Courtenay Harris Bond

courtenay harris bond

Courtenay Harris Bond is the staff writer covering health for PhillyVoice. She enjoys writing about behavioral health, maternal health and inequities in the healthcare system, as well as human rights and criminal justice. A veteran daily newspaper reporter, Courtenay has also written for national outlets, including KFF Health News, Undark Magazine and Filter. She was a 2018 Rosalynn Carter Fellow for Mental Health Journalism and has master's degrees from Columbia Journalism School and the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education.

courtenay@phillyvoice.com

July 2, 2026

Healthy Eating

Americans love hot dogs, but here's why it's best to consume them on occasion

Americans love hot dogs, but many are unaware of the health risks they pose. They have high amounts of nitrates and sodium, which are linked to various health issues, including cancer and heart disease.

July 2, 2026

Health News

U.S. death rate dropped to record-low last year, CDC report says

The overall U.S. death rate fell to a record low in 2025 primarily due to drops deaths from COVID-19 and drug overdoses, a new CDC report says. But flu and pneumonia deaths increased.

July 1, 2026

Adult Health

Melatonin may be more than a sleep aid; it also may help relieve chronic pain

Melatonin supplements not only can help people fall asleep - they also may help relieve chronic pain, a new study finds. But researchers say the supplement only should be used with the guidance of a health care provider.

July 1, 2026

Prevention

How to avoid heat-related illnesses during extreme temperatures

Extreme temperatures put people at risk of heat stroke — a serious medical issue, health experts say. Older adults and babies are particularly at risk. Here are tips to prevent it.

June 30, 2026

Prevention

It's safe to get COVID and flu shots at same appointment, study finds

Getting flu and COVID-19 shots on the same day is no riskier than getting the flu vaccine alone, a new study says.

June 25, 2026

Women's Health

Most costly add-on procedures marketed to improve IVF success show little benefit, study says

IVF add-on procedures offer little to no benefits, a new study says. The researchers found only slight evidence that 3 of 10 methods examined increased the chance of pregnancy or live births.

June 25, 2026

Fitness

Chester County has a new outdoor gym with 7 stations for a 7-minute workout

Chester County has a new outdoor gym as a result of a national fitness campaign. The goal of the $100 million initiative is to help combat obesity by installing 5,000 of these structures throughout the country by 2030.

June 24, 2026

Addiction

For people in addiction, Project HOME's new facility bridges the gap between hospitalization and permanent housing

Project HOME's new Hawthorne House has 20 beds to bridge the gap between hospitalization and stable housing for people experiencing homelessness and addiction. These types of respite beds are unique, because they do not have a cut-off date, offer wraparound medical care and offer the stability people need to get enter recovery.

June 24, 2026

Health Stories

Having survived colorectal cancer, this Philly woman is now speaking out against cancer disparities

Janaylon Wright's experience with early-onset colorectal cancer has inspired her to speak out about cancer disparities. Cancer death rates are still higher for Black people and some other racial and ethnic groups in the United States.

June 23, 2026

Health News

Blocked CDC study on COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness gets published

JAMA Open Network has published the study on COVID-19 vaccination effectiveness that the CDC blocked from being run in its Mortality and Morbidity Report. It shows the shot drastically reduced COVID-related hospitalizations and ER visits last winter.

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