The latest health care news from The Texas Tribune.
Severe weather this week is confronting Texans with old problems and stirring up memories of previous crises. Experts say this can be a detriment to mental health. Full Story
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Compared to other large states, fewer state dollars go to Alzheimer’s disease services in Texas. Now with more national attention on research here, could that change? Full Story
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Abbott lauded the efforts of the anti-abortion movement after a landmark year for opponents of the procedure. Full Story
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Abbott doubles down on his long-standing call to lawmakers to prohibit local governments from enacting mask and vaccine mandates. Full Story
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State Sen. Roland Gutierrez, a San Antonio Democrat, introduced a package of legislation that includes a bill that would end qualified immunity, which shields government officials from liability for constitutional violations. Full Story
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The department’s helpline is less than a year old. But advocates hope state lawmakers fully fund it as farmers and ranchers continue to face hard economic times and isolation. Full Story
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Women in Deep East Texas drive over an hour to give birth after the last obstetrics unit in the area closed in 2019. But if closing the unit was hard, reopening it is proving nearly impossible. Full Story
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In conservative Sabine County, it’s hard for teens to access contraception or sex education beyond lessons on abstinence. The Deep East Texas region has one of the highest teen birth rates in the state. Full Story
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The Title X program has long provided free, confidential contraception to anyone, regardless of age, income or immigration status. A North Texas federal judge ruled in December that the program violates Texas law and parents’ rights. Full Story
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The infectious disease doctor has been at the helm of the department in an interim capacity since the fall, replacing longtime commissioner Dr. John Hellerstedt following his retirement. Full Story
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The research teams are expected to focus on traumatic brain injury, stem cell research, drug development and anti-shock therapies. Full Story
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U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, a former religious liberty lawyer, found that a federal program that gives teens access to birth control denies a parent “a fundamental right to control and direct the upbringing of his minor children.” Full Story
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Emily Foxhall, Laura Garcia, Michele Gonzalez, Julia Guilbeau and Stephen Simpson are the latest additions to the Tribune’s news and events teams. Full Story
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Fatal crashes in rural areas accounted for 51% of Texas’ 4,489 traffic fatalities in 2021, even though only about 10% of the state’s population lives in a rural area, according to data from the state’s department of transportation. Full Story
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A decade ago, Black women in Texas were twice as likely as white women to die from pregnancy and childbirth. Today, not much has changed. Full Story
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On this week’s TribCast, Matthew speaks with Eleanor about a long-awaited state report on maternal mortality in Texas and Alex about cities’ efforts to decriminalize marijuana. Full Story
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The Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee report, delayed by more than three months, estimates that up to 90% of the deaths may have been preventable. Severe complications from pregnancy and childbirth also increased significantly. Full Story
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Local officials, echoing Glenn Hegar, say the current maps are flawed and the process to lodge complaints is cumbersome. Full Story
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A Texas Democrat is proposing a constitutional amendment stopping future abortion restrictions. Voters would have to approve it — but Republican lawmakers aren’t likely to put it in front of them. Full Story
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Due in September, the report was delayed to allow a full review of 2019 cases, the state health agency said. That review didn’t change the findings. Full Story
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