Public News Service

In 2018, 23% of eligible individuals in Utah were enrolled in dual-eligible special-needs plans. (Adobe Stock)

More UT seniors could qualify for dual-eligible special-needs plans

Utah seniors could qualify for dual-use special-needs plans, which offer standard Medicare benefits as well as additional unique coverage and …

Since 2004, Go Red for Women has addressed the awareness and clinical care gaps of women's greatest health threat, cardiovascular disease. The Utah Go Red for Women luncheon will take place at the Hilton Salt Lake City Center on March 8. (Adobe Stock)

UT heart survivor shares story to spread awareness for American Heart Month

One Utah woman is sharing her story during American Heart Month to spread awareness about how important preventive heart health care is. Claire …

Oil and gas operations are the source of nearly 30% of all methane emissions in the United States, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. (Adobe Stock)

UT Mormon steward applauds EPA's final methane rule

Members of the Mormon Environmental Stewardship Alliance in Utah are applauding the Environmental Protection Agency's final rule that sharply reduces …

Report: Utah ranks among top 10 states for overall health and well-being

Utah ranks among the top 10 states in the 2023 America's Health Rankings report, which "aims to understand the comprehensive health and well-being of …

Nationally, 25% of parents with diaper need reported they have missed an average of five days of work or school in the past month due to not having enough diapers to drop children off at child care. (Joaquin Corbalan / Adobe Stock)

As UT diaper needs grow, help is available

Inadequate diaper supply can jeopardize Utahn's ability to advance financially. That is according to Vic Velivis, the founder and executive director …

Teen girls are more likely than teen boys to say it would be difficult to give up social media, according to the Pew Research Center. (Adobe Stock)

UT sues TikTok, alleging negative mental-health impacts on youths

On Tuesday, the state of Utah announced it is suing TikTok as it claims the social media platform "baits children into addictive and unhealthy use." …

Around 34% of Americans, a near record high, say abortion should be legal in all cases, according to a recent Gallup poll. (Adobe Stock)

Utah Supreme Court to Hear Oral Arguments on State's Abortion Trigger Ban

Tomorrow, the Utah Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in relation to the ongoing lawsuit against Senate Bill 174. Commonly known as the "trigger …

The Utah State University research estimates that 39% of transgender people currently meet the criteria for severe psychological distress, compared with 5% of the overall U.S. population. (Adobe Stock)

USU Finds Clinicians Aren't Well-Versed in Transgender Health Care

Much has been said about the need for gender-affirming health care - but a Utah State University study says many health-care providers don't have the …

In 2020, 3,168 adult and children were served in Utah domestic violence shelters, but close to 2,200 requests for shelter were unmet. (Adobe Stock)

UT Measure Aims to Cut 'Lethal' Domestic Violence Incidents

It has been just days since Utah leaders enacted a bill that requires law enforcement agencies to conduct a 12-question assessment in response to dome…

The American Heart Association encourages people spend time in nature as one way to relieve stress and anxiety. (Adobe Stock)

UT Doc: Unchecked Stress Levels Can Lead to Health Consequences

It is Community Health Improvement Week, and one Utah family care physician wants people to use the time to think about the effects that stress may …

Utah's average cost of center-based child care for toddlers was $9,003 per year, 9% of the median income of a married couple. (Adobe Stock)

UT Excels in Child Well-Being, But Parents Struggle with Child Care Costs

Utah ranks second in the country for overall child well-being, moving up from last year's fourth-place ranking in the annual Kids Count Data Book…

According to the Children's Collaborative for Healing and Support, between 2017 and 2021, more than 5 million children nationally experienced the death of a parent. (Adobe Stock)

UT Pilot Program Aims to Support Grieving Kids

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox joined the Children's Collaborative for Healing and Support last week to announce a pilot program in the state designed to …

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends women who are 50 to 74 years old and are at average risk for breast cancer to get screened every two years. (Adobe Stock)

