Alex Smith
Health ReporterAs a health care reporter, I aim to empower my audience to take steps to improve health care and make informed decisions as consumers and voters. I tell human stories augmented with research and data to explain how our health care system works and sometimes fails us.
Email me at alexs@kcur.org.
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The average number of daily COVID cases in both Missouri and Kansas climbed to record levels on Monday, and hospitalizations are near all-time highs in the Kansas City metro. But tests are in short supply. -
Inside Missouri's growing community of Black gun owners, even enthusiasts are alarmed about how quickly suicide rates are rising. But the message of crisis prevention isn't always a popular one.
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Kansas City, Missouri, saw a record 180 homicides in 2020, and 2021 is on track for another deadly year. Inevitably, the trauma from this gun violence makes its way to students, forcing Kansas City Public Schools to rethink its approach to education and discipline.
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Though holiday case numbers so far remain well below those from 2020, the COVID trendlines appear similar.
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Months after a court ordered Missouri to expand Medicaid, the state has been slow to reach out to hundreds of thousands of eligible residents who could benefit from the public health care program.
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Although some county representatives argued for ending the mandate immediately, the Jackson County Legislature voted 5-2 to extend the current mask mandate until Nov. 22.
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Missouri had the 4th highest rate in the country of residents taking benzodiazepines, and that was before the pandemic amped up anxiety. Experts say that long term use of these medications can cause lasting problems for patients.
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Despite downward case trends, much of the Kansas City area is still rated at the highest level of COVID risk by the federal government.
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As climate change worsens anxiety and depression among young people, Sami Aaron is teaching local environmentalists how to prioritize their mental health — instead of sacrificing themselves for the cause.
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Only Nebraska had a higher percentage than Missouri of kids with detectable blood-lead levels. And the authors of a new nationwide study say there is no amount of lead that is safe for children.
