Public News Service

New research from the Episcopal Health Foundation showed the Texas economy could save billions of dollars, simply by breaking the cycle of preventable health disparities. (Colored Lights/Adobe Stock)

Thursday, April 18, 2024

New study shows health disparities cost TX billions of dollars

Health disparities in Texas are not only making some people sick, but affecting the state's economy. A new study shows Texas is losing $7 billion a …

Neighborhoods lacking sidewalks can discourage people from getting exercise which could improve their health. (JacobLund/AdobeStock)

TX health foundation broadens focus beyond the doctor's office

There are Texas ZIP codes where people with lower incomes and few health services have a 20-year difference in life expectancy than those who are more…

Abortion pills are playing an increasingly prominent role in post-Roe America. (fizkes/AdobeStock)

Abortion pill pipeline increases availability in 'red states'

By Carrie Baker for Ms. Magazine.Broadcast version by Roz Brown for Texas News Service reporting for the Ms. Magazine-Public News Service …

While some states require licensing, Texas doulas can offer physical, emotional and informational support to their clients without a certification. (AntonioDiaz/AdobeStock)

As Costs Escalate, Texas Increases Nonmedical Maternal Health Care

Texas is recognizing maternal health care is not just about doctor's visits, with a new law taking effect this fall to enhance screening for …

The average cost of center-based child care for a toddler in 2021 was nearly $9,000 in Texas, which is 9% of the median income of a couple and 28% of a single parent's income, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation. (Rawpixel.com/Adobe Stock)

Children's Advocates Lament 'Missed Opportunities' by TX Lawmakers

A child advocacy group in Texas is already looking ahead to the 2025 legislative session, after several policy changes it supported this year failed …

In Texas, abortion is completely banned with very limited exceptions. This forces patients to make two trips out of state, one for in-person counseling and another at least 24 hours later for the abortion, according to the Guttmacher Institute. (Seventyfour/Adobe Stock)

Showdown Over Abortion Medication Continues

The battle over a prescription drug used in abortions continues, now to be heard by the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals on May 17. The pill…

Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year, many states have passed near-total bans on abortion, with some states criminalizing the procedure and those who assist others in obtaining one. (traci1/Adobe Stock)

Dueling Opinions Likely to Send Abortion Issue to U.S. Supreme Court

Access to medication abortion will be front and center this week after two competing court rulings, in Texas and Washington, were handed down Friday…

Peer-reviewed research on the use of misoprostol alone for abortion, published this month by the University of Texas at Austin, found it was 88% effective, with few serious adverse events or signs of complications. (ivanko80/AdobeStock)

TX Court Ruling with Nationwide Implications for Abortion Expected Soon

By Carrie Baker for Ms. Magazine.Broadcast version by Roz Brown for Texas News Service reporting for the Ms. Magazine-Public News Service …

The 2020 Census estimates that Black residents are 14.2% of the total population, but nationwide they make up only 5.3% of all practicing physicians, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. (Adobe Stock)

Black History Month: Calling Attention to Women's Health Disparities

Black and African American communities are at greater risk for multiple health conditions, a health care disparity highlighted during February's …

The green scarf is a symbol of the abortion-rights movements, created in Argentina in 2003 and popularized in the United States in 2022. (Clara/Adobe Stock)

TX Judge to Decide Abortion Pill Case with Nationwide Repercussions

Medication is now believed to be used in more than half of all abortions in the U.S., but a Texas judge could soon force one of two abortion pills …

For every $1 invested in ARRIBA - El Paso's workforce development program - the local economy receives $28 back, according to a 2021 study by the Hunt Institute for Global Competitiveness. (Rob/Adobe Stock)

TX Model Transforms Low-Income Students Into Skilled Professionals

For more than two decades, a workforce development program in El Paso has invested in the economically disadvantaged to help them attain the …

Por cada $1 invertido en ARRIBA, programa de desarrollo de la fuerza laboral de El Paso, la econom�a local recibe $28 de vuelta, seg�n un estudio de 2021 del Instituto Hunt para la Competitividad Global. (Rob/Adobe Stock)

TX Modelo transforma a estudiantes de bajos ingresos en profesionales

Durante más de dos décadas, un programa de desarrollo de la fuerza laboral en El Paso ha invertido en los económicamente …

Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the 50-year ruling that guaranteed the right to abortion, emboldened conservative groups now want the courts to impose further restrictions. (Inna/AdobeStock)

Anti-Abortion Groups Ask Texas Judge to Ban Mailing Abortion Pills

By Carrie Baker for Ms. Magazine.Broadcast version by Roz Brown for Texas News Service reporting for the Ms. Magazine-Public News Service …

Wages for healthcare workers in the U.S., primarily women of color, are among the lowest in the nation, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. (DraganaGordic/Adobe Stock)

DOL Recovers Over $1 Million in Back Wages for TX, LA Healthcare Workers

Women of color working in health care are the most likely to lose out on wages they have earned because employers fail to pay what they owe, …

New statistics on breast cancer show continued racial disparities in mortality rates between Black women and white women, according to the American Cancer Society. (Waldryano/Pixabay)<br /><br />

Doctors Encourage Post-Pandemic Breast Cancer Screenings

Like many other annual screenings, mammography tests for breast cancer were delayed during the pandemic, and this month doctors are calling attention …

Texas' House Bill 1280, soon to take effect, makes it a second-degree felony

Texas Abortion Poll: Lawmakers Out of Step With Constituents

Texas soon will enact one of the strictest abortion bans in the country - and a majority of voters don't like it. Three out of four - 77% of the …

Before the pandemic, CDC statistics showed about 700 women died each year of pregnancy-related complications, with Black and American Indian/Alaska Native women about three times more likely to die compared to white women. (parentingupstream/Pixabay)

Study: Maternal Deaths Would Skyrocket with Nationwide Abortion Ban

Texas is home to one in 10 Americans of reproductive age, and mandated births due to the state's abortion ban will increase the number of maternal …

Pregnant women in Texas are more likely to be uninsured and less likely to seek early prenatal care than the rest of the country. (SzilardSzabo/Pixabay)

High Court's Abortion Ruling Sets Up Texas Ban, Criminalization

The ruling on abortion by the U.S. Supreme Court has returned the issue to the states, fulfilling long-held goals of Republican lawmakers in Texas to …

Violence against mayors was a common occurrence in 2021, with women mayors of color reporting the highest rates of harassment and threats, according to research conducted by Oklahoma State University. (MarkusWinkler/Pixabay)

U.S. Mayors Learn Skills to Fend Off Increased Threats, Harassment

The pandemic appears to have increased the level of violence in U.S. cities, and a new study found local officials and mayors, especially those of …

Clinics in neighboring states saw an almost 800% increase in patients after Texas in 2021 banned almost all abortions after six weeks, according to Planned Parenthood. (FerencVarga/Pixabay)

Roe v. Wade: What Happens Next in Texas?

Texas took the lead among Republican states last September in making abortion illegal once a fetal heartbeat can be detected. Now, some fear the …

Over the past decade, states have enacted nearly 600 restrictions on abortion, including more than 100 restrictions in 2021 alone, according to the ACLU. (plannedparenthood.org)

Texas' Vigilante Abortion Law May Be Just the Beginning

AUSTIN, Texas - Texas has captured headlines over its law banning nearly all abortions, but other states soon may share the spotlight after the U.S…

Traveling nurses found improved quarters in Houston thanks to a pandemic-loan program designed to help small minority-owned businesses rebuild. (voltamax/Pixabay)

SOAR Fund Lifts Up Small Businesses Hit by Pandemic

HOUSTON, Texas -- Minority-owned businesses across the South are benefitting from a program designed to help them get back on their feet post-…

About 7% of Texas children ages 3 to 17 reported anxiety problems even before the pandemic, according to a new study by the United Health Foundation. (marcisim/Pixabay)

Study: Concerning Stats for Women and Children's Health

AUSTIN, Texas -- Access to mental-health resources is not always available under insurance plans, but those with such services should take advantage …

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on Dec. 1 in a Mississippi case that could overturn the decades-old abortion protections established under Roe v. Wade. (guttmacher.org)<br />

Texas Health-Care Providers Face Abortion-Law Whiplash

HOUSTON - Two court rulings in one week over the controversial Texas abortion law have providers questioning how to proceed. Last Tuesday, a federal …