Mammography Among UT Women Ranks Below National Average

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in Utah women. According to the Utah Women and Leadership Project at Utah State University…

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every 15 minutes a person in the United States dies from an infection resistant to treatment with existing antimicrobial drugs. (Adobe Stock)

Calls for Revitalization of Antimicrobial Research, PASTEUR Act Could Help

The PASTEUR Act, which stands for "Pioneering Antimicrobial Subscriptions to End Upsurging Resistance," has been reintroduced in Congress with …

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one in three high school students experienced poor mental health during the pandemic, and nearly half of students felt persistently sad or hopeless. (Adobe Stock)

Nonprofit Group Urges School Districts to Focus on Mental Health Support

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and one group wants school districts in Utah and across the country to focus on critical mental health support…

Among racial and ethnic groups in Utah, research indicates almost 50% of Black adults aren't getting enough sleep. (Adobe Stock)

Report: 1 in 3 Utahns Not Getting Enough Shut-Eye

More than 30% of Utah adults are getting less than the ideal seven hours of sleep each night. Utah ranks 16th among states for insufficient sleep…

78% of participants are concerned or very concerned that PBMs hold a monopoly on the prescription drug market, according to the poll by Lake Research Partners. (Adobe Stock)

Poll: Voters Favor Policies that Hold Pharmacy Benefit Managers Accountable

Increasing prescription drug prices is a reality impacting many Utahns - and a new national poll finds bipartisan support among voters for Congression…

Scientists say Red Dye #3 poses health risks, but young children may be the most vulnerable because their small body weight and potentially higher levels of exposure. (DW Labs Incorporated/Adobe Stock)

Report: Popular 'Peeps' May Contain Dangerous Dye

Pink and purple "Peeps" are popular Easter treats, but consumer health experts warn they contain a dye that has been linked to cancer and Attention …

Across the 398 women surveyed, 57.8% occupied no marginalized social category, while 22.6% occupied at least one marginalized category and almost 20% occupied more than one. (Adobe Stock)

Report Eyes Health Impacts of Social Belonging in UT Women

Research from The University of Utah explores the physical- and mental-health implications of social belonging in women. Study author Lisa Diamond …

According to the American Heart Association, among Black women ages 20 and older, nearly 58% have high blood pressure. (Adobe Stock)

UT Heart Attack Survivor Shares Importance of Women's Heart Health

American Heart Month may be coming to an end, but one Utah heart attack survivor wants to shed light on women's heart health ahead of Utah's Go Red …

According to Power To Decide's Abortion Finder map, centers began closing even before the U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn 'Roe v. Wade' was officially released. (Adobe Stock)

States' Abortion Access Compiled on Interactive Map

Some doctors and pro-choice advocates are urging people to pre-order so-called "abortion pills," citing a looming Texas court decision which might ult…

Utah is the fifth state to pass legislation restricting gender-affirming health care for transgender minors. (Adobe Stock)

UT Ban on Gender-Affirming Health Care Draws Pushback

A group of physicians is voicing opposition to Utah's enactment of Senate Bill 16, banning gender-affirming health care for transgender youth…

When Congress elected to let the Child Tax Credit expire, child poverty rose by 40%, according to the Coalition on Human Needs. (Adobe Stock)

Utahns Call on Congress to Expand Child Tax Credit

Utahns are calling on Congress to expand the Child Tax Credit and say it should be a priority in a year-end tax package. The debate comes as …

In 2022, almost 260,000 Utah residents purchased their health coverage online through the Affordable Care Act health insurance exchange. (Rawpixel.com/Adobe Stock)

Utah Open Enrollment Begins Nov. 1 for Health Coverage

Open-enrollment season for health insurance is upon us, and Utahns who want to get the right kinds of coverage have a lot to consider. More than 300,…

In a recent survey on children's well-being, Utah ranked highest among the states in the Four Corners region. (Monkey Business/Adobe Stock)

Utah Ranks 4th Among States in Survey on Children's Well-Being

An annual report on children's well-being rates Utah among the best in the country, but advocates warn it also pointed to a growing mental-health …

