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The cost of loneliness: Social isolation holds back workers and costs employers billions

Mar 1, 2023
An 'epidemic of loneliness' in recent decades causes stress-related absenteeism, job turnover, and lost productivity.
In addition to affecting employees' mental health, researchers at Cigna found that employers could be losing up to $154 billion a year because of loneliness.
Timothy A. Clary / AFP via Getty Images

While the wellness industry booms, the FTC is cracking down on its marketing tactics

Feb 9, 2023
The FTC says health-related claims need to be backed by relevant, peer-reviewed scientific research. "It's long overdue," said one marketer.
iStock/Getty Images Plus

Steadily (and quietly), more electric school buses are getting on the road

Jan 20, 2023
The vehicles have struggled to gain traction, but school districts are being swayed by new funding options, as well as environmental and health concerns.
A Beverly Public Schools electric school bus charges in the parking lot. The district will get three more electric buses in spring.
Robin Lubbock/WBUR

A $30 million gift to build an addiction treatment center. Then staffers had to run it.

Jan 19, 2023
The money was a one-time gift for infrastructure, but to stay running, the clinic is on its own.
Crossing Healthcare, an addiction treatment facility in Decatur, Illinois, received a $30 million grant to build the center, but had to fund staffing and programs by itself.
Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images

More than half a million health care workers were hired last year. We still need more.

Jan 9, 2023
The recent jobs report shows a marked rise in the number of healthcare jobs added to the economy.
The latest jobs report shows that the number of workers in the health care sector has climbed back to around pre-pandemic levels.
Mario Tama/Getty Images

Biotech sector still hot despite cooling economy

Dec 27, 2022
The pandemic led to an explosion of interest in and funding of biotech. That continues even as many sectors slow and recession fears grow.
A sign on Oyster Point Boulevard calls South San Francisco the birthplace of biotech.
Beth LaBerge/KQED

The free market is failing us on antibiotics

Dec 22, 2022
The free market is pretty simple: There’s supply, there’s demand, they meet somewhere in the middle. If there’s a need, there’s a product. But sometimes, that system breaks down, as it has in the market for antibiotics.
Above, a pharmacist measures out antibiotic pills. Only a handful of biotechs are currently developing new antibiotics.  
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

Can global economic crises result in better international cooperation?

Political scientist Ian Bremmer sees big opportunity in crisis.
Johannes Simon/Getty Images

What do nurses have to say about the nursing shortage?

May 16, 2022
"There really is not a staffing shortage per se," said National Nurses United president Deborah Burger. "There's a shortage of nurses willing to put their lives and their license and patients' lives at risk."
"There really is not a staffing shortage per se," said National Nurses United president Deborah Burger. "There's a shortage of nurses willing to put their lives and their license and patients' lives at risk, because of the conditions that our employers are providing."
Cole Burston/AFP via Getty Images

There's a lot of money on both sides of the abortion debate. How much does it matter?

May 9, 2022
When it comes to reproductive rights, political spending doesn't always correlate with policy outcomes.
When it comes to reproductive rights, political spending doesn't always correlate with policy outcomes.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images