Michigan Health Watch

Once the No. 3 cause of death in Michigan, COVID-19 is attributed to 1,400 deaths so far in 2024. That’s half of the number who died in 2023 and a small percentage of those who died in 2020-22.

Rituals can help us ride out acute grief and connect us to the deceased. For those in mourning, 10 locations in Michigan offer one of the most familiar rituals of all — a phone call.

Words such as ‘dementia’ or ‘Alzheimer’s’ can conjure images of confusion and solitude. A growing group of people with dementia say there’s still a lot of living and laughter.

Healthier meals for some low-income Michiganders are part of a “food as medicine” effort and theoretically cut overall health care costs, according to some experts.

A potentially deadly disease in infants, whooping cough — pertussis — has exploded in Michigan this year, in part because of decreased vaccination rates.

Portions of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which called for a reduction in drug prices, continue to click into place, including a $2,000 cap in 2025 for some Medicare beneficiaries. But there are limits.

Michigan lags the national average for flu shots, with rates falling for the fourth year in a row this flu season

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services releases a plan to reduce new HIV infections by 90% by 2030.

A limited benefit plan that launched just more than a year ago covers Michiganders who are no longer eligible for Medicaid and would have otherwise lost coverage altogether

Connecting with a horse creates a 'more welcoming' atmosphere for adolescents than traditional therapy, one expert says. It can help young people learn how to overcome fears and communicate more effectively.

From brown teeth in Colorado to a national experiment in Grand Rapids, research once led to widespread acceptance of US fluoridated water. Decades later, some say it’s time to rethink that approach.

Cases of walking pneumonia, a bacterial infection, have been on the rise in Michigan, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

An after-work drink helped launch a one-of-a-kind rapid testing program that offers a lifesaving head start in Michigan’s drug fight.

When nearly two dozen overdoses and seven deaths rocked Kalamazoo, police and health officials required a new level of cooperation. The response could teach other communities ravaged by the drug epidemic.

More than 25,000 Michiganders have died from drug overdoses. From shock and tears comes grit and resolve for change.

As Michigan’s treatment options grow, a new mapping site plots out where to find help.

A national outbreak of E.coli has infected 39 people across 18 states. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention linked the outbreak to organic carrots.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill Wednesday that makes live organ donors eligible for a one-time $10,000 tax credit to help with costs associated with the procedure.

Starting Wednesday, over 300 locations across the state will offer free contraception, including over-the-counter birth control pills, emergency contraception, condoms and family planning educational resources.

Michigan underreported total cases counts by 6%, the bulk of which came during the deadly omicron wave of 2021 and 2022. The state fixed the problem in October and blames a computer error.