Salt Lake City and its surrounding region are among the Top 10 worst in the country for toxic ozone pollution/ (salil/Adobe stock)

Salt Lake City, Others Sue EPA for Stronger Ozone Protections

A group of health and environmental advocates has sued the Environmental Protection Agency over its failure to enforce air-pollution protections in 30…

It took scientists a little more than a year to develop a viable vaccine against the coronavirus, but researchers are only in the early stages of studying

Study Seeks UT Volunteers to Unravel Mysteries of 'Long COVID'

The National Institutes of Health has begun a nationwide research project to better understand how to prevent and treat what's become known as "long" …

National Healthcare Decisions Day is this Saturday, an opportunity to talk with family members about their end-of-life choices. (ashtproductions/Adobe Stock)

Healthcare Decisions Day: Time for Utahns to Examine End-of-Life Issues

Saturday is National Health Care Decisions Day, a reminder Utahns and others should have plans in place in case they need medical attention and are …

Inability to pay was the most cited reason for educational disruptions, according to an analysis by the Latino Politics and Policy Initiative at UCLA. (Adobe Stock)

For Some in UT, College Dreams Cut Short by Pandemic

Low-income families in Utah may have shifted funds from education to pay for pandemic-related costs, a trend in line with findings showing Black and …

A medical aid-in-dying bill had a hearing in Utah for the first time but failed to move out of committee on a 9-2 vote. (Adobe Stock)

Polling Shows Utah Voters Want Medical Aid in Dying

Despite polls showing most voters support the right to a peaceful death, a bill to legalize medical aid in dying has once again failed to advance in …

Health-care advocates say thousands of Utah kids may need to re-register for health insurance coverage when the pandemic-driven health-care emergency ends in the coming weeks. (Monkey Business/Adobe Stock)<br />

Advocates Say Officials Need to Act Now to Keep Utah Kids Insured

With the end of the pandemic-driven public-health emergency looming, a new report reveals that millions of children in Utah and elsewhere are at risk …

Thousands of qualified caretakers are needed to provide services for Utahns with developmental and intellectual disabilities. (New Africa/Adobe Stock)

Provider Shortage Triggers Access-to-Care Crisis for Disabled Utahns

Advocates say Utah has a shortage of qualified workers to deliver home and community-based services to people with developmental and intellectual disa…

A new federal law prevents surprise medical bills, also called balance billing, that show up when a patient sees an out-of-network provider at an in-network facility. (antonioguillen/Adobe Stock)

New Federal Law Blocks Doctors From Sending 'Surprise' Medical Bills

A new federal law, which took effect on New Year's Day, the No Surprises Act, expands protections already in place in Utah and across the U.S…

The Build Back Better Act contains provisions that would bolster coverage through the Children's Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) and Medicaid. (Arlette/Adobe Stock)

Children's Advocates: Build Back Better 'Crucial' for UT Kids' Health

SALT LAKE CITY -- Health-care reform advocates in Utah are pressing the U.S. Senate to approve the Build Back Better Act. They say it would improve …

Experts say health insurance through the Affordable Care Act is much improved after Congress passed the American Rescue Act earlier this year. (Tada Images/Adobe Stock)

Open Enrollment Begins for 2022 'Obamacare' Health Care Plans

SALT LAKE CITY -- Open enrollment for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act is underway in Utah and across the country, and experts are …

Research shows low-income families spend a much higher percentage of their income on food than families with a higher income. (Adobe Stock)

Ogden Legislator Leads Push to Eliminate Utah's Food Tax

OGDEN, Utah - Utah is one of only a handful of states that taxes food, but one state legislator says taxing groceries should become a thing of the …

Despite concerns of Utah parents that school-age children could be vulnerable to COVID-19 when they return to class, the state bars school districts from requiring face masks. (Rido/Adobe Stock)

