” said Mac Haddow, the advocacy organization’s senior fellow on public policy. “But it goes too far.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He said the proposal would be expensive to implement and would “bar many creative manufacturers” from entering the market. He would rather see California implement the “Kratom Consumer Protection Act,” a model adopted in 13 other states that asks manufacturers to ensure safety without state oversight.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘It gave me my soul back’\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Twelve years ago, Jordan Richard was living in roach-infested hotels. In a single week, the 19-year-old overdosed on heroin twice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I remember hearing my mom cry in the hospital. I was like, ‘Oh my, I have to make a change,’” he said.\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When he returned home, he started researching natural ways to wean off opioids. He followed a Craigslist advertisement from a guy selling loose kratom powder in the San Bernardino mountains.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When I took it, I felt like I was myself again,” he said. “It’s like the kratom put a pause on my brain to help me look at what I was doing with my life. I have never touched a hard drug since.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, he drinks kratom with water morning, noon and night. He calls it his antidepressant and credits the herbal brew for giving him his “soul back.” Today, Richard is married, has five children, and runs New Hope Botanicals — a kratom shop in Crestline, a community located in San Bernardino County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dr. Scott Steiger, deputy medical director of the opiate treatment outpatient program at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, said he cautions patients with opioid use disorder who ask about kratom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I have seen that people who use kratom end up having a very hard time stopping the use of it,” Steiger said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Doctors have evidence-based treatments like buprenorphine and methadone to help people with an opioid addiction. He doesn’t recommend self-medicating with kratom until more research is available.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The FDA has recalled \u003ca href=\"https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/statement-fda-commissioner-scott-gottlieb-md-and-fda-deputy-commissioner-foods-and-veterinary\">dozens of salmonella-tainted\u003c/a> kratom products and found \u003ca href=\"https://www.fda.gov/news-events/public-health-focus/laboratory-analysis-kratom-products-heavy-metals\">toxic heavy metals\u003c/a> like nickel and lead in some supplements. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/68/wr/mm6814a2.htm\">reported\u003c/a> 90 kratom overdoses over 18 months, often involving other ingredients that companies may mix into their products, like antidepressants.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘He was the love of my life’\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>J.D. Butler was one of them. The 27-year-old kindergarten teacher had a grand mal seizure while dining at the Mermaid Inn Restaurant in New York City on April 13, 2019. He and his girlfriend at the time, Alley Parsons, were celebrating their first anniversary.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In the ambulance, I noticed his hand just flopped, and the EMT started freaking out,” Parsons said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside label=\"Related Stories\" postID=\"science_1950877,science_1920131,news_11975973\"]Thirty minutes later Butler’s heart stopped. The toxicology report named kratom as the cause of death.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It felt like half of my body got ripped apart, and half of me died with him,” Parsons said. “He was the love of my life.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said she was vaguely aware of Butler’s kratom habit. He called it his “tea pills” to help with back pain, anxiety and depression. She was not aware of any other drug use except for Prozac, which Butler had taken for years but had stopped a few weeks prior to his death.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When his parents \u003ca href=\"https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2023-08-03/taking-kratom-claimed-her-sons-life-now-she-and-others-are-warning-of-the-dangers\">shared their son’s story online\u003c/a>, kratom advocates lashed out in response. Parsons said she wishes advocates had more empathy for Butler’s loss.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The market is really caught in this strange place, kind of like where cannabis products were 15 years ago,” said \u003ca href=\"https://pharmacy.uconn.edu/person/c-michael-white/\">C. Michael White\u003c/a>, head of the Department of Pharmacy Practice at the University of Connecticut. “We knew that there were some potential benefits. We also knew that there are some real potential harms with cannabis. So how do you create something that allows people to be able to explore the benefits and minimize harm?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>White supports the proposed California legislation because he said it will ensure accessibility, increase accountability and ensure good manufacturing practices. As the state Senate deliberates, the fate of kratom regulation hangs in the balance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>In the midst of California’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1993048/california-considers-slew-of-bills-to-tackle-skyrocketing-fentanyl-overdoses\">fentanyl crisis\u003c/a>, it’s hard to believe an herbal substance that mimics an opioid is readily available at convenience stores and smoke shops. It’s even sold to kids at \u003ca href=\"https://www.courthousenews.com/7-eleven-must-face-liability-claims-for-selling-drink-containing-kratom/\">7-Eleven\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I can’t believe this is legal,” thought Nick Telman after he felt the effects of kratom set in on a walk in Los Angeles in 2018. “It hit me like dope. Just bliss. I was hooked.