Rural Health

Two blister packs of birth control pills, in a tree

Governor vetoes bill requiring insurance to provide a year of birth control

Supporters of the bill said it would increase access to birth control, especially for rural Alaskans, and reduce reliance on abortions.
a building

Alaska is facing its highest rates of whooping cough in more than a decade

Rates of whooping cough have reached epidemic levels in Alaska, according to the state epidemiologist.

Vaccines for whooping cough and other diseases | Talk of Alaska

Alaska’s top medical experts join us to describe the latest science about viral disease, how to prevent it and answer your questions on this Talk of Alaska.
overdose kits

Alaska schools to be stocked with anti-overdose kits under new law

Hundreds of overdose-reversal kits are headed to schools as part of a strategy to combat Alaska’s high rate of opioid deaths.
a protest

Alaska judge strikes down requirement that only licensed physicians provide abortions

A judge agreed with Planned Parenthood that barring clinicians from providing services violates the state's constitution.

Microplastics in the Arctic | Line One

Why are microplastics so prevalent in the Arctic, and what is known about how they affect human health and development?
Man holds a sign that says 'Be the change' in front of a white trailer.

Here’s where money from Alaska’s opioid settlement is going

About $8.5 million will go to 18 organizations in the state helping with prevention and addiction treatment for the state’s deadly opioid crisis.

Arctic residents face high risk from toxic effects of plastics, report finds

The report is based on over 250 peer-reviewed studies and shows the Arctic environment and people are disproportionately impacted by microplastics, plastic chemicals, and contaminated sea life.
A person on a four-wheeler

New research uses 130 years of historic flood observations to help identify future risks

Researchers compiled and analyzed a database of hundreds of written accounts and observations going back to the late 1880s.
a coastline

Alleged victims of former volunteer at Juneau’s Echo Ranch Bible Camp are suing

The people who say they were victims of Bradley Earl Reger are trying to hold the institutions where the abuse took place accountable.

Line One: The intersection of pharmacy and herbal medicine

What role does herbal medicine play in a pharmacist’s practice and how do these two approaches coexist? We explore those questions on this Line One.

As climate change alters berry production in Alaska, communities find ways to adapt

Researchers at UAF have been collecting berry data over the past two decades and communities are using that to help guide interventions.
a building

Whooping cough is surging in Southeast Alaska

The region has had 14 reported cases of the highly contagious respiratory illness since July.
a vaccine

FDA approves two updated COVID vaccines

The Food and Drug Administration gave the green light to two updated COVID-19 vaccines to protect against recent variants of the coronavirus.

Psychedelic medicine in Alaska | Line One

A conference in Anchorage, seeks to explore many questions around psychedelics. We talk with keynote speakers for the conference on this Line One.
flooding

Coastal Yukon River faces flood advisory as lower Kuskokwim catalogs flood impacts

Meteorologists say Tropical Storm Ampil could back up the Yukon River, causing erosion and structural damage like that on the Kuskokwim.
People sit at picnic tables in a high-ceilinged wooden building.

BYU scientists visit Alaska to study Alzheimer’s in Pacific Islander and Indigenous elders

Researchers said the populations they’re studying have been almost entirely left out of current Alzheimer’s research and will deepen knowledge of the disease.
a helicopter

Coast Guardsman’s death prompts mental health conversations at Base Kodiak

Coast Guard officials call the rescue swimmer's June 25 death "a tragedy," urging comrades to use stress management resources on base.
a building

Alaska mental-health provider Akeela sued over delayed data breach warning

According to a former patient's class-action lawsuit, Akeela waited over a year before informing patients of the breach in July.
a sign

Survey of Alaska youth reveals more mental health problems, but also some positive trends

The latest Youth Risk Behavior Survey found more anxiety and suicidal thoughts than earlier surveys, but also less alcohol and tobacco use.
surf

The oceans are weirdly hot. Scientists are trying to figure out why.

Scientists knew that climate change would cause the oceans to heat up a lot. But current ocean temperatures are even higher than expected.
Deb Haaland

The federal report on boarding schools | Talk of Alaska

The U.S. Interior Department released a report in July 2024 to continue documenting the federal government’s role in the system that ripped children away from their homes.
Lisa Murkowski

Advocates, Murkowski seek next steps after Native boarding school report

Alaska boarding-school survivors and Sen. Lisa Murkowski applaud the federal report, but say it tells only part of the story.
a sign

Alaska invested millions to fix food stamp backlogs. Some users still can’t get through.

The state has not finished its tech rollout and officials say they are still working to reopen offices and get benefits to Alaskans.
a child

Researchers decipher MIS-C, the scary illness that followed COVID in some kids

Some children who had COVID developed a severe inflammatory response that could put them in the ICU. Scientists have learned why.

Alaska Public Media’s rural health coverage is supported by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and our members.

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Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Rural Health

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is working to build strong networks of leaders who share a commitment to helping everyone in America live longer, healthier lives.