Madison County

A field scientist drags a cloth across the ground to gather ticks

Ticks continue creeping southward in North Carolina

August 5, 2020 by Greg Barnes

Ticks continue creeping southward in North Carolina - North Carolina Health News

The coronavirus pandemic may have slowed reporting of tick-borne diseases in the state, but the insects are more prevalent than ever and are heading south, some carrying relatively new diseases.

By Greg Barnes Alexis Barbarin isn’t sure why North Carolina is reporting fewer cases of tick-borne diseases this year. Normally, by this time, hundreds of cases would have been reported, said Barbarin, the state’s public health entomologist, whose job it is to track diseases transmitted by insects. Instead, she said, only 76 confirmed and probable […]

long distance landscape photo of mountains receding into the distance.

Can western NC counties escape the worst of the pandemic?

May 5, 2020 by Melba Newsome

Can western NC counties escape the worst of the pandemic? - North Carolina Health News

Remote and sparsely populated, counties in western NC have taken some tough measures to keep their coronavirus numbers low.

By Melba Newsome To date, only Avery county in western North Carolina has no reported cases of COVID-19. Health officials in this remote, sparsely populated region say that high rates of poverty, older populations, and epidemics of obesity and diabetes along with scarce healthcare resources led them to begin planning early and be particularly aggressive […]

The Appalachian Mountains near the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina may benefit from the ARC's recovery ecosystem model. The area has a quickly growing outbreak of COVID-19

COVID-19 in western NC: Just the tip of the iceberg

April 13, 2020 by Melba Newsome

COVID-19 in western NC: Just the tip of the iceberg - North Carolina Health News

The number of COVID-19 cases in WNC is relatively low compared to the more populous areas in the state. But people on the front lines see a worrying trend that indicates it’s only a matter of time.

By Melba Newsome If you ask Bryan Hodge about the number of diagnosed coronavirus cases in western North Carolina, he can rattle off the exact number in each of 16 counties. He readily admits that, in addition to being obsessed with tracking the information, he also gets regular updates from his wife. Hodge is director […]

red barn on a hillside, next to a field of grass. It's an analogy for rural health or the rural-urban divide.

Rural-urban divide continues to widen, report finds

November 18, 2019 by Liora Engel-Smith

Rural-urban divide continues to widen, report finds - North Carolina Health News

Rural communities are seeing more deaths from potentially preventable chronic diseases and unintentional injury compared with their urban counterparts, a CDC report released earlier this month found.

By Liora Engel-Smith Spend any time talking about rural health and you’re bound to hear about divides, disparities and deserts. A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found this litany of challenges amounts to higher rates of potentially preventable deaths in rural Americans under 80 as compared with their urban counterparts. […]

shows hospital building that's under construction

Where is Mission Health’s independent monitor?

October 29, 2019 by Carolina Public Press

Where is Mission Health’s independent monitor? - North Carolina Health News

A state-mandated independent monitor to ensure that any changes implemented by Mission purchaser HCA comply with terms of sale the state stipulated has not yet been announced.

By Neil Cotiaux Carolina Public Press The mandate for an independent monitor was the kind of announcement that many residents of Western North Carolina wanted to hear. On Jan. 16, N.C. Attorney General Josh Stein announced that Tennessee-based HCA Healthcare had agreed to a checklist of legal requirements to protect the public as part of […]

New dollars target opioid misuse, workforce revitalization in WNC

September 11, 2019 by Liora Engel-Smith

New dollars target opioid misuse, workforce revitalization in WNC - North Carolina Health News

Twenty-nine western North Carolina counties could benefit from a new Appalachian Regional Commission initiative that will invest in workforce training and treatment options for people with addiction.

By Liora Engel-Smith Targeting some of the epicenters of the national opioid epidemic, the Appalachian Regional Commission announced a plan to revitalize the workforce in communities ravaged by addiction. The agency, whose mandate is to promote economic prosperity in 420 counties in 13 states, including North Carolina, outlined a plan to bolster and link programs […]

five people sit on stools with red backdrop behind them discussing hepatitis C prevention

New funds for hepatitis C prevention available until the end of July

July 1, 2019 by Taylor Knopf

New funds for hepatitis C prevention available until the end of July - North Carolina Health News

The Harm Reduction Coalition and Gilead Sciences are giving grants to organizations doing harm reduction work to prevent infectious diseases in North Carolina and four other states.

By Taylor Knopf North Carolina organizations providing harm reduction education and services can now apply for grants ranging from $25,000 to $150,000 with the national Harm Reduction Coalition through the end of July. As infection rates for hepatitis C continue to rise across the nation largely due to injection drug use, the pharmaceutical company Gilead […]

shows two women in scrubs, between them is an emergency department stretcher with materials and papers laid out on it.

Seeking Conviction: Sexual assault cases hinge on evidence gathered by police, nurses

March 20, 2019 by Seeking Conviction Investigative Collaboration

Seeking Conviction: Sexual assault cases hinge on evidence gathered by police, nurses - North Carolina Health News

Opting for a plea deal viewed as the best option when evidence seems weak. Part of an investigative series examining the issue of sexual assault prosecutions and convictions in North Carolina.

By the Seeking Conviction Investigative Collaboration Sometimes the right evidence can make or break a sexual assault case. Even when that evidence exists forensically or through witness testimony, the right circumstances make a difference, as do solid work by police, rape crisis advocates, medical professionals and prosecutors. Statewide court data analyzed by Carolina Public Press […]

shows a winding mountian road, only one car ahead, leaves changing color, blue skies

Three N.C. Counties Named ‘Bright Spots’ of Health in Appalachia

July 31, 2018 by Taylor Knopf

Three N.C. Counties Named ‘Bright Spots’ of Health in Appalachia - North Carolina Health News

Contrary to the stereotypes of troubled mountain communities, several western counties have good health outcomes, in part because of strong community ties.

By Taylor Knopf Rural Appalachian counties are known to struggle to keep up with the rest of the United States, especially when it comes to health outcomes. Infant mortality is 16 percent higher in Appalachia than other areas of America. There are higher rates of diabetes and child poverty. In general, rural North Carolina has […]

illustrated graphic showing the interior structure of HCV along with how the surface appears

Three N.C. Prisoners Sue the State for Hepatitis C Treatment

June 29, 2018 by Taylor Knopf

Three N.C. Prisoners Sue the State for Hepatitis C Treatment - North Carolina Health News

The men have tested positive for Hepatitis C and say they suffer from side effects of the virus. However, their cases must worsen before they meet the prison’s policy for treatment.

By Taylor Knopf Three state prisoners sued the N.C. Department of Public Safety this month arguing that they were denied treatment for their Hepatitis C virus (HCV). The men claim that there is no medical reason to justify denying them medical treatment for HCV, a highly contagious virus that targets the liver. It’s spread by […]

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