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Patti Neighmond Award-winning journalist Patti Neighmond is NPR's health policy correspondent. Her reports air regularly on NPR newsmagazines All Things Considered, Morning Edition, and Weekend Edition.
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Patti Neighmond

Children's Health

Parents Urged to Watch Children for Developmental Problems

A new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention campaign launched this week encourages parents to monitor young children's social, emotional and physical development. Recognizing possible early signs of developmental disabilities including mental retardation, ADHD and autism means that parents can seek early treatment for their children.

Parents Urged to Watch Children for Developmental Problems

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Health

Canada Pulls ADHD Drug Adderall

Canada pulls a popular medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder off the market. The drug, used to treat both adults and children, is believed to have caused 20 deaths over the past 10 years. U.S. health officials do not plan to take the medication off the U.S. market.

Canada Pulls ADHD Drug Adderall

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Health Care

Diabetics Increasingly Strained under Health Costs

Americans with diabetes are having a difficult time finding adequate insurance coverage. A new study finds that even insured diabetics are being pushed into bankruptcy because insurance isn't covering enough of their expenses.

Diabetics Increasingly Strained under Health Costs

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Economy

Study: Medical Bills Spur Slew of Personal Bankruptcies

According to a new study from Harvard University, half of all personal bankruptcies filed in 2001 by Americans resulted from people being unable to pay their medical bills. Researchers say even more surprising is that most people who declared bankrupcy had health insurance.

Study: Medical Bills Spur Slew of Personal Bankruptcies

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Health Care

Wiggle While You Work: Fidgeting May Fight Fat

Overweight "couch potatoes" burn fewer calories a day because they sit more than their naturally lean counterparts, who tend to be more fidgety and restless, a new study shows. The findings suggest small changes in daily activity could have a major impact on weight loss.

Wiggle While You Work: Fidgeting May Fight Fat

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Health

Study: Acupuncture Can Ease Osteoarthritis Pain

New research published in the Annals of Internal Medicine shows acupuncture can dramatically decrease pain among patients suffering from osteoarthritis. Unlike rheumatoid arthritis, which can affect people of any age and is thought to be an autoimmune disease, osteoarthritis is primarily a degenerative disease suffered by older individuals. NPR's Patricia Neighmond reports.

Study: Acupuncture Can Ease Osteoarthritis Pain

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Health Care

U.S. Immigrant Obesity on the Rise

A new study concludes that immigrants put on pounds in proportion to the time they've lived in the United States. At the 15-year mark, the average weight of immigrants matches that of the average U.S.-born adult. NPR's Patricia Neighmond reports.

U.S. Immigrant Obesity on the Rise

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Research News

Report Links Lack of Sleep and Obesity

Two studies report that sleep loss can contribute to obesity. Researchers found that when men slept 10 hours, they awoke with normal appetites. But when they slept only four hours they were hungry. And what they wanted to eat wasn't lean meats, fruits or vegetables. NPR's Patricia Neighmond reports.

Report Links Lack of Sleep and Obesity

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National

Eating Healthy Gets Tougher in a Poor Neighborhood

Stockton is just a short drive from some of California's richest farmland. Yet in economically distressed southeast Stockton, it's difficult to find fresh fruits and vegetables. Markets mainly sell high-salt, high-sugar foods and alcohol. NPR's Patricia Neighmond reports.

Eating Healthy Gets Tougher in a Poor Neighborhood

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Health Care

Anxiety, Disorders Linked

Researchers find children who suffer anxiety are more prone to eating disorders later in life. A comparison of some 700 women with eating disorders to those without them found that women with the disorders were twice as likely to have suffered anxiety as children. NPR's Patricia Neighmond reports.

Link Seen Between Anxiety, Eating Disorders

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Research News

Research Effort Eyes Link Between Poverty, Obesity

A joint research project at the universities of California and Washington seeks to discover if there is an identifiable link between obesity and poverty. What can be learned from going grocery shopping with a young mother who lives on $800 a month? NPR's Patricia Neighmond reports.

Research Effort Eyes Link Between Poverty, Obesity

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Health Care

Acid Reflux Drugs Studied

Acid-suppressing drugs have been popular in treating gastrointestinal problems, but little has been known about side effects. However, a new study finds that people who take these medications have a significantly increased risk of getting pneumonia. NPR's Patricia Neighmond reports.

Acid Reflux Medication Linked to Pneumonia Risk

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National

Rehnquist Treated for Cancer

Supreme Court Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist is recovering from a tracheotomy performed over the weekend as part of his treatment for thyroid cancer. Some cancer researchers say the surgery suggests he may have an aggressive form of the disease. Hear NPR's Patricia Neighmond.

Rehnquist Recovering from Cancer Treatment

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