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Telman started tossing back about 10 grams of the green bitter brew three times a day, a habit that set him back $750–$900 a month. He assumed it was relatively safe because it’s marketed as a botanical, but kratom interacts with brain receptors that respond to opioids and stimulants. Critics argue it exposes about \u003ca href=\"https://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797(21)00162-8/abstract\">2 million\u003c/a> annual users to the risks of \u003ca href=\"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38788532/\">addiction, abuse and dependence\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Right now, there are no rules on kratom at all,” said Assemblymember Matt Haney (D-San Francisco), the sponsor of a new \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB2365\">bill\u003c/a> that would set the strongest restrictions on kratom in the country. “You can sell it at any store. You don’t have to label it. It is the Wild West. And that is dangerous for Californians.”\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: line-through\"> \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kratom is derived from the leaf of a tree common in tropical regions of Southeast Asia. It can be chewed, brewed, and crushed into dusty green powder. In the U.S., it is sold as a pill, capsule, or extract. Companies claim it can relieve pain, depression, and anxiety. \u003ca href=\"https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10826084.2019.1645178\">Research\u003c/a> shows a small dose can give you a boost of energy, while a large one can put you to sleep.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After two years of consistent use, Telman started to feel tired all the time, and his heart “felt weird, like it wasn’t beating right,” which is a concern backed by \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4275233/\">evidence\u003c/a> that includes incidents of cardiac arrest. Heart disease is rampant in Telman’s family, and he said a voice in his head nagged, “Tick tock, Nick.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He enrolled in a recovery program, but “quitting was a nightmare.” Withdrawal symptoms can include cold sweats, insomnia, pain, fever, diarrhea, tension and anger. “I wanted to die for like five days,” Telman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Proposed regulation\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>A proposed measure would require manufacturers to register kratom products with the state, provide labels with recommended doses, warn consumers that addiction is possible, and restrict sales to anyone under 21. Plus, it would limit the amount of 7-Hydroxymitragynine, which is one the more potent alkaloids in kratom that \u003ca href=\"https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6508b3f79033221c2aa1ea17/t/660ee85ffbb877565188acc8/1712253024164/Statement+on+the+science+of+kratom+products_FINAL.pdf\">researchers suggest\u003c/a> can potentially lead to worse outcomes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We urgently need to limit the type of products that can be sold and make sure that people know what they’re getting,” Haney said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Assembly passed the measure, and it is currently before the state Senate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Food and Drug Administration and Drug Enforcement Administration warn that kratom can lead to physical and psychological dependency. The FDA \u003ca href=\"https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-issues-warnings-companies-selling-illegal-unapproved-kratom-drug-products-marketed-opioid\">advises against its use\u003c/a>, and the DEA nearly banned it in 2016 before advocates and politicians pushed back and the agency halted those plans. Nowadays, kratom sits on the DEA’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.dea.gov/factsheets/kratom\">“drugs of concern” list\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some industry groups are calling on officials to rein in unscrupulous players.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The proposed California bill allows consumers to walk into the kratom journey with their eyes wide open, and they know exactly what it is that they’re doing,” said Matthew Lowe, executive director of the Global Kratom Coalition. “The measure walks a thin line between allowing access and appropriately regulating a substance that the FDA is not currently regulating.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The American Kratom Association also supports more oversight but calls the California measure an overreach. “The bill is well-intentioned,” said Mac Haddow, the advocacy organization’s senior fellow on public policy. “But it goes too far.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He said the proposal would be expensive to implement and would “bar many creative manufacturers” from entering the market. He would rather see California implement the “Kratom Consumer Protection Act,” a model adopted in 13 other states that asks manufacturers to ensure safety without state oversight.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘It gave me my soul back’\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Twelve years ago, Jordan Richard was living in roach-infested hotels. In a single week, the 19-year-old overdosed on heroin twice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I remember hearing my mom cry in the hospital. I was like, ‘Oh my, I have to make a change,’” he said.\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When he returned home, he started researching natural ways to wean off opioids. He followed a Craigslist advertisement from a guy selling loose kratom powder in the San Bernardino mountains.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When I took it, I felt like I was myself again,” he said. “It’s like the kratom put a pause on my brain to help me look at what I was doing with my life. I have never touched a hard drug since.