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Rachel Jones Rachel Jones reports on education, social policy, and welfare reform issues at NPR. She has also covered children’s health and development, as well as well as racial disparities in health care.
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Rachel Jones

Wednesday

Science

Study: Poor Readers Can Improve Brain Function

Proper tutoring for a child who's struggling to read can change the way the brain works, a Yale University study finds. Published in the journal Biological Psychiatry, the study examined tutoring that focuses on the sounds of letters and words. After one school year, brain scans showed lasting changes in the children. NPR's Rachel Jones reports.

Study: Poor Readers Can Improve Brain Function

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Sunday

Science

Report: Jump for Healthy Bones

A new study suggests that exercise, particularly vigorous jumping, can help children build bone mass. Researchers say the regimen is especially necessary for females, who in later years often suffer from osteoporosis and bone fractures. NPR's Rachel Jones reports.

Report: Jump for Healthy Bones

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Friday

Science

Breastfeeding Campaign Questioned

A new advertising campaign designed by the Department of Health and Human Services encourages women to breastfeed infants. It also warns of the potential health risks of not breastfeeding. The American Academy of Pediatrics questions some of the campaign's health risk claims and scare tactics. NPR's Rachel Jones reports.

Breastfeeding Campaign Questioned

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Wednesday

Science

Study: Echinacea Doesn't Treat Kids' Colds

A new study suggests that the popular herbal supplement echinacea doesn't help children get over their colds more quickly. Many people use echinacea in the belief that it boosts the immune system. NPR's Rachel Jones reports.

Study: Echinacea Doesn't Treat Kids' Colds

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Saturday

National

Lawmakers Take Hard Look at N.J. Child Welfare System

At a hearing on adoption, the House Ways and Means Committee takes a hard look at New Jersey's child welfare system. A New Jersey family has been accused of starving their four adopted sons. NPR's Rachel Jones reports.

Lawmakers Take Hard Look at N.J. Child Welfare System

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Tuesday

All Things Considered

Kit Offers Better Testing to Protect Peanut Allergics

The FDA approves kits that food processors can use to check for peanuts in their products. Because some consumers are dangerously allergic, processors need to be sure that they have cleaned all traces of peanuts from their machinery before using it on products that will be sold as peanut-free. NPR's Rachel Jones reports.

Kit Offers Better Testing to Protect Peanut Allergics

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Saturday

Science

Florida Case Puts Focus on End-of-Life Decisions

The legal battle over the care of Florida's Terri Schiavo puts new focus on the rights of severely injured patients -- and on the plight of families faced with a decision on ending life support. Most states have legal tools for end-of-life medical decisions, but most people aren't using them. NPR's Rachel Jones reports.

Florida Case Puts Focus on End-of-Life Decisions

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Monday

Science

New Birth Control Pill Raises Ethical Concerns

Earlier this month, the FDA approved Seasonale, a new oral contraceptive that allows women to reduce their monthly cycles to just four times a year. Some say Seasonale is merely another option for preventing pregnancy. But others warn about the ethical implications and potential risks of suppressing menstruation. NPR's Rachel Jones reports.

New Birth Control Pill Raises Ethical Concerns

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Tuesday

All Things Considered

Study: Childhood Cancer Leaves Mark on Adult Survivors

Adults who have survived a childhood cancer treatment may face a greater risk of physical and emotional complications, according to research in this week's Journal of the American Medical Association. Though survivors often report long-term emotional and physical after-effects of treatment, the researchers also found great resiliency among many of the childhood cancer patients. NPR's Rachel Jones reports.

Study: Childhood Cancer Leaves Mark on Adult Survivors

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Tuesday

Science

Studies Question Herbal Supplement Safety

A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests the popular herbal supplement St. John's Wort may do some harm because it interferes with prescription medications. A second study finds that most Web sites selling herbal supplements make unsupported health claims about their products. Hear NPR's Rachel Jones.

Studies Question Herbal Supplement Safety

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Wednesday

Science

Study: Moderate Exercise as Effective as Intense Workout

Moderate physical activity is about as effective as higher-intensity workouts when it comes to losing weight, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association finds. The report says diet and duration of exercise, rather than intensity, are the keys to shedding pounds. Hear NPR's Rachel Jones.

Study: Moderate Exercise as Effective as Intense Workout

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Tuesday

Science

Study Questions Cost of Children's Vaccines

A new study says a vaccine that protects children from diseases such as pneumonia and meningitis is so expensive, many children aren't getting the shots. The four-shot Prevnar vaccine costs about $200 to $300, and some private insurance plans won't cover the cost, research in the journal Pediatrics shows. Hear NPR's Rachel Jones.

Study Questions Cost of Children's Vaccines

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Friday

Science

Study Links Health to Neighborhood Design

A new report finds that people who live in sprawling suburbs walk less for exercise and, as a result, weigh more and have higher blood pressure than those in more densely populated areas. The findings suggest community planning could become a new front in America's war on obesity. NPR's Rachel Jones reports.

Study Links Health to Neighborhood Design

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Wednesday

Morning Edition

Daycare Study Revisited

Two years ago, a large, government-funded study of daycare garnered extensive attention and triggered worry among parents. The study's preliminary results suggested that children cared for outside of the home are more likely to exhibit aggressive and defiant behaviors. That study's results are now being published for the first time, prompting other researchers to weigh in on the question: Is day care inherently bad for children? NPR's Rachel Jones reports.

Daycare Study Revisited

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Monday

Science

Study: Absent Dads Impact Daughters' Sexual Behavior

A new study reinforces the notion that a father's absence during his daughter's childhood can have a negative impact on the girl's sexual behavior. But the research challenges previous studies suggesting poverty is the main reason such girls are at a higher risk for early sexual activity and pregnancy. NPR's Rachel Jones reports.

Study: Absent Dads Impact Daughters' Sexual Behavior

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