Texas has enacted 26 abortion restrictions in the past decade, including the recent six-week abortion ban and a ban on all abortions that would go into effect if Roe v. Wade was overturned. (MarkThomas/Pixabay)<br /><br />

Supreme Court Bows Out, White House Wades into TX Abortion Battle

AUSTIN, Texas -- President Joe Biden stepped into the abortion battle in Texas Thursday, tasking federal agencies to see what steps can be taken to…

In addition to voter-suppression laws and anti-LGBTQ measures, laws to restrict women's reproductive health have being introduced in unprecedented numbers in 2021. (womenshealth.gov)

Study: Reproductive Restrictions Damage Working Women, State Economies

AUSTIN, Texas - Access to birth control has been responsible for one third of women's wage gains since the 1960s, and restrictions on reproductive …

Women earn more than 57% of undergraduate degrees and 59% of all master's degrees, according to the Center for American Progress. (nawbo.org)

Study: Women Officeholders Stuck at 30%, Locally and Nationally

AUSTIN, Texas -- At 51%, women constitute a majority of the U.S. population, but when it comes to holding political office, they account for only 30% …

White people have consistently higher retirement incomes than do Black or Hispanic people, and men have higher retirement incomes than women, according to the National Institute on Retirement Security. (antonynjora/Pixabay)

Post-COVID, Women Encouraged to Assertively Save for Retirement

AUSTIN, Texas - Many who were on track for a secure financial retirement were thrown a curve by the novel coronavirus pandemic, and financial experts …

Forty-three percent of Texas women live in counties with no abortion clinic, according to Pro-Choice America/Texas. (commondreams.org)

Texans Get Preview of Potential High Court Changes to Roe v. Wade

AUSTIN, Texas -- New Mexico and Colorado are likely to become major destinations for Texas women seeking an abortion if the conservative majority on …

One in four Texas women of childbearing age is uninsured, the highest rate in the nation, according to a 2019 report from the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families. (ramosiquitos/Pixabay)

Maternity Deserts: Pregnant and Nowhere to Go

AUSTIN, Texas -- When it comes to maternity care, many women are on their own during and after pregnancy due to increasing swaths of the country …

More than 150,000 undergraduate students in Texas are single mothers. (lyncconf.com/Flickr)

Student Parents Juggle Childcare, Studies as School Year Begins

AUSTIN, Texas -- Student parents have some major considerations as the new school year begins. From closed childcare centers, to nationwide computer …

Since the federal legislation that prevented evictions expired in July, they have resumed in many parts of Texas. (calmatters.org)

Hispanics Fear Even Worse Coronavirus Problems are Coming

AUSTIN, Texas -- The nation's economy has contracted at historic rates since the outset of COVID-19, and the outbreak has significantly harmed the …

A new report shows when it comes to protecting and providing for children, Texas has no counties that rank among the top U.S. 50 - and one county, Dimmit, in the bottom 50. (Bessi/Pixabay)<br />

Report: Childhood Ends Too Soon for Too Many Kids

AUSTIN, Texas -- Childhood is ending too soon for too many children in too many counties across the U.S, according to a new report from the group …

Research shows children with health coverage are more likely to succeed in school, graduate from high school and attend college, earn higher wages, and grow to be healthy adults. (semeevent/Pixabay)

Health Insurance Options for Texans Hit by COVID-19 Job Loss

AUSTIN, Texas -- The combination of COVID-19 job loss and employer-provided health insurance is hitting Texas families hard, but many are eligible …

Single mothers in Texas with a bachelor's degree earn $663,096 more over their lifetime than what they would have earned with only a high school education, a study shows. (Pixabay)

Study: Helping Single Moms Graduate College Would Benefit TX Economy

HOUSTON -- Texas would see a big return on investments that help single mothers graduate from college, according to a new report from the Institute …

The uninsured rate for women of childbearing age is nearly twice as high in states that have not expanded Medicaid compared with expansion states. (Pixabay)

One in Four Texas Moms Lacks Health Coverage

AUSTIN, Texas – Texas has the highest rate of uninsured women of childbearing age in the nation, with one in four lacking coverage, according …

