Insights

When a hospital closes in a low-income area, reporters often assume that the care was essential for the poor communities it was serving. But there are several problems with that assumption, including the equation that health equals health care.

Robin Williams’ depression undoubtedly led to his untimely departure. But as is the case with any psychiatric disorder, the illness and its side effects were not happening in a vacuum. Depression leads to a feeling of hopelessness, which can often spark or coincide with feelings of impulsivity.

The ripple effects that come from incarcerating a parent may be worse than previously thought, at least when it comes to kids' health. Recent research provides further evidence that parental incarceration is linked to a host of developmental delays and behavioral problems in kids and teens.

A private company bought the local hospital from a community group in Belhaven, North Carolina, and then announced it was closing the facility. Many in the community were outraged. But what obligations do private companies have to the community in such cases?

One way the Affordable Care Act aims to spur innovations in health care delivery is through the CMS Innovation Center. Four California-based projects give a sense of the kinds of programs and ideas the office is currently funding and tracking.

Health reporters and editors are in high demand this week throughout the country. This edition of Health Media Jobs and Opportunities features opportunities for health journalists at magazine, online and newswire organizations.

Are reporters placing too much emphasis on hospitals and not enough emphasis on the overall health of the community and the factors that influence it? The forces ultimately shaping our health aren't always the obvious ones.

Electronic medical records held out the promise of a better future, with everyone reaping the benefits. In reality, poorly designed systems slow doctors down, hinder the doctor-patient relationship, and often get things wrong. Doctors and patients deserve better solutions.

Is a bit overweight actually the healthiest weight of all? A recent JAMA study suggested as much. But a new analysis of the data reveals a deep flaw in the original study, and provides a lesson in the value of questioning how data are collected and used in any given study.

Nearly twenty years after the trial of British au pair Louise Woodward brought shaken baby syndrome into the headlines, the case of Irish nanny Aisling Brady McCarthy has raised the subject again in Boston newspapers, where reporters are still fresh from a different controversial diagnosis.