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Lawmakers join KY’s largest addiction treatment provider to oppose Medicaid payment cuts
by Deborah Yetter, Kentucky Lantern July 30, 2024 FRANKFORT — The state’s largest provider of drug and alcohol treatment is warning that looming cuts in Medicaid reimbursement to some providers could damage efforts to curb addiction that has engulfed Kentucky — just as the state is showing improvements. “Kentucky has made significant strides in access…
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UK hosts national meeting to raise immunization rate for vaccine against cervical and other HPV cancers, in which Kentucky leads U.S.
BY MELISSA PATRICK KENTUCKY HEALTH NEWS Kentucky leads the nation in the rate of cases of and deaths from cervical cancer, a disease that is largely preventable by a vaccine. The vaccine targets the human papillomavirus, which can cause cancers of the cervix, genitals, anus, neck and head. Kentucky also leads the nation in cancers…
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Don’t let ticks ruin a day outdoors: Take simple steps to prevent tick bites
As temperatures rise and the days get longer, people are spending more time hunting, fishing, hiking and enjoying the outdoors. This is also the time of year when tick activity is increasing across the state. The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources reminds the public to take precautions against tick bites, which can transmit…
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State’s health chief urges parents to get kids vaccinated against measles
BY MELISSA PATRICK KENTUCKY HEALTH NEWS A highly contagious childhood disease that was declared eliminated in the United States in the year 2000 is making a comeback, largely driven by a declining vaccination rate in the country. “Unfortunately, as the measles vaccination rate has decreased, it’s just one of those things where folks are opting…
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As blood runs short, Red Cross seeks donors
BY AL CROSS KENTUCKY HEALTH NEWS Responding to a potentially dangerous shortage of blood, Gov. Andy Beshear and his wife set an example Feb. 12 by donating blood in the state Capitol and hosting a blood drive in the Capitol Education Center. First Lady Britainy Beshear said before they donated that the number of blood…
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Routine checkups are part of the recipe for healthy children
BY DR. LATAWNYA PLEASANT UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY In the journey of parenthood, an essential step toward ensuring the health and happiness of your child is attending well-child care visits with your pediatrician. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends parents schedule routine checkups at key developmental stages to give your little one the best care. Those…
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Seasonal respiratory illness in Kentucky declined for three weeks
Numbers still considered elevated BY MELISSA PATRICK KENTUCKY HEALTH NEWS Emergency department visits and hospital admissions for respiratory disease in Kentucky have dropped for three weeks in a row, but the Kentucky Department for Public Health still considers the rate of respiratory virus activity to be elevated and the number of hospitalizations to be high.…
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Test your home for invisible radon gas
BY STACY STANIFER UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY January is National Radon Action Month, making it a great time to prioritize the health of those in your household by testing for the presence of radon gas. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. and the leading cause of lung cancer among never-smokers.…
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‘Blue Monday’ is a myth, but Seasonal Affective Disorder is not
KENTUCKY HEALTH NEWS Monday, Jan. 15, is considered by some to be “Blue Monday,” the most naturally depressing day of the year as people feel “blue” from holiday bills, bleak weather and forsaking their New Year resolutions, says Hackensack Meridian Health of New Jersey in a press release. It’s common for all these factors to…
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State reports two children have died, one from flu and one from COVID-19, but hospital visits show first decline in months
BY MELISSA PATRICK KENTUCKY HEALTH NEWS As the state reported the first two deaths of children from COVID-19 and influenza, Kentucky saw the first drops in emergency-room visits and hospital admissions for the diseases in more than three months. The weekly respiratory-illness update from the state Department for Public Health showed a 21% drop in…