For the second year in a row, the United States received a D-minus in the Population Institute's annual report card on reproductive health, because of state and federal policies that limit access to contraceptive and other health-care services. (Sarah C/Flickr)

Texas Gets F-minus Grade on Reproductive Health Care

AUSTIN, Texas – Texas is one of 19 states to receive a failing grade on reproductive health, according to the latest Population Institute …

Una investigaci�n de la AARP muestra que muchas familias de Texas confunden las salas independientes de emergencias con centros de atenci�n de urgencias, y acaban pagando cuentas mucho m�s altas. (Pixabay)

La AARP advierte de “Shock de Cobros Indebidos” en salas de emergencias independientes

AUSTIN, Texas – Una nueva investigación de la AARP Texas muestra que los usuarios de cuidados de la salud con frecuencia se confunden…

A report makes recommendations to Texas lawmakers to support the high number of teens in the state's foster-care system who become pregnant or are raising a child. (MadelineBazzle/Twenty20)

Study: Texas Foster Care System has High Teen Pregnancy Rate

AUSTIN, Texas – Teen girls in Texas foster care are almost five times more likely to become pregnant than other teens, according to a new study…

A new study shows that the number of women sent to prisons in Texas has increased by more than 900 percent since 1980. (Alina555/GettyImages)

Study: Texas Needs Alternatives to Sending Women to Prison

AUSTIN, Texas – Prison reform advocates say too many of the 12,000 women in Texas prisons don't need to be behind bars. A study by the …

The number of women incarcerated in Texas has grown 10 percent since 2009. (jodylehigh/Pixabay)

Study: Number of Women Grows in Texas Prison System

HUNTSVILLE, Texas – Prison populations are dropping in most states, but a new study finds the number of incarcerated women isn't falling as …

Natural gas wells are known to be sources of problematic air pollution and may be causing issues in developing fetuses. (Pixabay)

Study Links Emissions From Fracked Wells to Low Birthweight Babies

ODESSA, Texas – Pregnant women living next to fracked gas wells in Texas and elsewhere are more likely to have a low birth-weight baby - that's …

Est�n creciendo en Texas los empleos en manufactura y en otras industrias que pagan bien y no exigen un t�tulo de bachiller (BA) o de 4 a�os, seg�n indica un nuevo reporte.

Reporte: Número de Empleos Bien Pagados Crece en Texas

WACO, Texas – Un estudio reciente que comienza a circular hoy muestra que en Texas y en todo el país está aumentando la cantidad de …

The Texas Legislature passed a measure in 2011 stripping federal Medicaid funds from clinics providing women's health services, including family planning. (Wikipedia Commons)

Health Journal Sounds Alarm Over Texas Cuts to Family Planning

HOUSTON, Texas — A major public health journal says publicly funded family-planning programs are under attack, and Texas lawmakers are leading …

Un nuevo estudio muestra que aunque los latinos est�n logrando tener t�tulos universitarios, siguen retrasados con respecto a los blancos y los afro americanos en cuanto a logros educativos.

Estudio reporta que latinos van detrás en tener títulos universitarios

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Un estudio reciente encontró que, a pesar de los progresos impresionantes de años recientes, los latinos siguen …

Women are finding equality in some areas of military service, but overall in Texas and the U.S., research indicates they are losing ground. (Wikimedia Commons)

Texas Gets Low Marks for Women’s Equality

AUSTIN, Texas – Saturday is Women's Equality Day, but many women in Texas say they're losing ground instead of making gains – and new …

La Universidad de Texas en El Paso es uno de los nueve campus del Sistema de la Universidad de Texas (University of Texas System)

Reporte: Graduados del Sistema UT Consiguen Mejores Trabajos, Ganan Más

AUSTIN, Texas – Los graduados de las nueve escuelas del Sistema de la Universidad de Texas consiguen mejores trabajos y ganan más que …

Advocates say DNA testing of evidence in rape kits is the key to identifying suspects in sexual assault cases. (GettyImages)

New Texas Law Enables Comprehensive Rape Kit Reform

AUSTIN, Texas — With the passage of a bill establishing a tracking system for evidence in sexual-assault cases, Texas has become the first …

