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.
December 11, 2024
Prevention
Self-testing option for cervical cancer screening endorsed by U.S. health panel
Women 30 and older should be given an option to self-test for cervical cancer, draft recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force say. In July, the FDA approved two tests that allow people to self-collect cervical samples for HPV, an infection responsible for most cervical cancer cases. Women 21 to 29 should still get a Pap smear every three years.December 11, 2024
Healthy Eating
'Sell by,' 'best by' and 'use by' dates can be confusing; here's how to make sense of them
Federal regulations do not require product dating labels except for infant formula, and state regulations vary widely, creating confusion about what 'sell by,' 'best by' and 'use by' dates mean. Most are not indicators of whether food is safe to eat. Rather, they are used for store inventory purposes or to determine when products taste the best.December 10, 2024
Healthy Eating
Some added sugar sources, like soda, increase risk of heart disease more than others, study finds
Drinking sugary beverages, including soda and fruit drinks with added sugar, puts people at higher risk for heart disease than eating some baked goods, according to a new study that compared the effects of three categories of sugar consumption. Previous research has found links between soda and obesity, diabetes and heart disease.December 6, 2024
Prevention
Colon cancer screenings have played a far bigger role in reducing deaths than treatment advances
Nearly 6 million deaths from colorectal, lung, breast, prostate and cervical cancer were averted between 1975 and 2020, with 80% of them being attributed to prevention methods like screenings, new research shows. The study's findings underscore the importance of cancer prevention.December 5, 2024
Prevention
A few nibbles of dark chocolate a day may help prevent type 2 diabetes
Eating about 1 ounce of dark chocolate each day is linked to a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, new research from Harvard shows. The research bolsters previous studies showing the health benefits of dark chocolate, which has been found to offer protective factors against cardiovascular disease, certain cancers and other diseases.December 5, 2024
Adult Health
When weight-loss drugs don't work, this new technology may one day help people with obesity
Gastric balloons are filled with silicone or air and placed in a person's stomach to create a sense of fullness. But people tend to regain the weight once they get used to the sensation. A new gastric balloon developed at MIT both inflates and deflates, which may help people maintain their weight loss.December 4, 2024
Children's Health
Leaded gas led to mental health issues for millions of Americans, study finds
Childhood exposure to leaded gas, which was banned in 1996, led to significant increases in various psychiatric and behavior disorders, including depression, anxiety and ADHD, new research shows. People born during the 1960s and 1970s, when leaded gas use was at its peak, were particularly affected, according to the study.December 3, 2024
Health News
An eye infection left Elton John with vision loss; here's what causes them and how to prevent them
Elton John says he has lost his eyesight following an eye infection. Most common eye infections do not lead to blindness but can become serious if left untreated. One of the biggest causes of eye infections is sleeping with contact lenses, experts say.December 3, 2024
Health Insurance
Penn Medicine, Independence Blue Cross reach agreement on new reimbursement rates
The University of Pennsylvania Health System and Independence Blue Cross have reached a new agreement on reimbursement rates that will begin in July 2025. The new deal is part of a larger contract that is still being finalized between the health system and health insurer.November 28, 2024
Fitness
Creative ways to stay active, and burn calories, during the holidays
It's easy to overeat and fall out of exercise routines during the holidays, but there are creative ways to stay physically active and quickly burn calories. Fitness experts recommend dancing around your home, taking the stairs, jumping rope, turning chores into workouts and even laughing.Just In
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