Alaska’s rural communities are confronting a profound crisis. From 2012 to 2021, pregnancy-associated deaths in rural Alaska almost tripled, dramatically outpacing the increase seen in urban areas. Alarmingly, almost half of these deaths were linked to barriers in accessing healthcare. Host Dr. Jillian Woodruff and her guests discuss this disparity and how to address it on this Line One.
HOST: Dr. Jillian Woodruff
GUESTS:
- Abra Nungasuk Patkotak – Full-Spectrum Indigenous Birthworker and student midwife; Co-creator and Co-director of the Alaska Native Birthworkers Community.
- Katie Van Atta, PA-C, CNM – Midwife in the Mat-Su Borough, Physician Assistant in Naknek.
RESOURCES:
- Alaska Native Birthworkers Community
- Information on midwives
- Pregnancy-associated mortality in Alaska | State Department of Health
LIVE BROADCAST: Wednesday, September 25, at 10 a.m. AKDT
REPEAT BROADCAST: Wednesday, September 25, at 8 p.m. AKDT
LINE ONE’S FAVORITE HEALTH AND SCIENCE LINKS:
- Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic offer extensive health information libraries
- MedlinePlus has a guide to finding reliable health information on the internet
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI)
- Carl Sagan’s Baloney Detection Kit and common logical fallacies
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Get updates on Line One: Your Health Connection and other Alaska Public Media podcasts here.