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, he drinks kratom with water morning, noon and night. He calls it his antidepressant and credits the herbal brew for giving him his “soul back.” Today, Richard is married, has five children, and runs New Hope Botanicals — a kratom shop in Crestline, a community located in San Bernardino County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dr. Scott Steiger, deputy medical director of the opiate treatment outpatient program at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, said he cautions patients with opioid use disorder who ask about kratom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I have seen that people who use kratom end up having a very hard time stopping the use of it,” Steiger said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Doctors have evidence-based treatments like buprenorphine and methadone to help people with an opioid addiction. He doesn’t recommend self-medicating with kratom until more research is available.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The FDA has recalled \u003ca href=\"https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/statement-fda-commissioner-scott-gottlieb-md-and-fda-deputy-commissioner-foods-and-veterinary\">dozens of salmonella-tainted\u003c/a> kratom products and found \u003ca href=\"https://www.fda.gov/news-events/public-health-focus/laboratory-analysis-kratom-products-heavy-metals\">toxic heavy metals\u003c/a> like nickel and lead in some supplements. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention \u003ca href=\"https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/68/wr/mm6814a2.htm\">reported\u003c/a> 90 kratom overdoses over 18 months, often involving other ingredients that companies may mix into their products, like antidepressants.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>‘He was the love of my life’\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>J.D. Butler was one of them. The 27-year-old kindergarten teacher had a grand mal seizure while dining at the Mermaid Inn Restaurant in New York City on April 13, 2019. He and his girlfriend at the time, Alley Parsons, were celebrating their first anniversary.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In the ambulance, I noticed his hand just flopped, and the EMT started freaking out,” Parsons said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Thirty minutes later Butler’s heart stopped. The toxicology report named kratom as the cause of death.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It felt like half of my body got ripped apart, and half of me died with him,” Parsons said. “He was the love of my life.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said she was vaguely aware of Butler’s kratom habit. He called it his “tea pills” to help with back pain, anxiety and depression. She was not aware of any other drug use except for Prozac, which Butler had taken for years but had stopped a few weeks prior to his death.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When his parents \u003ca href=\"https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2023-08-03/taking-kratom-claimed-her-sons-life-now-she-and-others-are-warning-of-the-dangers\">shared their son’s story online\u003c/a>, kratom advocates lashed out in response. Parsons said she wishes advocates had more empathy for Butler’s loss.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The market is really caught in this strange place, kind of like where cannabis products were 15 years ago,” said \u003ca href=\"https://pharmacy.uconn.edu/person/c-michael-white/\">C. Michael White\u003c/a>, head of the Department of Pharmacy Practice at the University of Connecticut. “We knew that there were some potential benefits. We also knew that there are some real potential harms with cannabis. So how do you create something that allows people to be able to explore the benefits and minimize harm?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>White supports the proposed California legislation because he said it will ensure accessibility, increase accountability and ensure good manufacturing practices. As the state Senate deliberates, the fate of kratom regulation hangs in the balance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"marketplace": {
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"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
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"possible": {
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"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
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"radiolab": {
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"title": "Rightnowish",
"tagline": "Art is where you find it",
"info": "Rightnowish digs into life in the Bay Area right now… ish. Journalist Pendarvis Harshaw takes us to galleries painted on the sides of liquor stores in West Oakland. We'll dance in warehouses in the Bayview, make smoothies with kids in South Berkeley, and listen to classical music in a 1984 Cutlass Supreme in Richmond. Every week, Pen talks to movers and shakers about how the Bay Area shapes what they create, and how they shape the place we call home.",
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"soldout": {
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"title": "SOLD OUT: Rethinking Housing in America",
"tagline": "A new future for housing",
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"info": "",
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"tech-nation": {
"id": "tech-nation",
"title": "Tech Nation Radio Podcast",
"info": "Tech Nation is a weekly public radio program, hosted by Dr. Moira Gunn. Founded in 1993, it has grown from a simple interview show to a multi-faceted production, featuring conversations with noted technology and science leaders, and a weekly science and technology-related commentary.",
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"ted-radio-hour": {
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"title": "TED Radio Hour",
"info": "The TED Radio Hour is a journey through fascinating ideas, astonishing inventions, fresh approaches to old problems, and new ways to think and create.",
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