Audio Activation
	"Siri, play the Public News Service (podcast)"
	"Hey Google, play the Public News Service podcast"
	"Alexa, play Public News Service podcast" or "Alexa, what's my news flash?" once you set it up in the Alexa app
	Embed this Newscast

Audio Activation
	"Siri, play the 2024 Talks podcast"
	"Hey Google, play the 2024 Talks podcast"
	"Alexa, play 2000 24 Talks podcast" or "Alexa, what's my news flash?" once you set it up in the Alexa app
	Embed this Newscast

Audio Activation
	"Siri, play the Yonder Report podcast"
	"Hey Google, play the Yonder Report podcast"
	"Alexa, play the Yonder Report podcast" or "Alexa, what's my news flash?" once you set it up in the Alexa app
	Embed this Newscast

PNS Daily Newscast - April 18, 2024

2024Talks - April 18, 2024

The Yonder Report - April 18, 2024

TX: Women's

New study shows health disparities cost TX billions of dollars

TX health foundation broadens focus beyond the doctor's office

Abortion pill pipeline increases availability in 'red states'

As Costs Escalate, Texas Increases Nonmedical Maternal Health Care

Children's Advocates Lament 'Missed Opportunities' by TX Lawmakers

Showdown Over Abortion Medication Continues

Dueling Opinions Likely to Send Abortion Issue to U.S. Supreme Court

TX Court Ruling with Nationwide Implications for Abortion Expected Soon

Black History Month: Calling Attention to Women's Health Disparities

TX Judge to Decide Abortion Pill Case with Nationwide Repercussions

TX Model Transforms Low-Income Students Into Skilled Professionals

TX Modelo transforma a estudiantes de bajos ingresos en profesionales

Anti-Abortion Groups Ask Texas Judge to Ban Mailing Abortion Pills

DOL Recovers Over $1 Million in Back Wages for TX, LA Healthcare Workers

Doctors Encourage Post-Pandemic Breast Cancer Screenings

Texas Abortion Poll: Lawmakers Out of Step With Constituents

Study: Maternal Deaths Would Skyrocket with Nationwide Abortion Ban

High Court's Abortion Ruling Sets Up Texas Ban, Criminalization

U.S. Mayors Learn Skills to Fend Off Increased Threats, Harassment

Roe v. Wade: What Happens Next in Texas?

Texas' Vigilante Abortion Law May Be Just the Beginning

SOAR Fund Lifts Up Small Businesses Hit by Pandemic

Study: Concerning Stats for Women and Children's Health

Texas Health-Care Providers Face Abortion-Law Whiplash

Supreme Court Bows Out, White House Wades into TX Abortion Battle

Study: Reproductive Restrictions Damage Working Women, State Economies

Study: Women Officeholders Stuck at 30%, Locally and Nationally

Post-COVID, Women Encouraged to Assertively Save for Retirement

Texans Get Preview of Potential High Court Changes to Roe v. Wade

Maternity Deserts: Pregnant and Nowhere to Go

Student Parents Juggle Childcare, Studies as School Year Begins

Hispanics Fear Even Worse Coronavirus Problems are Coming

Report: Childhood Ends Too Soon for Too Many Kids

Health Insurance Options for Texans Hit by COVID-19 Job Loss

Study: Helping Single Moms Graduate College Would Benefit TX Economy

One in Four Texas Moms Lacks Health Coverage

Texas Gets F-minus Grade on Reproductive Health Care

La AARP advierte de “Shock de Cobros Indebidos” en salas de emergencias independientes

Study: Texas Foster Care System has High Teen Pregnancy Rate

Study: Texas Needs Alternatives to Sending Women to Prison

Study: Number of Women Grows in Texas Prison System

Study Links Emissions From Fracked Wells to Low Birthweight Babies

Reporte: Número de Empleos Bien Pagados Crece en Texas

Health Journal Sounds Alarm Over Texas Cuts to Family Planning

Estudio reporta que latinos van detrás en tener títulos universitarios

Texas Gets Low Marks for Women’s Equality

Reporte: Graduados del Sistema UT Consiguen Mejores Trabajos, Ganan Más

New Texas Law Enables Comprehensive Rape Kit Reform