
Rebecca Smith
Rebecca Smith is a reporter and producer for the KBIA Health & Wealth desk. She was born and raised in Rolla, Missouri, and graduated with degrees in Journalism and Chemistry from Truman State University in May 2014. Rebecca comes to KBIA from St. Louis Public Radio, where she worked as the news intern and covered religion, neighborhood growth and the continued unrest in Ferguson, M
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Missouri and Kansas receive thousands of calls and texts each month through 988. A new service added to the 988 Lifeline will offer suicide prevention and mental health crisis counseling through American Sign Language for people who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing without the need for an interpreter.
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It’s tick season — and they're a problem all throughout Missouri, not just in rural areas. And there's a real risk of tick-borne illnesses like Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lyme disease.
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While unemployment is at a near historic low, many businesses are still struggling to find workers — as many otherwise eligible workers in Missouri are out with short or long-term complications of long COVID.
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After fleeing Afghanistan, several hundred refugees have ended up in mid-Missouri. Community groups there came together to gather donations for new and expectant Afghan moms, and hosted a baby shower and health clinic to help them transition to life in America.
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Missourians cannot currently order at-home PCR COVID-19 tests from the state due to a sharp increase in demand because of the omicron variant of the disease.
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Many OBGYNs across the state are worried as they see more serious pregnancy complications in women who have or had COVID-19. Medical experts strongly recommend the COVID vaccine for pregnant women.
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Despite vaccinating relatively few people, workers say they're encouraged. “That's 11 or 12 more people that not only got the vaccine, but then will go and tell their family, their friends."
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Jannis Evans and Devin Hursey both work in the HIV treatment and prevention field and have served on committees advocating for people with HIV in...
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A piano ready for the scrap heap gets one last chance to entertain people in Columbia, Mo. As part of our summer series "The World's a Stage," we find out who's playing it.
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University of Missouri Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin announced Friday that the University will “defer implementation” of its decision last week that would...