Utah Officials Urged to Approve K-12 Mask Mandates

SALT LAKE CITY -- As the Delta variant drives a growing number COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations in Utah, particularly among young adults and …

Children enrolling is Utah public schools must show evidence of receiving six different vaccines to protect themselves, and their classmates, from infectious diseases. (IPC-PROD/Adobe Stock)

Doctors Urge Parents to Get Kids' 'Back-to-School' Exams, Shots

SALT LAKE CITY -- It is getting to be "back-to-school" time in Utah, and pediatricians say a visit to the doctor is as important as new pencils or …

The outlook for children's well-being in Utah is good, but a new report says 173,000 kids live in households where parents don't have stable employment. (diego serva/Adobe Stock)

Report: Utah Among Top 5 States for Children's Well-Being

SALT LAKE CITY -- Families with children in Utah and other states remained mostly steady over the past year in an annual report on children's wellbein…

Conservationists Back Congressional Effort to Restore Methane Controls

MOAB, Utah -- Conservationists and others are optimistic key climate-change regulations on methane leaks rolled back during the Trump administration …

Experts are concerned that many parents haven't been equipped in the pandemic to cope with the stress of working at home while their children are learning from home. (Rafael Ben-Ari/Adobe Stock)

Experts: Poverty, Pandemic Could Bring Increase in Child Abuse Cases

SALT LAKE CITY -- Utah families need more resources to counter concerns of a slumping economy and the pandemic, which could subject more children to …

The COVID-19 virus has disrupted millions of lives across Utah, but some state legislators are proposing a law that would allow them to determine when the pandemic is over. (Thaut Images/Adobe Stock)

Are We Done Yet? UT Lawmakers Ponder Bill to End Pandemic

SALT LAKE CITY - Utah legislators are working on a bill that would allow them to decide when the COVID-19 pandemic is officially over - or at least…

Many Utahns have lost their health insurance during the COVID-19 pandemic, but subsidized coverage is now available through the Affordable Care Act. (Rido/Adobe Stock)

Nonprofits Help Utahns Find 'Bidencare' Coverage in Health Marketplace

OGDEN, Utah -- You may know it as "Obamacare." But nowadays, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has a new moniker, "Bidencare," because President Joe …

The COVID-19 pandemic is severely disrupting the lives of Utah's children, according to a new study from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. (Philip Steury/Adobe Stock)

COVID Pandemic Brings Stress, Health Issues to Utah Kids, Families

PROVO, Utah -- The COVID-19 pandemic and its side-effects - job loss, poverty, hunger and the threat of homelessness - have hit Americans hard in 2020…

Public health officials in Utah and elsewhere are discouraging large gatherings to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, to avoid the spread of COVID-19. (deagreez/Adobe Stock)

Online Tool Helps Assess COVID Risk at Holiday Gatherings

SALT LAKE CITY - Public health officials continue to discourage large gatherings for this Thanksgiving, but it's hard to tell how big is too big…

Utah educators are asking state health officials to mandate online classes in public secondary schools to keep students and teachers safe during the current COVID-19 spike. (as-artmedia/Adobe Stock)

Educators: Governor's COVID Order Puts Utah Teachers at Risk

MURRAY, Utah -- Utah leaders have declared a public health emergency in the wake of rising COVID-19 rates, but the state's public school teachers say …

The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments Nov. 10 on whether to overturn the Affordable Care Act. The ruling is likely to be announced in June 2021. (zimmytws/Adobe Stock)

Report: 260,000 Utahns Lose Health Insurance if SCOTUS Repeals ACA

WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah -- If a lawsuit before the Supreme Court to repeal the Affordable Care Act succeeds, some 260,000 Utahns would lose their …

Research shows children who grow up with health insurance have fewer health problems, higher academic achievement and greater economic security throughout their life. (Rawpixel Ltd./Adobe Stock)

Utah Sees More Children Without Health Insurance

SALT LAKE CITY -- After a decade or more of steady improvement, a new report shows fewer Utah children are being enrolled in health insurance plans…

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